The now three weeks old political unrest in Gambia has reached a new level with the authorities giving orders to the military armed with live bullets and heavy weapons to beat and shot on the protesters. The Gambian president Yahya Jammeh known for his madness and Ghadafi like erratic behavior has reportedly ordered his military to “Disperse the protesters by any means possible”. The order from the heavily criticized dictator who has faced an unprecedented protest since April 14th is set to unleash his arsenals on unarmed civilians in the small West African State of the Gambia.
Hundreds of protesters have increasingly hit the streets mostly led by women armed with their wooden spoons and local brooms demanding the release of the leader of the main opposition leader Ousainou Darboe and members of his party who were all arrested when they too came out to protest against the torture and killings of a youth leader Solo Sandeng and alleged rape of women protesters. The protesters were simply demanding electoral reforms before this year’s scheduled presidential elections. Yahya Jammeh is poised to contest for his 5th five year term and have for 21 years ruled this tiny country with iron fist and impunity.
The UDP Leader, his daughter and several UDP party leaders have been charged with unlawful assembly and protesting without a permit; a right guaranteed by the Gambian constitution. Since their arrest and detention in the notorious mile II prisons, supporters from all over the country have descended on the capital and around the high court to demand the release of the opposition protesters.
Two Nigerian born citizens one a high court judge Justice O. Ottaba and the other a state prosecutor has presided over the illegal detention of over 38 citizens from April 14 and 16th arrest. The Nigerian judge Mr. Justice O. Ottaba who seems to be clueless of Gambian laws and constitution refused the defense’s call to submit verbal bail applications which is permitted by Gambian law. Mr. Ottaba criticized by opponents as a mercenary judge taking orders from the executive branch instead continue to deny bail applications and sent women who are allegedly tortured and raped back to the mercy of their perpetrators and alleged rapists.
While the UN, EU and ECOWAS sent a delegation to Gambia to urge the authorities to respect the fundamental rights of citizens, a potential bloodbath and genocide is looming in Gambia. The president and his security forces are known for their brutal approach and intolerance for dissent. In April 2000, 14 unarmed students were killed with live bullets by Jammeh’s security forces. A situation worst than that is about to happen in Gambia if the international community failed to intervene. Mr. Jammeh is one of the most brutal dictators around the world and has openly threatened to behead and bury citizens “six fit deep”. A Gambian diplomat to the United Nations Samsedeen Sarr himself a disgraced former military who shock asylum in the United States and wrote two horrible books about the dictator but how reconciled with Jammeh has been quoted as saying “if I were there and I were in charge I would fucking open fire to anybody.” Mr. Sarr is essentially calling for citizens to be shot dead while protesting. A link to sam’s recording is provided here .. Sam Sarr Gambian Diplomat calls for arm soldiers to kill civilian protesters. .
Gambian Diplomat Samsedeen Sarr Calling for civilian killing in Gambia
Gambian dissidents have rightfully called on the United Nations to send back this mad diplomat calling for civilian killings. The international community especially Senegal – Gambia’s next door neighbor has an obligation to ensure that civilian lives are protected in Gambia. As we pen this editorial, over 50 civilians have been arrested and some beaten with gun barrels who sustained severe injuries. Civilians injured are being turned away from medical centers and asked to get police reports before receiving treatment. What Gambia is facing is unprecedented and if the world sit by and watch a bloodbath of innocent civilians will be the order of the day. We call on the International community especially ECOWAS and the UN to immediately intervene to prevent any further lost of lives. Gambians like any other citizens of the world deserved to be protected from their own government. Unconfirmed reports already alleged that six protesters were killed from the protest on Monday. There are no human rights watch dogs or International Red Cross to address the plight of the injured or those being tortured to dead. The Gambian people deserve to be heard and be protected from their mad president who is poised to unleash far greater harm on his people than Ghaddafi was ever ready to do in Libya. Evidence of torture and beatings are all over social media.