The Gambia Press Union (GPU) hereby condemns in the strongest terms the assault on journalist Pa Modou Bojang by personnel of Police Intervention Unit (PIU) at Faraba Banta village, Kombo East.
Chaos erupted in the village Monday morning when the villagers clashed with police over mining activities by a private company. Two people were allegedly shot and killed by PIU personnel, while injuring many others.
Journalist Bojang went to the scene in the morning for news coverage when he came under attack. He said he was physically assaulted before he was arrested and taken under six hours of detention at Brikama Police Station.
“I arrived at the scene in the morning. There was no police around at the time. I did my interviews and gathered my facts. While on that, I saw speeding police truck towards the village. The PIU personnel started firing bullets. I ran for cover.
“One of the personnel found me. I identified myself as a journalist. He advised me to stay safe. One of the villagers was shot in the leg. I witnessed it but didn’t take pictures.
“One of the police personnel came from behind and asked what I was doing there. He slapped me in the face the moment I told him I am a journalist. He directed ‘your mother’ insults towards me and told me ‘you journalists have destroyed this country and if Yaya Jammeh were here, we would have killed all of you’.
“I told them that I underwent a heart surgery; that I have a pacemaker on me. But the beating became even more brutal as more personnel joined him in beating me. I got injured in my head and gum as well as other parts of my body. I could have died. I am lucky to be alive.”
Journalist Bojang was released from detention at about 6pm without charge. He however could not recover his audio recorder from the police. He will undergo a medical checkup to determine the extent and complications of his injury.
The Gambia Press Union has made efforts to speak to the Public Relations Officer of the Gambia Police Force but he was out of reach.
The GPU is deeply concerned by the trend of attack on journalists on duty in recent times. The GPU therefore calls on the Barrow administration to launch a full investigation into this matter.
The GPU Secretary General, Saikou Jammeh, said: “Enough is enough. These attacks are a step backwards for press freedom in The Gambia. We will take all measures appropriate and necessary to ensure that the perpetrators of this attack face justice and the journalist is rewarded for damages.”
The GPU is committed, ready and willing to continue engaging state authorities with a view to promoting an enabling environment for press freedom, especially with regards to the safety of journalists.
I don’t understand, this in-depth article should have been the first to be released on this disturbing event, especially coming from a journalist on the front line, or did this article need government clearance?
Barrow government MUST act and bring all at fault to justice. This is not what we all fought for in the “New Gambia” after Jammeh. Why must officers used live bullets on poor innocent villagers? Why the IGP is not taking responsibility and resign from his position? Why Barrow (as President) keeping so quiet when we are witnessing lots of problems and security forces beating/shooting innocent citizens/journalists? This is indeed worrying to say the least…
I am surprised at people being surprised at the actions or should we say inactions of the barrow administration. With all honesty and sincerity, it’s just plain naive to be expecting any high standards of governance from a government that only cares about its own existence than the people who put it into office.
Adama as a leader can be best described in a few words, none of them positive:
1) Visionless: A leader is equipped with lenses that see into the future and is able to make people visualize this internal vision through language, so that they could be inspired to reach for that which they could see with their minds eye.
2)Lazy: Through his utterances, it’s not rocket science to speculate that “others“ are doing the THINKING for him, big time.
3) Clueless and naive: He does not have any concrete opinion about any specific issue or topic. He relies on his “advisers“ even for the most mundane of things such as formulating a coherent idea to address the nation on. World affairs is beyond his grasp.
4) Non-reflective: Adama is morphing into a dictator who thinks he is the one who has salvaged the country, thereby making us indebted to him. typical Yaya!
Example must be shown to the culprits so that such a merciless and Reckless Act happens no more because this very sad!because this stupid ,unmoral paras thinks can do things and get away this, no that will not happen and Ego knows whether that’s a Sabotage against this Government?