Gambia: A Ticking Time Bomb Waiting to Explode at any Minute

History has taught us time and again that an uprising or a revolution anywhere in the world often emanates from a very unlikely or unexpected source. We have seen it in the case of Ebrima Barry whose untimely death in the hands of Brikama Fire Officers sparked the student riots of  April 10th & 11th in the year 2000, which eventually led to the death of over a dozen students. And more significantly, the popular Arab Spring uprising which started in Tunisia in the year 2010 was orchestrated by the unlawful killing of Mohammed Bouazizi.

Since the unfortunate incidents of April 10th & 11th 2000, demonstrations and political assemblies/marches have been largely subdued in the Gambia. The opposition parties are rendered toothless and press freedom is virtually non-existence, leading to the exile of many journalists and political activist. Over the years however, a lot of Gambians have become increasingly angry and frustrated with the current government - albeit not been able to voice or express their concerns.

Ever since the forthcoming election date was confirmed for December 1st 2016 - with the Independent Electoral Commision (IEC) coming up with series of strict requirements for political parties, a lot of debates have been raging on in the political arena regarding positive electoral reforms. Negotiations have been forth-going on the ground between opposition parties to try and pave the way for a possible alliance to take on the incumbent in the upcoming presidential elections. Notwithstanding, political activist and commentators continue to call for a level playing field in the Gambian political arena.

UDP Party Demonstration. Source: seneweb

Consequently, a handful of United Democratic Party (UDP) militants took to the streets on Thursday 14th April 2016 to exercise their constitutional right. Soon after displaying their banner at the Westfield Junction, they were forcefully arrested by officers from the Police Intervention Unit (PIU). Bombarded in police trucks and whisked away to the National Intelligent Agency (NIA), they were reportedly tortured overnight which led to the apparent demise of one of the unarmed protesters.

Subsequently, the UDP party executive organised an emergency meeting and embarked on a reactive demonstration to demand the unconditional release of their party militants. They were similarly met with restrictions from the security forces with the party leader and most of his executive members arrested and detained. As a result, the international community most notably the UN, Amnesty International and the US State Department have unanimously issued statements condemning the situation.

It is obvious that the events of the last couple of days have generated a lot of anger and frustrations in the country. In as much as the ordinary Gambian is renowned for being peace loving, it is inevitable that someday they will say 'enough is enough' - and stand up to the brutal security forces who continue to oppress and terrorise the citizenry. And this is exactly what has happened and only God knows what the final repercussions are going to be. People are cornered to the wall, so they have no other option than to retaliate or fight back to liberate themselves. If care is not taken however, the title ‘Smiling Coast of Africa’ which the Gambia is known for over the years, will all but soon become history. We therefore urge the government to treat the current situation with optimum cautiousness and allow the people of the Gambia the freedom they rightfully deserve.