Lang Marong has joined the casualties of the Jammeh regime’s brutality. The deputy National Mobiliser of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has finally passed away after all efforts to save his life failed. Marong died barely two months after his release from Mile 2 prisons. His death at the St. Edward Francis Small Hospital in Banjul this afternoon follows those of Solo Sandeng and Solo Krummah. Both reputable political leaders sacrificed their lives for the liberation of oppressed Gambians. And in the process, all of them were brutally tortured and left to die. Lang Marong was among the April 14 opposition protesting youths led by Solo Sandeng. Almost all of these youths who pushed for electoral reforms are left with some form of medical problems. For instance, Modou Ngum has lost vision in one of his eyes while others become deaf, the offshoots of inhumane, brutal tortures.
Since his release in December last year shortly after President Adama Barrow won the election, Marong had been grappling with stomach complications. He was rushed to Dakar for treatment where doctors found no cure for him, fueling speculations that he might have been yet another victim of ousted President Yahya Jammeh’s poisoning spree.
The man who had proven to be a very “effective grassroots mobilising political machine” in Kiang, had lived and died for defending the interest of the masses. Like the two fallen Solos, Lang Marong fought political battles selflessly; They neither sought attention nor glory. All they cared about was to send a belligerent dictator packing.
It was too painful for the many UDP members to lose the three political heavyweights in less than a year. While all of them were close friends, most people describe Marong and Sandeng as “inseparable twin brothers.”
Marong’s death was announced on a day the criminal trial of Solo Sandeng’s cold-blooded murderers debut in court. Like Sandeng and Krummah, Marong too will be remembered for giving his very best to the Gambia and Gambians.
Ends
These are true patriots who must be remembered for their selfless sacrifices. Without the patriotic sacrifices of Lang Marong and others, Jammeh would still be in power. I hope President Barrow pays special tribute, recognition, respect and honor to the late Marong and others in his next speech to the nation or even press conference. May Good God give late Mr Marong and others patriots highest place in Heaven.
RIP.
Sorry, but i don’t think you are right about that. Jammeh was removed by the humblest of the entire Gambian population , oiled of course by President Adam Barrow’s charisma. and the unrelenting adherence to justice and fair play displayed by the Electoral Commission staff as a whole, plus the integrity, and respect for due process shown by its Commissioner.
To cast it now, after the event, as a protesters’ victory – with due respect to all activist, and militants – is, in my humble opinion wrong. I could go along with your theme song… God save the protest-militants, but you must also recognise that even a simple ballot-box-militancy can just as well land you in Prison, and even lose you your life! So please lets stop this Jesus-like- empty- hero worship (after he died fighting for them – jesus that is, the masses hung images of him on every wall, and started worshipping him. The had forgotten that just that very evening, on the day he died, they (the multitude of people} were at the [virtual] synagogue watching the flogging of their now disowned hero being whip lashed and flogged. They even said they remembered some saying that their attendance at his humiliation was as a result of boredom, and having nothing to doprotest-militants, and ballot-box militants alike on the day, they went to see the Big man sit on, and humiliated the little man Jesus, they attended out of boredom, still others said even though they could feel his pain and ordeal, they nevertheless enjoyed the spectacle of this small man being flogged by this hug man with barbed wire and horse whips made of hide and wire of thorns) so with all respect, I suggest we start looking at this Victory of good, over evil, as rightly belonging to the multitude, It was a people’s victory and there is no taking that away from anyone, ! Humty Dumty had fallen, and all the men’s horses, and all the…? could not put Humty dumbty together again, so he disappeared to the Equator
May his soul rest in peace. Another Jammeh victim, Jammeh should be held and brought to justice.
A hero has indeed fallen. May his soul rest in peace and may the Almighty protect and bless those he has left behind.
Morro Touray