It is fourteen years since guns in the arms of persons were pointed at an innocent unarmed journalists coming from a commemoration of an anniversary of the founding of their media house, which could not be closed down since it was operating under the law. Those who pointed the guns thought that by releasing the bullets Deyda and his newspaper would be silenced for eternity. In so doing others will feel intimidated and would be subdued.
Fortunately the bullets they released could not silence Deyda and his newspaper. What the bullets did was to amplify the voices against the senseless murder all over the globe. To this day, the death is being made fresher by colleagues, family members and all human rights defenders who continue to call for justice to be done and be seen to be done. Twelve years under the Jammeh administration and two years under new Gambia, the truth is yet to be fully known.
Those who perpetrated the crime are still in hiding and their actions are still hunting them. Brought to trial or not, they cannot be at peace until they face justice or keep on hiding until they go to their graves without honour. What type of a life is it to take the life of the innocent for no just cause? No human being should ever accept to take life just for the sake of it.
All should say ‘never again’. It should not only be said, it should be ensured. It is then and only then that the saying will have any meaning.
