PRESIDENT JAMMEH ON THE STUDENTS' DEMONSTRATION

After massacring 14 unarmed students who were to stage a peaceful procession to demand justice for the murder and alleged rape of their fellow students by security forces, President Jammeh refused to cut short his trip to the communist nation of Cuba. He jetted back in town and give this address to the nation 5 days later. See for yourself if what he promised in this address was fulfilled.

STATEMENT TO THE NATION

16TH APRIL, 2000

 PRESIDENT JAMMEH ON THE STUDENTS' DEMONSTRATION OF 10TH & 11TH APRIL, 2000

 BISI - MILLAHI ARAHMANI

 FELLOW CITIZENS

 MY TASK TODAY IS INDEED A VERY DIFFICULT ONE, AS IT IS WITH THE DEEPEST FEELING EVER OF IMMENSE DISTRESS AND UTMOST GRIEF THAT I ADDRESS THE NATION ON THE UNFORTUNATE AND TRAGIC STUDENTS' DEMONSTRATIONS THAT OCCURED LAST MONDAY AND TUESDAY. ON THESE TWO DARK DAYS IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, THIS NATION SUFFERED IRREPARABLE LOSS OF LIVES AND INCALCULABLE DAMAGE TO PROPERTIES.  MOST REGRETABLE IS THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THE 12 YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF WOUNDED. I THEREFORE WISH TO TAKE THIS SAD OCCASION TO JOIN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE GAMBIA AND THAT OF MY FAMILY, TO EXTEND DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO BEREAVED PARENTS, FAMILIES, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, CLASSMATES AND LOVED ONES OF OUR DEPARTED CHILDREN. LET US ALL PRAY THAT THE ALMIGHT ALLAH RECEIVES THEIR SOULS AND GRANT THEM ETERNAL REST. LET US ALSO PRAY FOR THE SICK AND WOUNDED, TO RECEIVE ALLAH'S SPEEDY HEALING AND RECOVERY. WE MUST OFFER PRAYERS ALSO FOR THE BEREAVED AND THE NATION, TO BE

 COMFORTED, TO HAVE THE FAITH AND COURAGE TO SUSTAIN THEIR LOSS. AS WE

 REMEMBERE AND COMMIT THOSE WE LOVED DEARLY IN ALLAH'S CARE, I AM HEREBY DECLARING ONE WEEK OF MOURNING, DURING WHICH ALL FLAGS IN THE COUNTRY WILL BE FLOWN AT HALF MAST IN LOVING MEMORY AND RESPECT FOR THE DEAD

 FELLOW GAMBIANS

 I WANT US ALL TO PUT THIS SAD AND UNPRECEDENTED INCIDENT INTO ITS PROPER PERSPECTIVE, TO REFLECT ON AND INVESTIGATE INTO THE CAUSES AND TO DRAW USEFUL LESSONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE. WHILE I WAS IN CUBA ATTENDING THE G 77 - SOUTH SUMMIT, I HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH MY GOVERNMENT ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND. EVERYONE WILL AGREE THAT THE PRIMARY DUTY OF ANY GOVERNMENT IS TO ENSURE THAT PEACE AND STABILITY PREVAILS IN A COUNTRY, SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE TO LIFE AND PROPERTY, AND GUANRANTEE FREEDOM AND JUSTICE WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR. MY GOVERNMENT WILL THEREFORE CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE EVENTS OF THE 10TH AND 11TH APRIL 2000. IN THE INVESTIGATIONS, NO STONE WILL BE LEFT UNTURNED IN OUR SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH. CONCURRENTLY, A CORONER'S INQUEST WILL BE HELD ON THE CAUSE OF DEATH OF THE TWELVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THIS UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT.

 IN THE DAYS THAT LIE AHEAD, I WILL BE COUNTING ON ALL GAMBIANS, RELIGIOUS

 LEADERS, LEADERS OF CONSCIENCE TO HELP BRING BACK THE PEACE AND STABILITY THAT HAS ENABLED US TO HELP NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES TO AVERT THE DANGERS OF INTERNAL CONFLICT AND STRIFE. WE WANT TO BUILD A SOCIETY WHOSE YOUTH WILL BE PROUD OF THE EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THIS WILL ENABLE US TO BUILD ON THESE FOUNDATIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THE GAMBIA A HAVEN OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE SUB-REGION AND AFRICA AT LARGE. THESE ARE CERTAINLY SOME OF THE ESSENTIAL PRE-CONDITIONS FOR ATTAINING OUR VISION 2020 OBJECTIVES.

 I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND PRAY THAT THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH CONTINUE TO SHOWER HIS PEACE AND BLESSING ON THE BEREAVED, THE WOUNDED, AND THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

 ASSALAMU ALAIKUM WARAH MATULLAHI WABARA KATUHU