Soul Searching For Gambians: My ReflectionsBy Emmanuel Daniel Joof
Gambia is a very small country where many are related and connected. It has been an open secret to many Gambians that Jammeh and his henchmen carried out many killings of innocent Gambians. Even the individuals who carried out the killings have been known to many Gambians and they even attend the same Mosques and Churches as the rest of us.
Last week, our worst fears were again confirmed by the numerous revelations now made public about the killings of innocent Gambians by Yahya Jammeh and His Henchmen.
We have now been reliably informed again that Mr Alhaji Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Jobe both possessing Gambian and USA Citizenship and reported missing since 2013 were indeed abducted upon arrival at the Banjul International Airport, transported to Kanilia, tortured, killed and their bodies dumped into the crocodile pool of Yahya Jammeh. They are added to the list of the many victims of Yahya Jammeh including our veteran Media Personality Uncle Deyda Hydara, Chief Ebriam Manneh, Haruna Jammeh, Marcia Jammeh, Daba Marenah, Dawda Nyassai , Solo Sandeng and many more.
Gambians, let us now do some soul searching as many including our own brothers, sisters, uncles, fathers, relatives, friends etc. have been complicit either directly or indirectly to Jammeh’s heinous crimes.
As we all wait for a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission to be set up to deal with our recent shameful and painful history, perhaps we should start asking ourselves some questions:
1. How many of us directly took part in these atrocities?
2. How many of us indirectly assisted and aided in the commissions of these heinous crimes?- members of the security personnel, Prosecutors, Magistrates , Judges???
3. How many of us who had the moral authority especially religious leaders, opinion leaders, Gambian elders etc to speak out against these crimes decided to conveniently keep quiet?
4. How many of us despite having adequate information about these atrocities pretended that it never happened and even went to great length in trying to defend the Yahya Jammeh’s regime by conveniently saying that there was not enough evidence to implicate Yahya Jamme and or his henchmen?
5. How many of us turned a blind eye to the atrocities of Jammeh because we felt that it did not affect us directly or indirectly?
6. How many of us ignored Jammeh’s atrocities because he was our tribesmen- a Jola?
7. How many of us conveniently ignored all these atrocities because we were benefiting directly or indirectly from the regime of Jammeh?
8. How many of us although professing to be very “religious and God fearing” decided to hypocritically condone and disregard all the torture and killings committed by Yahaya Jammeh and his henchmen?