The Gambia Government has launched an investigation into Monday’s killings of protesters in Faraba Banta, Kombo East, West Coast Region.
Bakary Kujabi and Ebrima Bah, were shot dead by officers of the Gambia’s Police Intervention Unit during a during a dispute concerning the exploitation of sand in the area.
Several villagers named locally as Sulayman Jammeh, Sainey Sonko, Amadou Nyang Sir Dawda Daffeh , Bubacarr Darboe,Mariama Bah, Abdoulie Jobe and Alhagie Camara were also injured.
Commenting on the situation, Amie Bojang-Sissoho, press secretary at the Office of the President, the presidency is monitoring the situation.
Writing on her Facebook page, Mrs Bojang-Sissoho said: “It is with dismay and disappointment to learn about clashes between the some PIU members and some natives of Faraba, which sadly led to lost of lives and injuries. The Office of the President is monitoring the situation and President Barrow is being updated. An investigation has begun to gather facts about what led to the clashes and who authorized the shooting. You will updated as we get more information.”
Well well well……………this Amie Bojang never fails to amaze me. I mean you she is taking us for fools.We all know what the outcome of that “investigation“ is going to be. A scapegoat will be made of the unlucky police officers who probably fired the live rounds leading to the untimely death of very young people.
The truth that Amie and her boss should admit to is that this incident is as a result of a system failure. A system failure that Halifa Sallah alluded to in during his dialogue with the peoples tour in Europe.
Amie wrote a rebuttal to Halifa that Gambia is already going through a system change without having the guts to append her signature at the end of that statement read on the national television station.
It was Demba Ali Jawo who then has to do the damage control for the government by secretly apologizing to Hon. Sallah.
Yes, the system has indeed changed. Changed from bad to worst.
Kicking Yaya out is not enough of a change. Freedom of speech is not enough of a change. Having the military confined to barracks is not enough of a change. Parliamentary debates are not enough of a change. Twice a month press briefings are not enough of a change. Change for the sake of change is not good enough.
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System change which encompasses a shorter distance between the people and power is what we are wailing for. A people centred approach to administration instead of a government centered one is what we are crying for.
Is that too much to ask for?