Fatoumatta: There’s a total abuse of the Public Order Act to stifle civil society and opposition political activities. Those youth activists must be released immediately and unconditionally because they have violated no law, instead the police and those issued orders are the very complicit violating the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Gunjur environmental activists.
Fatoumatta: The Public Order Act is an archaic law and should be repealed. And it is also very clear that the police are not acting independently and professionally in administering this imperial Public Order Act.
Fatoumatta: A democratic political dispensation cannot function effectively and efficiently in this way. If we truly value democracy, we must put an end to this abuse of the Public Order Act which is rendering civil society and the opposition impotent. The government of President Adama Barrow is quickly drifting towards a de facto dictatorship. This Barrow administration is increasingly becoming a dictator in form or name and in substance. It’s not enough to not allow civil society groups or opposition to carry out meaningful political activities among the masses of the people.
According to Mental Health America – symptoms of paranoia and delusional disorders include intense and irrational mistrust or suspicion, which can bring on sense of fear, anger, and betrayal. Some identifiable beliefs and behaviors of individuals with symptoms of paranoia include mistrust, hypervigilance, difficulty with forgiveness, defensive attitude in response to imagined criticism, preoccupation with hidden motives, fear of being deceived or taken advantage of, inability to relax, or are argumentative.
Fatoumatta: I am deeply persuaded that some of our elected leaders, political commentators and the usual political bloggers suffer from some form of paranoia and or delusional disorder. A delusion is an odd belief that a person firmly insists is true despite evidence that it is not.
Paranoia involves intense anxious or fearful feelings and thoughts often related to persecution, threat, or conspiracy. Paranoia can become delusions, when irrational thoughts and beliefs become so fixed that nothing (including contrary evidence) can convince a person that what they think, or feel is not true. Because only thoughts are impacted, a person with delusional disorder can usually work and function in everyday life.
Fatoumatta: It is common sense that the security forces, especially the Gambia Police Force needs reform and that reform can only be concluded through a legal process, preceded by political negotiation by all stakeholders. This irrational suspicion among our leaders means that they cannot sit down and discuss the future of police without street protests and violence.
Fatoumatta: President Barrow and his government believes that it is only through street protests that his administration can be removed. President Barrow and his politburo have an intense defensive attitude and its supporters are preoccupied with hidden motives, including an imaginary “coup” by the civil society group and the opposition. It is common knowledge that the President Barrow want some reforms effected on our electoral infrastructure and the Public Order Act. Irrational mistrust is preventing this from happening.
Fatoumatta: A political system where only the ruling Govt can freely hold meetings and carry out political activities among the masses cannot claim to be a democratic. The Gambian people struggled hard to have a democracy, a political dispensation and democracy can’t be circumvented in this way.
Fatoumatta: It’s a fact that the overwhelming majority of those in this Govt today were not part of the people who struggled for the reintroduction of democracy in the Gambia. But they have a duty to respect the sacrifices of our people and their desire to live in a democracy.
Fatoumatta: It is a fact that many politicians and blind supporters of this Govt have not hidden their preferences for dictatorship and see a democratic political order as a nuisance, a disturbance to their stay in power and self-enrichment. As a result, they are doing everything possible, including abuse of the Public Order Act, to frustrate civil society activism, opposition political work and to destroy democracy.
Fatoumatta: Mass paranoia, and delusion is also tearing our country pieces. That paranoia is spread by hate mongers and sycophants and given meaning by political bloggers and ordinary Gambians amplifying it in online groups. The grandstanding by this government is also delusional and must come to an end. The Gambian security forces are beyond delusional, we need not discuss them here.
Fatoumatta: The Gambian people have already lost lives. It is only in societies where madness reign that leaders become complacent with the sufferings of ordinary citizens.
They were arrested and tortured, one noble son died. Solo. One is a shadow of his former self as he limps to shuttle diplomacy. Most are still nursing physical and psychological wounds of days in dreaded NIA cells. They were all innocent. Men and Women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Today who would have thought that some of these same men and women are using the same archaic laws to imprison innocent young Gambians who are exercising their fundamental rights to peaceful protest of an environmental injustice. No way no how can anyone explain this one to me. Just cant get it! If this is who we are. God help Us.
The struggle for democracy in Gambia (still) is in transformation but isn’t complete on the ground yet; in fact democracies world over, do modify & improve upon gradually with time everywhere, but aren’t ever complete, including in the “mature democracies”; democracy is a changing process along with time & age….
The Gambia government must know the community is bigger than any particular (politicians) government at any particular time; the current environmental pollution & toxic air infestation in Gunjur by golden lead must stop forthwith; the government must know our human health is sacrosanct to any business materialistic endeavours….
The golden lead pollution illegalities are being spearheaded principally by Alagy Conteh; in collaboration with Amie Bojang Sissoho the press Secretary, (Alagy’s cousin sister), minister Isatou Touray (Amie’s one nose friend) & Kebba K Barrow the kombo South mp who got the decision makers’ ears including Adama Barrow; according to the quoted reports Adama Barrow initially saw the truth in the golden illegalities; when the NDEA first drag the illegal company to court; only for the true faces in complicit behind it all to show up; who are themselves in collaborations in political interests together; the culprits must know we are witness to it all & can’t be deceived ever….
The illegitimate police harassment of the environmental protesters isn’t the solution but ensuring total environmental requirements compliance of the golden lead factory is the ONLY remedy OR shut down; this pollution will never continue unchallenged…!
The government mustn’t think for a flinch that they can “play smart” look into our eyes & lie blatantly; insulting our intelligence, singly (individually) & collectively together; ministers Demba Jawo must tell us why the marine lives are dying in where the golden lead is pumping the toxic waste; why the air for breathing is full of toxic odour damaging our lungs; how about birds feeding on the dead marine lives, etc etc; what effects healthwise is the toxic pumping into the sea, being consumed by the fish which is undoubtedly by recycled into our food chain; having the damaging deadly effects on us all….?
The current breed of Gambians aren’t for any rides, no more; the real true colours of the “wolves in sheep clothing” are in manifestation; shame on those with the parasitic modus operandi; the community being polluted in Gunjur have a direct effect on every one resident in Gambia & beyond….
The Gambia government must do their job on this issue, REALISTICALLY or get out of the kitchen; the toxic attitude of the political decision on this issue will catch up with ALL the culprits hands in gloves in complicit; if anybody is in doubt, genuine Gambians will NEVER give up on this issue EVER; we can all watch this space; the struggle against falsehood continues unabated; both this government & golden lead will go, subsequently if the abusive toxins pollution of Gunjur isn’t fixed permanently; SURE….
God bless Gambia….
This is a government of charlatans, only dedicated to their pockets, family and friends and their party base. It will soon be two years and the national agenda hasn’t still taken center stage. Thanks to Ousainou they (cabinet, parliament and the judiciary) are all mired in confusion and a chronic lack of a sense of direction. First, they let Golden Leaf (or Toxic Leaf) operate. Then they shut the factory up and again they allowing it to operate. What a flippant bunch of indecisive and clueless square pegs in round holes. It seems to me the men and women we put in charge of our existential affairs are even incapable of distinguishing day from night.
Take my word for it, soon we will have another Yaya in office with no regard for all we fought for, such as freedom to assemble without harassment and whimsical arrests.
Am holding my head not knowing what more to tell supporters of this government that “ñie tass na ñu yakarr”!
Time to look for and alternative government that can…….you fill in the gap.
Yours in the service of The Gambia and Africa, I remain.
Quoting Bajaw Touray, sic,
“The golden lead pollution illegalities are being spearheaded principally by Alagy Conteh; in collaboration with Amie Bojang Sissoho the press Secretary, (Alagy’s cousin sister), minister Isatou Touray (Amie’s one nose friend) & Kebba K Barrow the kombo South mp who got the decision makers’ ears including Adama Barrow; according to the quoted reports Adama Barrow initially saw the truth in the golden illegalities; when the NDEA first drag the illegal company to court; only for the true faces in complicit behind it all to show up; who are themselves in collaborations in political interests together; the culprits must know we are witness to it all & can’t be deceived ever….”
“The Gambia government must know the community is bigger than any particular (politicians) government at any particular time; the current environmental pollution & toxic air infestation in Gunjur by golden lead must stop forthwith; the government must know our human health is sacrosanct to any business materialistic endeavours….”.
I wish to state here that I have worked in Environmental Public Health and Biotechnology for more than 18 years as a regulator that not only designed continuing education courses but also managed funds dedicated to supporting environmental mitigation efforts and creating awareness on the part of communities and stakeholders. I am also an active Public Health responder in radioactive/nuclear accidents and disaster response. So I will approach the Golden Lead issue from that perspective and I have no interest in going to bat for anyone in the Golden Lead debacle as it stands. No “one nose friends”, cousins, pals or vested interest.
While we all do not wish to see pollutants of any form entering the environment/food chain, we must learn to accept certain basic tenets of nature/ecology. Primarily, we must learn to accept that the impact of some grades of pollutants, created by modern human practices, can be mitigated over time and space. Particularly when substances of organic origin are sensibly controlled, managed and released. The term “Decay” becomes an important factor in mitigation efforts.
I would also urge subscribers to this forum to temper down emotions with a view to coming up with sensible ways to address this particular problem. I am also open to answering any pointed questions on the matter albeit that I am not on site and/or armed with knowledge/results of tests done by the Pasteur Lab/Institute in Dakar or any other body.
To break this down, I mean to say that liquid based effluent can be diluted to limits, expressed in Parts Per Million (PPM). that are tolerable. Similarly, air toxics in gaseous forms can also be reduced to levels that do not create a negative impact to the immediate environment together with the organisms therein.
In the interest of not sounding too technical, some of the readers that live in the EU and North America may have seen fountain like and other structures in cesspools/retention ponds alongside processing plants/factories. These structures are built in for good reasons with specific targets in mind. One object may be to inject additional oxygen into the medium to mitigate possible depletion of oxygen and also aid in the digestion of organic matter within. The broader goal may be to treat the effluent in stages that will allow for a final release of waste water into bodies of water and waterways. The retention structures may be further dredged to remove insoluble solids and other materials for further processing. There may also be permanent sampling devices installed to take grab samples at set intervals to ensure that sampling is consistent and that there are no attempts to circumvent the monitoring process.
It’s important to note that where organizations attempt to cut corners on imposed effluent discharge limits or tamper with sampling equipment, heavy sanctions that could include jail time and penalties are imposed without fear or favor. So, the reason(s) I ask for us to devolve our emotions from making judgments on the Golden Lead saga is that those folks that succumb to the “environmentalist” narrative may be placing blame in the wrong domain as opposed to holding to account the very government agencies that should be acting, in a clear and convincing manner, to show that whatever is being discharged into the sea indeed meets water based effluent limits.
Now here lies the problem where beliefs held in certain quarters are not routinely supported by science based technical data.
Granted that fish/organism kills of all forms in the sea are undesirable, we’ve all grown up seeing fish kills of a smaller scale in coastal communities over the years. The advent of large scale trawling and factory fishing vessels operating under broad licenses issued by third countries, bring the stark reality that we no longer live in small and insulated BAATO KUNKU/fishing village communities but that we live alongside foreign mega trawler vessels that may be spewing unwanted catch into the sea that ultimately find their way onto our shores in numbers that heretofore were not seen in our communities.
We must, as enlightened folks, not be seen as activists that will be sucked into the business of lynching business owners but rather embrace sensible environmental management for the benefit of all Gambians. The Gunjur group may also seek the expertise of non-partisan and independent international non-profits that could employ routine sampling techniques to monitor the the effluent discharged from the plant to ensure that international guidelines are met.
After all, the Atlantic ocean belongs to all and must be protected albeit that whatever is happening in coastal Gambia may be deemed to be in Gambian territorial waters.
It is my view that the fault(s) in the Golden Lead saga is on the regulatory front and that the blame must be laid squarely on the doorstep of the government. Something is amiss here as hinted to by the regulatory missteps, leading one to think that the disaffected parties could pursue further legal avenues to resolve the matter in higher courts. This is where I believe that Attorney Lamin Darbo, grounded as he is, could play a key leadership role in this matter.
Let’s keep this discussion alive!
Andrew
My primary concern is arbitrary arrest of young Gambians using this archaic public order law. I really don’t care what issue they are protesting. It is their rights, indeed their responsibility to bring attention to the issue.
Andrew, the indiscriminate small size netting on the illegal fishing trawlers & dumping of the dead young fish overboard in the ocean is different from the evidential environmental poisoning of the fish stocks by chemical pollutions; even from by the look of the dead fish, one can tell; for those who know a thing or two about the environment, marine life & other livestocks, etc…..
Yes, the golden lead pollution continuation is due to official connivance & failure on the part of NDEA who were on track initially when they stayed true to their responsibility until the politicians’ interferences; in some clandestine backroom manipulations impeding the environmental agency’s judicious operations without undue interference; Adama Barrow was quoted, admitting it in a “twit about golden lead illegalities”; what is responsible for the indifference all of a sudden…..?
I’m in favour of stringent monitoring of the total environmental compliance of any pollutant producing industrial development for socioeconomic advancements generally but not what currently transpires with this golden lead debacle & persistence with the current political connivance of the politicians; while they dare look into our eyes calling a “yellow colour, insisting it’s blue colour”…..
I was also thinking in line with the environmental activists on the ground seeking for the collaboration & scientific assistances of charitable bodies & organisations; to independently ascertain the results of tests genuinely, which aren’t twisted in manipulations on doctored results….
This issue can’t continue to be fooled around with by the interest parties in play; Gambians will continue to stand up in anyways within means against this irresponsibility against the environment which is impacted on our lives directly; the struggle in this injustice will continue to end; SURE….
I don’t agree with arbitrary arrest either.
I believe that the key reasons for keeping archaic laws and agencies (NIS) on the books and in existence, the very instruments that sent the currents leaders to jail, is to serve the selfish interests of those in power. Shows everyone that the current leadership has it’s moral compass shewed in the wrong direction. Like Lamin said, the big sin is the utter SILENCE plus the semblance that there’s no leadership and that no one is directly in charge. But then, WHO calls the shots??
These laws represent threats to be wielded in front of law abiding citizens that are doing nothing wrong when they go out to peacefully exercise their civil rights.
When will law enforcement in The Gambia be seen to be acting to protect the basic rights of Gambians?
However, this government cannot be seen to be treating urgent matters in an ad hoc manner but but must show the will and determination to see that wheels of government move in tandem with the demands of the citizenry.
It’s saddening to think that the opposition parties in waiting, for all these years, didn’t have a plan for The Gambia after all!! Look at who we are getting in positions of leadership? This honeymoon is DONE!!
At this moment, there is a discrepancy between the laboratory evidence on paper and the witness experiences about the perceived environmental damages the operations of the fish factory are having on our marine ecology.
To support the claims of the government, there is evidence in black and white from a reputable lab in the whole of Africa.
On the other hand, we have living native souls complaining of unbearable organic stench emanating from the factory and the dead fish washing ashore unabated. Or yet still, the waters of the ocean turning into indescribable color shades.
The question becomes what to do moving forward. Arrests are of course the oldest method to silence those who do not agree with the government. But we all know under the current dispensation, that’s a very dumb move bordering on stupidity.
The smart move would be to close down the factory until the concerns of the community of Gunjur are ameliorated. That will be a people centered move.
Most times, we have the solutions staring at us right in the face but we can’t seem to be willing to take the challenging route to make things right for The Gambia!
All in the name of expediency that seldom helps anything in the long term!
This seeming stalemate can be solved if the government and the investors are willing to bring the resources and technology to bear in tackling the effluent handling and treatment shortcomings that are the root causes of all the environmental hoopla.
There’s no question that the discharge can be measured and analyzed for content. Where the amount of discharged in Liters per day is known, engineers are able to design detention ponds/structures that are lined with impervious material to contain all effluent. In that way no raw effluent is sent out into the sea but only material that’s treated over time to meet acceptable standards of discharge. The design will also include the capacity to treat raw effluent in stages into several pond structures that will obviate the need to handle bulk quantities of fresh material. In this way, groundwater sources are also protected.
However, the cooperation of residents must be sought to accommodate the unintended consequences of large scale effluent treatment that comes with mechanized processing facilities. This is a phenomenon to be dealt with in all modern settlements. Particularly when unpleasant winds blow towards population centers. This seeming stalemate is in my view surmountable if the parties can get together to understand the root causes of the problem for the object of sincerely addressing the issues at hand. In the case of Golden Lead, all arguments point to the poor handling of effluent. Invaluable teachable moments can be derived from the undertaking to find common ground.
The business of, NGAA F’AALU YEH LEH or WAHONE NNA LENE KO is untenable if we are to resolve seemingly insurmountable issues in our Gambia going forward. Don’t we, mere mortals, like to take credit even where we were not part of the solution??
I’d add that when it’s a case of, BAA DEMA LAA FERRO BENG BULU, BARI KULUNGO TEH MBULU, JALO FANAA TEH MBULU, it’ll be a case of KOR JII LA NYINYAA with no resources from the sea.
Pjalo’s cautions thus:-
“I would also urge subscribers to this forum to temper down emotions with a view to coming up with sensible ways to address this particular problem”.
To that effect:-
1. Stop condemning Gambia’s newly elected leaders without evidence;
2. Recognize that industrial development has environmental costs – and suggest ways to solve the problems (it seems the Govt. has listened on Monkey Park and found a satisfactory solution);
3. Recognize that the Public Order Act was recently re-affirmed by Gambia’s RESPECT International Jurist, Chief Justice Hassan B. Jallow (against opposition from the Govt. and Lawyer Darboe himself!). The Attorney General respects the Chief Justice’s ruling – and said that the Govt. will look to replace the Public Order Act with another law.
4. We were NOT at the Gunjur demonstration, and neither was Alagi Yorro Jallow. We have no idea as to what happened to make the police arrest the youth and charge them. The police DID NOT beat or torture the youth – the police merely arrested the youth believing, rightly or wrongly, laws have been broken;
5. It is simply rediculous to compare Jammeh’s arrest of Solo, Darboe and Co. to these youths arrest. REDICULOUS because we know these youths will not be detained, will not be tortured, will not be killed, will not be “disappeared”. Infact they appeared in court the very next day, were charged, and most likely got bailed and went home. How on earth can you guys (and Alagi Yorro Jallow) compare these youths arrest to the Jammeh Era???????????????????????????????????????????
BOGGLES THE MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing ridiculous about being put in hand cuffs and taken to jail because you exercise your rights to peaceful protest. It is a major violation of human rights and freedom. Yes the law was affirmed by the Supreme Court and most Gambians disagree with that ruling. The charge was violation of a statute, no more no less. They went to demonstrate against what they considered irresponsible action by a corporate entity. We can take different sides of the issue concerning Golden Lead, but we can at least have consensus that Gambians have a right to speak clearly and loudly if they feel wronged. Such expressions is a right of all citizens and The States may not deprive you of liberty when and if you choose to exercise that right.
The similarities are edged in stone Dida, and we should all cry foul.
“Edged in stone” Doc? Thou art “The Girl Who Cried Wolf”!
You meant “etched” I assumed Doc.
“mea culpa”
“pulchra culpa”
I would have to agree with most opinions expressed but I think Bajaw starts at the beginning and recalls the original positions of government agencies and President Barrow. After a slow start government expressed its concerns and explained actions to be taken giving a clear ambition to address the problem. Then Barrow and his agencies did an unexpected “about turn”
This should cause concern within itself.
Nonetheless I am aware that the anger in Gunjur is real and shows no signs of being resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner. This is a real public health and environmental issue that only exposes the Barrow governments in aptitude at running a democratic oriented government with all freedoms guaranteed.
I would assume Golden Lead has been in close contact with the Chinese Embassy and that there Embassy would have mentioned the Chinese interest to a high level in the Gambian Government. The recent act of solidarity and investment by the Chinese towards the Gambian Government must not be underrated or discounted.
So I think the question is a matter of ethics and who is the top priority of The Gambian Government ? Is it investors or is it the Gambian citizen. I think at this stage it is too early to compare Barrow with Jammeh. All the diplomatic observers and there embassies will be reporting on any signs that the democratic ambition stated in 2016 is still very much alive and is work in progress. If the position changes or shows some cause for concern, the international mood would change and would express itself strongly. In conclusion I think the Gambian government are at best, frustrating>> and at worst unbelievably > careless.
In an open and democratic society the Gambian people would know what kind of pressure or incentives have been used to cause the government’ s “about turn”.
As this is not the case, a dangerous thinking takes place in the people’s minds:
“Those in government that act against us are simply corrupted by foreign (or other) powers.”
This must not happen! The government must explain its decisions in total frankness, if it wants to (re)gain the confidence of its citizens!
Not sure what the case is Frank.
However, your statement below is most apt.
“The government must explain its decisions in total frankness, if it wants to (re)gain the confidence of its citizens”!
I’d add, always explain.
I wonder when this game of playing ostrich is gonna come to an end. But then, haven’t we all seen governments that clearly and persistently insult our intelligence? Bad habits that fester in society!
Frank I agree; The situation is that all democratic governments need a strong opposition to keep the after burner on.
Either by luck or design, the UDP government have seen all opposition self destruct.
The media has been slapped and cowed and still whispers carefully. Even the online media has lost its focus. Anybody who was anybody now either works for the government or has emigrated. The government job grab has been the only growth market.
Poor wages indeed for all those who strongly opposed the repressive and dangerous regime of Yahya Jammeh. Poor wages indeed to see the opposition who were useless against Jammeh, are now just as useless in government.
Where have all the heroes gone ? long time passing, where have all the heroes gone, long time ago. Where have all the heroes gone, with Ousainou everyone. When will they ever learn ? when will they ever learn/