Today marks the 11th anniversary of the ultimate sacrifice made by conscientious and patriotic Gambians who rose in 2014 to liberate their motherland from the grip of tyranny. Njaga Jagne, Jaja Nyass, and Lamin Sanneh stood fully aware of the dangers they faced when they joined fellow compatriots to confront the brutal dictatorship of Yahya Jammeh. Their courage and resolve remain a defining chapter in our nation’s long struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity.
Their action was neither reckless nor isolated. It was part of a broader and historic resistance mounted by Gambians from all walks of life who refused to accept tyranny as destiny. For 22 years, the AFPRC/APRC regime ruled through fear, repression, and violence.
It trampled upon the Constitution, dismantled democratic institutions, and violated the fundamental rights of citizens with impunity. Children, women, men, youth, elders, journalists, students, teachers, lawyers, musicians, religious leaders, political opponents, activists, and ordinary citizens as well as non-citizens all became victims of arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings.
December 30 was therefore not an accident of history. It was a continuation of the collective struggle by Gambians who, in different ways and at different times, resisted oppression through words, through organizing, through protest, through advocacy, through the pen, and, for some, through armed resistance, at home and abroad. It was a manifestation of the unyielding desire of a people determined to reclaim their dignity and their country.
As we commemorate this 11th anniversary, we honour Njaga Jagne, Jaja Nyass, and Lamin Sanneh as part of a long lineage of patriots who gave everything so that future generations may live in freedom. Their sacrifice reminds us that freedom is never gifted rather it is won and defended through courage, vigilance, and sacrifice.
Today, we must recommit ourselves to the ideals for which they stood. We must reject complacency and remain vigilant against the return of tyranny in any form. We must speak out, organize, and act to defend human rights, uphold the rule of law, and demand accountability at all times.
To Njaga Jagne, Jaja Nyass, and Lamin Sanneh, we salute your bravery. May your gentle and courageous souls continue to rest in eternal peace. Your sacrifice shall never be forgotten, and your struggle will forever guide our collective quest for justice, freedom, and dignity in the Gambia.
For The Gambia 🇬🇲 Our Homeland
