Gambia’s Ministry of Interior warns pressure group against demonstration
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The Gambia’s Ministry of the Interior has warned pressure group, Operation Three Years Jotna (three has reached), against embarking on demonstration, citing serious security complex against public order and safety concerns.
The ministry warned that following the decision of the inspector general of police (IGP) to withhold the insurance of peaceful protest permit to “Operation three (3) Jotna”, the minister of the interior, as parent ministry, “hereby affirms the IGP’s position accordingly”, adding that “this is based on serious security complex against public order and safety concerns”.
“As this is vested in the ministry’s responsibility for the maintenance of law and order to ensure internal security, we urge both the leadership and the entire membership of ‘Operation three (3) Jotna’ to fully comply with the IGP decision as it stands to pursue its constitutional mandate to maintain the peace and prevent violence; and in extension to protect public lives and properties,” said a statement made available to PANA here Wednesday.
“In fulfillment of its obligation to cater to citizens constitutional rights to assembly and association, the Gambia government through the office of the IGP has been so accommodating in allowing both ‘Three (3) years Jotna’ and ‘Gambia for five years’ to peacefully protest before the glare of global television station.
“Therefore, a violence of the position of the IGP by any person(s) shall be deemed as flagrant violence of both the constitution and public order act, and direct affront to the peace, security and public safety as well as the economic well-being of the Gambia and its people,” the statement, signed by Interior Minister Yankunba Sonko, said.
The statement pointed out that the ministry would advise persons aggrieved by the decision of the inspector general of police to pursue the matter with the Gambia law court for redress.
In the same development, PANA report that ex- President Yahya Jammeh Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction party has vowed to stage a demonstration Thursday without a police permit.
The opposition APRC party earlier announced staging a demonstration seeking the return of former president Jammeh.
Jammeh, who ruled The Gambia for 22 years, has been living in exile in Equatorial Guinea. In a recent Whatsapp audio, Jammeh called on his party supporters to peacefully demonstrate for his return.
In an exclusive interview with a local radio station here, the APRC party's deputy spokesman Dodou Jah said: "...not yet been issued but nonetheless we have decided we will go ahead with or without it (permit)."
He cited section 25 of the 1997 constitution of giving right to demonstration, adding: "We are not doing any protest, we are calling it a peaceful demonstration and we are not going out to break law."
He called on the police to explain their last press release which cited no national threat, saying his party was not asking President Adama Barrow to step down or supporting Operation Three Years pressure group.
.-0- PANA MSS/RA 15Jan2020
