For over 20 years, numerous people have been highlighting the KILLINGS of Yaya Jammeh and his Junglers. But you chose to be silent. It is your friends and family that helped Yaya and his evil. Say what you may about the online media but from Quantumnet to Gambia L to Gambia Post and the online blogs/news sites, these killings and disappearances have been highlighted aplenty. They just never shocked your conscience. Until now, or so you say!
Koro Ceesay’s killing did not shock your conscience. You chose to remain silent because Koro was not your friend or family. The killings of Bassiru Barrow, Faal and others didn’t shock your conscience. You chose to remain silent. Innocent students were killed in broad daylight. Not only did some of us choose to remain silent, some went to Gambia to be appointed to political positions working for Jammeh. You chose to remain silent. You knew or at least heard Yaya was a killer but the position he offered you was too good to turn down. That position meant more to you than the lives of the innocents. At the very least you could have raised your voice to condemn the barbarity. But you chose to remain silent.
You studied hard in school so that you could get a good job and settle home in The Gambia. Saying anything about Yaya’s evil could dim those chances. Who would choose to be a refugee in a foreign land? Or you had a very good job back home and living your dream. You were the sole breadwinner of your extended family. Silence was the easier choice. So you chose to remain silent.
You heard or read about the numerous disappearances and killings through Foroyaa or other online mediums, but you were too busy with your studies or engaging in Dawa’a or running your business. In fact it was more profitable to counter those highlighting Yaya’s evil. So you became a mouthpiece and defender of Yaya’s evil. In the beginning, you used to criticize Jammeh’s evil. Until he hired your friend or family, then you chose to remain silent!
When others asked you political questions, you claimed to not be a politician. But you will discuss world politics all day and you have an opinion on everything in the universe. But when it comes to the abuse, rape and killing of your fellow countrymen/women, you have no opinion. So you chose to remain silent.
You heard of the illegal incarceration of Dumo Saho. You heard the cries of Anita. You knew of the arrest and detention of political leaders. You heard of the detention of Fatou J Manneh and many others, but you chose to remain silent because your yearly trips to Gambia meant more to you or your status in The Gambia meant more to you. You were there in The Gambia. Or you were outside of The Gambia. But for over 20 years, you chose to remain silent.
You knew of the abuse, you knew of the killings, you knew of the rapes. You witnessed it all. But you chose to remain silent. You called Joe Sambou a liar. You called Kebba Dampha angry. You called Yusupha Jow a liar. You called Saul Saidykhan an alarmist. You called Baba Galleh Jallow a trouble maker. You accused Sigga Jagne of wanting attention. You claimed Fatou J Manneh is troublesome. You said Hamjatta Kanteh was seeking attention. You accused Buharry Gassama of profiteering. You said Alpha Robinson is not even Gambian. You had issues with Katim Touray. You said Haruna Darboe is crazy. You said George Sarr is no good. You said Pa Nderry is a liar. That Ebrima Sankareh is a liar. That Sarjo Bayang is a liar. That Jollof news is liars and so are Kairo and Kibaaro. Ditto Gainako and Fatu. You found fault with everyone and anything except when it has to do with Yaya and his evil. So you chose to remain silent on that.
You found every reason under the sun to soothe your conscience and deny that indeed Yaya is a killer, a rapist and a thief. So you ignored the suffering of your fellow Gambians and you remained silent. You’re quick to quote religious text and preach till thine kingdom come, but you were afraid to preach against Yaya’s evil. So you condoned it, folded your hands and prayed for manna in the form of your freedom. And you continued to remain silent.
To this day, I haven’t heard/seen you take responsibility for not just remaining silent but for working hand in glove with Yaya to help further the abuse, rape and killings of Gambians. When Solo Sandeng was killed, you went about your business and claimed he committed suicide because he should have known. You chose to remain silent. Even when people you call family or friends get arrested or killed or disappeared, you claimed it was God’s will. Even when you yourself got arrested, you claim is is God’s will. So you prayed and remained silent.
Today, you tell me you’re shocked because hidden graves have been found in the Fonis. Today, you criticize everything that works under the sun in The Gambia. You tell me you’re outraged because all along you didn’t know that Yaya was this evil! Today, you assure me that never again will you allow our country to be abused, raped and killed. My fellow countryman, can I trust you?
By A Concerned Gambian Citizen
1 Comment
All the more reason why all traces of the APRC and NIA must be eradicated from the New Gambia…retaining them in any shape or form would be like keeping the Gestapo after the fall of Hilter