By Mustapha Jallow
Gambia Inspector General of Police, Mamut Jobe, Sunday confirmed that his office will issue permit to Operation Three Years Jotna for them to demonstrate.
Jobe told Foroyaa: “I assured that they will be issued permit.”
He made this statement after the movement Operation Three Years Jotna confirmed to Foroyaa that the Police boss had assured them that he is going to issue permit to them latest Tuesday.
Abdou Njie, the chairman of the Movement said the breakthrough came on Friday, 6th December during their closed-door meeting with the interior minister and some government officials at the Interior Ministry in Kololi.
“During the meeting, the interior minister assured us that we will be granted permit,’’ he said.
He added, “At first, what was captured in the application for permit was that the protest will start at Westfield-Monument and end at State House in Banjul.
“But it was later changed during our recent meeting, where I suggested that Westfield is tight and people’s properties are there which needs protection as the protest will be overcrowded.’’
The movement leader said, “I further suggested for them to move the protest to Stink Corner and we end at Denton Bridge. This was agreed by the interior minister and others.’’
Following the change of the protest venue, according to Njie, the Police IG then promised them that by latest Tuesday, 10 December the permit will be handed over to them (3 years protesters).
He added that “The time agreement for the protest was from 10am to 2pm.’’ “Immediately after our protest, we would summit the petition paper for the President to the minister and return to our respective homes.’’
“We will also have our own copies and every Gambian will know that we have summited our petition paper to the President. This is what we discussed. It was a healthy and peaceful meeting,’’ he said.
Njie said they were not pressurized by anyone during their meeting with the authorities, adding that their discussion focused on how to maintain peace and avoid violence.
“We do not want anyone to dictate us because dictatorship is no more. We also want to show to Gambians that we would conduct this protest without any violence because we are a nonviolent – group,’’ he assured.
Njie said probably there will be a dialogue between them and the government after their protest, but as at now he cannot ascertain that.
“Dialogue is possible, but I cannot confirm that as at now,’’ he said.
Njie called on APRC, GDC, PDOIS, UDP and other parties to join them in their protest.
He said: “Our movement is peaceful. We do not want violence and we would never engage in violence.”
He assured Gambians not to seek refuge anywhere since their movement is a peaceful and they will conduct themselves in a peaceful manner.
