By Omar Bah
The Jerreh Sittanunku Development Association (JSDA), in a release sent to this medium, are demanding justice for all victims of Sittanunku during the former brutality and injustices under the leadership of the country.
According to the group Sittanunku village, Upper Niumi District, North Bank Region, is part of many settlements that suffered miserably during the 22 years misrule of the previous regime.
“Three gallant sons of our village who diligently served in the national army were killed extra judicially and many others forced to go on exile after being accused by Jammeh and his thugs for plotting to overthrow his government,” the release reads.
The group further alleged Cadet Amadou Sillah, soldier accused of taking part in the purported attempted coup of 11 November 1994, Staff Sergeant Almamo Manneh, a key figure in the July 1994 revolution, also accused of plotting a coup against Jammeh in January 2000 were all killed.
“Lieutenant Lamin F Jammeh (LF Jammeh), another key figure of the July 1994 revolution, was also accused of taking part in the 11 November 1994 coup and the attack on Kartong military barracks was sentenced to life imprisonment. To the disappointment of all, he was executed during Jammeh’s August 2012 execution of the nine prison inmates at Mile Two,” the group alleged.
According to the group, these are different from the myriad of sons of Sittanunku like Ebrima (Borry) Manneh who fled the country during Yahya Jammeh’s reign for threats on their lives.
“It is against this background that the entire membership of JSDA welcomes the fall of APRC regime and the keen commitment demonstrated so far by the new government to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission which will investigate the causes and consequences of these atrocities,” the group said.
The group is also calling on the government to expedite the investigations with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book, “The people of Sittanunku and all human rights defenders in the world want to see that justice is done.”
“We therefore plead with the new government and the international community to consider the plight of all concerned families by bringing those responsible for these heinous crimes to justice and ensure that all beneficiary families receive fair compensations for their forever lost loved ones.”
JSDA Jerreh Sittanunku Development Association (JSDA) is a registered non-profit, nonreligious and non-partisan community development organisation in Niumi Sittanunku, Upper Niumi District in North Bank Region.
