By Omar Wally
Col Baboucarr Jatta, former Chief of Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, has alleged that former president Yahya Jammeh was responsible for the April 10th student massacre.
On 10 and 11 April 2000, students in the Greater Banjul Area took to the streets demanding the release of one of their colleagues who was allegedly tortured to death.
The demonstration turned violent and several students, including a Red Cross volunteer were killed, with scores wounded most of whom were left in wheelchairs.
The incident happened Jammeh was out of the country and people instead blamed former vice president Isatou Njie-Saidy and former head of military Col Baboucarr Jatta.
However, in an interview with The Standard, Col Jatta said the head of the government was responsible.
“Whatever the security does lingers on the head of state’s head. If I commit an atrocity and I’m not punished for it and serving under somebody who has been elected by majority of the populace to oversee the country, if he does nothing about it, there is something he is hiding,” Jatta said.
He said the students were not hostile and that was why he ordered his officers not to be involved until they are called upon.
“The confusion began when the students saw the engineering unit of Army going to the army headquarters of maintenance,” Jatta said, denying ever beaten by the students. “I walked with the students from Serekunda to Kairba Avenue and no one beat me.”
Read the full interview on Bantaba, Friday.
