By Abou Colley, SerreKunda
Ebow Town
Dear Mr Editor,
Allow me a little bit of space in your media to send a piece of advice to my humble family friend, who is now regarded as a patriotic citizen of the state by the Jammeh Government, but enemy in the future when truth shall rule the day and the perpetrators of the unjust shall be judged by their actions.
Staff Sergent--Malick Jatta commonly known as "Geeke" in Mandinka, meaning trust,born in Tujereng Kombo South, Western Division. Attended Bakoteh Hermanminer High School in Bakoteh.
Whenever, I read in the news and there is torturing involved,SGT Malick Jatta, your name is mentioned. I become totally disturbed about your involvement in the alleged torturing. For we grow up in a good manner not the manner in which you are showing to the world nowadays.
Do you remember the days when we used to sit behind the school fence smoking the Indian Herbs (Cannabis) listening to the reggae songs of the late Bob Marley(one love, Africa unite)? You accentuated to us that we should love one another and it was your wish that Africa be united.
Have you lost your head trying to ignore what you have been telling us? Where is the one love that you have been talking about? How can Africa be united when people like your kind are trying to erode the basic foundation of human dignity?
Your name was mentioned in the torturing of Tamsir Jassey, Edward Sighateh and many more. You were trying to kill Edu in cold blood. Why this barbaric act? Does life worth it?
I am not sure whether you are doing this to maintain our tribe (Jolas) in power. If that is the case, then it is not the way to do it. Killing innocent people for what? You don’t have to force your "democracy" on people. Leave the natural democracy to take its way.
Do you remember those days when we fought tooth and nail to see that you were enrolled in The Gambia National Army(GNA),when your brother, then the Chief of Staff (Babucarr Jatta) passed your named to the Selection Board, that they should reject your application because, he wanted you to read and become a responsible statesman in future, for he was inspired by your intelligence in school, but you saw that not and you take it to be a family rivalry.
Who helped us for you to be enrolled? Tell me. Was it not Peter Sighateh, we talked to and he assured us that he will do his best to see you are enrolled. Had it not been his involnment would you have been in this position now? What have you to pay him? Trying to kill his brother, for what reasons?
If I had known, you will be this type of a soldier I wouldn't have bothered myself in first place to see you being enlisted in the GNA.
May I take this opportunity to apologize to all those whom you hurt for one reason or the other for my part to see you enlisted in the GNA.
Your brother also removed your name from those soldiers who were going for a peace keeping mission in Guinea Bissau. How did you react? That he hates you and does not want you to prosper in the army.
We fought that one out and it was possible you were among the contingent forces sent to that then troubled region (Guinea Bissau)
Your safety there was our concern and we constantly reassured your wife ( who is from Busumbala Village),that you will safely return by the will of God. Our prayers were answered that you came back home safely.
It was a jubilation for all of us. Do you remember that very jubilation night we were all "stoned" by smoking the Indian herbs and finished the 2 by 50 packs that night alone.
Do you remember telling us your trip to Guinea Bissau was difficult, that you were on patrol at the rebel controlled zone and you were being sent by a female rebel who tried to lure you when three other male rebels try to ambush you, but you used your military capability and slaughtered the female rebel. You fought well with fist (hand to hand) against the three rebels and that was why you had a broken hand, but you were able to bring the three men to their knees and handcuffed them.
I said to myself what a gallant soldier. I was enjoying my "dose" but became immediately conscious when you mentioned "slaughtering the female rebel". My body ran cold and I could not understand human being slaughtering a fellow human being. I vomited immediately and you were all laughing at me that I was over "stoned". No I wasn't. I valued human life and I respect human life. I was fully aware that you were making self-defense.
But what self-defense are you making when you're trying to make your own Gambian brothers suffer because you want Yahya Jammeh to remain in power.
Have you forgotten what he did to your brother (Babucarr Jatta) appointed him a ministerial position in sunrise and removed him in sunset? Your days are numbered and you will follow suit.
You have to remember that no ruler rules forever. Only Allah remains supreme.
Beware that there are people out there who are keeping records of what had happened and will continue to do so for fair,just and tolerant society for all Gambians
Paternally, am from Jola tribe and maternally am from Mandinka tribe and I speak both languages fluently.
Why do you follow Yahya Jammeh when he is trying to introduce divisionalism among Gambians
It was a shame in our compound, when Yahya Jammeh went to air to announce that Mandinkas will not return their “asses” on this Presidency. Where was my mum,dad and brothers? We were all watching him saying that. What do you expect my mum to say ( who is a Mandinka) and what do you expect my dad to say (who is a Jola)? The entire family were greeted with shame.
SGT-Malick Jatta, do you remember those days when we used to plough the farm for our fathers from dawn to dust. We had the working tools to help people plough their farm. Where are those kind generosity of yours gone? Is it because you are a soldier? And so what?
We've seen soldiers rescuing people from danger, we’ve seen soldiers securing the border of their sovereignty. What have you secured? One man Yahya Jammeh by participating in killing people who have done virtually nothing wrong.
Have you forgotten those days when we used to beat the two bulls to pull the plough faster-The advice from our late father was "that we should take it easy because they are animals with lives" You have gone beyond those advices negatively to an extend of killing fellow Gambians. Have you forgotten the day we lost one of our bulls when all of us were sad. That was just animal life not human life. Have you come to your senses how the family of those you hurt or killed will feel?
You gave deaft ears to the advices we received from our teachers that we should respect human life. We should not hurt or kill any body unlawfully.
Where have you put your ears? You ignore all those advices for the shake of who Yahya Jammeh. You ignore all what our ancestors told us.
Yahya has taken the advices of his ancestors, otherwise he would not have gone to that big ancestral boaba tree hole alone. Only God knows what he did there. It was an advice from his people. Now he fooled you not to listen to the advices from your ancestors by participating in killing innocent Gambians.
SGT---Malick Jatta where were you when we sat by the bed side of our father when he was awaiting his death. Have you forgotten the advice he gave us? Have you ponder for a while that you will one day come that stage
Also by the bed side of our mum when she was awaiting for her death. Have you forgotten the advices she gave us? They were all emphasizing one thing "Value human life".
Now they are gone (May their soul rest in peace) you ignore their advices. If corpse could come out of their grave, believe me or not mum and dad will come out and tell you to stop what you are doing.
SGT-Malick, Jatta have you forgotten those days when you have those smelly wounds on your both legs which were hard to heal, when you enter in to the classroom every body put their fingers in their nostril? Was it not the nurturing and caring from the Gambians that those smelly wounds were healed. If they have been so callous and barbaric as to how you are now to fellow Gambians, I believe you would have been an amputee by now.
As a family friend, take my advice now or you will face the consequence sooner or later. Remember whether you know it or not there are people right out there who are keeping records of what had happened and will continue to do so for fair,just and tolerant society for all Gambians.
Remember to be kind to the weak one and poor for you may one day come to their mercy.
A word to a wise is enough, millions to a fool is a beginning.
Thanks.
Abou Colley
SerreKunda
Ebow Town