Should We Watch The Foreign Troops To Kill Our Citizens?

Commander Michael A Larbi

‘‘November 5, 2018 publication on the Freedom Newspaper has it that a suspected timber trafficker was on Thursday shot by foreign troops deployed in Sibanor. He became unconscious due to the gunshot wounds he sustained during the incident. He was later hospitalized. A Gambian law enforcement source said the truck driver, was not engaged in timber smuggling as alleged. He said the driver had secured his timber legally and had a permit to proof it’'.

“Please note that ECOMIG has no troops deployed at Sibanor – Bwiam general area. The Senegalese Contingent there is deployed as part of the Bilateral Relations Agreement between The Gambia and Senegal. These troops are not part of ECOMIG, therefore, they operate under a separate mandate based on the agreement between the two countries and NOT under the ECOWAS/ECOMIG mandate. This is for your information; an official statement will be in the post tomorrow,” Larbi added.

The question of the day is, how can The Gambia Government have such a military deal which is not part of the ECOMIG contingent without the awareness of the sovereign citizens?

Shooting an unarmed civilian is a crime and a threat to national security. There were many options in hand that the said soldier could have used to avoid the use of the live bullet. On a similar note Foni bigot the unusual as a bitter confrontation between the peaceful protesters and Senegalese soldiers at the entrance of the village letting to bloodshed. Residents of the rural settlement and the Foni environs demanded the immediate evacuation of both the Gambian and Senegalese soldiers in Kanilai. The protesters were shot on their route to Kanfenda leading to some citizens sustaining injuries and fatal, Mr Haruna Jatta who was later laid to rest on the 6th of June 2017.

It was narrated that the ‘‘ECOMIG’’ soldiers from Senegal were informed to shoot the protesters as they are rebels from Cassamance? If that was true then it is complete ridiculousness to allow any nation, regardless of the external generosity to fight their enemy within your land, and knowing very well and with the supreme belief that the aftermath can be life-threatening.

Democracy means a government by the people and for the people governed by the parameters of the Constitution. What happened to both Haruna and the Truck Driver is sad and unfortunate; there is no justification for the killing and shooting of the innocent citizens.

Therefore, let the Barrow led administration build up an investigation into the matter and come down to the base of this crime against the innocent sovereign citizens of the Republic of The Gambia to minimize defects. As this is the second time such terrible crimes been caused by foreign troops stationed at the Fonis.

Saidina Alieu Jarjou

Blogger/Political Activist