It’s exactly 21 years today when more than a dozen soldiers accused of a coup plot were summarily executed by The Gambia’s military junta. The ‘military with a difference’ sadly lacked the balls to tell Gambians the list of coup suspects. Only the alleged leader Lt. Basiru Barrow was named. What has become our country’s first government-anointed massacre story remains shrouded in mystery. And to make matters worse, the families of massacred soldiers are not talking about the 11/11 event.
We would have known the true story had executed soldiers emerged from their graves. That has never happened anywhere. The onus now is on those who knew the story in toto to tell us exactly what happened on that fateful night at Fajara Barracks and Brikama range. We as a society has a real problem when we cannot tell our own story, especially the one that disvirgins our nation. It is an irony that most of the 11/11 storytellers were traumatized and ultimately had their memories faded. We give kudos to the few soldiers for publicly sharing thier side of the cold-blooded event.
Of course, not all the families remain tight-lipped. The father of the late Lt. Gibril Saye remains a hero for challenging the lies of the ruling junta. We stll have memories of how Pa Amadou Saye confronted the junta over its cooked up story. The dynamic would have changed had the families Lt. Basiru Barrow, Lt. Abdoulie Dot Faal, Lt. Bakary Manneh and others done the same. In that case, the anger-laden Gambian people would be in solidarity with the families who had their loved ones executed and denied the right to a fitting burial.
The families may be crying in silence, which is understandable but that should not stop them from sharing the memories of their loved ones with the public? This can be done by taking a minute’s silence, organized prayer sessions or write articles promoting their vision. A simple poem on how they are loved and missed will immortalise them. All these create new holes of disturbance and guilt in the hearts of their killers.
Remaining silent is not a winner here since it smoothens the hearts of the cowards loaded with fears of being busted. Clearly, all those who play a part in these heartless and unjustifiable executions will forever be hunted by the nemesis they create. All the heartless people who either fired shots, directed, macheted or bury our soldiers alive will reap what they sow. The spirits of the innocent souls keep boggling their mind anytime they go to bed.
Most people expected President Jammeh to seek forgiveness from Gambians, especially for the 11/11 and April 10 &11 masdacres. He eluded the chance in July when he pardoned over 200 prisoners. But we were not surprised he didn’t because his ego wouldn’t allow him. How can the wounded families forgive and forget when they are denied justice, compensation and the government refuse to seek forgiveness? The chapter remains opened until the right thing is done: investigate the executions, prosecute those responsible and compensate victims’ families.
We at Kairo News and Radio join the families of 11/11 to remember the victims on a day that has left a permanent scar on our country’s image. We pray for the souls of the fallen soldiers to enjoy Eternal Bliss.
The late Lieutenant Lt. Basiru Barrow, Lt. Gibril Seye, Lt. Buba Jammeh, Lt/ Abdoulie Faal (Dot), Lt. Momodou Lamin Darboe, 2nd Lt. Bakary Manneh (Nyancho), Officer-Cadet Amadou Sillah, Sgt-Major Fafa Nyang, Corporal Basiru Camara and countless other soldiers were gone but their memories would remain.
Ends
Helas! this was the first occasion Jammeh used to put blood and hold the balls of soldiers like, Yankuba Touray, Peter Singateh, Edward Singateh, Sanna Sabally and those who are alive to SHUT UP forever or face exposure. These former soldiers have only one choice i.e take revenge on Jammeh by all means necessary, and face JUSTICE together.
The victims families will never forgive until justice is done.
may their souls rest in peace. thank you kairo for standing for helpless victims.
Rest in peace, Allah will be the judge between you and your killers.
And one master architect of that fateful day killings, is now a pauper living in Germany. I challenge sana sabally to come forward and tell the truth. No matter How long it may take, the long arm of justice will catch on all the perpetrators.
May Allah (swt) grant them His Mercy…Hopefully, the truth will be revealed one day and justice will be done by holding those responsible fully accountable…
Rest in peace brothers, gambia has not forgotten you. When the sun sets and the dust settles you will be served justice that you deserve.
May Allah (SWT) BLESS their souls in perfect peace. The Gambians should be very careful not to select or elect another killer to lead them! What I am hearing today online Radios and from individuals, it is scaring! Every Tom and Jerry thinks they can rule the Gambia, because Yaya Jammeh did it for 21 years! But what they failed to realize is their personal state of mental capacities, which they might not even realized it, which is very serious. An alcoholics and someone whose childhood went desperately wrong, should not lead even a group of people rather than a nation! May the Almighty Allah save the Gambia and her people. Ameen!!!
May Allah Subhanah Wattaahla reward them with jannah. Reading the names of those soldiers killed in the 11/11 massacre, which appears that none of them are from the jola tribe, makes me think that president Jammeh from the outset has tribalism in his mind. If according to the author, Sanna Sabally and Yankuba Touray who are not from the Jola tribe were behind the killings, then president Jammeh used them to his advantage and later accused Sanna and Sadibu of plotting to overthrow his government.
Not Surprisingly Jammeh till this day hate the Mandinka tribe that he mentioned it on several occasions. Tribalism is one of the greatest ignorance that can send any country into the dark ages. I condemn tribalism with all my heart. Gambians should not be surprised that a once down trodden tribe is now ruling us with a vengeance. Before Jammeh came to power, even mandinka, wollof or sererr mates were called SUMA JOLABI. These mates cleaned, cooked and washed for us for decades. They formed the majority in the Security Forces and now is their turn to rule and teach us a bitter lesson.
May all the souls of the deceased rest in eternal peace
All i can enunciate/say to the victims is that let them forward their issues to international level if they really want justice to take its course. Through my observations and deductions the way things are going is ridiculous. Let them engage ECOWAS/ INTERNATIONAL BODIES so that truth monsters and torturers can spend the rest of their life in prison. Just fancy what happened to the junglers who were set freed. That spells a lot. Let us put heads together to make sure the then regime dance to their own tunes. They dont deserved to survive for the crimes they committed.Whosoever allow these murderers to get away with their crimes will certainly kiss the dust sooner than later. May Allah guide and bless us all.