By Gainako’s Banjul Correspondent
Leader of the United Democratic Party Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, several members of his executive and other supporters who were arrested last week for protesting were paraded in court in Banjul today for allegedly staging a demonstration against the dictatorship regime in the Gambia. Mr. Darboe and his supporters were protesting against the arrest and killing of a youth leader of the United Democratic Party Solo Sandeng who was tortured to dead and unceremoniously buried without the consent of his family. Two other female protesters Mariama Jawara and Nogoi Njie were also allegedly tortured, raped and killed.
Mr. Darboe and his executive members hit the streets demanding the release of protesters. Him and his supporters including two of his daughters were arrested and detained since Saturday. They were rushed to court today and charged with several flimsy charges that reportedly has no legal basis. Some of those arrested did not show up in court given credence to activists claims that some of these people have been killed or have been tortured into coma in the hands of the NIA and police. Those who were not produced in court were Solo Sandeng, Fatoumata Jawara, Nogoi Njie, Fatou Camara and Modou Ngum. These were among those alleged to have been tortured to death.
According to reports Mr. Darboe and Co have been charged in what is often described as kangaroo courts in Gambia as the government openly interferes with court cases and intimidate judges who dare rule against the state. Some of the charges are: unlawful assembly, inciting, riot, violence, riotously interfering with traffic, holding procession without license and disobeying an order to disperse from an unlawful procession. It is to be noted that the Gambian constitution guarantees the peaceful assembly of citizens and freedom to express their grievances against their government peacefully. This is the second time the Jammeh regime has crack down on protesters killing 14 students in April 2000 and allegedly torturing protesters a week ago including three women two of whom have been alleged to die from their torture wounds.
Gainako also received reports from witnesses who were present in court that Mr. Darboe appeared to have sustained wounds on his head, while two others including a young lady has cuts and bruises on her hands with bandages. She was helped to stand up in court allegedly from her tortures and potential rape by security forces. It is common occurrence for prisoners or detainees to be routinely tortured and sometimes left to die in the hands of authorities. International rights groups and former prisoners have collaborated these alleged tortures.
What is so disturbing about Mr. Darboe and his colleagues’ charges is the lack of independence of the courts. It is almost guaranteed that they will be convicted and send to jail. The Jammeh regime is notoriously known to prosecute and jail politicians on flimsy charges which are politically motivated. A prominent member of the United Democratic Party – its former party Treasurer Amadou Sanneh is serving a five year jail term for simply writing an attestation letter for common cases of arrest and detention in Gambia which the whole world knows.
Many Gambians are very angry about the events unfolding in Gambia. Fingers are being pointed out to other opposition political leadership who appears to be invisible during this process. They have neither been seen nor issue a joint press release or statement about the situation. Instead, there are reports that they are engage in an inter-party dialogue with the APRC which are suspected to be plots to make it look like Jammeh is willing to negotiate with the opposition after amending the constitution to suit his party. A prominent member of the Gambian Diaspora activist stated that this is a defining moment for the opposition and that any negotiations with the regime should have demanded the release of Darboe and all those arrested before any political dialogue. “There cannot be dialogue when citizens are being tortured and killed for exercising their constitutional rights.
Meanwhile, the international community has responded swiftly and condemned the Jammeh regime for his reaction against protesters. The UN, EU, ECOWAS, the United States, Amnesty International, Article 19, Human Right Watch, Media foundation for West Africa and others have called on the Jammeh regime to immediately release all prisoners and respect its international obligations and protect citizen rights to exercise their rights. Gambia’s next door neighbor Senegal is also fully engaged in covering the events in Gambia. Majority of Gambians heavily consumes Senegalese media. Gambians dissidents around the word have also staged monstrations across the world demanding yahya Jammeh to step down and hold the security accountable for Solo Sandeng, Mariama Jawara and others. Protest was held in the UK, Atlanta, Washington DC, New York and France.. Other cities are also organizing.. Where this tension leads to is anybody’s guess but what is clear is that a lot is on the line both for the regime and the opposition leaders especially this being an election year. So all eyes are on Gambia as the president continue to be muted about the situation. Jammeh being so erratic and unpredictable anybody’s guess is as good as this reporters.