Kukoi Samba Sanyang
Encyclopedia
Kukoi Samba Sanyang led a 1981 rebellion
against the democratically
elected Gambian
government of President Dawda Jawara
.
On 31 July 1981, while Jawara was abroad, a 12-member National Revolutionary Council (NRC) headed by Mr. Sanyang seized control of the country. The leftist NRC accused Jawara
's government of being "corrupt
, tribalistic
, and despotic
". They also announced the suspension of the country's constitution and proclaimed their intention to establish a "dictatorship of the proletariat
".
The attempted coup ended on 5 August when Senegal
ese troops defeated the rebel forces. Mr. Sanyang took refuge in Libya
, who had also given him some backing for the coup attempt.
Charles Taylor visited Libya several times, probably between 1986 and 1989. He met with Mr. Sanyang and other Gambians who had participated in the 1981 coup attempt. In 1989 “Dr. Manning” was listed by the NPFL
as Taylor's vice-president, but was soon edged out by Taylor and retired to manage a bar in Ouagadougou
.
In 1995 the Farafenni
army camp was attacked by half a dozen men, who killed some Gambian soldiers and held the camp for several hours. Some of the attackers, later captured, claimed they were Mr. Sanyang's collaborators. They have been condemned to death and are awaiting their execution. Another was arrested in 2003, is held in Banjul and is still on trial as to early 2007. In 2003 Mr. Sanyang based himself in Senegal and went several times to The Gambia to talk with Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh
at his Kaninlai residence. In August 2003 the negotiations failed and Mr. Sanyang returned to Senegal for permanent residence.
In early June 2006, shortly before the Gambian presidential elections, he was along with some of his men put in detention, “at the house of a military officer in Bissau
during a visit to that country”, says The Gambia Journal on January 30th, 2007; “(at the Masuang Military Camp) in maximum military detention”, says The Gambia Echo on May 12th, 2007. The Gambia Journal on January 30th, also states that some military officers in Bissau blocked their own government in its attempts to hand Kukoi Sanyang over to the authorities in Banjul. According to The Gambia Echo, That government has spent close to three million US dollars in its attempts at extradition. wanting to arrange for Mr. Sanyang's repatriation to Banjul against Casamance hard-line rebel leader being handed over to Senegal. It has been suggested that Mr. Sanyang may have been preparing an attack on Yahya Jammeh prealably to the elections, and then seize power.
Mr. Sanyang, Mr. Sheriffba Jobe and Mr. Mohammed Sowe escaped on May 11th. Their pick up was organized by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) office who got opportunistically alerted to their presence in Bissau's Justice ministry, while the Justice Minister was arguing with the Army Chief's services and refusing the impromptu transfert of the trio to his juridiction. Both Mr. Jobe and Mr. Sowe were accorded refugee status prior to their arrest, and are now under UN jurisdiction.
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
against the democratically
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
elected Gambian
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
government of President Dawda Jawara
Dawda Jawara
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, GCMG was the first leader of The Gambia, serving first as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970 and then as President from 1970 to 1994....
.
On 31 July 1981, while Jawara was abroad, a 12-member National Revolutionary Council (NRC) headed by Mr. Sanyang seized control of the country. The leftist NRC accused Jawara
Dawda Jawara
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, GCMG was the first leader of The Gambia, serving first as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970 and then as President from 1970 to 1994....
's government of being "corrupt
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, tribalistic
Tribalism
The social structure of a tribe can vary greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple role structure, with few significant social distinctions between individuals....
, and despotic
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
". They also announced the suspension of the country's constitution and proclaimed their intention to establish a "dictatorship of the proletariat
Dictatorship of the proletariat
In Marxist socio-political thought, the dictatorship of the proletariat refers to a socialist state in which the proletariat, or the working class, have control of political power. The term, coined by Joseph Weydemeyer, was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in the...
".
The attempted coup ended on 5 August when Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese troops defeated the rebel forces. Mr. Sanyang took refuge in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, who had also given him some backing for the coup attempt.
Charles Taylor visited Libya several times, probably between 1986 and 1989. He met with Mr. Sanyang and other Gambians who had participated in the 1981 coup attempt. In 1989 “Dr. Manning” was listed by the NPFL
National Patriotic Front of Liberia
The National Patriotic Front of Liberia was a rebel group that initiated and participated in the First Liberian Civil War from 1989 to 1996.-Leadership:...
as Taylor's vice-president, but was soon edged out by Taylor and retired to manage a bar in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
.
In 1995 the Farafenni
Farafenni
Farafenni is a town in The Gambia, lying on the Trans-Gambia Highway in the North Bank Division, just south of the border with Senegal. It is an important market town....
army camp was attacked by half a dozen men, who killed some Gambian soldiers and held the camp for several hours. Some of the attackers, later captured, claimed they were Mr. Sanyang's collaborators. They have been condemned to death and are awaiting their execution. Another was arrested in 2003, is held in Banjul and is still on trial as to early 2007. In 2003 Mr. Sanyang based himself in Senegal and went several times to The Gambia to talk with Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
at his Kaninlai residence. In August 2003 the negotiations failed and Mr. Sanyang returned to Senegal for permanent residence.
In early June 2006, shortly before the Gambian presidential elections, he was along with some of his men put in detention, “at the house of a military officer in Bissau
Bissau
Bissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos...
during a visit to that country”, says The Gambia Journal on January 30th, 2007; “(at the Masuang Military Camp) in maximum military detention”, says The Gambia Echo on May 12th, 2007. The Gambia Journal on January 30th, also states that some military officers in Bissau blocked their own government in its attempts to hand Kukoi Sanyang over to the authorities in Banjul. According to The Gambia Echo, That government has spent close to three million US dollars in its attempts at extradition. wanting to arrange for Mr. Sanyang's repatriation to Banjul against Casamance hard-line rebel leader being handed over to Senegal. It has been suggested that Mr. Sanyang may have been preparing an attack on Yahya Jammeh prealably to the elections, and then seize power.
Mr. Sanyang, Mr. Sheriffba Jobe and Mr. Mohammed Sowe escaped on May 11th. Their pick up was organized by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) office who got opportunistically alerted to their presence in Bissau's Justice ministry, while the Justice Minister was arguing with the Army Chief's services and refusing the impromptu transfert of the trio to his juridiction. Both Mr. Jobe and Mr. Sowe were accorded refugee status prior to their arrest, and are now under UN jurisdiction.