By Edrissa Jallow, @EdrissaJallow10
Gender-based Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Fantanka, commemorated the April 10th and 11th 2000 Students Massacre at Brikamaba Upper and Senior Basic Secondary school where two victims recounted the traumatic experiences they faced when 15 people were killed including two at Brikamaba. The theme for the commemoration was “Remembering Victims and Survivors” of Human Rights Violations.
The event which took place at Brikamaba Upper and Senior Secondary School in Central River Region was the first time Binta Manneh appeared in public to narrate her traumatic ordeal which triggered the student’s protest and eventual killings. After Binta was sexually assaulted by Security Officers and another student named Ebrima Barry was tortured and fed cement by Fire Fighters, students protested against the brutality meted out on their colleagues.
According to Volume Six of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) Report, “students were manhandled, physically assaulted and shot at with live rounds. Two (2) died in the Brikamaba area, others were seriously wounded and hospitalised. Some were forcefully detained at Armitage High School and Janjanbureh prisons”.
Binta Breaks the Silence
On 20th August 2019, Binta Manneh appeared at the TRRC, where she testified before the Commission with her face hidden. Speaking to Fantanka CEO, Mariama Jobarteh, Binta explained that she is tired of hiding her face when narrating her story. This is why she decided to appear in person at the commemoration ceremony to tell her story to students of her former school and people from her community. Finally, Binta was ready to speak in public.
Binta was only 15 when she attended the interschool competition at the Independence Stadium in Bakau to represent Brikamaba Upper and Senior Secondary School. She recalls that she was sexually assaulted around 8 pm after she left the stadium to get some food.
“When I was going to buy biscuits, I met two security officers at the gate, they asked me where are you going? I told them I’m going to buy biscuits and they said ok let’s go along. When the two security officers held my hands, I tried to move, but they yelled at me saying ‘hey don’t you know I’m working under the government’?” she narrated.
“Then they dragged me to a particular place I don’t even know because this was my first time, I went for an athletics competition in the Kombos. Suddenly the other security officer left while the other one held my hand and forcefully slept with me,” said Binta.
According to Binta, she dropped out of school after she was sexually assaulted and was seen as the trigger of the protest resulting in numerous deaths. She noted that her own colleagues looked at her differently after the incident which made her feel very uncomfortable and impacted her life ever since.
Shot in the Back by Police Officers
Another victim named, Ebrima Saidy who was allegedly shot in the back and sustained exit wounds on the right side of his stomach also narrated his ordeal at the hands of security officers. According to Mr Saidy, he was shot at by a Police Officer close to the Police Station. Mr Saidy says he was about to cross the road and was standing in front of protesting students when he was shot.
Mr Saidy also appeared before the TRRC on 16th September 2019 where he testified to the Commission about the students’ massacre.
In an exclusive interview with the CEO and Founder of Fantanka, Mariama Jorbateh, she informed Gainako News that “attention is given to Brikamaba” due to the loss of two lives, the rape of Binta Manneh and other injured people. For this reason, they decided to commemorate April 10-11 2000 at Brikamaba she said.
Ms Jorbateh urged the Community to look at victims in a more positive light and to “come and say to Brikamaba you know what, we need to come together and also remember these people, they are us, we have them here, we have their families here”.
Referencing the TRRC’s Never Again mantra which aims to stop the reoccurrence of the Human Rights Violations that occurred during the 22 Years of Dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh Ms Jobarteh wants to “help people understand [that] these are issues that should not happen again in our country”.
Former President and Vice President Responsible for Students Massacre
The Commission Report details that “the evidence revealed that Yahya Jammeh instructed Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy to “take care of the bastards in whatever way, in whatever form”. The Commission concludes that these instructions were an order to shoot the student demonstrators”.
On the number of casualties suffered that day the report states that “twelve students, two toddlers and a Red Cross volunteer were killed by State Security officers during the April 10 and 11, 2000 incident. One of the children was a three (3) year old toddler who was shot in the head and the third was a child trampled upon in a stampede when the students were fleeing from the PIU”.
The report notes that “the government also tried to cover up the illegal acts of the Army by saying that the shooting started from the students” knowing fully well that students were unarmed and defenceless.
In reaction to the student massacre “a commission of enquiry was set up by the State to investigate the incident. Subsequently, the State absolved those responsible for the violations by enacting the Indemnity (Amendment) Act 2001. This was intended to exonerate public officials, especially members of the security forces from liability for the violations that occurred during the demonstrations”.
However, now that the truth has been unveiled during the TRRC the Commission has found President Jammeh and Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy responsible for giving orders to shoot on defenceless protestors.