By: Nyima Sillah
Citizen’s Alliance senior strategic communication officer John Moses Jammeh-Sainey has called for the Senegalese soldiers to be held accountable for the death of DuwaBadjie allegedly shot death in Gambian territory.
“The behavior of the Senegalese army across the border in Foni is shocking. Duwa Badgie is a highly respected member of Foni who the Senegalese killed in Gambian territory which is not disputed. I called on the Senegalese soldiers to be prosecuted and make sure this is not repeated,” The CA ‘s Head of Communicationsand native of Foni told The Voice in an exclusive interview yesterday.
“The political activists in the Gambia are very quiet about this incident, am yet to see anyhuman rights activist or political activist who is taking note of all the incidents that are happening in Foni from 2016 to date. They are keeping mute because it is Foni. If some of these things happened in any part of the country or closer to the greater Banjul area, the noise would be deafening” Jammeh argued.
“I called on the National Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Justice, and all the other security sectors to investigate the activities of Senegalese soldiers across the border to mitigate future conflicts,” he said.
He explained that most of the people that live within the Foni region from Bullock to Kanlagiare the same people that own the lands on the other side of Casamance in Senegal. Most of the Gambians that go across the border into Casamance are not trespassing, they are going into their family, relative ancestry land.
“We recently heard a lot of incidents in print and electronic media in the borderline. Senegalese forces cross into Gambian territory shoot at a Gambian, kill him and carry his body across to Casamance, which country in the world would accept that?” Mr. Jammeh asked. He added: “Would Senegal ever accept Gambian Security to go across into their territory, attack their citizens, kill them, and repatriate their bodies to Gambia?”
He reiterated that the happenings in Foni are unacceptable and need to stop immediately, stressing that the Senegalese soldiers need to understand that the people they are brutalizing in the Foni region have most of their relatives in the greater Banjul area, Cassamance, and Dakar.
Jammeh advised the Senegalese soldiers to be mindful of their actions and respect the special relationship the two sister countries shared since they all related in one way or the other.
“We have no special interest in the ongoing conflict within the Casamance region. We want that conflict to end peacefully so that at least the lives of the people across those two areas who are our relatives will return to normal. We do not want any blood to be shed on our soil,” he pointed out.
He commended the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Gambians Abroad and members of the National Security Council for the swift action by summoning the Senegalese Ambassador.
