(JollofNews) – President Adama Barrow of the Gambia has refused to condemn Friday’s shooting of protesters in Kanilai by officers of the Senegal led military intervention force in the Gambia.
Residents of Foni on Friday afternoon gathered in former President Yahya Jammeh’s native village, Kanilai, some 119km from Banjul, to protest against the heavy military presence in their community.
They were confronted by Senegalese soldiers guarding the former president’s residence, who discharged live firearms on them and wounding six people.
One protester, Haruna Jatta, 54, of Kanilai, has since died of gunshot wounds he sustained on his abdomen.
In his first public comment over 24 hours after the incident, President Adama Barrow appeared to condone the actions of the security officers, and warned that he will not accept ‘violence, lack of respect for authority and the rule of law’.
“I will promote democracy, freedom and rule of law and encourage reconciliation. I will not accept violence, lack of respect for authority and the rule of law,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
“What happened in Kanilia will not be tolerated again from any other community or group of people from any part of the country.”
The president said Gambians have decided a change of government in the last election and he wants the general population to join his government to promote democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
He added: “Let us focus on our reform agenda and build a foundation where democracy and development will thrive and citizens live in dignity and respect for rule of law.”
In response to the incident, security forces have rounded up a number of residents in Bwiam and Kanilai for their role in the protest. A number of people including former President Jammeh’s brother, Sainey Jammeh, are reported to have fled the country into neighbouring Senegal.
Condemn or not condemn, if your sentence shows your total rejection, but if you do not condemn you can understand support for the cause , please one Gambia one nation stop tribalism.
Peace, you are a person with problems, your mind gave you wrong information.
The ministers defense and interior are having bloodstained hands? Democracy does not authorize to shoot a deserted person remember blacklivesmatter @ usa, there is no reason that a police officer or military assaults a civilian, you can use force to stop this person but never to Finish with his life thing is called murder
=peace#
If you play with fire you surely get burn.
New democracy if you provoke they can shoot you to death, be very careful with Senegalese army’s.
Yeh, ¨with new democracy you will be shoot to death, if you provoke, why not?
Wht do you expect of these people? Is Kanalai the only village in this country? What has Kanalai contributed to the development of the Gambia that other villages didn’t do, that warrants them to behave this way.
You and I knows that if this is the Donkey erra (the Jammeh erra), he will kill all of these people.
This people are armed with weapons , but, what did the students who were massacared during April 10th and 11th demonstration have?
Is time to speak the truth. Life is the most precious asset we possesse, but who ever want to instigate violence, let him be killed, these are words of the Quran.
You might want to check your story again. In the USA, if an order is given to you by a police officer and you don’t comply, more so you having a even a stick in your hand, you are a goner. People have been killed in USA by police officers with little or not reason more talking about violence protesters, burning tiers etc. Come on, have some facts right.
Truth is the demonstrators, I believe less than some 200 people (if up to that at all), confronted, abused & threatened the armed soldiers at their residence…
It’s the peoples’ INALIENABLE RIGHTS to demonstrate PEACEFULLY anywhere, anytime & anyhow within the length & breath of the country; BUT in this particular instance, the demonstrators confronted, abused & threatened the armed soldiers; with some of them getting too (extremely) close to the personal space of the armed soldiers at the former residence of the EVIL MURDEROUS kanilai KILLER DEVIL…
I believe things would’ve been more peace-fuller had the demonstrators exercised within their respectful rights as contrary to what obtained on the ground in this particular instance…
Some of them stating to the camera that “EVIL KILLER yaya DEVIL is the only legitimate president in Foni” that “whosoever acknowledges President Barrow must F-out of Foni”; as if Foni have succeed from Gambia & now an autonomous region of its own…
It’s one thing if the soldiers confronted the demonstration but it’s the demonstrators who went to the soldiers unreasonably demanding their forceful eviction; & even threatening the Fire & Ambulance Services not to dare put-out the vehicle tyres they threw on the road & set alight in the village which was a health hazard to anyone by inhaling the toxic smoke & also destroying the road constructed from the hard-earned taxpayers moneys…
Why must anyone apportion the blame on President Barrow for condemning the reckless acts of few violent criminals with ulterior motives to inflame the Gambia as a whole…???
The government has a mandated duty to the whole of Gambia & not just the unreasonable few; the majority of citizens in Foni, just like the rest of country are law-abiding citizenry who have rights that must be protected; NOT the criminal few bent on causing strife & carnage because they refuse to accept the reality of the day…
God bless the Gambia; Ameen…
Rectification
-Succeed should have been secede –
The error was digestive from the phone; thank you all.
Again – suggestive (text) instead of digestive – these gadgets seem to have their own minds – my apologies, thank you.
Bajaw
You’re good, I understand you clearly . Thanks for setting the record straight. Yes God Bless The Gambia. My second home Ameen
Bajaw
You’re good, I understand you clearly . Thanks for setting the record straight. Yes God Bless The Gambia. My second home Ameen
Ok now am thinking this news outlet that I started to rely on has become merely a front that is to be used as a propaganda tool of the APRC. “Barrow refuses to condemn”, what a joke. Why would you suggest he needed to condemn? Why would you assume the ECOMIG is at fault? We all pray for the casualties dead or alive and their families. We are all Gambians and loss of life by any means is tragic but this article is simply biased. Jammeh’s assets have been frozen and ECOMIG have every right to be stationed there. I would rather they deal with protesters in a way that would avoid loss of life. The issue is that once the ECOMIG feel their lives threatened they will naturally respond. This could have been predicted with the constant incitement of violence in social media and seemingly on this “news” outlet. Peddling biased stories with twisted headlines is very dangerous. The month of Ramadan restrained the demons except the ones in our souls. These evil souls will have blood in their hands when more violence erupts due to their incitement.
the Act by the Ecomig is not the least professional and totally unacceptable. They hsve no right to shoot at civilians who were excercising their fundamental human rights just as Solo Samdeng was being claimed to have lead .
the GPF are supposed to intervene not an international peace mission. Are they here for peace or the the jobs of the GPF or the National Army
Lets stop the hypocrisy, those killed protesting durung Jammeh regime are innocent and justices should be done to bring those perprators to book but these ones in foni are justified becos they are considered PROVOCATIVE . total utter disgusting paradixical conspiracy against the fonis
Adama Barrows goverment will also answer the questions why innocent civilians have been shot with live bullts for exercising their rights. Mr Jatta death constitute a record to toal disregard for the democracy as is being professed. The record on the most unfortunate human rights abuse and violation against Barrow Administration marked as exhibit A and the truth will be revealed sone day
The Ecomig have no business with civilians protesting.That stickly is an internal matter and the GPF is mandated to take this role. Their mission is not to meddle in our internal governance.We are not at WAR! they should be statoibed in the bush to wait for any war situation which we do not pray for and will always ask Allah to prevent
occuping the region of the former president who is in exile is not the jobs of an international peace force. The GAF and Police are quite capable .
Deploying Ecomg in foni in civilian communities is intimidating and phycologically traumatising as if they sre not supposed to lead and free live like any civilina in kombo, jarra, nuimi, basse where ex president has loyalists. Is being born in a place where presient jammeh hails from an innate crime.
The Barrow Government should seek to use reconciliatory tactics to bring togetherness amongst the people of yhe Gambia including the Fonis rather than playing conspiracy blame game aim at justifying any ills done in Foni just because of Ex Jammeh
it is unfair . force has not worked in any troubled situation in the world and I do not see any magic formular in the gamiba during the Barrow Administration. Ministry of Interior, simmer down and remove the ego and mindset against the Foni . preach peace and be seen doing it
I think the comparison made to the protest that lead to the arrest of UDP officials including party leader Mr Darboe can not be ignored. Neither the fact that neither had the permit from the police; It is extraordinary that these measures used to good effect by the Jammeh administration are now being used by The New Gambia.
It is therefore “unreal” for President Barrow not to offer sympathy to the dead and injured. I was there in April 2000 when the army and police opened fire on students and red cross worker Mr Omar Barrow. 14 were shot dead many others mutilated.
None were armed with guns/ yes they were very vocal. But none deserved the outcome meted out by the security forces.
One can only ponder what would have been the outcome for Gambians if Jammeh had not agreed to leave and ecomig forces had used extreme force including tanks and fighter jets.
Sorry but this situation has left me totally confused. I was looking for something different from the New Gambia.
Mr. Scales, i think you,ve been naive all along. Africans like revenge! Tell me where on this planet you would go and find Africans at peace with themselves. Not on the African Continent, not on the Carribean , North or South America or Austrialia. It,s hatred, killing, poverty, corruption and dishonesty. If this killing should,ve happened on whiteman land, condemnations would come from every corner. But here Gambians are jubilating everywhere on social media! Barrow and his spiteful cabinet would never show any feelings for the killing of a Gambian by their occupying forces. Gambians take pride in being occupied and being exiles!
I think we Gambians need a good leader, i don’t think we have one, Mr Barrow is useless and the Ministry of Interior.
we need Mr Sallah he play a very good roll for Mr Jammeh to go. we not need this in our life!!
Amie: I think the UDP have little time for socialists>> more’s the pity. As always we await Hon. Halifa’s wise account of the tragedy.
Mike, Do you think so I don’t but lets wait and see!!!
The death of a protester is regrettable. A thorough investigation must be mounted and the Senegalese soldier face justice if found wanting.
However, the agitary nature of Kanilai people calls into question what to do with them? If the govt has legitimate reasons to station troops there, the people must not obstruct the work of investigators or assets that need to be fenced-off until the courts decide otherwise. Kanilai must accept the fact that the dictator has used his birth village as the Base from which many life wrecking commands emanated. There are also supposedly many mass graves in and around the area. This unique situation makes kanilai and surrounding areas a prime location for investigations into these atrocities. To demand that the democratically authorised state actors leave and threatening them with death or endless provocations, has consequences. And regretable consequences for that matter. One thing is for sure, the state cannot abdicate responsibility hence it’s authority must stand in kanilai and in Foni at large.
Demonic =Peace# and your likes of hypocrites out here, beneath every smoke you see, there is a fire. Some of you are just seeing a smoke the source of whose fire you are not thinking about or simply turning a blind eye to. When the actual fire ever starts to flare in the Gambia, it will be quenched. Many Gambians are capable of seeing farther than most of you can imagine. The Gambia cannot be ravaged by half-minded beings. By God’s Grace.
I, for one, DON’T believe NOR agree that anyone, whether under the EVIL kanilai FIEFDOM before or under current democratic government needs to obtain police permits to rightfully demonstrate &/ protest peacefully for whatsoever reasons….
Truth be told; for we all WILL get accounted, EITHER here on earth while alive &/ hereafter when dead; ECOMIG NEVER went out of their way to confront this particular demonstration as being alleged; rather, contrarily the so-called demonstrators went to the ECOMIG right at the premises at the former residence of the EVIL yaya KILLER DEVIL, some of them extremely breaching the personal space of the armed soldiers; abusing, threatening & demanded their forceful vacation of the premises because they were alleged to “hate DEVIL yaya & had no rights to occupy the premises built with the kanilai KILLER DEVIL’s own money”…
The Gambia government is mandated to safeguard lives & properties in anywhere within the boundaries of the Gambia…
If not for anything else, landmines are killing innocent people in Foni but not anywhere else in the country…
Wether one is armed or not, we all know what extreme breaching of personal space means; especially in such explosive situation &/ scenario with the illegal mfdc Cassamace activities plaguing the area…
In case anyone happens to be newly-converts; it’s LEGITIMATE in Islam & natural dictates of nature & natural instincts anywhere “to defend oneself if anyone wants to harm one’s life”…
It’s mandatory for independent investigations to conclude what actually transpired to the discharge of weapons as that haven’t been captured in the evidence I’m privy to; we all regret & never condone any loss of innocent lives but NOBODY will ever succeed neither before & not now, in holding the Gambia to ransom &/ setting the country afire, for WHATSOEVER reasons…
I’m pretty sure, nothing of the sort would’ve happened had the demonstrations acted peacefully with their legitimate rights without confronting & engaging the ECOMIG soldiers who were legitimately in the country to add to safeguard & protection of lives & properties; the same protesters threatened to attack the Fire Services if they dare to douse the car tyres set alight on the roads in the village which was the legitimate Constitutionally assigned mandates of the Fire Services by law…
Love, loath/ hate, the current government are democratically mandated by Gambians to protect lives & properties; that’s here to stay to end of their mandated term…
I too agree that people don’t need permits to protest and the loss of a live too in the incident is quite sad and disheartening but, what is instigating that rebellious attitude of folks at Kaninlai and Bwiam specifically, should be a very very serious concern. Something looks creepy about some folks in Foni since two kids got chopped on the head with a machete and the assailant swiftly crossing the border into the bushes. With all those incidents to one’s knowledge, imagine you are an Ecomig soldier or even a well trained riot police surrounded or faced by an outrageous crowd from the same area where kids got chopped on their heads by politically disgruntled grown-ups…
I think sincere people can recognise that excessive force has been used, resulting to gun shot injuries to several, and at least, the death of one unarmed demonstrators. Let’s not make any excuses here. It is simply wrong that life ammunition would be fired straight at demonstrators, hitting them in such places as their abdomen. This is like a “shoot to kill” policy and whoever gave the order must be held to account.
I agree with views that the government can deploy forces under its command anywhere on the territory of The Gambia, regardless of whether they are ECOMIG or GNA, and I add my voice to the voices of those who dismiss the so called “concerns” of the Foni Youths against the presence of armed soldiers in Kaninlai. I cannot remember reading any reports of molestation, harassment or any other rights infringements carried out by the troops against the villages, and therefore their grievances, which seem to be the mere presence of troops in Jammeh’s property, is completely baseless.
Nonetheless, they should have the right to express their grievances and the troops, who may not be equipped to deal with such civil matters, should have requested riot police intervention, once the knew about the demonstration.
I think government needs to understand that the youths of Foni and surrounding communities require special help to disabuse their minds from the poison of Jammeh’s 22 years reign. Many of these youths, unlike their counterparts in the rest of the country, are only beginning to live in the real Gambia. Those who are 22 and under never knew hunger, water shortage, blackout, excessive humidity at night, etc in all their live and the sudden changes is going to be traumatic.
The Government has a duty to enforce law and order, but in this case, perhaps a “carrot and stick” approach may be more appropriate. We don’t want to start off by antagonising and even criminalising a whole generation of our youths, as these are also Gambian youths. Let’s exercise patience, understanding and a bit of wisdom.
God willing, we will get over this very trying periods. May Allah (SWT) guide our leaders and soften and fill their hearts with the love of our people and their freedoms. Ameen.
Very well said. Thank you Bax
Bax Of course>>> fully trained police; I know Gambia has riot gear and gas and rubber bullets and water cannon. Conventional defence recognised all over the world.
Well done President Barrow.Close observers of the Gambian situation since the political impasse who have analysed it are not surprised by these developments in the Fonis. If indeed it was true the past administration has been recruiting mfdc rebels into the Ganbian Army,it is anybodys guess what would follow. Reasonable and law abiding citizens even in kanilai will not involve in such a covert operation that intends to stage a coarse similar to that of southern Senegal. The lost of life is verily regretable but who do we blame? It is certainly triggered from an angle whereby civilians are used as shields.
If president Adam Barrow refused to condemn the shooting why Don’t you at Jolof news condemn it .Journalism cannot in anyway survive around hypocrites. Think about it.
Tijan Nimaga
Gambian people had been waiting for condemnation for the various crimes committed by Jammeh and his stooges for the last 22 years from scumbags like you and still waiting. President Barrow have no reason to condemn what is legally justified and that is the right to self defense. We know who the real hypocrites are and i will tell you if you don’t mind. They are those who portrayed a whiter than white persona with a prayer beards and a sword in one hand and a Holy Quran in the other and his evil coward henchmen and ignorant supporters like yourself.
Maybe Jolof news is not a free press?
To Mr Abdou Jallow>> I think you may be right my friend>>but at least I did not stand by and do nothing.
If am the commander at the scene in kanilai I kill my of the protesters . what they have done and trying to distarbilise this country . battalion was living in kanilai for 22 years of Jammeh era . why they want securities over there