The emergency situation which left many stranded, as they uncomfortably sought refuge in neighbouring villages made it hard and, perhaps, almost impossible for Gambians living around the border to Cassamance to cast their votes in the parliamentary elections.
Thus, the ECOWAS EOM preliminary statement on elections findings, which was read by Mohamed Ibn Chambas to media professionals on Monday states: " The EOM, however, remains concerned about the clashes between the Senegalese ECOMIG troops and the Movement for Democratic Forces of Cassamance (MFDC) that has led to the displacement of thousands of Gambians along the border communities, specifically in the Foni region, close to election day."
The mission added that situation in the Cassamance region continues to highlight the plight of internally displaced persons.
"It also highlights the need to strengthen the capacity of EMBs to manage elections amidst emergencies and develop modalities for displaced persons to participate in electoral processes."
