By Nelson Manneh
The victims of alleged Senegalese military drone gunshot were on Monday laid to rest in Karunorr village and Dobong village in Foni Kansala.
The three that were confirmed dead at the Edward Frances Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul after sustaining gunshot injury.
The deceased are late Dembo Colley, Ebrima Colley and Alagie Manga.
Dembo Colley and Ebrima Colley were laid to rest in Karunorr village whilst Alagie Manga was laid to rest in Dobong Village.
The Alkalo of Karunorr Village Modou Lamin Colley said all the deceased are Gambians and all of them are residing in Karunorr village.
“I can confirm to you that none of them is a refugee. They were all born here in Karunorr village and did their schooling in Kappa village,” he said.
The Alkalo said the reason why Alagie Manga is burred in Dobong Village is because Alagie’s parents are residing in Dobong but he is brought up by his uncles in Karunorr.
The Alkalo of Karunorr Village said if anybody suggests that these children who lost their lives are refugees the person is misleading the whole nation.
“We lost these three young people in vain, we put our trust in God and he will judge between us,” he lamented.
According to his narration the Alkalo of Karunorr said the children in Karunorr village during the dry season normally go to the forest to fetch firewood and sell it to get money because they have no other source of income.
He said the decease went to fetch firewood and on their way home the drone shot at them and the three died instantly.
He said one Sulayman Colley was the only survivor but he sustained serious injury and is admitted at the Edward Frances Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul.
The parents of Dembo Colley and Ebrima Colley could not speak to this reporter as their hearts were heavy. They were seen weeping as their children were taken to the graveyard.
“They are gone forever, we will continue to miss these hard working children, but God will judge between us” their mother remarked while weeping and waving at her children as they were taken for burial.
“Gambians around the border villages in Foni are dying and the authorities are not doing anything to secure us. We want justice, we want protection, enough is enough,” they lamented.
Honourable Almamy Gibba the National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala urged the people of Karunorr and other villages along the border to stay calm.
“I am having the Identity Cards of all the deceased. They are Gambians and I will follow the matter up to the end,” he said.
“This is not about politics, it is about life and death,” he lamented.
