By Madi Jobarteh
Indeed sooner than later it will be clear to all and sundry how Yaya Jammeh and APRC took liberty with the lives of Gambians. Humanity will not believe that indeed here is a society in which one minority group of her citizens just decided to rape, beat, torture and kill their fellow citizens for nothing. In contravention of our laws and the sacred norms of our culture and religions these minority citizens blatantly, without conscience or fear of God just wreaked havoc on their families and neighbours as if they are not Gambians.
It shall be said how could a person love power and privileges to the point that such a person could be prepared to sacrifice his or her fellow human beings. Yet this was what Yaya Jammeh did and aided and abetted by his cabinet ministers led by Isatou Njie Saidy and NAMs led by Fabakary Tombong Jatta with men like Yankuba Colley among many others over the past 22 bloody years. As they plunder and pillage, there are 30% of fellow Gambians who blindly stood with them as Yaye Compins, youth and women leaders, chiefs, alkalolu and imams in our villages and towns. Not the fear of Allah, not the love of country, not even our family ties and close-knit community and good neighbourliness were enough to restrain them from unleashing carnage on their fellow human beings with whom they share the Gambia.
To imagine that the Gambia would have among its citizens a few who would have the ability without fear or shame to abuse their office to rape a Gambian woman is a story future generations would not believe. To even imagine that a few Gambians would have the audacity to arrest and then kill a fellow Gambian and then throw the body to crocodiles or in abandoned wells or bury them like dogs just to serve one man will be a scar on the conscience of our nation till the end of time.
The Gambia is one big family literally. Yet how could we have among us a group which could totally disregard the deep social relationships and cultural connections we share but to inflict such atrocities that even the colonialists did not commit? The British came to dominate and exploit our resources and labour. In that campaign they oppressed with laws and institutions. They stole our money and denied us services with violence. But the British did not just go on the rampage to rape and torture and kill women and children and any adult Gambians for free. Yet even if they did we do not expect anything good from colonialism which is a crime against humanity. We never invited the Europeans to come to the Gambia in the first place and we never voted for them and of course they were no citizens.
But Yaya Jammeh and APRC are citizens. Our people welcomed AFPRC in 1994 and never resisted them. Our people voted for Yaya Jammeh and APRC since 1996. Our people gave them support and cooperation. Anytime Yaya Jammeh and APRC called the people answered in their thousands. Yet to imagine that this Yaya Jammeh and APRC will pay back the goodness and hospitality of our people with death and destruction is indeed betrayal of the highest level.
Yaya Jammeh did not only steal our money and but also denied us quality services just like the colonialists. This is inexcusable. Unlike the colonialists, Yaya Jammeh and APRC went further to rape and kill Gambian women and children and adults just to stay in power. This is indeed inexcusable, unacceptable, unforgivable and unforgettable.
After all this to now see a normal Gambian man or woman claim he or she supports APRC is indeed shameful and disheartening. Yet there are still Gambians who proclaim Yaya Jammeh as a leader who deserves respect and worthy of their affection. How? Why? Is it ignorance or is it dishonesty or is it both?
In Germany, folks are ashamed of Hitler. In Uganda, folks are ashamed of Idi Amin. In Cambodia , folks are ashamed of Pol Pot. Even in Nigeria, folks are ashamed of Abacha. Yet in the Gambia there are folks who are still proud of Yaya Jammeh after having raped and killed and looted and pillaged the Gambia.
They do not care that in this Gambia some mothers have not seen their sons since the NIA arrested them many years ago. They do not care that there are mothers who have been raped and weeping silently to themselves everyday. They do not care that there are wives who lost their husbands at the hands of Yaya Jammeh. They do not care that in this Gambia there are children in wheelchairs because Yaya Jammeh ordered soldiers soldiers to shoot them. They do not care that in this Gambia there are many men who have been made impotent because of torture at the NIA and Mile 2 and other torture centres. They do not care that there are some Gambians who died and were buried abroad because Yaya Jammh refused to allow their body to be buried in their home country. The list goes on….
Yet there are Gambians who support this National Disgrace called APRC.
God Bless The Gambia
