Gov’t urged to hold peace talks between Senegal’s gov’t and Casamance rebels

By Binta Jaiteh

An Independent parliamentary candidate for Foni Kansala has urged The Gambia government to hold peace talks between Senegal’s government and MFDC rebels in a bid to end the decade long fighting.

Abdoulie Bojang said: “I task your government (President Adama Barrow) to initiate peace talk between Senegal government and MFDC as soon as possible because Gambians are suffering from a foreign war and the brunt of pain is absorbed by Foni region. Therefore, do not let Gambia to be dented by selfish interest.”

“In just five years the people have suffered due to undue security, negligence, murder, marginalization, police and military brutality and your politicking has headed against us patriotic and peace loving of Foni,” he added.

“The matter has reached to the neck and if care is not taken, we might vomit the venom that will be politically venomous. It is rather unfortunate that the government we voted into office cannot or not ready to protect its citizens. Meanwhile the recent issue happening at the border has displaced hundreds of people and this could have been averted if the government is concerned about the issue.”

“However, the gunfire has injected a lot of fear and panic yet we do not know the governments stand on the matter. But I urge the president to do the needful and is high time for your government to be concern with real nation building. We are a sovereign country and we are the solution to our problems not Senegal or ECOMIG.  The insecurity about Africa is cause by the very action of our leaders,” he said.

According to him, The Gambia has become an overnight desert and a forestless zone, as far as the Senegalese timber is concern our firewood is imported from Senegal.