By: Journalist Abubacarr Saidykhan- Dakar
On Friday, the 14th of February 2014, Yen’ A Marre in collaboration with the Democratic Union of Gambian Activist (DUGA) together with Article 19, jointly organized one of the biggest and well attended Press Conference in Senegal which was held at Parcelles Assainies situated at the Western periphery of Dakar, meant to Educate and sensitize the Senegalese Population about the autocratic nature of the administration in the Gambia which has been at the wheel of power for almost two decades.
The essential purpose of this conference was to distribute clear information to the general masses of the Republic of Senegal by understanding the hardship, tyranny, dictatorship, totalitarian, and also how merciless the regime of President Jammeh and his team of administrators led our Country and her people for nineteen solid years.
The conference was attended by a cross- section of Senegalese Journalist ranging from the electronic Media, Print Media, TV Stations and as well as the different Radio Stations in Senegal who were all there to help circulate the information shared during the conference.
Speaking before the invited participants, Mr Fadel Barro, the current and the renowned coordinator of a Civil society Organization called Yen’ A Marre, emphasized in all honesty, that it is time for the Senegalese Population to commence considering the series and continuous human rights violations meted out to the people of their sister country the Gambia.
“History will grip each of us liable provided that we continue to ignore what is and has been happening to the people of our neighboring Country the Gambia. It is time for us to stand up with our Brothers in the Gambia and fight to quell the authoritarian and the tyrannical regime of our neighboring country. We cannot fight for Justice in our own Country while our close neighbors still yearning for it. It is in the best interest of the Senegalese republic to fine logistics for the Gambian people and put a stop to the unfavorable relations we currently had with the regime in the Gambia. We will no longer sit in Senegal and allow President Jammeh to be brutalizing his people for no just reasons. The people of our Sister Country are suffering and we must do something especially if they should commence the campaign. The President of the Gambia killed two of our citizens in 2012, and yet still, the bodies of the deceased are not available to their families. There is one fundamental thing that the Senegalese people should understand which are the atrocities committed by the Gambian President, Is now affecting the internal sovereignty of the Senegalese Republic. This is a situation we should all concentrate on and put a stop to it”. Remarked Fedel Barro, Coordinator Yen’ A Marre.
Ousainou Mbenga, the President of the Democratic Union of Gambia Activists indicated that Gambians are fed up with tyrants like Yahya Jammeh. He said Yen’ A Marre has already set an example in the Sub-region which is highly commended by all Africans looking at the risks they took in restoring democracy in their country in one of the most fragile moments of the history of their Country. Mr Mbenga noted that there is no official confirmation of the amount of atrocities that the Gambian President inflicted on our People adding that they wanted for the Senegalese Population to understand the situation of the Gambian people. He said Jammeh owns everything in the Gambia and has once claimed to own the Gambia while not knowing that the country belongs to all of us. Hon Mbenga said everything in life has consequences further indicating that they wish to have a principle relations with Yen’ A Marre. He adds that their present in Senegal defines a clear demystification. “You cannot blame a population of people that has suffered tyranny for almost twenty solids years.
Coming over to Pa Samba Jaw, the current Public Relations officer of the Democratic Union of Gambian Activists (DUGA) initially noted that the intervention of Yen’ A Marre in the history of the restoration of Democracy in Senegal should be recognized by all. He also seized the opportunity and congratulates Article 19 for their stance in ending dictatorship and lack of freedom of Expression in the Gambia. Mr Jaw went on to say that the criminal domination of president Jammeh in the Gambia is an issue that should attract international attention. He said their present in Senegal is to purposely fight against the system and as well as helping the Senegalese population especially those within the illiterate segment to fully understand the untold situation in the Gambia.
Speaking further, the PRO of (DUGA) Pa Samba Jaw alledges Jammeh of masterminding the so called rebellion in the Senegalese trouble region of Cassamasse, further indicating that if the Senegalese Government has material evidences against President Jammeh in that situation, then why are they still ignoring what is happening to their own citizens in Cassamasse? Mr Jaw asked? “He is the one sponsoring the cassamasse rebellion and this is a clear testimony which we can all confirm” remarked Mr Jaw.
Mr Jaw, who was speaking at the top of his voice while addressing a cross- section of the Senegalese Media, said one of the Musicians in Senegal named Oussa, is classified as one of the biggest hypocrites in the African continent and that of the world adding that his hypocrisy cannot be measured in the history of hypocrisies in this universe. Mr Jaw said Oussa has compromised the integrity of his own daughter by allowing her to take part in the trade of prostitution in the Gambia all in the name of money. Mr Jaw noted that the same goes to Coumba Gawlo Seck, and all the other Senegalese female Dancers who, in the avoidance all doubts, are contributing to the tyrannical regime in the Gambia. History will judge events between us and the above mentioned names, said Pa Samba Jaw.
Finally, Mr Jaw informed the Senegalese population about one of the abandoned well situated in Kafenda in Foni District Administrative area Western Region, where President Jammeh normally dumped his dead bodies. He challenged the Senegalese Government to mount intensive forensic investigations and see the possible results for themselves.
The conference was punctuated with series of questions and answer sessions, while it was open and closed with both the Gambian National Anthem and that of the Senegalese National Anthem.
We all have to live and die for something, because the Rev. Doc, Martin Luther King died at the age of thirty nine (39) while fighting for the course of his people.
Note, Abubacarr Saidykhan is an independent Journalist who does not wish to join any group or Political Party or an organisation, but will continue to take part in the struggle until change which we all desired, comes to our Country.