(JollofNews) – Gambian Mandingo residents in Birmingham have reacted to recent threats by President Yahya Jammeh to kill members of the Mandingo ethnic group ‘one by one, where even a fly cannot see them.’
Two days ago, while addressing thousands of his supporters in Tallinding during his nationwide Meet the People’s Tour, Mr Jammeh accused the Mandingo people of opposing his regime despite his achievements. He described them as foreigners and warned that he will not hesitate to give orders to the army eliminate them if they dare to protest against his regime.
But Kebba Manneh, an influential leader within the Gambian community in Birmingham said: “For those of us who witnessed the First Republic in the Gambia, politics was not this way. The previous President Jawara has never threatened an ethnic group in such a manner.”
He added: “This means life will never be the same for our Mandingo brothers and sisters back home who are living in an unfortunate and volatile political situation.”
Many amongst the exiled Gambian community across the globe who stormed the country`s online radios linked Mr Jammeh`s threats to the recent opposition protest in the streets of Serrekunda, which was predominantly masterminded by members of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), whose leader is from the Mandingo ethnic group.
Jainaba Touray from Jarumeh Kuta in the Central River Region of the country, which is an opposition stronghold area said: “I think we the Mandingos like any other Gambians have the right to support any party we want. Before he kills all of us, Mandingo soldiers in the army should kill him first, because he declared a war on us.”
She added: “We should all rise against him as genuine citizens; he is very scary and dangerous.”
Since then, Gambian opposition activists have decried that, the uncompromising autocratic leader is using state power as an instrument of coercion to clampdown on defenceless citizens who are equally exercising their political rights.
