By Lamin Cham
Former AFPRC Junta members Sana Sabally and Edward Singhatey yesterday returned to the TRRC to end twenty-four years of deep-seated animosity between them.
The duo initiated the July 1994 coup with Sabally playing a key role. But on Friday, 27 January 1995 Edward Singhatey led soldiers to arrest Sabally who went on to spend nine years in prison on trumped up charges. The two never saw each other since that fateful January morning twenty-four years ago.
Yesterday’s reconciliation initiative was conceived by Sabally, who after listening to his former colleague’s apologies at the commission decided to seize the moment to bury the hatchet once and for all. ”I thought with this reconciliation between the two of us, the people of the Gambia will find a place in their hearts to forgive one another for all what happened in the past. I have forgiven my brother and good friend Edward and I would like others to use this as example to not only forgive us but others in the society,” Sabally told an emotion laden audience at the TRRC.
For Singhatey, the occasion was a sad twist and an end to a journey that was conceived to achieve success for the greater good. “When we started this journey in 1994 our objective was to deliver our nation to progress and prosperity. But along the way it turned out that you have to suffer in terrible manner to which I contributed. I have had my own experiences, assassination attempt on my life, attempted poisoning and all that but nothing could be worse than what you have endured,” Singhatey told Sabally.
A visibly moved Sabally replied that his suffering was ordained by God and he accepted all in good faith.
The TRRC chairman Dr Lamin Cise as well as reconciliation committee chairman Imam Ousainou Jallow commended the two men for the move and prayed for inspiration from it by all Gambians.
