Without trying to sound as Prophets of doom, or wet blankets in the new found energetic drive to push our country away from the calamitous history of the Jammeh era, we hereby register our concern over the steady rise of deaths among the former political detainees of the United Democratic Party.
So far since the debacle started four people have died. Solo Sandeng of course may have not survive a day after his alleged torture but the subsequent deaths of Solo Koroma, Lang Marong and more recently, Janko Ceesay, have raised suspicion about the state of well being of the former UDP detainees.
There are now increasing and wide spread speculations that the inmates must have almost certainly come out with some ailment or the other and urgent attentions must be given to them, example a proper medical screening and tests. And we are not alone in this thinking. This is a Facebook message from a Gambian in the UK.
“All former political inmates and detainees should undergo a thorough toxicology test to ascertain whether or not they may have been poisoned. Furthermore, the police, and the SIS should interview suspected Jammeh enablers who work in the prison and who may have been involved in the poisoning of inmates.
We are calling on anyone who has information and hardcore evidence about alleged prisoners poisoning scheme) to report it to the police or the SIS.”
While we do not have any evidence or lead to support this view, weird as it may sound, it is now clear that people are becoming worried.
Therefore it is our view that the government should take the lead and get all these former detainees properly checked here or if necessary overseas before it is too late.
It has been three months since they were set free but few of the detainees have regained significant weight or fitness. Their fate must be everyone’s concern. No undue alarm is intended here though; just a concern for the safety of all.
