As part of commemorations marking the eighth anniversary of the massacre of over a dozen school children in the Gambia by security forces, we hereby published chilling testimonities of two journalists, Sheikh Ndow and Surahata Danso. Both journalists who were working for Foroyaa Newspaper at the time are the only two media practitioners who witnessesed the killings and were bold enough to testify at the coroner's inquest.
Sheikh Ndow
Coroner: What are your names?
Ans: Sheikh Ndow.
Coroner: Where do you live?
Mr Ndow: I live in Manjai.
Coroner: What is your occupation?
Mr Ndow: I am a journalist working with the FOROYAA Newspaper.
Coroner: For how long have you been with this medium?
Mr Ndow: Since 1987.
Coroner: What is your testimony on events relating to 10 April 2000?
Mr Ndow: Around 9 a.m., I was at home when I heard gun shots. I was curious to know what was going on. As a journalist I went out in search of information. When I went to the Manjai and Latrkunda/Dippakunda Junction, I noticed a group of people who were highly agitated. When I asked I was told that the students were on demonstration. So I decided to follow the crowd. As I moved about 50 metres towards Latrikunda, I noticed a group of people coming from Dippakunda end towards Latrikunda calling the students to wait for them. The students alerted each other and they stopped. Among this group I recognised the Secretary of State for the Interior [Ousman Badjie]; the Armed Forces Chief of Staff [Babucarr Jatta], one Mr Sarr who introduced himself as the chairman of the parents/teachers association in Banjul and about three soldiers including a female soldier.
When the students stopped, Mr Sarr introduced himself and then told students that the Secretary of State wanted to talk to them. When the SoS started speaking he said that the students should first of all have requested for a permit for the demonstration but which they did not get. He asserted to them that the demonstration was unlawful; that they should just disperse and go home; that everything was now over. Once he said this, stones started raining on him; and himself, Mr Sarr and the woman soldier all ran for safety. The Armed Forces Chief of Staff took cover under a verandah where he started
appealing to the students to reason out with him. The students insisted that they wanted to him to go with them to the GTTI to have a discussion to resolve the problem.
On the way, as we moved towards Cedar Club, some students started throwing stones towards the direction of the Chief of Staff. In one incident, one of his orderlies sustained a serious injury on the head caused by the throwing of stones. He then agreed to go with them to talk to the paramilitary to withdraw. We went up to Cedar Club and took Kairaba Avenue heading towards Kanifing. We went up to the Serrekunda Post Office Junction where we found an army truck standing and there was a young man in handcuff sitting at the back of the truck.
The Armed Forces Chief of Staff ordered for the immediate release of the young man, The students then became very happy and started chanting 'Jatta' 'Jatta' as a sign of their happiness. As a result of this, when some students started throwing stones at the GAMTEL and GRTS and the Armed Forces Chief of Staff appealed to them they stopped. And at this point some of the students decided to hold hands together round him in order to provide human shield for him.
We then moved up to the street near St. Therese's Junior Secondary School and then turned left into Kanifing South and out again at the Red Cross Cafe junction which took us to the Banjul/Serrekunda Highway towards the paramilitary base. As we approached the paramilitary base, I noticed about more than a dozen paramilitary personnel lined up the road near the Mobile Traffic Unit Office. They were armed. Students became more agitated and continued chanting 'We don't need any paramilitary. We need peace and justice'. Then between 10 and 15 metres away from the paramilitary line up, one KMC vehicle coming from the blue swerved infront of the crowd and a soldier from inside alighted. There were also about two or three ladies who were not properly dressed inside the vehicle. The women chanted 'We want peace'. The vehicle then disappeared with the women.
At this moment, I noticed that two stones were thrown infront from the back and all of a sudden the paramilitary opened fire and started shooting at random. Then everybody decided to run and the Chief of Staff continued towards the paramilitary base. I then decided to move further down on the road and stood near a tree between CFAO and Gambega. I then saw two young people, a young man in blue trousers and a young woman on the right side of the road towards Banjul. I also saw another young person lying down on the ground around ICEMAN. The young man in blue trousers tried to jerk his head once, twice and then fell down motionless. I decided to move further to the Red Cross as they were then moving towards that direction and continued firing. As the students ran for safety some tried to get into Gambega but the gates were closed and they then proceeded to the Red Cross Headquarters. I decided to move towards the Old GPMB and took cover under a tree there.
Firing by the security forces continued and I saw one security officer continuously shooting. From there I could realise that shots were going into the Red Cross. So after about 20 minutes of shooting when they retreated, I went to the Red Cross and there I met other reporters. I was able to confirm that one Red Cross Volunteer [Omar Barrow] was shot and was seen lying there. From the Red Cross I went straight to the Westfield Junction where looting was taking place. From there I went to our Information Bureau to file in a report.
Coroner: You said that you saw about a dozen paramilitary officers lining the road?
Mr Ndow: Yes, they were definitely more than a dozen.
Coroner: How do you know that the one who alighted from the vehicle was a soldier?
Mr Ndow: He was in camouflage uniform which I believe is worn by soldiers.
Coroner; Did the soldier who came down from the vehicle fire any shots?
Mr Ndow: I am not really sure about that.
Coroner: You said the paramilitary were lining which road?
Mr Ndow: They lined the smaller road on the right side towards Banjul near the Mobile Traffic Unit.
Coroner: Did you notice what types of arms were being used?
Mr Ndow: They are guns likely to be AK47s.
Coroner: Did you notice any group from other branches of the security forces?
Mr Ndow: No, I only saw the paramilitary officers.
Coroner: But after the throwing of stones you saw shooting?
Mr Ndow: Yes.
Coroner: You saw a young man in blue trousers attempting to raise his head, who
later become motionless?
Mr Ndow: Yes, he was in blue uniform.
Coroner: Did you see the paramilitary with any other gears other than guns?
Mr Ndow: Apart from helmets and guns, I did not see them with any other gears.
Cross examination by Abdoulie Bojang.
Mr Bojang: The first victim in blue trousers you saw who died, is my son. Whilst following the crowd, did you observe any guns with the students?
Mr Ndow: None of the students was armed.
Cross examination by Benjamin Carrol (father of one of the deceased)
Mr Carrol: Mr Ndow you mentioned seeing two people fell down when shooting started; and that you saw one of them raising his head twice. Can you tell me whether it was possible for anyone to have rendered any kind of help to the victims at that time? Not necessarily you but anybody?
Mr Ndow: Well, at the time there was intense and random shooting by the security forces and that any attempt to help those shot at could have been perilous to that individual giving assistance.
Coroner: Thank you for the testimony Mr Ndow.
Surahata Danso
Coroner: What are your names?
Ans: Surahata Danso.
Coroner: Where do you live?
Surahata: Fajikunda.
Coroner: What do you do?
Surahata: I am a journalist with FOROYAA newspaper.
Coroner: What do you have to tell the court relating to the events of 10 April 2000?
Surahata: On 10 April 2000 at about 8 a.m. while I was at the FOROYAA Information Bureau at Churchill's Town there was a telephone call from someone informing us that the students were being brutalised at the GTTI by the security forces. I was then assigned to go out to see what was happening. When I went to the junction near the Shell Filling Station at Churchill's Town I saw people running from the Westfield end. I then ran towards that end and when I arrived at the Mandela Cinema I heard the first gunshots.
On moving on the highway towards Westfield and on arriving at the junction leading to the Serrekunda Market, I saw a group of paramilitary personnel equipped with riot gears, holding batons and fibre shields. Among the group I could remember seeing a very tall and dark in complexion officer with a stick and was beating a school girl in a black skirt. These paramilitary officers followed the students on that road towards Serrekunda.
I then moved to the Westfield Junction where I found a larger paramilitary group in riot gears with batons and shields. While standing there some paramilitary officers started firing in the air and then the students also started throwing stones. I also realised the diversion of the traffic from Banjul as passengers were being dropped there. Another group of students was seen coming from Kairaba Avenue when the paramilitary officers rushed towards them and the hurling of stones intensified. A live electric overhead wire dropped on the Kairaba Avenue/Serrekunda Highway and I saw a man using wood to try to remove it from where it fell. I moved towards that end and then the paramilitary chased the students into Kairaba Avenue. The throwing of stones and firing intensified as the paramilitary charged towards the students.
I then decided to walk through Kairaba Avenue up to the junction of Latrikunda near Cedar Club. There I found a military truck which had some students in it at the back. Just under the water tanks there was seen a young man arrested and who works there as a bicycle mechanic. I saw him being severely beaten and then ordered to climb into the back of the truck. Even after climbing some went up and continued beating him. The truck then left heading towards Kanifing and stopped right at the junction of the Serrekunda Police Office.
While standing there, I saw the Armed Forces Chief of Staff with a group of students coming from the Cedar Club end towards us. The students were seen raising a white flag and were chanting 'Peace! Peace! We do not want the paramilitary'. When they came up to the truck they demanded for the release of their fellow students on board the vehicle. Then they were asked to alight the truck except the young man in handcuff. The key was asked for and a policeman responded that it was with one officer who was not there. It was then that the Army Chief of Staff, upon seeing a key with this police officer, forcefully snatched it and then opened the handcuff. When the young man got down the students became so enchanted and started chanting 'Jatta! Jatta'. He continued with the students towards St. Therese's School.
When we reached St. Therese's School, we heard a big noise at the Serrekunda/Kairaba Avenue Junction end. I then went to that area and learnt that there was a scene. At the scene, I saw a safe on which a security personnel was standing and holding a gas carnister in his hand. From there, I then saw and followed the Chief of Staff and the students going back from where they came from, but then turned right into Kanifing South and then out again on the Banjul/Serrekunda Highway near the Red Cross Headquarters. While the Chief of Staff and the students were on the left main road I crossed and took the right side lane along KMC. I went up to the fence of 'Babaro' timber supply company and what was the former Chinese shop and realised a group of paramilitary personnel who were armed and standing
just after the gate of the Mobile Traffic unit.
As the students and the Army Chief of Staff moved a few metres away from the ICEMAN junction, I then heard gunshots coming from the direction of the paramilitary towards the group. Then there was stampeding as the students started running towards different directions for the safety of their lives. As they scattered the Chief of Staff too ran into the Mobile Unit. The firing continued and some of the students were running towards the direction of Red Cross, some towards ICEMAN and others still towards the side road between the Mobile Unit and the Chinese shop into New Jeshwang.
As the shooting continued, I decided to go under the verandah of this former Chinese shop to take cover. It was whilst standing there that I saw just opposite me on the main highway three bodies lying on the ground. At the bracket leading towards the paramilitary base, I also saw a boy and a girl lying down there and again another two bodies were seen over there lying on the ground very near ICEMAN. The ones very close to me on the highway could be heard screaming and blood was also seen flowing from their bodies.
After a while I did not see any of the bodies making movement except that of the girl who it appeared was hit in the hand as she was seen holding up one arm with the other while lying down on the side road. Then a little while later when firing stopped I saw Red Cross Volunteers coming to the scene to pick the bodies and at which time I got the courage to come out of the verandah under which I was standing. I went and stood under the biggest of the four trees facing the Mobile Unit base. It was there that I overheard a Red Cross Volunteer saying in Wollof Omar too has been shot. I then asked him which Omar and was told Omar Barrow. Due to my relationship with Omar Barrow I immediately rushed to the Red Cross Headquarters. And as I arrived I saw some volunteers moving him inside from the corridor of the entrance at the main gate. I tried to see him but the Volunteers at the gate insisted that no one was allowed inside. I then saw blood where he was lying and moved from.
From there, I saw a group of students moving towards the Mobile Unit Headquarters and I got out to follow then. The students were shouting that they were all prepared to die since some of their fellows have already been killed. I then came between them and the paramilitary and told them to think of something else rather than saying that they were all prepared to die. The students were in that angry mood when I then saw some security officers in white shirt and another in uniform armed charging towards the students. The one in uniform and who was armed started insulting the students and when I intervened to ask him not to display such an angry mood in such a tense situation, he retorted that I should not talk to him. And when I later asked about the identity of the officer, I was told that his name is Ceesay Njie.
I also noticed another group of senior officers, among whom I could recognise the Inspector General of Police [Rex King], the Deputy Inspector General of Police and '13 Badjie' who was dressed in a yellow type of suit. I was trying to identify who those paramilitary shooting were from the students and I learnt that one Alieu and Lamin were among. Then some of the students agreed with me and we together started pushing the others backwards towards the Westfield end. When we reached Westfield junction there again quarrel started between the students and the security forces but no one was throwing stones or firing. I then decided to go back to our Information Bureau to write a report about the incident.
On Wednesday, 12 April 2000, I was again assigned to go to the mortuary where we were told that the bodies had not been released. When I reached there I went straight to the table of the man in charge of the mortuary. One old man called Pa Sarr was responsible and to whom I introduced myself. While sitting inside there a gentleman who was identified as detective inspector came and started issuing out death certificates. I could remember seeing the father of the late three year old Abdoulie Sanyang signing a certificate from the Inspector. I also remember one Abdoulie Bojang being issued with a death certificate. Then Mr Sarr saw me writing and asked me to go out of his office. I went out and he followed me demanding that I should move by 100 metres away from the mortuary and went for a soldier to throw me
out. When the soldier came to me I insisted that I have a right to information. Afterwards two armed men were brought to the mortuary to control people. Then after Omar barrow's body was received, I decided to leave in order to attend his funeral.
Cross exmanination
Coroner: You mentioned that you saw three bodies in front of you, two near the paramilitary base and two others near ICEMAN, all in all making them seven?
Surahata: Yes.
Abdoulie Bojang: While following the Chief of Staff with the students along the route, did you at any time see him use a mobile phone either making a call or receiving a call?
Surahata : You know I was at a distance and he was being surrounded by students, I could not know.
Mr Bojang: Do you think that the life of the Chief of Staff was endangered by the students?
Surahata: Not at all. The students were happily walking along the route with him.
Coroner: Thank you for the testimony, Mr Danso.
Compiled by PK Jarju.
If you have any comments about this story, please write to papak196@yahoo.co.uk or info@allgambian.net. You can also read my blog www.pkjarju.blogspot.com.
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