Yahya Jammeh’s reign of terror and the agony of our people
By Mathew K. Jallow, Associate Editor
The tragedy began a decade and half ago with the murder of Koro Ceesay in the woods of Busumbala village where his government issued Mercedes Benz was turned into his fiery grave. Since then, the horror stories emanating from The Gambia have not ceased coming to light, despite Yahya Jammeh’s best efforts at sealing information flowing from behind the fortified walls of our State House.
Yahya Jammeh and the atrocities
So horrifying are some of the stories that it is hard to even believe that Gambians committed the atrocities against fellow citizens. One of the instances of ritual barbarity, a story that only came to light last week, relates to Jammeh’s watchman at his Kanilai farm, Ismail Ceesay Jatta (affectionately called Ceesay Jatta) who after being arrested by Solo Bojang and (Bombardier) Kawsu Camara, on Yahya Jammeh’s orders, had his tongue cut, and his mutilated body left by the road side. The poor watchman is one of many who have suffered a similar fate at the hands of Yahya Jammeh’s executioners. Even more unbelievable, but true, are the stories still to be told, about the level of brutality and carnage carried out at many secret detention and torture centers around the country, but specifically, in Kanilai village. In an effort to piece together a complete story of Jammeh’s reign of terror, we are updating the list of the murdered, the disappeared and the political prisoners still languishing in Mile 2 Prisons.
Murdered Journalists.
Deyda Hydara
Omar Barrow
Ebrima Chief Manneh
Arson Attacks on Journalists and Media Premises
George Christensen & Radio 1 FM
Alieu Bah & Radio I FM journalist
October 2003: Independent Newspaper set on fire
April 2004: Independent printing press set on fire
August 2004: Ebrima Sillah’s home set on fire
Arrest and Detention of Journalists
October 2005: Abdoulie Sey
2005: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Musa Saidykhan
March 2006: Madi Ceesay
April 2006: Lamin Fatty
April 2006: Juldeh Sowe
July 2006: Ebrima Chief Manneh
May 2006: Musa Sheriff
May 2006: Pa Modou Faal
May 2006: Lamin Cham
May 2006: Sam Obi
May 2006: Malick M’boob
September 2006: Dodou Sanneh
March 2007: Fatou Jaw Manneh
December 2005: Ramatoulie Charreh
2006: Njemeh Bah
December 2006: Baron Eloagou
December 2006: Abdougafar Olademinji
June 2009: Mass Arrest of Journalists
Emil Touray
Sarata Jabbi Dibba
Pa Modou Faal
Pap Saine
Ebou Sawaneh
Sam Sarr
Abubakr Saidy-Khan
Abdulhamid Adiamoh
Augustine Kanja
Gambian Journalists Exiled: 1994-2009
P K. Jarju
Alagi Yorro Jallow
Kemo Cham
Pa Ousman Darboe
Momodou Kebbeh
Pa Ousman Darboe
Musa Saidykhan
Sulayman Makalo
Omar Bah
Alhagie Mbye
Bankole Thompson
Sulayman Darboe
Fatou Jaw-Manneh
Momodou Thomas
Lamin Sabally
Musa Saidykhan
Ansumana Badjie
Pa Samba Jaw
Buba Ceesay
Sarjo Bayang
Pa Nderry Mbai
Cherno Baba Jallow
Ebrima Ceesay
Baba Galleh Jallow
Ebrima G. Sankareh
Yankuba Jambang
Mathew K. Jallow
ETC, ETC, ETC
Murdered Civilians
Ousman Koro Ceesay
Deyda Hydara
Sidia Sanyang
Omar Barrow
Lamin Sanneh
Ousman Ceesay
Sarjo Kunjang
Ebrima Barry
Ousman Ceesay
Saja Kujabi
Haruna Jammeh
Mason Jammeh (a.k.a Masireh)
Yaya Jammeh
Executed Military and Security Officers
Daba Marena, NIA Director General
Staff Sergeant Manlafi Corr
Sergeant Major Alpha Bah
Lieut. Ebou Lowe
Lieut. Alieu Badara Ceesay
Sgt. Momodou Choppi Bah
Sgt. Fafa Nyang
Lieut. Basiru Barrow
Cpt. Sadibou Hydara
Lieut. Almamo Manneh
Lieut. Abdoulie Dot Faal
Lieut. Bakary Manneh
Lieut. Buba Jammeh
Lieut. Momodou Lamin Darboe
Cadet Officer Sillah
Lieut. Basiru Camara
Corpl. Mendy
Lieut. Gibril Saye
Sergeant Dumbuya
Military/Security Mysterious Deaths
Captain Tumbul Tamba
Captain Musa Jammeh
Colonel Vincent Jatta
Lieut. Solomon Jammeh
Pa M. Jallow
Manlafi Sanyang
Boye Bah
Military/Security/Civilian Recently Detained
Lang Tombong Tamba
Bore Badjie
Omar Bun Mbye
Demba Njie
Lamin Fatty
Yankuba Drammeh
Malamin Jarju
Kawsu (Bombardier) Camara
Ngorr Secka, NIA
Ensa Badjie (a.k.a Jesus)
Bun Sanneh
Sarjo Fofana
Military/Security/Civilians: Detained, Released, Fled
Captain Bunja Darboe
Capt. Yahya Darboe
Capt. Wassa Camara
2nd Lt Pharing Sanyang
Alieu Jobe
Tamsir Jasseh
Omar Faal
Demba Dem,
Col. Ndure Cham
Abdoulie Kujabi
Kemo Balajo
Alieu Singhateh
Foday Barry
Landing Sanneh
Military and Security Executed in 2006
Daba Marenah
Alieu Ceesay
Alpha Bah
Manlafi Corr
Ebou Lowe
Students Massacred April 11th. 2000
Reginald Carrol
Karamo Barrow
Lamin A. Bojang
Ousman Sabally
Sainey Nyabally
Ousman Sembene
Bakary Njie
Claesco Pierra
Momodou Lamin Njie
Ebrima Barry
Wuyea Foday Mansareh
Bamba Jobarteh
Momodou Lamin Chune
Abdoulie Sanyang
Omar Barrow
Burama Badjie
Gambians Missing and Disappeared Since 2005
Ebrima (Chief) Manneh: arrested July 2006
Kanyiba Kanyi arrested September 2006
Haruna Jammeh arrested in 200
Marcie Jammeh arrested in 2005
Alfusainey Jammeh arrested in 2005
Momodou Lamin Nyassi arrested in 2005
Ndongo M’boob arrested in 2006
Buba Sanyang arrested in 2006
Alieu Lowe arrested in March 2006,
Sgt. Sam Kambai arrested 2006
Bakary Gassama arrested in 2007
Kebba Secka arrested in 2007
Ebrima Dibba arrested in May 2008,
Ebrima Kunchi Jammeh arrested in May 2008
Attempted Murders: Fled Gambia
Ousman Sillah: Attorney/Lawyer
Mai Fatty: Attorney /Lawyer
Foreigners Massacred in The Gambia
44 Ghanaians
2 Senegalese
1 Togolese
2 Nigerians
Ministers: Appointed and Fired 1994-2009
Mass Axi Gai
Angela Colley
Kanja Sanneh
Neneh Macdouall-Gaye
Therese Ndong-Jatta (resigned)
Maba Jobe (before even taking office)
Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe (resigned)
Joseph Henry Joof (resigned)
Satang Jow (retired)
Yankuba Kassama
Margaret Keita
Ousman Badjie
Samba Bah
Lamin Kaba Bajo
Musa Bittaye
Amie Bensouda
Fatou Bom Bensouda
John P. Bojang
Momodou Bojang
Nyimasata Sanneh-Bojang
Mamat Cham
Ebrima Ceesay
Momodou Nai Ceesay
Ousman Koro Ceesay (murdered)
Sulayman Massaneh Ceesay
Bakary Bunja Dabo
Fasainey Dumbuya
Samba Faal
Omar Faye
Sadibou Haidara
Sheikh Tijan Hydara
Blaise Jagne
Balla Garba Jahumpa
Momodou Sarjo Jallow
Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh
Manlafi Jarju
Tamsir Mbowe
Dominic Mendy
Alieu Ngum
Bakary Njie
Omar Njie
Susan Waffa-Ogoo
Hawa Sisay Sabally
Sana Sabally
Abdoulie Sallah
Hassan Sallah
Momodou Sallah
Sidi Morro Sanneh
Kebba Sanyang
Samsudeen Sarr
Cheyassin Secka
Musa Sillah
Edward Singhateh
Raymond Sock
Amina Faal Sonko
Baboucarr Jatta
Famara Jatta
Kumba Ceesay-Marenah
Mustapha Marong
Fafa Mbai
Musa Mbenga
Sulayman M’boob
Bolong Sonko
Bai Mass Taal
Fatoumatta Tambajang
Bemba Tambedou
Yankuba Touray
Crispin Grey-Johnson
Antouman Saho
Lamin Bojang
Marie Saine Firdaus
In March 2009, Yahya Jammeh began his witch hunting campaign around the country. A full and clear picture of what really happened is still being pieced together. Preliminary reports indicated that as many as one thousand five hundred people, mostly elderly and frail men and women were detained, with many forced to drink from potent locally made hallucinogen concoction drinks “to rid” themselves of witches. When it all ended, at least five people were reported dead and as many as two dozen were hospitalized. Many of the victims came from villages in the Kombos, St. Mary’s Island and Fonis; including Barra, Makumbaya, Mandinari and Sintet, among many others. Despite all what we now know about Jammeh and his regime, much of the nebulous and esoteric aspects of his brutality still waits to be told. The Gambian media is, therefore, urging the public to help us fill the missing pieces of this bizarre fifteen year saga, in order to help us compile an accounting of the atrocities perpetrated by Yahya Jammeh and his regime. Kindly send additional names of friends, relatives, family members, co-workers and neighbors who are missing, murdered, jailed, disappeared, tortured or have fled the country. We guarantee anonymity to everyone who provides us information.
Send comments to: editormj@thegambiaecho.com