Gambian activist Burama Sanneh on January 26th, 2015, made the following transcribed presentation at a meeting with representatives of Washington State lawmakers in Seattle. Mr. Sanneh, a regular political and social commentator of Kairo Radio, accused President Yahya Jammeh of grooming Boka Haram type terrorists in the Gambia.
After the military regime led by Yahya Jammeh took over power by force in 1994, Gambians have since not known peace in that country. So many people, including intellectuals – the cream of our society – have either disappeared, exiled, imprisoned or summarily executed; no body knows their whereabouts. Because the state has a hand in all these disappearances, that is why we cannot trace the disappeared people. This has been going on for 20 years.
We need a genuine electoral reform because that is the only way we can make peaceful change of government, but the incumbent clearly stated that no election would remove him from power. He said whoever wants to remove him from power has to take up arms. And we think his excesses have become too much to bear. I am a democrat, and I don’t believe in forceful take over of a government. But recently some of our folks who are concerned about the situation back home took up the sacrifice to free their oppressed people. These folks living in other states have been part of the struggle to liberate their people. Two of them are in US custody for violating a century old Neutrality Act. One of them is Papa Faal who served in the US army; he who went to Iraq and Afghanistan to make sure that those countries enjoy the type of democracy the world is yearning for. The other colleague is called Cherno Njie, a very successful Texas businessman who has been in the US for over 30 years.
But we have a President who comes on national television and tell the world that whoever is accused of homosexuality will be beheaded. There is no press freedom, the rule of law and democracy in the Gambia; He has total control over everything and has ordered the arrest of relatives of the coup plotters. These gentlemen decided to take up arms to free up their country where we have our siblings and parents. How can we enjoy freedom here when my mother cannot speak to me on the telephone when I call? This was the reason why they took action. They are now accused of violating a century old US law.
Of course, you have to look at this situation from so many angles. President Jammeh has called them terrorists. In a sense these people are not terrorists. We look at them as freedom fighters because the actual terrorist that the US needs to look at is President Jammeh. If look at his utterances and his people speaking for him, you will really know that he tells Gambians that if the US wants to intervene and dictate what happens in this country, he will wipe them from the world map. Of course, he cannot do this but he can groom terrorists like Iraq, Iran and other places have done. Yes, he can do this because he has a group of young boys who are not listening to anybody other than him. Anytime he started talking, they will clap and dance; he feeds them and give them everything. This was a situation in Nigeria when Boka Haram started; nobody pays attention to them until they have grown up and have today become regional and international problem.
We felt that the US needs to act now, either in support of the oppressed or as US rules say a friendly nation which is headed by a dictator who we see as an oppressor. The Obama government should either stand by us or tell us they will stand by the dictatorship.
Ends
By the way the US is going about their double standards protocol siding with the kanilai predatory murderer on our issue is hypocritical…. US know for fact that the murderous kanilai Satan is their sworn enemy, the genuine Gambian people are the true friends…. US are TRULY disappointing on prosecuting our noble comrades while they sponsor & physically engage alongside others doing the same & or even worse in other places around the world where innocent civilians loose their lives… These are learning curve experiences which will help Gambians become stronger & put our plans properly for our next move to exterminate the kanilai devil & its murderous syndicate… Anybody MUST be joking for REAL, including the US IF they think Gambians will be deterred by their hypocrisy & sit idly by, while our only home is destroyed by a murderous idol worshipping satanic murderer… God help Gambia; Ameen.
I do not think that attempting to get the United States to face its own record of unleashing its military might against its percieved enemies, will lesson the gravity of the crimes of those accused of violating US Law.
Neither do I think the United States would consider changing its laws to accomodate, what some comentators are calling “the new reality”
What Yero Jallow and Professor Saine are doing, is by far the most positive and reasonable approach, by introducing the United States law makers and enforcers to mitigation of the actions of the accused.
Extermism takes many forms. To label President Jammeh as a terrorist employing terrorists is an outrageous insinuation, unworthy of the true and just cause of the majority of peaceful and law abiding Gambian dissidents.
What the dissident movement should be gainfully employed in doing, is appealing the the United States and its democratic allies, to apply as much international pressure on the Jammeh government.
To address the social and political imballances that have given cause to the ill-fated and violent incursion into the peace and stability of Gambia. Dated 30th December 2014
The greater onus of any responsible government, is to take full account, of the reactionery transgretion of the Gambia’s integral sovereignty and to give a concilitory statement of intent…to alter the
the future direction of the Gambian government and its harsh and uncompromising words and policies.
It would in my opinion be the most intelligent move on behalf of President Jammeh…to offer talks with the leaders dissident movement to discuss how best to defuse this escalating and potentially dangerous situation.
Michael can you do us a favour and leave us in peace instead of provoking us. Well done Burama for representing our views.
Excellent, we need people like you. I mean those loaded with substance.
Well done Burama, I am naturalized, American citizen born in Gambia but living in USA.
First of all, I am very very disappointed about federal government particularly DOJ, for arresting these two noble freedom fighters Mr njie, and faal. Arresting and prosecuting them for what? An old USA neutrality acts. Knowing fully what dictator jammeh is oppressing innocent unarmed Gambians, illegal arresting, killing, disappearance or force to exile and above that dictator himself stated at the recent BBC interviewed that he will rule Gambia billion years and no election will unseat him. So America and Obama administration tell us (Gambians) What Else Can We Do To Rescue Our Mother Land Gambia? Did American government forget so soon that how dictator Jammeh came to power in July 22nd 1994? If federal government forget we the Gambians don’t forget it. Dictator jammeh came through barrel and bullets with his comrades by removing the democratic elected government of President jawara. American government please for sake stop your well known double standard and hypocrisy and free Mr faal and njie. How many unjustified wars America is waging throughout the world? Countless. Obama Administration, You Have To Be With Either Monster Dictator Jammeh Or Help Us Get Rid Of Him From Power Otherwise A Lot Of Innocent Gambians Lives Will Vanish Or Force To Go To exile. Because Gambia has no rule of laws, no freedom of speech, no freedom of movement, assembly, and finally no election will remove monster dictator jammeh. RIP late Lamin Sanneh and fellow comrades freedom fighters. Free Mr faal and njie now USA Obama administration! !!
I have one word for Michael, he is informer for monster dictator jammeh. He is no remorse for innocent gambians being killed, disappeared, illegal arrested or force to go to exile but instead he is one of people who are in monster dictator jammeh’s pay check recipient for their informer missions. God will exposed their dark hearts in this world and in the hereafter they have no place but the lowest deck of where hypocrites will be. If monster dictator jammeh is not the same as terrorist what group did he belongs to? Michael all those innocent lives taken in a broad daylight who is behind those killing? Let me name few ousman koro ceesay, Daba marena, Mr hydara, and etc. This folks are Gambia government employees except Mr hydara. So why dictator jammeh cannot still arrest those who committed this terrorist act? You know why dictator jammeh is behind those killing and he knows fully who killed this people just like he knows his own mother Asombi Bojang. So please be quiet and receive your informer paycheck. But know that your boss dictator jammeh will not rule us even next five years to come but God will exist forever not coward mobster dictator uneducated idol worshipper so called HIV Aids self proclaim 21st century Gambians dictator jammeh. By God his ruling will soon come to an end.
I totally agree with Micheal, we cannot pressure the the Obama administration to change their law, however we can feed them with the necessary information that will make them look at Jammeh from a different perspective. The United states is not at war with the Gambia, therefore the Gambia is a friendly nation to them by all accounts.We can use their soil to overthrow jamneh at our own detriment.We are ready and willing to face the same charges as the previous ones, but the show must go on.Those of you thinking that the US will come to our aid, better think again.This is a Gambian problem so we will take care if it by ourselves.
Kemo, there’s no more information we can feed the US about the kanilai predatory murderer…. In fact US knows about the kanilai devil’s illegitimate murderous & other dubious engagements FAR more than what we can tell them at the moment… The indigenous peoples of the countries being invaded, helped & sponsored by US to reclaim themselves from their monstrous dictatorships who usurped power illegally just like the kanilai predator, were never at war but equally friends like Gambia…. US are just being double facet hypocritical in our case, to say the least… Is it because we don’t have any oil to grease their elbow….??? We all must tighten our belt by ALL means necessary, which ever way we can to reclaim our only home from rot…. God bless Gambia; Ameen.
Mr Scales, i don’t have to blame you for your refusal to see Jammeh’s act of grooming his green boys as terrorist despite history has it all for you to see. I don’t know what is your interpretation of the word terrorist if what Gambians have gone through these twenty years does not qualify the act of a terrorist. Mr Scales, what act would you call for the arson attack on journalist Ebrima Sillah and family when his door was padlocked and the house fire burnt. What is your interpretation of abducting people from their homes, keep them incommunicado for days and torture them for days only to drop them at west field junction at late night without any security involvement. What name will you give to that group of thugs Mr Scales. What is your take on the 2009 witchcraft cleansing. Tell me Mr Scales, what is the difference between the act in which Daba Marena and team’s disappearance and what ISIS is now doing that qualifies them to be call terrorists.
Mr Scales, i simply don’t have time to respond to you adequately because i know you don’t have to feel what Gambians are going through because you are just a friend to the Gambia, but please do accept our feelings as bonafide Gambians whose parents, husbands, uncles, brothers and sons have been terrorized to death when we are left with no room for redress but to keep mourning for twenty long years. Please Mr Scales, STOP INSULTING us when you know we are crying outside our home while you are partying in your home. Think of the difference and STOP what you are doing.
Mr Sanneh,
The long list of atrocities comitted by Gambian’s against Gambian’s is well known and documented.
Forgive me if I don’t dwell on each and every dispicable event, in this brief reply, for my feelings and opinions are well documented.
Safe to say, I have persued each heinous transgression in my own personal capacity, with correpondence with and between British members of Cabinet, The Foriegn and Commonwelth Office, Some British High Commissioners, Gambian opposition leaders, on line Editors and human rights organisations and activists…..and high profile members of the Gambian dissident movement.
If I am in the pay of Yahya Jammeh….then I can confirm his “paycheck” is 15 years overdue.
For my support of the construction of the Gambian online media, I would expect my payment would be to be prosecuted by The Gambian Government…..if I decide to return to Gambia.
To date I have recieved 29 death threats, catalogued by the UK Police and security agencies, and three confirmed poison attempts, two of which landed me in hospital fighting for my life.
Would that I have earned my retirement… from the noble Gambian Democratic cause.But there are some Gambian’s who keep calling me back to this debate.{ Perhaps they are of the opinion that I have something to say?}
I have prosecuted an impartial and objective position of support for the dissident movement, on an open forum of complete transparency.
In that any financial support I have given must be declared publicly by the recipients.
My persistant refusal to bankroll opposition parties is guided by Gambian law that decrees any payment given to a Gambian political party, by a foreign national, renders that party to be deemed Null and Void.
Therefore if I offer an opinion, you can be assured that it is formed on a solid foundation of in depth knowledge of each stakeholders position.
I am not against President Jammeh. Neither am I for any criminal or violent overthrow of the APRC government.
What I do stand for is reconciliation and the lawful prosecution of those who comit crimes against the citizenry of The Gambia.
Your opinions are most welcome, but under freedom of speech, you must expect and tolerate all objections.
With respect.
@Bajaaw,,,My brother what I am saying is that the information we have been sending to the US is a low profile information. We are being ruled by our own so I see no reason why the US should step in without any provocations from Banjul.The law is bigger than any one person so unlike Jammeh, the US recognises that a long time ago, and still sticking to it so that EVERYBODY’S POWER COULD BE CHECKED..We need to seriously start working hard if we really wanna remove Jammeh from power.We need more intellingenve collections from Banjul which I doubt if any of the diaspora groups are doing that.How can we get to Yaya if we have absolutely no clues as to what he is doing behind the scenes..I know one thing for certain, and that is the senegalese sends in 16 of their intelligence operatives to the Gambia everyday.This is different from those residing in Banjul. WE COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME.The US will not use her peoples’ tax dollar to go liberate the Gambia which they see as no threat to their security.In order words the US got a bigger fish fry.The US go for sharks not tilapias.It is deemed a waste of their time as one law maker told me and it is high time for we Gambians to recognise that, and stop calling on them to come to our rescue.You can’t expect your distant neighbor to come to your rescue when they have very little idea as to what is going inside your family house. We dont need ni intruders..Gambians please stop calling on the US to come to our rescue because they will not..This is not their problem, they care less.The killings the killings the killings, these are just MINOR to the US..The US don’t even care about their second class citizens rather than citizens who lives thousands of miles away.Bajaaw, I will leave you with this Mandingo proverb,,Mandingolu ko Balafa, abee lonng Lee baala..America I must say again has very little idea about the plight of the Gambian peoples. How many US lawmakers have we approached?We throw demos here and there but is that enough?How many of these US law makers or their adjutants read about this Mini west African country called the Gambia? The answer is and will be none UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.Gambians we have the ball in our court not sure if we have the balls.
Kemo, I am with you all the way with what you have said above. I am also telling you that the US have their intelligence sources not only in state house-Banjul BUT in kanilai & inside the devilish tyrant’s “bedroom”…. Whatever information we are to give, the US have already got that whether you believe this or not…. In fact US were, & still are privy to many other illegalities & other heinous crimes of the kanilai devilish murderer that are yet to be know to you, me & any comrades for that matter… I never thought for a second that the US will ever sponsor or physically help us in our struggle… All I expect would be some moral support, possibly in sanctions on the kanilai predatory murderer, its wife, family & inner circle of murderous elements… If US still can’t do that for the genuine Gambian majority who are the true friends, let them leave us alone & stop harassing our comrades who are trying to salvage their motherland from rot instead of their hypocritical protocol favouring the kanilai predatory butcher against the true people of Gambia….. I know for sure nobody will rescue our motherland BUT our collective efforts alone & probably some moral support from our friends & the international community…. God bless Gambia; Ameen. Thanks.