Life and Blood on the line in the fight to end the Gambia’s brutal dictatorship. As revelations of the violence inflicted on May 9th peaceful protesters come to light, the people’s voices roar with resistance. These photos provide evidence of brutality meted out on the arrested defenceless citizens. The photos were taken at the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) Headquarters in Kanifing where over 40 United Democratic Party supporters were attacked on their way from Banjul High court. If the goal is to kill the spirit among opposition supporters, then the devilish regime had woefully failed as people continue to protest outside the court.
The criminals of this heartlessness are the PIU thugs who have no job other than getting mad on armless citizens, the very people who pay them. Some of the protesters have still not been accounted for and the criminal regime is not talking about their whereabouts. Like other failed dictators before him, Yahya Jammeh knows his government’s brutality is not sustainable, which is why his final arsenal is to instill fear among a people that have been pushed to the brink. What is the guarantee that he will succeed on a terrain where the likes of Libya’s Myanmar Gaddafi had failed? He will surely fail, God Willing.
What Jammeh’s delusional mind fails to grasp is that death and blood will not deter a determined people to fight until the barbaric tyrannical rule engineered and fueled by a mad head of state. As a vampire, we know Jammeh’s heart was full of delight when news had reached him that the PIU headquarters was littered with blood of innocent people. The tactics of employing terror through words and physical violence to contain peaceful protesters have not restrained change-hungry Gambians.
The PIU brutality of innocent peaceful protesters evidence is an order that came from the President’s office. Instead of using professionalism to contain the armless crowd, the Mad Dogs got dirty on protesters, assaulting them with batons and AK47 assault rifle. This is what has not been and will not be said at the sham opposition trial, in which prosecution witnesses have been lectured on what to tell the court.
Lawyer and Co. remain defiant, refusing to participate in a trial presided over by Mosquito Coiled Judge. What is the essence of complying with a bias, unethical and remote controlled judge?
Despite the regime’s excessive use of force and swaying of justice, it is sickening that some politicians still believe that Jammeh will open room for negotiation. Dictators don’t succumb to advice or philosophical lectures; the only language they understand is that of defiance. The road to Damascus is inevitable. Period.
How long can we allow this brutality to continue without response in kind? This is too much to take.
Janjanbureh, Answer is solidarity and coalescing around existing forces seriously taking on the thugs. In my view that is UDP on the ground and GDF abroad (in the present situation). If you live far, bring like-minded folks together and help these formidable forces. Do not underestimate what is possible through grassroot mobilisation.