Gambian women who has endured silently the brunt of 22 years of Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorship in Gambia have now risen and refused to be taken for a ride. Since April 14th and 16th, when many Gambian opposition supporters including some women from the United Democratic Party were arrested, tortured and the women allegedly raped, Gambian women old and young have consistently hit the streets of Banjul to protest the brutal actions of Gambia’s security apparatus.
When Solo Sandeng a UDP official whose death in the hands of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has been admitted by the Gambian President during an Interview with an International paper, Gambian women have bravely been coming out in large numbers to protest against the killing of Solo Sandeng, the torture and alleged raped of Nogoi Njie and Fatoumata Jawara and demands the release of UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and his party supporters. Darboe and others have been detained illegally for two months and paraded in courts across the country presided over by mercenary activists Judges hired by Gambia government to persecute innocent citizens.
Gambian women led by the elderly have amazingly staged their own Revolution called the “Calabast Revolution” which is a wooden spoon used to feed people. The meaning of the Calabast spoon is to tell the Gambian leader that the world is made up of taking turns – that Jammeh has had his turn as a President for 22 years and it is time to pass the wooden spoon to another person. These women with babies flanked on their backs also carry brooms used to sweep dirt floors. The brooms are also used as symbolic gesture to tell the President and his government that the Gambian people are ready to sweep them off power.
What is most incredible about these women led Revolution is the courage and determination the women have to show the whole world their demands for the release of Darboe and all other detainees. Despite threat of being arrested, beaten and possibly raped by Jammeh’s notorious NIA agents, these women did not hesitate to hit the streets every court day to gather in front of court houses and make their demands known. Despite the pain, agony and their age, lack of financial and food security these women are seen singing the Gambia National Athem and Dancing to the sad tunes to send their message. What was one time considered suicidal for any Gambian to dare stand up in the streets and say anything about the government, these women are bracing the hot sun and hunger to get to the courts. It appears that they are determined to send a clear message to Yahya Jammeh that he was born and brought up by a woman who equally loves him as they too love their children, husbands and their relatives. These women are not demanding anything extraordinary, but their right to freely exercise their democratic rights without being arrested, tortured or even raped by Gambia’s own sons and daughters…
The women led Revolution is slowly but increasingly sending a message and shining a light of hope for those Gambians who are detained illegally no one is standing up to defend. Gambian opposition politicians, civil society, the bar association, the press union, the workers’ union, the student unions and most importantly religious leaders are all nowhere to be seen to stand with these women and demand the release of detainees and hold the government accountable to its oath of office. The saddest part is that Gambian men and youths who are the beacon of hope and the most critical in defending freedom and liberty are virtually nowhere to be seen. Few men are seen behind these women demanding the release of detained citizens. Gambian civil servants and able body men continue to go to work in their government offices, in their cars passing by these elderly women left to defend the country. This is certainly the most significant evidence that majority citizens are so indifferent to the political situation in the Gambia.
A nation should not and cannot be liberated by the most vulnerable people in that society. The country and government have invested in its youths and educated its citizens to not only contribute to the development of the nation, but also stand up to morally defend against the destruction of that nation. Religious as well as political leaders have the moral obligation to ensure that they stand with these women spending hours under the hot sun in Gambia demanding justice for its citizens. History is in the making in Gambia and the women who Yahya Jammeh has used in every way against their families to stay in power, now have enough and are demanding justice and respect for their dignity.
If a government cannot protect its women citizens and doesn’t see the need to respond to the cries of the country’s women and Children, that government have lost the legitimacy to govern that country. Any man or youth in the Gambia who doesn’t see the need to support these elderly women singing loud but crying deep in their hearts, for the safety of Gambian citizens, then something deeply is wrong with our moral upbringing… When our mothers, sisters and aunties are out there fighting with their bare hands, the least Gambian men and youths can do is to support and comfort them in the streets. Gambian women don’t deserve to be left fighting alone, our mothers have labored enough to endure the oppression and brutal insults of an unworthy group of citizens claiming to represent the people. Gambians therefore have a deciding moment to stand with the women or let them fight with their bruise hands and broken hearts as if there are no more men left in the country… History is recording every moment of the women Revolution taking place in the Gambia. In the end justice and sanity will prevail and these women though tired, bruised and morally beaten will achieve victory for their sons and daughters on their own!