By Amadou Jadama in Jangjangbureh
The leader of the United Democratic Party has called on President Adama Barrow and ECOWAS to investigate the deaths of three people in Foñi killed by Senegalese drones.
Addressing delegates on Sunday as he retained his seat as party leader, Ousainu Darboe said:
“We have heard the reports of the unfortunate killings of civilians in Foñi by Senegalese drones. This incident further exacerbates an already tense and fragile situation in Foñi. The UDP strongly believes that the territorial integrity must be respected by Senegal and that the Gambia Government must stand up to its responsibility to protect Gambia’s territorial integrity,” he said.
Darboe added that the citizens and those resident in Foñi must not live in fear of being killed by remote-controlled weapons of war as they go about their daily activities.
The UDP leader advised President Barrow and his government to ensure that those in Foñi are as safe as those in Banjul.
He added: “Whilst the UDP recognises the indivisibility of Senegal, it also firmly believes that the Gambia cannot and must not be used as a launchpad by the Senegalese. I call on the Gambia Government and ECOWAS to launch a swift and thorough investigation to provide answers to the families of the victims and the Gambian citizens at large and also to provide a concrete action plan to prevent future occurrence.”
Speaking further on the economy, Darboe said the Barrow government has destroyed the economy with rising inflation and unsustainable debt.
He said the country’s health sector is a death trap and a neglected agriculture which cannot feed even a small fraction of the population.
“What then are the priorities of the Barrow administration? It definitely is not you, the Gambian people. You only have to look at the terrible budget they have just passed in parliament and see how they have crafted it for Adama Barrow, and his friends in the executive, legislative branches as well as private sector operators lined up for bids and contracts. All at the expense of we the Gambians to whom the money belongs,” Mr Darboe said.
