By Omar Bah
The Gambia civil society yesterday called an emergency meeting at Tango to discuss President Adama Barrow’s controversial comments against outspoken activist Madi Jorbarteh and the media.
Addressing a meeting with Muslim elders at State House on Monday, President Barrow accused Mr Jobarteh of wanting to burn down the country and said his government will look into his affairs.
The president also criticised Gambian media for continuing to give a platform to Jobarteh whose only interest, he alleged, is “to incite chaos in The Gambia”.
Concerned by the president’s comments, the CSOs summoned a meeting yesterday to discuss the implications of the president’s comments.
The CSO groups concluded that the president’s comments posed a potential threat to human rights, freedom of expression and the country’s democracy.
The CSOs consider the president’s comments as divisive and unacceptable, given the country’s past experience under Jammeh.
“We considered the president’s comments as serious threat to media freedom and dissent and we have to call a press conference on Friday to express our disappointment as well as remind the government of its obligation to uphold the constitution and protect the right of every Gambian,” a source who was at the meeting told The Standard.
