Press Release in Commemoration of the April 10 and 11 Student Massacre in The Gambia

Movement for Democracy and Development

P. O. Box 500

Bronx, NY 10453

modegam2006@yahoo.com 

April 10, 2008 

Press Release in Commemoration of the April 10 and 11 Student Massacre in The Gambia: 

The United States based Gambians' Movement for Democracy and Development Organization (MDD) commemorates April 10 and 11, 2000 Student massacre in The Gambia. These two dates marks and are regarded as the darkest days in the history of The Gambia. A peaceful demonstration by thousands of unarmed, innocent students to express their grievances in the murder of a fellow student and rape of an other, were confronted by security forces who shot and killed 14 students and a Red Cross volunteer in broad daylight. Several others sustained serious injuries and some of them have been maimed for life. This massacre was followed by another wave of brutal crackdown in the provinces, followed by arrest of numerous pro-democracy activists and some journalists who were out to cover the massacre. 

Eight years have passed since then and the future of The Gambia and its people continuous to be bleak. President Yahya Jammeh disregards for the Constitution of the country and his no sign of respect for The Gambian people are beyond the limit. 

We want to express our disgust against the cold-blooded murder of these school children and Red Cross Volunteer. We condemn the blanket impunity that President Yahya Jammeh accorded to these criminals in military uniforms. It is a serious of injustice to the families of the victims and an insult to Gambian people that such a heinous crime will go unpunished. 

We urge Gambians, and families of those victims to never forget about these two days and keep in mind however long it takes, justice will come. 

We urge all democratic Governments and human rights Organizations to take concrete steps to put an end to the continuous terror on Gambians by President Jammeh's regime. 

Today in remembering the atrocities of April 10 and 11, 2000, we take this opportunity to pray for the victims and pledge our solidarity with the families of the victims. 

Signed:

Saihou Mballow

For

Executive Committee

Movement for Democracy and Development

New York City, USA 

CC:

State Department

American Embassy, The Gambia

Department of Justice, The Gambia

Amnesty International New York

Human Rights Watch

European Union

Human Rights Institutions

Gambia media houses