A Quarter Century Later, Still Pursuing Justice for the Victims of April 10–11, 2000
April 10th and 11th 200 Victims
Statement from the April 10/11 Memorial Foundation
25th Anniversary of the April 10–11, 2000 Student Demonstration
Date: 10th April 2025
This year marks 25 years since the student demonstration of April 10 and 11, 2000—two days etched in our nation’s history with pain, courage, and unfinished justice.
On those days, 14 innocent young people were brutally killed for standing up for justice and what was right. Many more were maimed, injured, arrested, tortured, and unlawfully detained. We were young. We were hopeful. We believed in a Gambia built on justice—and for that belief, we paid the highest price.
A quarter of a century has passed, yet the wounds remain unhealed. Families continue to mourn without answers. Survivors still live with trauma, physical disabilities, and neglect. The cries for justice persist, but little has been delivered.
As the April 10/11 Memorial Foundation, we stand in remembrance of those we lost. More importantly, we stand with purpose—to demand action for those who are still with us, but whose futures were shattered 25 years ago.
“We were young, but we knew what justice meant. We knew what it meant to stand up for one another. But instead of protection and guidance, we were met with gunfire by those meant to protect us.
Twenty-five years later, the pain and disappointment remain. Our scars are a reminder to all Gambians of a nation’s failure to protect its children.
Yet we speak today not as victims, but as survivors. Because though we have lived for a quarter of a century with injuries and broken dreams—our spirits remain unbroken, and our demands undeterred. We will continue to fight for justice.”
Our Calls to Action:
We call on the Government of The Gambia and all relevant institutions to:
Declare April 10 as a national public and school holiday in memory of the fallen and the survivors.
Fully and urgently implement the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
Provide financial reparations to victims and survivors—not as charity, but as a right owed to those who suffered at the hands of the State.
Ensure comprehensive medical, psychological, and social support for survivors still living with the consequences of that day.
Pursue justice by prosecuting those responsible for the killings, torture, and unlawful detentions—regardless of their past or current positions.
We cannot build a just future on forgotten pain. We cannot move forward while leaving survivors behind. Justice must not be selective. Healing must not be delayed. And memory must not fade.
To the families of the fallen—we see you.
To the survivors—we walk with you.
To the people of The Gambia—this is your history. Own it. Remember it. Demand justice for it.
After 25 years—
We still mourn.
We still demand.
We still believe.
We will not forget. We will not give up.
— Sainey Senghore, Survivor & President, April 10/11 Memorial Foundation
