The man who holds every Gambian hostage has been reduced to “a prisoner by default” in the United States capital Washington D.C. President Yahya Jammeh was the only African leader whose citizens embarrassed him with angry protests. The protesters became so noisy and adamant that dictator Jammeh chose to stay away from day one of the first US-Africa Summit organised by President Barack Obama.
He was unlike his Kenyan counterpart President Uhuru Kenyatta who could be seen moving freely out and about in the hotel Mr. Jammeh got holed up.
“This is a major victory for activists in the diaspora,” a senior Gambian activist told Kairo Radio. Alkali Conteh described Yahya Jammeh as ” a prisoner by default. We have succeeded in caging Jammeh in his hotel; He could not even move to the reception,” Mr. Conteh said. “We have the right to enter the hotel inside out, which has been taking place. This is why he dares venture out.”
Activists have been thrilled with the diverse nature of anti-Jammeh representation in Washington, as energetic activists came from across the United States.
“It was a long day but was all worth it,” sounded Pata Saidykhan who flew from Nebraska to attend the protest. “The protest was a success and Jammeh the coward was humiliated,” he said, explaining how some “retarded Gambian security officers” attempted to assault protesters. Nobody got hurt; we’re all good.
Activist Pa Samba Jow says Gambian leader deserves what he gets. “We are proud that the coward leader did not attend the first day of Washington Summit. It’s a victory to the oppressed Gambians,” he said. “We want to halt Yahya Jammeh’s excesses at all costs because if we don’t, he will rule the Gambia with iron fist forever.”
The wife of disappeared US-Gambian citizen, Ebou Jobe, appealed for the release of her husband. Mai Badjie said the family has credible information that Ebou Jobe and Alhagie Ceesay are still alive in the Gambia. “I want Yahya Jammeh to release my innocent husband and his friend. I want to ask Jammeh to tell me about the condition of my husband.”
Imam Baba Leigh, himself a victim of the Jammeh brutality, spoke in four local languages: Mandinka, Fula, Wolof and Jola. He is confident that President Jammeh will go and that people must not relent in their fight against tyranny.
“We block the entire area around White House. In fact, Jammeh is scared to come out; he told the secret service that we have weapons and eggs ready to harm him,” Fatou Jow Manneh said. “We are delighted to shame the man who belittle our people and persecute them.”
For Sigga Jagne, the anti-Jammeh dust must not settle down. She urged activists to stand up against the Jammeh orchestrated impunity.
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Well done guys. We the proud Gambians are grateful to you. We are happy that the guy who insults and issues threat against us is humiliated by you in DC.
Aala baraka
Lafia please…Why the distinction. ..? When will you refrain from bringing “tribe” into our discourse…?
Get rid of your Mandinka “cloak” and put on a better and superior one: The Gambian “cloak”…
Pierre Minteh and his gang who assaulted Fatu Camara and Ous Mbenga that we will deal with them post jammeh and we will make sure that their asylums are rejected should they ever apply for one in the future.
Bax, there is no identity to me that is better than my mandinka identity because that is what I am, and I don’t need to tell you how proud I am of my mandinka upbringing and heritage. Equally, I am proud of my gambian identity but none of my identities is superior to the other. Gambia was founded, as a country, in 1888. Meanwhile, history has recorded the presence of mandinkas in the Kankaba principality, the birthplace of Sundiata Keita since the 10th century. So one cannot hold my gambian identity as better or superior to my mandinka identity. As far I am concern, they are equals.
I made a distinction because unlike all the others, jammeh explicitly made a specific threat against the mandinka people in The Gambia. I take this threat very seriously, and have come to realise that there only way this threat can disappear is not having jammeh as president in The Gambia. This is why I am thankful to the demonstrators for this exactly what their goal is.
People like you would rather have this threat down played or pushed under the carpet as if it is not an issue to be concern about. As a concern mandinka, I am not gullible enough to countenance with that kind of hypocrisy or foolhardiness given what I know about jammeh and what he is capable of doing.
I will not wait until calamity befalls the mandinka people in The Gambia before I talk. I will talk now and highlight the threat specifically posed to mandinkas in The Gambia regardless of what anybody says. As a Mandingo pree, I owe that to myself and to the Mandingo people, and to all those who care about peace and social justice in The Gambia. I know that doesn’t include you.
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I have watched the videos and I must say they’ve done us all proud. To see people like Imam Baba Leigh in a protest T-shirt is very moving in every emotional sense of that word.
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My name sake (toma) Lafia Touray was born in Gao, Northern Mali. He migrated to guinea Conakry where his son, Samouri, became king, and grandson, Saikou, the first president of La Guinea. Big up mandinkas/ Malinke. Yahya Ratatoi jammeh cannot destroy our pride.
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