It
is twelve years today since those yet-unknown killers destroyed Deyda Hydara’s
physical frame, but failed to destroy his spirit, which has been living on and
on.
His
killers and their cohorts were misguided into thinking that after murdering
Deyda Hydara in cold-blood, memories of him would be erased forever.
Instead,
they have turned him into a legend. Like Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Deyda
Hydara is now far greater in death than he ever was alive. His story shall be
told and told until the end of time.
His
killers failed to realise that people like Deyda Hydara, who dedicated their
lives to a cause greater than themselves, become larger than life and death.
Deyda
Hydara’s death marked a turning point in the practice of journalism in this
country. Nobody expected it; nobody ever thought that such a foul act could be
committed in The Gambia.
But
before our very eyes, Deyda Hydara, the greatest Gambian fighter for press
freedom ever, was gunned down at the wheel of his car.
Who
killed Deyda Hydara? We are yet to know. But as law-abiding citizens, we expect
the authorities, especially the incoming government, to do all they can to
track down his killers.
Justice
delayed is justice denied, and we feel that with a person of Deyda’s stature in
this society, justice should have been seen to be done in his case, by now.
Whatever
reason must have pushed his perpetrators to the killing of one of the
illustrious sons of this land, who was a staunch believer in human rights and
press freedom, these killers must be found and brought to justice; they must
not go scot-free.
Governments
exist to maintain law and order!
If
a citizen of any country is killed, and his killers are still at large, the
government is under an obligation to find and bring the killers to book.
Thus,
this is the least we expect from the Government of The Gambia!
We
sympathise with the family on this sad occasion of the anniversary of his
brutal assassination, and pray that his soul rests in perfect peace!
We
will continue the cause!
“It
matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of
importance, it lasts so short a time.”
Samuel
Johnson
