Kukoi Sanyang

Kukoi Samba Sanyang (born 1952) led a 1981 rebellion against the democratically elected Gambian government of President Dawda Jawara.

On 30 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 Senegalese troops defeated the rebel forces. Mr. Sanyang took refuge in Libya, who had also given him some backing for the coup attempt ("Development: Critical Concepts in the Social Sciences", by Stuart Corbridge. Book review, p. 104 [http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&hs=CcK&q=%22Kukoi+Samba+Sanyang%22+%22Dr+Manning%22&btnG=Search&meta] ).

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 ("Development: Critical Concepts in the Social Sciences", by Stuart Corbridge. Book review, p. 104 [http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&hs=CcK&q=%22Kukoi+Samba+Sanyang%22+%22Dr+Manning%22&btnG=Search&meta] ).

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 [http://www.gambianow.com/news/News/Gambia_news_Kukoi_And_Men_Kidnapped.html The Gambia Journal] on January 30th, 2007; “(at the Masuang Military Camp) in maximum military detention”, says [http://www.thegambiaecho.com/Homepage/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/487/Default.aspx The Gambia Echo] on May 12th, 2007. [http://www.gambianow.com/news/News/Gambia_news_Kukoi_And_Men_Kidnapped.html 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 [http://www.thegambiaecho.com/Homepage/tabid/36/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/487/Default.aspx 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.

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*Mustapha Danso