(Wednesday 15th January 2020 Issue)
Sheriff
Kijera, chairman of Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Right Violations has
voiced his concern over threats he receives from some members of the former
ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC).
Mr. Kijera said he believes that the threats
were as a result of his stance for the government not to issue permit to APRC
to protest in demand of Yahya Jammeh’s return.
The
Victims Centre chair in strong terms; condemns these threats, saying he is not
taking them ‘lightly.’
“The
APRC members are issuing threats to me and the Victims Centre,” Kijera said. He
added that the party is in an anger is urging him to come and stop them from
obtaining a police permit if he (Kijera) is a Gambian.
“They
have been mentioning my name on a number of times and emphasising that let me
not stop them through an audio.”
Kijera
claimed that former KMC mayor, Yankuba Colley made some threats during his
interview on Start FM Radio. He added similar threats were advanced by Bakary
Jaiteh commonly known as Bakso. “Both of them are saying I should even try to
stop them and that I should be very careful about the APRC.”
He
said knowing the atrocities that have been committed during the Jammeh regime;
he is therefore not taking the threats lightly. “So we are not taking it
lightly because they are the same APRC that we knew under Yahya Jammeh.”
“I
have forwarded the audios to the Inspector General of the Police and that of
his deputy, informing them about the threats and we will engage the police and
make a formal complaint today.”
According to an audio obtained by The Point,
Yankuba Colley was quoted as saying: “Anybody who is not part of our protest
shouldn’t come. I heard the Victims Centre, the people that are “eating money”
saying that we should not be issued a permit. Is he more Gambian than us? I
want to tell him that we are more Gambians than him. ‘Bilahi’ let him not test
APRC,” Colley said.
“Let
him said anything what he wants to say in the papers but let him not test us.
We have a right to exercise our rights. Does he think he is more Gambian than
Jammeh? In fact even where he is staying is built by Jammeh,” Yankuba claimed.
Colley
urged Gambians to join them during the protest. “I am appealing to everyone.
The protest is not for criminals, and I am warning that the protest is not for
criminals and no one should come there and take advantage.”
Bakary
Jaiteh, a strong APRC supporter said: “We are Gambians and that we have rights
as you also have as Gambian. We also have the right to fight for our liberty
and freedom. Kijera, you and you victims centre are very ungrateful to Adama
Barrow government and that is why you can’t prosper because you have your
agenda.”
“APRC is coming out to protest and that we
will never relent and we have all rights to exercise our freedom in this
country.”
He
said that the protest is going to be a peaceful demonstration. “Kijera if you
said you are a Gambian and can stop this permit then stop it and see. If the
victims centre also has a right to stop the permit, then do it and we.”
