By: Sekou Hydara
Abdou Njie, chairman of operation “3 Years Jotna” has denied report that his movement is anticipating to embark on a protest without permit, revealing that the group has already placed their demand for permit and is left to the Police to decide whether to issue one or not.
“I never said in any of our meetings that we are going to take to the streets if we are denied a permit by the Police. What I said was that we ‘3-years Jonta’ will request a permit from the Police”, he said at press conference on Saturday.
He added: “The issue of whether the Police will issues the permit or not is left to them to decide on that.”
Operation 3-years Jotna is a pressure group demanding President Barrow to step-down after three years in office as promised by him and his coalition members.
“We want President Barrow to tell the nation why he is not interested or considering to respect the agreement in the coalition MoU,” Njie noted.
The Voice report that, in July 2019 members of the same movement (#Operation 3-years Jotna) staged their first protest around the Senegambia strips of the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
15 of protesters were arrested by the Police and were charged with breach of peace among others charges. Among the arrestees were eight women and seven men, as the trial failed to proceed and the Police later dropped all charges against protesters.
“We (#Operation 3-years Jotna”) did what is expected of us. The onus is now on the Police to grant us a permit or not,” he remarked.
Chairman Njie affirms that #Operation “3years Jotna” is not a threat to national security or rebellious group contrary to the views of the critics. “We are never a threat to national security nor are we threating anybody.”
He noted that there were instances when the whole nation was in constant fear. “You have the securities all over with their guns including Ecomig soldiers but this did not stop anyone from carry-on their normal businesses.”