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GAMBIE Qui a Tué Deyda Hydara ? GAMBIE Qui a tué Deyda Hydara ? janvier 2005 Enquête : Léonard Vincent Reporters sans frontières Secrétariat international Bureau Afrique 5, rue Geoffroy Marie 75009 Paris-France Tél. (33) 1 44 83 84 76 Fax (33) 1 45 23 11 51 E-mail : [email protected] Web : www.rsf.org Le journaliste gambien Deyda Hydara a été froi- dement abattu au volant de sa voiture, dans la soi- rée du 16 décembre 2004, et nombreux sont ceux qui voient dans cet assassinat la main du pouvoir. A l’annonce de sa mort, Reporters sans frontières a envoyé un représentant en Gambie pour assis- ter sa famille et exiger des autorités une enquête sérieuse. Ce rapport présente les conclusions de cette mission, eff ectuée à Banjul et ses environs, ainsi qu’à Dakar (Sénégal), du 21 au 27 décembre 2004. « Tout le monde sait ce qui s’est passé, mais tout le monde a peur de parler », a confi é à Reporters sans frontières une journaliste de Banjul qui a tenu correspondant de Reporters sans frontières depuis à rester anonyme. « Ce genre de choses se repro- 1994. Cofondateur du trihebdomadaire The Point duira, c’est certain, s’est désolé un commerçant qui en 1991 avec son ami de 35 ans Pap Saine, il était a également demandé à ne pas être nommé. Ils aussi employé de l’Agence France-Presse (AFP) de- vont changer de tactique, c’est tout. » Ces consta- puis 1974, qui l’avait engagé comme traducteur et tations amères, entendues au détour de nombreu- qui, peu à peu, avait fait de lui son correspondant ses conversations, illustrent bien l’état d’esprit qui local. A l’époque de sa fondation, The Point, avec prévaut aujourd’hui dans ce petit pays pauvre de son format tabloïd, avait fait une apparition remar- 1,4 million d’habitants, enclavé dans le Sénégal. quée dans un paysage médiatique où la presse « A l’approche des élections de 2006, ils ont voulu écrite se réduisait à des publications de quatre glacer tout le monde d’eff roi pour être sûrs d’être pages ronéotypées. Francophone, philanthrope et reconduits à la tête du pays, a expliqué un partisan pondéré, ses prises de position étaient humanistes, de l’opposition. Si c’était le but recherché en tuant sans ambiguïté. Son opposition aux régimes qui se Deyda, c’est parfaitement réussi. » sont succédé en Gambie n’était ni aigre, ni revan- charde. Deyda Hydara était un démocrate éclairé. Quoi qu’il en soit, la confi ance envers le gouverne- A 58 ans, il n’avait aucune ambition politique. ment est perdue. La quasi-totalité des Gambiens rencontrés par le représentant de Reporters sans frontières après la mort de Deyda Hydara n’ont ac- Sankung Sillah Street, jeudi cepté de parler que sous couvert de l’anonymat. 16 décembre 2004, 22 heures Leurs témoignages dignes de foi ont fait l’objet de plusieurs vérifi cations. L’ancienne colonie bri- tannique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, présidée par le Le jeudi 16 décembre 2004 marquait le treizième jeune colonel Yahya Jammeh depuis son « putsch anniversaire de la fondation du trihebdomadaire de velours » de 1994, est une république où les The Point, que Deyda Hydara dirigeait avec Pap opposants sont traqués, où la presse privée est Saine, un ancien journaliste de radio, par ailleurs étranglée et où, désormais, un journaliste peut correspondant en Gambie de l’agence Reuters. être assassiné. A cette occasion, la direction avait invité ses em- ployés à boire un verre après le bouclage de la pro- « Qui a tué Deyda Hydara ? » Les journalistes gam- chaine édition, au siège du journal, situé sur Garba biens ont défi lé dans les rues de Banjul, le 22 dé- Jahumpa Road, à Fajara, l’une des six localités qui cembre 2004, en portant des affi ches à l’effi gie composent le Grand-Banjul. L’après-midi même, du codirecteur de The Point et sur lesquelles était l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis, Joseph D. Staff ord, inscrite cette question. « Pourquoi êtes-vous allés était venu rendre sa première visite de courtoisie jusqu’à tuer Deyda Hydara ? » est, en réalité, la pro- à la rédaction de The Point. Il avait eu l’occasion de testation qu’adressent de nombreux Gambiens à discuter avec plusieurs employés de leurs condi- un pouvoir qui, de son côté, nie toute responsabi- tions de travail et de la précarité des moyens dont lité. Pourquoi lui, en eff et ? Deyda Hydara était une ils disposent pour faire paraître un journal. Qui a tué Deyda Hydara ? fi gure respectée de la vie intellectuelle. Il était le GAMBIE 2 Peu après 21 heures, comme tous les soirs quand Ce soir-là, selon un témoin oculaire interrogé par l’équipe terminait tard, Deyda Hydara a proposé Reporters sans frontières, un taxi Mercedes sans de raccompagner ses deux maquettistes chez elles plaque d’immatriculation était garé sur le boule- en voiture, dans le district de Kanifing, où il résidait vard, tous feux éteints. Au passage de la voiture de également. Il a proposé à son associé Pap Saine de Deyda Hydara, celui-ci a démarré et s’est engagé le conduire jusqu’au quartier voisin de Westfield derrière elle dans l’allée Sankung Sillah. Après être où, à son habitude, ce dernier pourrait prendre passé devant l’entrée du garage-atelier de la police, un taxi jusqu’à son domicile, dans une localité pé- au début de la rue sur la droite, le taxi s’est rappro- riphérique. Mais, ce soir-là, Pap Saine avait trouvé ché de l’arrière de la voiture de Deyda Hydara et a quelqu’un d’autre pour le ramener et a donc dé- allumé ses phares. Le journaliste a alors ralenti et cliné l’invitation. Deyda Hydara a pris le volant rangé son véhicule sur le côté droit de l’allée, indi- de sa voiture, une Mercedes bleue. Isatou Jagne, quant au taxi qu’il pouvait le doubler. Celui-ci s’est 33 ans, s’est assise à l’avant, côté passager. Niansa- alors avancé sur le côté gauche. Par réflexe, Deyda rang Jobe, 31 ans, s’est assise à l’arrière, derrière le Hydara a tourné la tête pour le regarder passer. siège du conducteur. Sans que le taxi s’arrête de rouler, un homme assis côté passager a tiré une balle de 9 mm dans la tête Une fois sorti de Fajara et après avoir dépassé le du journaliste, une autre dans sa poitrine et une district de Bakau Kunku, Deyda Hydara a pris la di- autre dans la portière arrière. Un témoin oculaire rection de Kanifing vers le nord-est par le « Banjul- interrogé par Reporters sans frontières a souligné Serekunda Highway », l’unique artère bitumée qui qu’il n’était pas sûr que seules trois balles aient été relie entre elles la capitale et les localités situées au tirées depuis le taxi. « On aurait dit qu’ils voulaient sud, sur la route de la Casamance. tuer tout le monde à l’intérieur de la voiture », a-t-il affirmé. Le véhicule des tueurs a continué sa route Peu après 22 heures, Deyda Hydara est arrivé à la et disparu. hauteur du carrefour où se trouve le magasin Jim- pex et s’est engagé, de l’autre côté du boulevard, Deyda Hydara est mort sur le coup, tué par la pre- dans une allée en terre baptisée Sankung Sillah mière balle tirée quasiment à bout portant au ni- d’après l’usine qui s’y trouve, Alhadji Sankung veau de sa tempe gauche. Une autre balle lui a tra- Sillah Soap & Plastic. D’après plusieurs témoigna- versé la poitrine avant de toucher la cheville droite ges recueillis auprès de ses collaborateurs par Re- d’Isatou Jagne, assise à côte de lui. Celle tirée dans porters sans frontières, le codirecteur de The Point la portière arrière est venue se loger dans le genou avait l’habitude de déposer ses deux employées au gauche de Niansarang Jobe. Le journaliste s’est bout de cette rue cahoteuse d’environ 200 mètres, alors affaissé sur son volant et sa voiture est allée sans éclairage public, qui débouche à gauche sur plonger dans le fossé broussailleux qui borde l’al- un terrain vague et, à droite, sur une allée résiden- lée, à hauteur d’un gros palmier planté le long du tielle. D’ordinaire, il faisait alors demi-tour au bout mur d’enceinte de l’usine Afro Hong-Kong Indus- de la rue pour rentrer chez lui, dans le quartier qui trial Co. Gambia. Le représentant de Reporters sans commence de l’autre côté du boulevard. frontières, qui s’est rendu sur les lieux, a constaté les traces laissées sur le béton du fossé et les her- bes fauchées par la voiture. Avant que la voi- ture ne s’immobilise, Niansarang Jobe, blessée à la cheville, a pu ouvrir la por- tière avant droite et s’est laissé tomber sur la route. Sa pre- mière réaction a été de se précipiter vers le vigile gardant l’en- trée de l’usine de sa- von et de plastique, à une centaine de mètres en direction du boulevard. Celui- Rue Sankung Sillah, Kanifing ci a refusé de l’aider. Qui a tué Deyda Hydara ? Elle s’est alors dirigée GAMBIE 3 vers deux policiers non armés, qui se trouvaient à l’entrée du garage de la po- lice et qui auraient pu assister au meurtre depuis le portail. L’un d’eux, dont l’identité n’est pas connue, a été entendu par les enquêteurs gam- biens. Interrogé par le Daily Observer sous couvert de l’anony- mat, il a raconté avoir entendu les coups de feu, mais les avoir pris, dans un premier temps, pour « des pé- tards de Noël ».
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