Mr.
President, we welcome you back to the State House after completing your Meet
the People’s Tour for almost 18 days.
Once
again it’s important to remind Gambians that Mr. President was elected to the
Office of the President on 2 December 2016, but he took the oaths on 19 January
2017. So today marks exactly three years since the IEC declared you as
president of The Gambia. So we wish to congratulate you once more.
Regarding
the tour, we hope that you must have heard the complaints and needs of Gambians
and should start working on solutions as soon as possible.
Mr.
President your government should tighten up the security of the country as we
have entered December, the proposed month for the 3 Years Jotna protests.
Both
the police and SIS should be alert to screen those who want to destabilise the
country by using democracy as escape goat.
Now
that there is division in the 3 Years Jotna and lots of different statements
with WhatsApp audios being released, it’s the duty of the police and SIS to
investigate and establish who the genuine ones are so as to avoid more
problems.
Mr.
President, history has taught us way back that we Gambians don’t have luck in
protest and anytime we protest, it gets out of hands because trouble makers
would join the bandwagon, causing killings, loot properties and goods and
generally cause arson.
During
April 10 and 11 2000 students’ demonstrations, 14 people were killed. On June
18, 2018, in Faraba Bantang, three people lost their lives with several wounded
and properties destroyed. In July 23, 2019 in KMC, following the death of a
Sierra Leonean businessman, Ousman Darboe, who was arrested and later released,
protesters burnt the house of the boss of the Anti Crime Unit and vandalised
the Bakoteh Police Station.
Mr.
President, people have the civic right to demonstrate peacefully but not to
engage in violence. Protesters should be very responsible and avoid any
violence when protesting.
The
security forces should be vigilant for the planned demonstrations in 16
December or 20 January and they should be aware of those who have hidden agenda
to cause trouble in the country.
Gambians
should also know that anyone or group forcing to oust a legitimate government
commits treason. People should respect the laws of the land particularly the
constitution which is supreme law of the country.
Mr.
President, it’s still not too late to dialogue with 3 Years Jotna, politicians,
religious leaders, human rights activists and journalists to see the way
forward to nurture peace in our beloved country.
Finally
Mr. President, there are lots of messages being circulated concerning communication
monitoring mechanisms and we can’t establish its sources. It’s time your
government issues press release to state their position on these many
circulated messages especially on social media.
Let’s all join hands and pray for peace and
protect the peace and integrity of the nation so that your government can focus
on the development of the nation since you have already promised to salvage The
Gambia.
Good
day
