President Adama Barrow will Friday travel to Faraba Banta Village to pay his condolences and respect to the families Monday’s shooting victims.
Three people were killed and scores of others seriously injured after riot police fired live ammunition at a crowd of villagers protesting against sand mining in the village.
The Inspector General of Police has denied giving orders for the officers to use live ammunition against the villagers and on Thursday vacated his post to allow an independent investigation into the incident.
President Barrow’s visit to Faraba Banta follows his appointment of a presidential commission of inquiry into the matter, and visit to the victims at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul. He has also appointed a coroner to establish the cause of the death
Meanwhile, a media statement from the Office of the President said some villagers from Faraba Thursday afternoon met with senior State House officials and expressed their ‘deep appreciation’ of the solidarity and support demonstrated by the president since the beginning of the tragedy.
According to the statement, the chairperson of the Village Development Committee, who spoke on behalf of the community had told the officials that Faraba is a peaceful community and not known for violence.
It said the village rep aded that contrary to what is being spread on the media, the incident was not political but rather prompted by the need to protect the vital interest of their community.
The statement added that the villagers have distanced themselves from Sunday’s planned demonstrations against the incident and has urged anyone who wants to show solidarity with the community to visit them in Faraba Banta.
http://standard.gm/site/2018/06/22/national-assembly-issues-stance-on-faraba/
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I would beg the general readership and the commentators on this platform to share their analysis of the statement above from the National Assembly with me.
Dii saaku xaam xaam rek chi yeen.
Tilli Bo, Andy, Bax, Doc, Babu Soli, Solo Babu, Baba, Samba, Kemo and all the unnamed warriors of the ink.
Heyyyyyy! Has anyone heard from Luntango one of these days?
Mwalimu,
On paper the National Assembly sounds genuine and concerned,
It’s good if dividends will be ploughed/paid back into the communities, this should be the moto for all future projects in The Gambia.
Especially if the project are affecting the income of the local residents in a negative way.
Which should not happen in the first place anyway, if proper “due diligence” were carried out.
Tilly Bo; don’t worry we Gambian will overcome this crisis as long as no dictatorship is avail, justice will comes to the end, once again since yaya jammeh is not in charge lets see how barrow will down play this incident, and also this moment is a test to barrow and his government. Gambia is a blessed nation and we have friends around the world without mentioning senegal No 1.
Tilli Bo, I expect better from the National Assembly. Better what?
Better formulation, better language and above all, that they , the law makers have failed the nation for not passing a bill to form a lands reform commission.
Well that’s how I see it but I’d like to hear the opinions of others, minus one.
Tafel.
That’s nice.
No worries Tilly Bo, we are on the same page.
I think the letter of intent by the NA, to ensure communities have a say and a major stake in the tapping of natural resources in their locality, is highly welcomed.
Among the grievances that led to the faraba incident, clearly the perception and actual exploitation of their sand by an independent business man and their sense of powerless to be heard, played a major role.
I also think it should be illegal for the environment board sitting in banjul be responsible for issuing licences in the sand mining or sectors that involves extracting natural resources in the country.
Either the citizens from that locality in a form of cooperative management exploit the resources under the permission of the local govt authority or the local govt manage such extractions in a form of public venture or where the investment is of grand scale, the state nationalise such schemes e.g. oil & Gas exploration.
Kemo very good points. Am learning.
The National Assembly is charged with holding the government to account, amongst other responsibilities, and there is no appropriate time to do so than now. I am not convinced that it has done so through this statement, though I must confess my ignorance of the Assembly’s various procedures and protocols.
I think the strong reaction of the Assembly to this tragedy is good for our democracy, but as the National Institution charged with checking the use of Executive Power, its reaction should go beyond mere condemnations. I would have wanted to see indications from the statement that public officials would be literally “dragged” before appropriate Select Committees to establish the truth about the Faraba incident, given the information from Police HQ, of the non involvement of the IGP in that terrible decision to use live fire. But, as I already indicated, I am not familiar with procedures and protocol. May be officials have already been summoned by the National Assembly.
The House’s call for Government to appoint an independent investigation body is good, but I think the House can establish the truth surrounding the issue of live ammunition and eventual order to use it through its select committees. So waiting for government is shirking of own responsibilities, in my view.
Furthermore, though not from the NA, the creation of a Commission of Inquiry for the Faraba incident is a complete waste of resources. A commission, with a much broader mandate, would have been more appropriate as part of the security sector reform, to look at a whole range of issues concerning the Police Force; ranging from operational procedures, command and control structures, training, promotion, deployment/transfers, equipment etc, with a view to creating a force fit for a democratic state.
The other thing I want to observe is that, under normal circumstances, a National Assembly would comprise of deputies from the ruling and opposition parties (& independents), with the opposition parties technically viewed as “governments in waiting”. The role of the opposition (governments in waiting) is to offer an alternative to that of the party in office and I have observed that the statement has done that with regards to resource exploitation, when it proposed a different approach to the existing model.
Obviously, policy design and implementation is the prerogative of the executive and I think everyone will agree that the policies of the current administration, as far as resource exploitation is concerned, matches their development model, which is at the heart of all these problems with communities across the country. Whilst the National Assembly may have little impact with policy design and implementation, except a supervisory role perhaps, the call for a paradigm shift is a welcome one and I hope the government will listen.
In my view, the challenges we are facing from the energy shortage to the massive corruption, could have been best mastered if the current NA does not have, or do to a lesser extent, a partisan political basis.
Still the call for the immediate nullification of the mining license of the operator is a brave break from tradition. To honor the lives of these fallen heroes, the three branches of this government needs to step up and deliver that much awaited CHANGE.
Nobody is interested in your view. We already here what sensible people have to say about the topic. Stop jumping on every discussion online. Crawl back to your miserable life.
“Nobody” Dr Sarr??? I for one, and I am sure many others, are VERY “interested” in what Mwalimu has to say. But of course Dr Sarr, your are entitled NOT to be “interested”, and you are entitled to say so, and I am sure you are capable of doing so with civility.
Dida I have too much respect for you. Please stay out of this.
Mr. Halake, what you do mean you are shocked? I mean, please do not tell me you did not see this coming. Please go back a month or two, if not more, and you will see that at some point this forum was going to reach a boiling point. You have been attacked here unnecessarily not because of what you said but because of your nationality. I have no respect for persons who have done that to you. How many times have my sister, Dr. Sarr, been called names because of positions she has taken? You never said a word, but I will not hold that against you, because I believe she can hold her own. Has Dr. Sarr ever attacked anyone’s person for not being “black enough” and the like? If a person wants to make the point that my sister is lacking is African history or whatever that is one thing, but to attack her person for a position she takes; come on now Mr. Halake. I have always pointed out that I hold you to a higher standard and you my dear sir have lowered that standard today for your lack of fairness. And by the way, I do not know Dr. Sarr, and I have never met her. I consider her a sister and admire her courage and mental fortitude.
Samba/Dr Sarr, you miss my point! It is for the RESPECT that I have for Dr SARR that I advise her to STOP! I am a registered UK teacher and my professional body would strike me off if I used the language that Dr Sarr used today here on JollofNews:-
Dr Sarr: “ … you ignorant piece of human manure … Idiot … you ignorant poor piece of shit … you son of a pig … make love to your computer you impotent bastard … that disgusting shack you call home … Asshole … You useless unaccomplished idiot … you piece of shit … Don’t be upset about the filth, it’s your destiny. Not my fault … Ask your father … coconut head … This is not one of your hijab wearing peasant girls that you abuse in your hut … Crawl back to your miserable life … you arrogant prick. It’s your low life mother … ”
This kind of language brings Dr Sarr’s profession/professionalism into DISREPUTE and raises serious questions about her character.
Samba, as you say and as JollofNews knows, no one has been abused as much as myself on this forum but I have always responded in a professional, calm and mature manner. I would certainly not have been considered a fit member of my profession if I had responded using Dr Sarr’s language – and I WOULD ADVISE DOCTOR SARR TO STOP BEFORE SHE CAUSES MORE HARM TO HERSELF.
What is more, while Dr Sarr and her awards are real (in as we know who she is) as I have seen her picture and award on the internet this morning, we don’t know the identity of Lamin/Mwalimu … and Doctor Sarr is dragging herself through the mud to fight someone whose identity she does not know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dida, thank you for your concern, but hear me loud and clear. I have challenged the CEO of a major hospital and told him publicly to kiss my a.. My reputation and skills speak for themselves and not easy to come by. When I tell you I fight daily it is no exaggeration. I am the only black woman in my field, and the best there is. All my writings are seen by those close to me, relatives and professional associates. Besides you really don’t even want to see my rage in person anywhere anytime.
I do agree with you and I try very hard to stay away from jealous ignorant idiots like Lamin. But remember all his abuse started about a piece I wrote referencing a particular Gunjur activist LD. Andrew and I battled this character for weeks. This Nwalimu jumped to conclusion as he often does with my posts with his typical condescending comments. Recklessly assuming I was speaking about him. Of course he made a fatal error. Had enough of the idiot. And I will put an end to it.
I apologize to the other readers for my language, but if I write anything concerning Nwalimu and his family please skip it. It will be very ugly.
Concerning Jollof news, they may delist me, and rightly so, but I will simply buy Jollof new if they do. That is the least of my concern.
Nwalimu is really a fool. He is short tempered and arrogant. He picks on people left and right. He is a disgusting pig and I am sick of him.
We should see this episode of disagreement as a learning curve, as I understand this, there was a misunderstanding.
Samba has made some recommendations(that was a long sitting, a lot to digest) that we must take onboard or even use as a “code of conduct” once using this forum.
The greatest thing in life is respect for eachother.
For the final time I would say this: I am not interested in exchanges that benefit no one. I am not interested in playground antics and feats. Insults and abusive language is abhorrent to me.
Name calling and mud-slinging is never my modus operadi. Builders of lives and bridges do not destroy or make other humans unhappy with their utterances. The words I choose are at my mercy not the other way round.
That’s enough for me.
@Dida: welcome back. Were you too hunkering in state house?
Welcome back? I am not sure it was a good idea to visit JollofNews this morning!
Stop kissing people ass and acting like you are some refined educated human being. I know exactly who you are. A hypocrite, an opportunist and self serving bull s… All your life you have absolutely nothing to show except hiding behind a screen and writing thrash.
By the way where did you go to school.
@Dr. Sarr: “Besides you really don’t even want to see my rage in person anywhere anytime”.
100% correct Dr.! My “GADA” system upbringing is akin to the classic calmness of the Futa Jallon Fulani – the calm smile and manner of Hon. Hassan B Jallow exemplifies it. So I will butt out of your war as advised!
Meanwhile, Mai Fatty has challenged President Barrow (as per Standard) to tell the nation why he sacked him. Will the President oblige? Time will tell.
Bax, my esteemed in-law, I have posted the story on Facebook @ Sambagate Snr with this comment:
“Dear Mai Fatty; Why are YOU asking NOW? Surely, you should have asked 8 months ago? Is it because of the Faraba Incident that you think the Interior Minister position may become vacant too? Chei, politicians! Anyway, as Lawyers would say, your time to ask has EXPRED under the 1980 Limitations Act, Section 2(a)(ii).”
Mr. Samba as President Barrow’s Lawyer will surely take note.
EXPIRED – sorry!
This one is for Mr. Samba the LAW STUDENT:
MR JUSTICE JULIAN KNOWLES
At the Royal Courts of Justice – 21 June 2018
Between: TEREZA BURKI Claimant – and – SEVENTY THIRTY LIMITED Defendant
The Honourable Mr Justice Julian Knowles:
Introduction
“I don’t care too much for money/ Money can’t buy me love”/’Can’t Buy Me Love’.
1. So sang The Beatles in 1964. The parties in these claims would agree and disagree. Seventy Thirty Limited (’70/30′) is a company providing romantic matchmaking services for wealthy single people. It describes itself as having matched thousands of affluent and successful people. Tereza Burki (‘Ms Burki’) is one of its former clients. In late 2014 she paid 70/30 a fee of £12 600 in return for introductions to rich eligible men. She was dissatisfied (to put it mildly) with the service she received. She has sued 70/30 in deceit and misrepresentation for the return of her membership fee and for damages for ‘distress, upset, disappointment and frustration’.
Sister Sarr, point taken. Some of us are witnesses to what have been going on in this forum. We need not go into peoples’ educational backgrounds, hence, the reason why I never go near that topic unless asked. And when I do answer, I limit my answer to the question asked without going into any details or sometimes I manage to evade the question altogether. My fear is that if we go that way then those who are not as fortunate as you and Mr. Halake, may feel intimidated and not join the conversations going in here. Please let us limit ourselves to what a person says and question his or her reasoning if we must. As you know, you can tell a lot about someone’s thinking by what he or she writes. The only authority for a healthy debate should be reason. If a person takes a position, let him or her be ready to back it up. If someone is wrong about something, say why and how he or she is wrong. If a person uses a term, let him or her be ready to say what that term means.
Fine. I am going to sheath my sword in respect for Samba, Dida, Baba, Andrew and others so I don’t take valuable time away from the important topics affecting our country. I have created enough distractions from the important issues of the day by allowing this idiot to annoy me.
But Nwalimu make no mistake about this. I am pissed. If you even come close to your usual pan-African BS with me, insinuate or call me a white lover. If you attempt to bully me or anyone else for that matter on this medium. I am delivering a tsunami of insults on you and your family.
From now on here are the rules:
1. Make your stupid point for those interested in listening to a fool.
2. No subtle jabs about who is really Gambian or who is not.
If I ever find you wanting, I am on you with the kind of language that will make your Mama sick.
Enjoy your miserable life.
Tafel,
I wonder if you know what it means by down playing an incidence. Whether INCOMPETENT Barrow down plays the Faraba Banta shooting of innocent demonstrators or not, he will be taken to court and if found guilty be jailed. He and his USELESS administration cannot be above the law. They are solely responsible for protecting a single greedy individual, Julakay, to castigate a whole community by gunning down their youth in cold blood. Whether he twists the truth or not he will be responsible for this brutal act of genocide against a civilian population. Sooner or later!!!
Bax, the President must, sooner rather than later, come out to tell the nation why Mai Fatty was sacked. He also owes that to the coalition partners with whom he entered into an agreement to form a government of national unity or so to speak.
Folks tend to forget that this coalition government didn’t come about as a result of votes cast or that some members were deserving of cabinet posts but purely on account of the honor system and the desire for peace after a rancorous 22 years of Yaya Jammeh.
So, while President Barrow may find recourse for firing members of the coalition, the obligation to provide answers rests on his shoulders as these members clearly don’t serve at his pleasure but as part of a broader agreement.
Adama does not have any kind of affiliation anymore to the coalition except not to publicly support a single political party (UDP). He owes many explainations to the Gambian people who voted him into office on a coalition ticket. That, has not been forthcoming and betting on a change of that ingrained lack of transparency will only make one a dalasi poorer.
Mai demanding an answer raises some very troubling questions as to his sincerity because of a poor timing on his part. Why now? That’s the question Mai should answer first.
On this I apologised Mwalimu! It has been brought to my notice that Mai DID ask for an explanation earlier. Apologies!
That might have been Dida, and it might have escaped my attention. Or just my source(s) of news and information might have been slag on that. Nevertheless, the timing for his repetition of his demand for an answer is suspicious.
Lest people of good conscience forget, Mai admitted to manipulating the coalition votes in favor of Adama and the udp. That’s his own admission. How such a behavior should be interpreted is left to the electorate to decide in the next round of elections.
Shashemane POSITIVE vibes here. https://www.facebook.com/Sambagate.Snr
A very positive Prime Minister from my Oromo Region, where Shashemane is located, has taken over Ethiopia and we should see a vibrant and democratic nation in the African GADA tradition.
WELL DONE SENEGAL – Great Match!
Mr. Halake, sir, why are you dragging an idiot like myself into this action: ) ? From the facts you provided, at first glance, it seems like buyer’s remorse. Did 70/30 promised Ms. Burki not only to match her with a wealthy man like yourself but went further to promise her a successful relationship with whoever she was going to be matched with. I think it would be foolish for 70/30 to go that far. In American law of contracts, we have contract clauses relating to a party’s Subjective or Objective Satisfaction. On June 29, 2016 a New York judge issued a decision in International Finance Corp v. Carrera Holdings inc., discussing a clause providing for performance to a party’s satisfaction: the judge said:
” Where an agreement includes conditions precedent that must be met to one party’s “satisfaction,” New York courts place those clauses into two categories: (1) clauses relating to ” operative fitness, utility or marketability” are examined under an objective, reasonable person standard; and (2) clauses relating to a party’s “fancy, taste, sensibility, or judgment” are examined under a subjective standard. The objective satisfaction standard requires that a party’s decision to reject the performance be reasonable. The subjective standard, by contrast, has been described as “untrammeled” and a party’s decision to reject performance thereunder is only required to be honest and in good faith. Thus, the power to withhold approval is “untrammeled” only where the object of the contract is to gratify taste, serve personal convenience, or satisfy individual preference.”
One of the issues to be resolved is whether the contract between Ms. Burki and 70/30 has a clause which says that 70/30’s performance or not will be determined based solely on whether Ms. Burki is satisfied or not with 70/30’s performance. If Ms. Burki determines that 70/30 did not perform, her position will be judged by the standard of “honesty in fact and in good faith.” Sir, it seems one of the counts Ms. Burki is suing is in torts; I won’t get into that :). I am sure some of the readers will say why I have not said who is going to win :). As you know, I cannot do that. I have not seen the contract. I do not know all the other occurrences between the parties. Obviously, the four corners of the agreement will carry a lot of weight. I am sorry I am could not answer any specific question. I am unqualified. I am sorry if I confused the issue. Have a blessed day, sir.
Brilliant Sir Samba. Round 1 went to Ms. – 70/30’s Strike Out Application was denied because a certain Mr Thomas representing 70/30 appears to have promised a lot more to make Ms. part with her money. Unlike USA our judges are very FLEXIBLE and tend to “do justice” – she appears a “vulnerable” lady and 70/30 appear to be “cowboys”. Case likely to go her way at trial.
On Barrow’s statements in Faraba Banta,
BUNKUMS, NONSENSE and IDIOTIC STATEMENTS from this INCOMPETENT and USELESS Adama Barrow in his address to the bereaved Kombo Faraba Banta families and community members on Friday 22nd June 2018. In comparing his son’s death with the deaths of the three gunned down Faraba Banta teenagers on 18th June 2018 is grossly IRRESPONSIBLE, FARFETCHED and damned right lack of consideration for the families of a rural poor.
What an IDIOTIC statement!! Everyone knew that Adama Barrow gave away his son as a VOODOO sacrifice to win the Gambian presidency while the Faraba Banta youths were gunned down in cold blood for exercising their rights to manifest their disagreement at a STUPID government decision to support a lone selfish businessman thief. All on the sordid orders of the disgraced, SELFISH and CORRUPT former IGP, Landing Kinteh and Adama Barrow. Both Kinteh and Barrow are to be judged and if found guilty jailed. If former Kinteh categorically threathened the Faraba Banta people in his office that he will defend Julakay, in insulting and rude manners, he was indeed leaning on the consent of Adama Barrow.
Why were the Faraba Banta youths initially jailed in Banjul and not Brikama? It was former IGP Kinteh’s decision to get the youths closer to his office, threathen and menace them to enable his friend and family friend Julakay to continue his illicit mining of the Faraba Banta sand.
Bravo to the TRUE sons and daughters of Komba Faraba Banta for standing against DICTATORS, TRIBALISTS and CORRUPT IDIOTS!!. May the souls of the fallen heroes rest in JANATUL FIRDAUS!! It was a war of JIHAD!!
Many are insinuating that Julakay’s son Lamin took part in the shooting spree of the innocent and defenceless Faraba Banta civilians which was ordered by Kinteh.
We are gathering, documenting, filing facts of this crude genocide on a community that was defending her rights against an INDIVIDUAL interest.
Not Barrow’s bogus Commission of Inquiry into the Faraba Banta killing would suffice. There is NO trust in that commission, if one closely observes its composition.