Dear Sir, Please find Space to publish my innocent views .
The ICC Will Never Exonerate Lang Tambong Tamba
BY Baati Jollof
Comrades, Countrymen and Countrywomen, hardly a day passes in our once peaceful country now a days, when you don't hear about the arrest of one soldier or the other, the arrest of a civilian or the continuous inhumane torture of the detainees, or worst still, the rumours of death among the soldiers of the armed forces or among those detained. Banjul is no longer what it used to be. It is strange that people don't even want to discuss what is happening, even when it involves our own sons who are being brutalized by a failing regime. The latest addition of Ebrima Camara to the "burial list" should be a concern for all Gambians. How much longer do we have to stand and keep quite while Yahya and his cronies of murderers continue to butcher and maim our innocent sons? "Someone will have to pay for the innocent blood that is shed everyday".
ARMY CHIEF LANG TOMBONG
GRILLED
It is just disheartening to stomach all that is happening in our great country. The killing and torture cannot just continue. To a large extent we as Gambians have betrayed our own selves, most especially those of us who are still residing in the country and continue to hold high places in government. We have decided to be mute, even when our sons are murdered. The media in the country cannot say anything about the coup and torture of the detainees, most especially when the brave members of the Independent have been arrested and detained.
The last thing that Pap saine will do in these circumstances is to allow the Point to run stories in condemning the torture of the detainees. However, what is much more disappointing is that the human rights institutions in the country, have not even issued a note of condemnation to the inhumane and degrading treatment and murder of the detainees. Moreover, the Gambia Bar Association have also disgracefully and cowardly chosen the path of silence, reiterating that they are "A conspiracy against the Masses". Religious leaders have some how remain silent too. The seasoned officers in the army have also decided to remain deaf and dumb, when men who were loyal to them are being tortured by Gambian thugs like Musa Jammeh, Corporal Kawsu (bombardeh) Solo Bojang, Michael Tamba and the semi faceless Cassamance rebels that have been integrated into the army, most especially those that stay in Kanilai.
The failure of the government to give any further information after the "Nenneh Maccdoll coined press released of escape of Daba Marenah and four others" is really a serious cause of concern. There is a national outcry that these legitimate sons of the country have been tortured to death. Yet still the government have not taken any step to prove the online papers and the rumours wrong . such lack of action only heightens the tension and forces us to believe that these stories and rumours are true. Decency should have forced the government to allow the Gambia Red Cross or some of the human rights organizations or even lawyers to have access to these people but yet still nothing is being done.
However, this is where service men like Lang Tombong Tamba and the commanders of the various units and Barracks will be taken to task, to explain what has happened to every man who has been under their command. As the Chief of Defense Staff, Col. Tamba, must be able to defend his soldiers, most especially those who refuse command to commit atrocities on their fellow soldiers. If this is why Ebrima camara was murdered, then Col. Tamba has a lot to explain. The international community no longer accepts flimsy excuses of obeying commands from above when serious atrocities are being committed. Like the Rwandan army generals that remained silent when the worst atrocities were being committed under their own eyes, yet they were confident that they are clean, so will Lang Tombong be dragged to face justice, under the charges of "negligence of duty" conspiracy to murder and aiding and abetting torture.
Disappearances are unacceptable, escape and never seen unaccepted, maiming and killing' vehemently and totally unacceptable. You must be able to explain in great detail what happened to each and everyone of your men. It is only you who can redeem and exonerate yourself. As we voice our our concerns and watch, we also try as much as possible to gather evidence, so that nothing will be lacking when justice finally pays a visit to our Great Motherland.
The ICC awaits all those Gambians who conspire with Yahya to commit crimes against humanity. Yahya, known very well that he is sinking, and what he wants to do is to convince the army top brass that if he sinks they also sink deeper. This however is not true. We still have some decent officers in the army, who have resisted all forms of intimidation to commit atrocities. Such great sons of the country needs to be supported, and this is the only way that Col. Tamba can exonerate himself, by standing close to the decent officers.
The International Criminal Court will never exonerate Lang Tombong, if he willingly allowed his men to be butchered. Col. Tamba have have many questions to answer if tomorrow it is proven beyond any reasonable doubt that Lt. Ebou lowe was tortured and murdered in cold blood. The Gambia Shall be Free Again and all Humane Values Restored under a democratically elected government.