It is the epitome of the highest moral failure of not only the Gambia government under Yahya Jammeh but the citizenry at large. The basic fundamental obligation of any government and or society is to protect the safety and security of its most vulnerable in the society; the young, women and the elderly. Where a nation fails to live up to this engrained moral principle of a decent society then that nation will forever be hunted by those failures. That nation and people will find it absolutely difficult to stand up and defend any basic principles of good governance, societal norms or general ethical standards of justice, fairness and basic honesty. Thus the moral erosion and political failures of present Gambia government and people can be traced back to what is no doubt the darkest day in the history of our tiny Gambia. That day marked the beginning of real impunity and the day political leaders, religious leaders, elders and ordinary citizens of the Gambia relinquished its future to a dark oblivious government.
April 10th & 11th 2000 Student Massacres was not only a failure of the Jammeh government but a moral characterization of the beginning of saying ‘every man for themselves god for us all’. For the simple fact that what is a routine standard practice across the world for students to express their grievances against their government would be turned to carnage and the bloodiest day in the history of the Gambia and nobody lifts a finger is beyond any comprehension. It was the beginning of gradual destruction of collective responsibility for a society that one time had its own pledge of allegiance in the principle of “one nation, under God, indivisible in liberty and justice”. That was the day Gambians began to cease to be their brothers’ and sisters’ keepers; it was the day parents became helpless, devastated and yet no one seems to care and the society failed them miserably. It was the day the seeds of discord and distrust with political and religious leaders were cemented in the hearts and minds of victims and the rest of Gambian society. The results of that day sent a chilling message that victims of Gambian have no one, or entity or organization to turn to except their own brutal government that just took away their hearts and souls – their children.
For fifteen years thereafter, nothing was ever the same again in Gambian society politically and socially. The curse of failing to protect the precious lives of our children and the dignity of our elders went down the hill fulfilling the dreams of a heartless and monstrous leader became real. The moral foundation and basic fabrics of the society began to dwindle into an unknown territory. Gambians became strangers and more hostile to each other. Families pitch against families; friends against friends, bosses against subordinates and security forces against each other. Survival of the closest to the absolute leader and or the one who can do the dirtiest job became the path to the top of the pack. The most ill-educated and intellectually dumb were handed over control of top state security apparatus given the low IQ leader more security and comfort to spread his tentacles to get personally involved in every sector of the economy and society. Nothing moves without his personal approval and every foreign or domestic agenda became attached to his personal interest and security in power. The Gambian society as we knew it; the compassion, the love, trust and protection for each other disappeared into thin air leaving a people scared of their neighbors and their own families. The political, civil society, the media, religious leaders all rendered ineffective and many turned to praise singers and beggars. It was the evil deeds and the failures to protect the precious lives of the Children that have backfired on the society.
Ultimately, April 10th & 11th is the worst that has and will probably ever happen to the Gambia. It is the ultimate failure of our society that we will all live to regret. The enduring suffering of the families of the victims and the life time maiming of innocent students is something that the Gambia government now or in the future must take responsibility of. Justice must be rendered for the victims and their families no matter how long it takes. The soldiers who open fire on innocent students must be brought to book. Certainly there is no statute of limitation on murder and no matter the indemnity granted by the rubber stamping Parliament, Gambia must own up to its obligation and account for the vicious killings of April 10th & 11th student victims. We celebrate the lives of the innocent, stand by those maimed and pledge forever not to forget them. Gambia one day will erect monuments and statues symbolizing the sacrifice of these innocent Children. To the families we continue to pay our highest respect and honor to your sacrifices… Though nothing can bring back the innocent victims we hope that Gambia government will finally correct this deepest moral wrong. May your gentle souls rest in eternal peace and may the dreams of those maimed come true.. To the Gambia Ever true.