Our Own Guantanamo Bay

When Gambians should reflect on the very dark days of the AFPRC/APRC regime, they will find in "the revolution" an epoch seething with rage, plunder and recklessness. The Gambian people are being so cruelly held to ransom by a gang of brutal and blood thirsty politicians who employ any means necessary to stay in power despite the deleterious effect their rule may have on the lives of the people.

Since coming to power in 1994, the Jammeh regime has committed gross human rights abuses against innocent Gambians it has sworn to protect. Utter disregard for the rule of law and of democracy have led to a situation of uncertainty. A torrent of arrests, torture and sudden disappearances have left Gambians more confused by the uncertain direction of a revolution which is supposedly guided by President Jammeh in his "wisdom and magnanimity as the saviour of The Gambia".

In the name of national security, the Jammeh regime ignores the constitutional provisions on the rights and freedoms of the citizenry and trampled the rights of defendants underfoot. For Jammeh, security and justice don't go together.

Despite the return of the country to civilian rule, the regime is yet to repeal draconian laws it enacted during the transition that gives the NIA and the secretary of state for the Interior broad power to detain individuals indefinitely without charge in the interest of national security. It has also not repealed Decree 45, which abrogates constitutional safeguards against arbitrary search and permits search and seizure of property without due process. The NIA is using these laws to arrest and detain people arbitrarily as well as tap phone lines of opponents and critics of the regime without warrant.

The NIA, which is responsible for protecting state security, collecting intelligence, and conducting covert investigations, centres its works on journalists and opponents of the regime. It arrest, detain and torture journalists and opposition figures who write or say things that are deemed critical of the president and his regime. Its headquarters on Marina Parade directly opposite the Supreme Court, is use as the base to torture and mistreat critics of the regime.

The NIA officers with the blessings of Jammeh, are above the law and do anything they wish in the name of the President. For them, the interest of the president comes before the country and they don't give a monkey to the laws of the land in dealing with cases involving journalists and opponents of the regime. Anyone who is against the regime is seen as an enemy. An enemy that should be buried six-feet deep. And as a result, the bodies of many young Gambians are today decomposing in marked and unmarked graves across the country. Their lives have been cut short and their families torn apart because they got the balls to oppose a dictatorial regime.

The NIA headquarters is the Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib of the Gambia. It is the place where many Gambians are arbitrarily detained and torture in the name of national security. And in this piece of PK's Beef, I have listed below some cases of torture meted out to Gambians by their own brothers at the NIA headquarters. Please read on.

On June 8, 1997, several UDP supporters attending a congress in Brikama were arrested by the police who declared the congress illegal. The men, Shyngle Nyassi, Wasa Janneh, Sarjo Kunjang Sanneh, Dodou Sanyang and others were transferred to the NIA headquarters where they were detained. Immediately after their release, the victims spoke to the press and showed evidence of the injuries sustained as a result of being beaten with heavy whips while being forced to crawl on their hands and knees before security officials. There were also allegations that water cannon had been used on them and that one victim, Dodou Sanyang, had been burned on his genitals. Despite reporting the alleged beatings to the authorities, the matter was never investigated.

In 1997 former Army lieutenants, Lamin Jarju, LF Jammeh and Copral Alieu Bah, who were arrested in connection with the Kartong military attack revealed that they were tortured while being interrogated at the NIA headquarters. Although the state has denied such allegations, bruises and swellings were visible on their faces when they were paraded on national TV.

In 2000, Lt Landing Sanneh, former State House commander, who was arrested on alleged treason charges alleged that he was tortured by soldiers and NIA officers while being interrogated at the NIA headquarters. Sanneh alleged that the officers threatened to blow his brain if he failed sign a statement implicating him to a coup plot.

In June 2000, Ebrima Barrow, a civilian who was remanded at the Mile Two Prisons on treason charges, was transferred to the NIA headquarters where he was tortured. Barrow alleged that the NIA officers beat and applied electric shocks on his private parts and had sustained serious injuries which include a broken jaw and teeth.

Early in 2001, Dodou Kasa Jatta, a UDP sympathiser was arrested and detained at the NIA headquarters after writing an article in The Independent, which was critical of the regime. Mr Jatta revealed that he was beaten with batons and cables by NIA officers while in detention. Despite protest by the UDP secretariat, the authorities failed to investigate the matter.

In April 2001, Alhagie Nyabally, a senior executive of the Gambia Student's Union (Gamsu), was kidnapped by NIA officers while on his way to play football. Nyabally alleged that the officers whisked him to their headquarters in Banjul, where he was stripped naked and beaten for comments he made against President Jammeh during commemorations of the April 10 student demonstration.

In October 2001, Alhagie Mbye, a senior reporter of The Independent Newspaper, was arrested at his home in Bakoteh and detained incommunicado at the NIA headquarters. After his release, Mbye revealed that he was dumped in a pitch dark cell which was infested by mosquitoes and was tortured for many days by NIA officers, who threatened to kill him if he continues writing articles critical of the regime.

In 2002 Ousman Darboe, a reporter with The Independent was arrested and detained by the NIA after writing a story which alleged that Vice President Njie-Saidy had remarried after the dead of her husband. Although he was not tortured physically, he was dumped in a bare cell without a blanket for three days.

In September 2003, Abdoulie Sey, editor of The Independent was arrested and detained incommunicado at the NIA headquarters for three days. After his release without charge, Sey revealed that he was dumped in a mosquito invested cell and had to be taken to the RVTH for treatment after he contracted malaria.

On December 16, 2004, Deyda Hydara, founder and managing editor of The Point Newspaper, was murdered by unknown gunmen on his way from work. Although the government has denied having a hand in his murder, many are still pointing fingers at the NIA, which was alleged to have been mounting surveillance on him.

In 2005, State Guards soldiers arrested Haruna Jammeh and Jisaja Kujabie, from Foni. The men were said to have been transferred to the NIA headquarters where they were tortured before being transferred to Mile Two Prisons. They are still being held incommunicado.

On March 21, 2006, many security officers were arrested and detained at the Mile Two Prisons in connection with an allege coup plot. Some of the men Captain Bunja Darboe, Captain Yaya Darboe, Captain Wassa Camara and Second Lieutenant Pharing Sanyang, Captain Pierre J. Mendy, Captain Abdoukarim Jah, Lieutenant Momodou Alieu Bah, Corporal Samba Bah, Lance Corporal Babou Janha and Private Alhagie Nying revealed at their court marshal hearing that they were tortured at the NIA headquarters by State Guard soldiers and NIA officers. The men alleged that they were beaten with cables, sticks and hammer which resulted in some of them sustaining eye injuries, broken arms, and jaws.

Also in connection with the alleged coup plot, Abdoulie Njie, a civilian, was arrested and detained incommunicado at the NIA headquarters. Mr Njie was reported to have been severely torture for months before been transferred to the Mile Two Prisons where he is still being held.

Mariam Denton, a private legal practitioner was also arrested and held incommunicado by the NIA for 111 days in connection with the March 21 alleged coup. In July a court order was issued for her release. The government tried unsuccessfully to subvert the court order by charging her with concealment of treason; but on July 25, the charges were dropped and she was released. Ms Denton was reported to have been assaulted and threatened while being interrogated.

On March 28, 2006, Madi Ceesay, general manager of the The Independent and Musa Saidykhan, editor-in-chief together with other staff of the newspaper, were arrested and detained. A few hours later, all the detainees, except Ceesay, who was also president of the Gambia Press Union, and Saidykhan, were released. The manager and editor spent 22 days in detention and were subjected to horrific torture which included beating and electric shocks on their genitals.

In April 2006, former NIA director general, Daba Marena and four army officers-- Ebou Lowe, Alieu Ceesay, Alpha Bah and Malafi Corr were reported to have been tortured and killed at the NIA headquarters by NIA officials and soldiers in connection with the March 21 alleged coup plot. The government denied such reports saying the men escaped while being transferred to the Jangjangbureh Prisons but no investigation had taken place since.

On April 10, 2006 Lamin Fatty, a reporter with The Independent, was arrested by the NIA. He was held incommunicado and severely tortured and given electric shocks in various parts of his body for 63 days. He was later released on bail by a magistrates’ court and charged with "publishing false information".

Also in April 2006, Momodou Lamin Nyassi, a former chief of Foni Kansala, Buba Sanyang and Ndongo Mboob all residents of Bwiam, in Foni, were arrested by NIA officers and held incommunicado. No charges have since been preferred on them.

On May 26, 2006, Malick Mboob, former sub-editor of the Daily Observer and communications officer at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), was sacked and arrested for his alleged contribution to the Freedom Newspaper. Also, journalists Pa Modou Faal of the Gambia Radio & Television Services (GRTS) and Musa Sheriff, a Liberian journalist working at the weekly News & Report magazine, were arrested alongside Mboob and alleged dozens of subscribers of the Freedom Newspaper. All the arrested persons were severely tortured by NIA officers and State House soldiers. Faal and Sheriff were released a few days later but Mboob was held incommunicado for 137 days until he was released by a court order, without having been charged.

On May 31, 2006 Lamin Cham, BBC correspondent in Banjul and former editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer, was arrested and tortured for allegedly having links with the Freedom Newspaper. He was released a few days later after it was discovered that the allegation levelled against him was false.

On June 2, 2006, the NIA detained Duta Kamaso, a former member of the National Assembly, on "political and economic grounds”; Kamaso was said to be have been assaulted while in custody. She was released without charge on October 9 and the state is yet to explain the reason for her arrest.

On July 11, 2006 Chief Ebrima Manneh, a reporter of the Daily Observer, was arrested by two NIA at the Daily Observer premises. His whereabouts are still unknown as both the NIA and police denied having custody of him. Unconfirmed reports told AllGambian that he was tortured and murdered.

From August 26 to September 5, 2006, the NIA detained and tortured Buba Sanyang, a NADD supporter, for several days beyond the 72-hour limit on accusations of impersonating a member of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Sanyang read a televised confession statement alleging he was assigned by NADD leader Halifa Sallah to impersonate an IEC officer and collect voter registration cards. He was released later on bail and no charges were ever brought against him and his case did not go to trial.

On September 18, 2006, Kanyiba Kanyi, a staff of the Christian Children’s Fund (CCF), was arrested at his home in Bontho, Kombo East, by NIA officers. And despite a High Court order for his release, the state is yet to release him.

On December 8, 2006, former deputy director-general of the NIA, Alieu Singhateh, and former director of external relations of the NIA, Kemo Balajo, were released after prolonged detention on charges of concealment of treason in relation to the March 21 coup plot. The two were said to have been mistreated and threatened by NIA officers and State Guard soldiers while being interrogated at the NIA headquarters. They were denied access to lawyers for several months.

On July 8, 2007, former police commissioner Ebrima Camara and army sergeant Buba Mendy were released without charge after being arrested in April 2006 on suspicion of involvement with the coup plot. There are unconfirmed reports that they were tortured while being interrogated at the NIA headquarters.

On October 12 2007, Tamba Fofana was released without charge after being arrested in September 2006 on accusations of "anti state" activities. He was reported to have been tortured by the NIA, which had denied knowledge of his whereabouts despite a court order in December 2006 to release him.

On October 12 2007, Ousman Jatta, who had been held incommunicado since September 2006, was released from detention following a third high court order for his release on June 5. Jatta was rearrested twice in 2006 without charge for expressing views in disagreement with the government. He was first held at the NIA headquarters before being moved to various police stations in the provinces.

On December 27, detainees Foday Barry and Abdoulie Kujabi, arrested in April 2006 in connection to the coup plot, were released unconditionally, and their charges were dropped without explanation. Both men were reported to have been tortured by the NIA.

As the cases of torture catalogued above are never investigated by the Jammeh regime, there is little hope that the barbarism that has invaded our lives is going to be over anytime soon.