“We want the government to immediately ensure the removal of the forces in the area. The government has never been serious about the issues of Foni. We are citizens and we are paying taxes and we have the right to be protected,” the NAM for Foni Kansala District, Almameh Gibba claims on behalf of the four other NAMs in an audio obtained by The Point.
“We have the right as that man from Mankamang Kunda; we have right as that man from Banjul and we have right as that from Serrekunda. We ought to be protected like those people from Soma and URR.”
“Since the change of government in 2016, it has brought mayhem to us. The people of Foni are arrested and detained; the people of Foni are bullied; the people of Foni are tortured and the people of Foni are left not going to school for three months because of the happenings in Foni,” he alleged.
“We are asking the government to stop this barbaric attitude that is happening in our region. Foni is part of The Gambia and the stability of Foni is the stability of The Gambia and the instability of Foni is the instability of The Gambia,” he stated.
“President Barrow should know that as head of state, he should make sure he doesn’t politicise who to protect and who to defend. The government had never condemned the issues happening in Foni or came out with a statement on the illegal happenings in the Foni.”
“We are bordered by Senegal, therefore, we shouldn’t be afraid to sit in the border or live in the border. More sure, the Senegalese would shoot us and go scot-free.”
“We are asking the government of Barrow to take security very seriously more so the belt region of Foni. We are ‘Foningkas’ and we will remain Foningkas. We are paying taxes and we are the people who are paying the salaries of the ministers and Barrow. If you stand for your rights, you are either tortured or bullied.”
“We are people of peace and we will follow the law and its procedures. We are coming with a mechanism that the entire world would hear us. We want to send a message to the government and to the president that let them take the issue of Foni very seriously. Enough is enough and we will not condone any form of bullying for that child; that mother and that grandfather and that abled and disabled man and young and old. The people of Foni; from Bullock to Kalagi are suffering irrespective of political affiliation.”
“We are not talking about politics, but this is security. Barrow should understand and tell his counterpart that the border region is a region that needs protection and discussion among others. We want the government to take action or we will take action that will be determined by ourselves. Foni people are disciplined and obedient. We will follow the rule of law up to the end but we will not condone and accept intermediation,” Gibba concluded.
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