(JollofNews) – A resident of Foni who was injured in Friday’s clash in Kanilai with officers of the Senegal led military intervention force in the Gambia has died of his injuries, says reports from Banjul.
The protester who is identified by locals as Haruna Jatta, is reported to have died early Saturday morning in hospital from gunshot wounds.
He was among thousands of Foni residents who gathered in former President Yahya Jammeh’s native village, Kanilai, some 119km from Banjul, and displayed banners calling for the immediate withdrawal of ECOMIG soldiers in the area.
The demonstrators were met by ECOMIG soldiers guarding Mr Jammeh’s residence who discharged live ammunition injuring two people. Other reports said six people were injured.
The Government of the Gambia is yet to make a public comment on the protest. But the Foni residents has accused the government of militarising the region with heavily armed soldiers who are intimidating them.
“This was a peaceful demonstration by all the natives of Foni and we want to make it clear to the government that we want the immediate withdrawal of heavily armed Senegalese soldiers in our villages,” one demonstrator told JollofNews.
“We are all ready to die to put an end to this militarisation of Foni. The entire Foni is crawling with heavily armed soldiers who are intimidating residents. We didn’t protest against the deployment of soldiers here during the previous regime because President Jammeh used to visit the area regularly. But now that he is no longer president and is not even in the country, we want to see an end to the militarisation of Foni.
“Why is Foni being singled out? Are we the only part of the Gambia that supported President Jammeh or benefitted from his regime? Foni is and will always be part of the Gambia. Why are we being treated differently? If the government is not singling Foni out then how come we don’t have heavy ECOMIG presence in Banjul, Basse, Serrekunda, Farafenni, Soma and other parts of the country?”
My sincere condolences to Mr Jatta’s friends and family. We thought the killing would stop/ A very very bad day for the soldiers/ A very very bad day for President Barrow. A distressing day for The Gambia. another one of many.
Mike
What you don’t understand is, there’s more to the current restlessness in Foni than meet the eye on surface & what’s being alleged in this report…
Foni was “militarised by yaya KILLER DEVIL” with Cassamace mfdc rebels given unconditional sanctuary but the residents never demonstrated because they identified with the MURDEROUS kanilai DEVIL…
Now in the demise of the EVIL kanilai DEVIL Foni have to be militarised to get rid of the infectious Cassamace rebel-banditry incursions to safeguard & secure our boarders & sacrosanct lives & properties in Gambia…
We have landmines killing innocent peasants in Foni which isn’t the case in Banjul, Serekunda & Gunjur which explains why the alleged “militarisation”…
Contrary to the “thousands” reported in this article the so-called demonstrators can’t be up to 500 with DEVIL yaya’s commissioned jola soldiers in civilian clothes amongst them; for I have evidence of firsthand independent clips sent to me about the same demonstration with some of them being referred to in their conferred military ranks; & come & here the abuse & threats being hurled at the armed soldiers at close-range which probably caused the firings…
These disgruntled few aren’t the entire population in Foni, much more in whole country, & must accept the reality that Gambians have now taken hold of our destiny back, as compared to the past barbaric & murderous 22 years of savagery…
The death reported is indeed unfortunate but isn’t the same magnitude compared to the threat to the entire country…
NO individuals &/ groups will be allowed to take the Gambia for hostage ever again; NEVER…
God bless the Gambia; Ameen…
Bajaw
You said it as it is. Well done pal.
I think it’s simple hypocrisy, why are they opposed to the Ecomoq soldiers stationed there. The soldiers have every right to protect themselves when they felt threatened. Let’s be fair, we are all Gambians and we love our Jola brothers and the foninkas are good but I believe most of the people behind this unrest are the rebels and their chief Shaytan Yaya jammeh. He is not happy where he is and wants to do everything to return to Gambia. He forgot that because of him many went on exile and now it’s his turn. Most of these people are hypocrites, Foni has always seen heavy machinery litary presence why they never Complain. This shows there’s true democracy in the Gambia now, remember when they students demonstrate during Jammeh era, how many little children lost their lives. It’s time for people of Foni to accept the reality that Jammeh is gone for good and shall never step his dirty foot in our blessed soil. The fonis should resist the rebels behind this and render a hand to the Barrow’s government, we are all Gambians.
Bajaw: I had more or less worked this one out to be,,,, as you now confirm. An overreaction by the Barrow government may be the next step Mr Jammeh’s supporters would wish for. Jollof News appears to be the conduit for the media offensive. You will as always remain diligent. President Barrow will no doubt exchange advice with ECOWAS including Senegal. The loss of life should have been preventable. It is an obvious test of leadership and discipline on all sides.
” To keep one’s head when all around are losing theirs”. ???
There is rule of law and order in the Gambia.You break the law ,you pay.Gambia cannot and will never be held hostage,ever again like The butcher of Kanilai did for 22yrs.We are not going to let that group or ragtag so called vigilanty group disrupt our agenda.Killer jammeh is gone forever.The day Jammeh is back in the Gambia,he will be wearing nice shiny yellow jumpsuit and very shiny bangles with chains attached to his ankles.
Mike
Would you believe the alleged reason behind this particular demonstration from horses’ mouths in the clips are that “the Senegalese hate EVIL yaya Killer DEVIL” that “they have no effing right to squat in the premises built in yaya’s home, by yaya’s own money”…???
When it was known fact that the kanilai KILLER DEVIL used to live on bank overdrafts monthly before July 1994…
It would’ve been uglier had the soldiers not reacted timely & let these ethnic rebels in disguise hidden among the pretentious demonstrators grab their weapons from them…
The reality is NOBODY will ever succeed in setting Gambia on fire; NOT the MURDEROUS EVIL kanilai KILLER DEVIL before, NEITHER the remnant criminal rebels in sleeper-cells; the Gambia is blessed by the Almighty God; that’s here to stay, no matter how hard we are pushed against the odds; Insha Allah; long live the Gambia; Ameen..
Bajaw
Nuff respect my brother. I cannot agree more with what you said.
God bless our beloved nation.
My sincere condolence to the family and friends of the deceased. May the departed rest in peace.
These are very challenging times for the new government and I hope cool heads and wisdom prevails.
My heart goes to the family for the death of the deceased.But let People in Toni knows that no amount of protests or pressure can bring that’s despot to rule The Gambia again.Let them embraces the new government or die in regret.I know Barrow been a democratic and true believer of fundamental human right and dignity will show sympathy to family for the lost of their son.But let’s remembered when Solo and co went to street and protest which was very genuine and he died he yaya Jameh brand him as dog that’s been kille.But the new government will not do that cause they have respect the lives of all Gambian…I’m sending this message to all those so called aprc loyalists to have faith and accept the will of God and The Gambian people,Come rain or sunny yaya never come to rule us so why making unnecessary noise when yaya is enjoying his our silver and Gold in another country.In fact all those who were enjoying during his time will never sacrifice their lives for him only Clueless and poor lads will do that.Hey Fonikas opens your eyes!!!
I have heard both sides and this is my take on the matter or issue. Let’s assume as some say, the Protesters are “Rebels” what ever that connotes or denotes. The pertinent questions are: Were they armed? With what? Could they have been arrested Without been Shot dead and or Critically Wounded? If they were armed, or were “threaning” the Soldiers” as claimed by some, were Warning Shots fired and Commands and or Orders given in the language the majority of the Protesters understood? If the response is affirmative, what amount of time lapsed between the Command and or Orders before the Shots were fired? What are the Mandate (s) under which the ECOMIG Forces in the Gambia Operate? What is the Protocol under which they are Supposed to Operate within the Gambia when Confronted with a Similar Situation? As a Peace Keeping Mission or Force, ECOMIG FORCES are not Empowered to Shoot to kill except to Protect their lives or that of others that are in Imminent Danger. How many Civilians did the Senegalese or Gambian Soldiers who have Been Involved in Peace Keeping Missions in Liberia, Sudan and for Senegalese in Rwanda killed? I may be wrong, but I don’t think there has been any. Usually, it is the Peace Keeping Force that experiences such unacceptable Violence and Killings. Yet, in the Gambia, in less than Six Months, there have been Casualties already. I am not going to aportion or place blame yet until more detail of what Precipitated the killings is communicated by the designated ECOMIG AND GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT Official (s) of Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty. However, I must admit that there is a “Cheapening” of Gambian Blood and Lives at Present as was Before. If that is what the New Gambia’s Democratic Dispensation and Dividend is All About and For, then the Mantra “#Gambia Has Decided” is in many ways a Meaningless Enterprise to many who gave a lot and especially those who made the Ultimate sacrifice. What would those who gave the Ultimate sacrifice say? Would they label the less than 12% of the Gambian Population as “Rebels” and being Responsibile for our Collective Negligence and Dereliction of Courage to Protest Peacefully even in the face of possible harm to our Person? We must as Gambians Have the audacity to Resist the Fatalistic Tendencies that Bedeviled and continues to Bedevil us. My Deepest Condolence and Prayers to the Victims and their Families and to the Gambia and Gambians who Continue to Bleed and Die All in the Name of Security. Security for whom, if not for All Gambians and those within its Boarders. The Juvenile Reactionary Statements and Blame game of my blood and death is more painful than yours that has gotten hold of the Gambians and Gambia needs examining and purging from our Society and Political discuss. There is a bad probability not possibility of the current animosity towards the Fonis, the Foningkas and “Jola-ness” in general would get out of hand and create a “BIAFRA-NIZING” Phenomena in the Gambia. By “BIAFRA-NIZING” I mean Creating a Permanent Marginalized Ethnic Group and Region within the Gambia. Such a Developing would be an Omen and would hunt the Past and Present Caretakers or Custodians of the Gambia for generations. FONI and the Jola are part and percel of the Gambia. They are not going anywhere and cannot be Wished away. The Paradox may be that much as FONI and Foningkas are Maligned and see themselves as being Marginalized or Dismissed as “Rebels”, they are infact, the Mirror that Reflects light on the Wounds that Afflicts the Gambian Society and Body Politics. In a way, they are the “Scape-goat” for all our Collective Negligence and Dereliction of Courage to Protest and Stand up For All Victims not just for Some. Most Gambians shared a Collective Pain of Violence by People who Represented them as Gambians or from their Ethnic Group and yet by Virtue of Happenstance and Affiliation, FONI, the Fonyingkas, and by some people’s Yardstick of Guilt, the Jolas as a Whole are Guilty by Affliation. On the one hand, the Narrative is that the “Jolas suffered worst under the Jammeh Regime. Yet the Jola remain loyal to Jammeh”. Therefore, under the New Democratic Dispensation, the Dividend Should Not be Shared with the Jolas who suffered worst under the Jammeh Regime. The Submitted Guilty Verdict by those who Peddle this Dangerous and Deadly Brew, is “Loyalty to Jammeh” and APRC PARTY. QUESTION, what Population of Gambia is Jola? Answer, less than 12%. It defies logic and begs for an explanation of how the Jola Supposedly Single Handedly Managed to Control the rest of the 88% of the Gambian Population to do their bid or that of Jammeh’s Regime. I beg Forgiveness to from all who may be offended by my thoughts. I have in the past said that the Insidious and Subliminal, Demonization, Objectification and Selective Blame game being Predominantly Heaped on the Jolas and Foni is Not Healthy nor Useful except to those who believe in Marginalization and Displaced Revenge or Vengeance Due to Tribal Affiliation and Happenstance of being a Jola. Bleed No More Gambia. Cry No More Gambia. Too many Gambians are Dead in the Name of Security. Security is All Law Abiding Gambians Peacefully Demonstrating or Protesting. Does it really matter under which Regime fellow Gambians are Shot Dead or Critically Wounded? Dead is Dead no matter who is in Charge. It is a Cheapening of Gambian Blood and Lives No Matter What. Has it come to that in the Gambia? I pray and hope not. One People, One Destiny.
What is all this about?The people of kanilai realising that their favorite butcher son is never coming back or the presence of the Ecomig.Let them tey to live in peace and harmony with them because they will be aro d for a while.
Sidi: no one could doubt your sincerity or concerns;
Mike Scales, thank you. I am Sorry for the past and current Murderous Acts by the Murderers. My Deepest Condolence to the Individual Victims, and their Families as well as the Collective Nation State. May our Shared Humanity, Sharing one Planet win over the these Murderers. May God keep us all Safe.
Bajaw:
Many times I have asked what the terms of the agreement were for Jammeh to leave/ The high ranking anonymous APRC official spelled these alleged “terms” out to Jollof News which were published. Of course their were many calls for Jammeh’s assets and bank accounts to be seconded/ re-distributed. The Minister Of Justice then froze everything { either through public pressure or not} that they attributed to Jammeh. This appeared in contravention of that alleged agreement. We then get a statement from RA that they rejected their company being linked. Mr Njie From the APRC on behalf of Mr Jammeh, said they did not recognise many of the lands or Bank accounts frozen and expressed concern that nurse’s wages in Mr Jammeh’s hospital would not be paid.
I agree with Sidi that their has been many adverse comments in the media against the Jola’s and the Foni’s and Jammeh. The latter being understandable.
There is obviously a rejection from the people of Foni against the heavy ecomig forces in Kanilai. The comments published by Jollof News from the citizen’s of Foni suggest they feel marginalised and singled out claiming they are part of The New Gambia too. Even today if you read the anti Foni’s comments online you can see their is a significant problem the Barrow Government may have neglected/overlooked. I can understand your concerns over landmines and Casamance rebels. But looking at the anthology of events leading to and post Jammeh, I remain of the view that the Barrow government have many questions to answer.
One question would be >> Do you want to take total responsibility for the Whole of Gambia ? or do you want ecomig forces to take total responsibility for The Foni’s ?
Another question would be>> Do you intend to honour the alleged agreement with Jammeh to leave Gambia, or Do you intend to antagonise an already fraught situation, from which the APRC are trying to Make Mr Jammeh look like a victim ?
My own opinion is If you make agreements and The Gambia have taken full benefit then you must honour the agreement.
But of course such decisions are always fraught with risks. Regarding potential claims of a criminal nature, No one except a President can give a pardon. So any agreements made before a president was sworn in would in my view be somewhat contentious. But as we say/ a man’s word is his bond.
The law in many cases allows for a settlement to be reached “out of court”
But I am not a Lawyer so I am only expressing an opinion that is ignorant of the Law. I think Gambia needs to move on and President Barrow needs to set out his own agenda. But as Sidi say’s>> if Gambian blood is so cheap and is to remain cheap ??? Then that is just not acceptable.
I think any nation has a right to coexist in harmony and peace without being antagonised. Why give anyone who does not wish you well free use of your own ammunition?
But that is only my opinion.That’s what Jollof News is for>>isn’t it ?
Mike,
I do understand both you & sidi’s concerns; but there’s difference in Gambian state making “human blood & lives cheap” as contrast to an individual criminal making their own lives & blood cheaper…
Believe me, some of these so-called demonstrator criminals in disguise AREN’T any better than the ISIS terrorists wrecking havoc in the streets of UK believe me or not; for given the opportunity they’ll will do the same day in day out; trust me; no criminal life is better than the innocent & peaceful peasantry population of law-abiding Gambians…
EVIL yaya KILLER DEVIL & the enablement including shameless seedy njie have no proves whatsoever except peddling lies & bunkums that President Barrow or anyone of authority indeed got into any deal agreement with the MURDEROUS kanilai KILLER SERPENT; it’s ECOMIG who flushed the kanilai killer devil & some mercenary elements at its services; I challenge anyone to present the facts with signatory evidence to the effect…???
Why can’t the so-called yaya-doctors & nurses be paid by the Health Ministry instead of a specific/special fund which are illegitimate; for yaya & anyone else can’t prove the monies including the criminal “aprc party account” amongst others were gotten legitimately & legally…
All illegitimate accounts must be frozen subject to investigations …
I refer you to my recent comments under Barrow’s statement article for your understanding of my points on the current issues…
Thank you.
JOINT DECLARATION BY THE ECOWAS, THE AU AND THE UN ON THE POLITICAL SITUATION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
https://unowas.unmissions.org/joint-declaration-ecowas-au-and-un-political-situation-islamic-republic-gambia
Just for you scales.
GR/ Yes I have seen this; many thanks. We in London are dealing with our own crisis just now.
Reminder that even in mature democracies, security force’s reaction to provocations or Violent agitation can end deadly as in England today, where 3 men armed with knives were shot dead by the police and the Prime Minister finds herself saying “enough is enough”. I would probably say the same in her position.
Bajaw: these days every nation on earth has enemies and argent provocateurs/ The over riding responsibility of governments and security forces are to always protect the people and their rights to freedom of assembly and protest. You should see some of the protests in London when they “kick off” Many times members of our government/opposition join the protestors. On the face of it I think the Jola’s and the residents of the Foni’s have every right to claim their inalienable right to play their part and be part of The New Gambia.
My condolences to Mr Jatta’s family and friends. I do not think a 55 year old family man is mainstream>>>material for covert operations. But I support your concerns too. Thankyou my good friend,, Ameen.
Thank you for the expression of sympathy and solidarity; I watched the events unfold last night: One report of a girl aged around 22 was hacked to death upto 15 times by all three of the killers whilst pleading with bystanders for help. This has shaken me to the bones. So far 7 dead 48 injured. I cannot begin to express my grief and sympathy.
Other reports say unarmed police and civilians attempted to defend and were brutally and mercilessly injured. I somehow feel proud and sad. I strange mix of human emotion.