quote:

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Originally posted by Momodou

DRAMA MARKS ELECTION EVE IN SK CENTRAL
By Baboucarr Ceesay

The whole nation was informed that the campaign period for the 2007 National Assembly Elections would come to an end on 23rd January 2006. The IEC referred to 24th January as the cooling period.

Called upon to witness the drama at Bundung Borehole, I saw many Secretaries of State, APRC Yai Compin or Chairwomen and supporters. The APRC activists were on board a black ford, a white Toyota pickup and three numberless Mitsubishi pickups from KMC. The most interesting drama is the arrival of a convoy of NADD supporters comprising six vehicles. They moved in and out of the streets of Bundung Borehole while the vehicles of the APRC supporters followed suit. They frequently stopped close to each other without saying a word to each other. Once the vehicles of NADD supporters assembled at the Bundung Borehole garage a group of women came out singing and dancing. They started to build heap of sand and pour liquid on the ground while they chanted. As they came close to the NADD transports they lifted their clothes and bent down to show their naked buttocks to the drivers.

Tension began to build up when a youngman who went to his home was confronted by some APRC supporters.

Eventually, the APRC supporters forced one of the youngmen to accompany them. This heightened the tension and the NADD supporters called Halifa Sallah to intervene.

When I asked the APRC supporters, they claimed that they were watching the NADD supporters so that they would not buy voters’ cards. When I asked the NADD supporters they also said that they were watching the APRC supporters so that they would not buy voters’ cards and intimidate the voters by their fetish dancing and performances.

I spoke to the NADD candidate regarding the situation at the scene and he said that showing buttocks is backward practice which undermines the integrity of women but cannot affect the outcome of elections. He added that he had called Mr. Kawsu Ceesay of the IEC to report the incident so that they would send someone on the ground but to no avail. He said he had asked Sam Sarr to alert the Police, while he himself went to the ground to contain the tension.

He said by the time he appeared on the ground, most of the APRC supporters’ transports had gone away. A plain clothes security officer approached him to say that they were in charge and that it was best for him and his convoy to go back to reduce the tension. By 5 am the dust began to settle but one person was arrested and taken to Bundung Police Station. He has been released on bail.

Comment: The IEC should definitely have security personnel deployed during the rest period to prevent any canvassing for votes or other political activities during the cooling off period. This is the only way to prevent such scenes in the future. Without mature political leaders such scenes can be capitalized on to fan election violence.

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Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 011/2007, 29-30 January, 2006

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quote:

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Originally posted by Momodou

DRAMA MARKS ELECTION EVE IN SK CENTRAL
By Baboucarr Ceesay

The whole nation was informed that the campaign period for the 2007 National Assembly Elections would come to an end on 23rd January 2006. The IEC referred to 24th January as the cooling period.

Called upon to witness the drama at Bundung Borehole, I saw many Secretaries of State, APRC Yai Compin or Chairwomen and supporters. The APRC activists were on board a black ford, a white Toyota pickup and three numberless Mitsubishi pickups from KMC. The most interesting drama is the arrival of a convoy of NADD supporters comprising six vehicles. They moved in and out of the streets of Bundung Borehole while the vehicles of the APRC supporters followed suit. They frequently stopped close to each other without saying a word to each other. Once the vehicles of NADD supporters assembled at the Bundung Borehole garage a group of women came out singing and dancing. They started to build heap of sand and pour liquid on the ground while they chanted. As they came close to the NADD transports they lifted their clothes and bent down to show their naked buttocks to the drivers.

Tension began to build up when a youngman who went to his home was confronted by some APRC supporters.

Eventually, the APRC supporters forced one of the youngmen to accompany them. This heightened the tension and the NADD supporters called Halifa Sallah to intervene.

When I asked the APRC supporters, they claimed that they were watching the NADD supporters so that they would not buy voters’ cards. When I asked the NADD supporters they also said that they were watching the APRC supporters so that they would not buy voters’ cards and intimidate the voters by their fetish dancing and performances.

I spoke to the NADD candidate regarding the situation at the scene and he said that showing buttocks is backward practice which undermines the integrity of women but cannot affect the outcome of elections. He added that he had called Mr. Kawsu Ceesay of the IEC to report the incident so that they would send someone on the ground but to no avail. He said he had asked Sam Sarr to alert the Police, while he himself went to the ground to contain the tension.

He said by the time he appeared on the ground, most of the APRC supporters’ transports had gone away. A plain clothes security officer approached him to say that they were in charge and that it was best for him and his convoy to go back to reduce the tension. By 5 am the dust began to settle but one person was arrested and taken to Bundung Police Station. He has been released on bail.

Comment: The IEC should definitely have security personnel deployed during the rest period to prevent any canvassing for votes or other political activities during the cooling off period. This is the only way to prevent such scenes in the future. Without mature political leaders such scenes can be capitalized on to fan election violence.

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Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 011/2007, 29-30 January, 2006

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