By Omar Bah
A former soldier, Abdoulie Darboe and survivor of the bloody November 11. 1994 summary execution of Gambian soldiers suspected of planning a coup, has urged the government to avoid ignoring the recommendation of the truth commission whenever it comes out.
Darboe, who yesterday joined families of November 11 victims and survivors to mark 26 years of the brutal killings, explained that government must not treat the TRRC findings like they did with the Janneh Commission report.
“If they do that, I swear to god, there could be civil unrest in this country. I am saying this because I know the amount of caricaturing some of us are subjected to every day by supporters of Jammeh after we appeared before the TRRC to explain what we knew and suffered,” he said.
He advised President Barrow to rethink the direction he has taken recently to avoid repeating Jammeh’s mistakes.
“Barrow is now a completely different person from the one he was when he first came to power in January 2017. When he came, Gambians were hopeful but now, he is governing exactly like Jammeh. We are all seeing what is happening in this country. I see no difference between him and Jammeh.
Former president Jammeh is gone but the system remains. I am really worried that this government could lead us to a civil unrest,” the former soldier warned.
The Tujereng-based former soldier also vowed never to forgive former president Yahya Jammeh.
He described November 11 as the most serious crime committed in Gambia’s history and “that they should never forget or forgive”.
”On November 11, 1994, soldiers were arrested and killed, others detained, tortured and sentenced wrongfully without a proper judicial system. We need to be heard. We cried but still there is no answer to our call,” Darboe said.
“Jammeh and his accomplices should face justice for the cowardice and brutal killings, torture and detention of Gambians during his barbaric regime. There should be no selective justice,” he said.
He said some of the perpetrators of the incident are still serving in the army.
TRRC appearance regrets
According to Darboe, his appearance at the TRRC has brought about so much enmity and hardship to his life that he now regretted doing so.
“Since appearing at the TRRC, my fish business has been completely shattered because some of my top customers who are Yahya Jammeh sympathisers have left me. That seriously affected my business. Some of them don’t know me before but when they saw my testimony, they all changed their attitude and never buy anything from me,” he said. “Things are really very difficult for me right now even my children’s school fees I cannot afford them now. I approached both the TRRC and the Victims Centre for help but they all said the money is too much and they would not be able to afford it.”
Darboe said at home in the village, Jammeh supporters are now looking at him as a bad person which has even affected his attendance of meetings at the Victims Centre.
“Now wherever I go, people will mock me with some even telling me that my testimony at the TRRC will go in vain because nothing will come out of it. This really hurts me and I cannot disagree with them given what happened to the Janneh Commission recommendations.”
Darboe said had he known things would turn out this way for him, he would not have testified at the TRRC. “This is why many other November 11 victims refused to testify because they believe they will just be exposed and nothing will come out of it,” he said.
Darboe also took time to extend his condolences to families who lost their loved ones.
