By Yankuba Jallow
Mai Fatty, the leader of the Gambia Moral Congress has called on the state to withdraw the criminal charges on the 3 Years Jotna leaders to foster national unity.
“I call on the Gambia Government to withdraw the case against Gambians currently standing trial for the alleged disturbances of last Sunday the 26th January 2020,” Fatty said.
The former Minister of Interior stated this at a press conference that his party organised at its headquarters along the Kairaba Avenue.
Fatty said: “Release them without delay as a demonstration of goodwill and statesmanship.”
“Government should do better than responding to violence with violence. Alleged breach of the law must not provoke executive excesses. Just like what is expected of citizens, every action of the State must be predicated on the law,” he said.
The former adviser to President Adama Barrow said the State must not be in the business of manipulation, a pretext to deploy national security reasons to achieve partisan political advantage adding that the citizens must abide by the law.
Lawyer Fatty called on President Barrow to engage all stakeholders, particularly former coalition leaders and call for genuine National Dialogue without delay.
“I call on President Barrow to assume leadership in healing the nation, de-escalating existing political tensions in the country, reverting to the coalition spirit and eschewing the supremacy of personal political ambition over urgent national emergencies,” he said.
Fatty said there are far too many things happening in The Gambia, all at the same time.
“The economy, especially the tourism sector is hurting too bad. The private sector remains uncertain, and international perception about the volatile security in our country is shifting attention from our country,” he said.
3 or 5 years!
Fatty said the government should treat these two groups equally because of the 5 Years Peace and Development came as a response to the 3 Years Jotna Movement.
Closure of the media houses by government
Fatty said: “Regarding the closure of radio stations, I Urge The Gambia Government to review the decision without delay. This is necessary, not only because many Gambians believe the due process was not followed, and the Government itself could be in breach of the law. Executive proclamations or decisions in themselves, without more, do not amount to law.”
Read tomorrow’s Foroyaa to know what Mr Fatty said about many other issues including the governance of the country, the loss of confidence by people in the government and as well as the several calls he made to President Barrow.
