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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jul 2019 : 12:27:22
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July 24, 2019
by Kebba Secka
More than twenty-eight people have been admitted at the Brikama Major Health Centre including three babies.
This happened as a result of the firing of tear gas by members of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) to scatter the protesters who were unbending in their protest.
Several arrests have been made by the police since the start of the protest by youths expressing anger over the way the Brikama Area Council has been handling their affairs since taking over.
The media were denied entry to the health center by the police who occupied the entrance to the health facility. Foroyaa was later able to get into the health center and speak to the victims of the protest.
Lamin Sanyang, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the health facility told this reporter that it was difficult to tell the exact number of registered casualties as more and more were being brought into the centre. However, the Foroyaa reporter was able to speak to 28 patients who were injured during the protest.
Sanyang said: “So far, there have not been any major casualties; all the patients we have received sustained minor injuries. Some of them are disturbed by tear gas.”
Mother of a 9 -month old baby in an interview explained how her baby got into trouble as a result of the tear gases that were fired by the police. She detailed that she shut their doors and put on their electric fan to enable them to breathe.
“When I got out telling the officers to control the tear gas they were releasing, I was informed that my baby is in comma. This is how he was taken to the health centre by the Red Cross,” she said.
Lamin Tall, one of the protesters said they planned to begin the protest at 10 am and participants were expected to gather at the Jah Oil Petrol Station where they would have walked to the Brikama Area Council and expressed their dissatisfaction. He said they were disappointed when they saw the police as early as 6 am who later interrupted all their plans.
Police could be seen mounting guards at strategic locations in Brikama, while the protesters burnt tires and were throwing stones at the police causing the injury of several people including a PIU Officer and a thirteen-year-old girl name withheld.
“I don’t know who stoned me and I don’t know where the stone came from,” the 13 – year told Foroyaa, adding that “as I was standing watching the protest, a stone came down on my head. I then fell and I was brought here (at the health centre).”
Teenage students who were in their school uniforms were also part of those admitted at the heath facility due to the indiscriminate release of tear gas. One of them told Foroyaa that she was on her way to school, but was disturbed by the tear gas.
The protest, according to the demonstrators, was prearranged to manifest their dissatisfaction over what they called the poor management of the Brikama Area Council. They said the Council has failed to provide the area with good roads, standard markets and garbage collection system. In addition, the protesters said the people of the Region pay rates to council and yet they do not realize the benefit of being tax complaint. They also said the region has a poor drainage system as well. They concluded that the authorities are not sensitive to the plight of vendors.
https://foroyaa.gm/breaking-news-28-people-hospitalized-in-brikama-demonstration/
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2019 : 14:27:47
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By Omar Bah July 25, 2019
& Momodou Torp
A number of people were arrested in Brikama as police tried to disperse demonstrators, dubbed #OccupyBAC, who defied police advice to stage a protest against what they called the poor performance of the local area council.
In the ensuing melee which lasted hours, police used tear gas in a bid to stop the protest in which several people including the coordinator of the protest Ismael Fadera were reported to have been hospitalized after suffering complications.
Rescue workers from the National Disaster Management Agency were busy collecting injured people and dropping them at the Brikama Health Centre as market vendors and other curious people looked on helplessly.
The police also confiscated T-shirts and banners the protesters printed.
Report said protesters who were out to show their frustration over BAC’s lack of responsiveness to needs of the people of West Coast were denied permit despite being reportedly told they have met all the requirements.
The arrested protesters are reportedly detained at Mandinaba and Banjulinding police stations respectively.
Speaking on behalf of protesters, Abubacarr Darboe said they feel betrayed and disappointed by government.
“This is not what we expected when we went to the polls.
It is unprofessional from the police to deny us permit.”
He said on Tuesday they were invited by the IGP and also had a meeting with the deputy CDS, President’s Security adviser and other senior government officials who advised them to cancel the demonstration but they refused.
“So when we converged at the Jah Oil we met the PIU officers who started fearing tear gas and spraying rubber bullets on us,” he alleged.
The group said the council failed in providing basic facilities such as roads, standard markets, lack of proper waste collection system, mishandling of vendors at the markets and poor drainage system among others.
“The public has lost confidence in the council authorities.”
They demanded the immediate release of the arrested protesters or arraigned them before a court within 72 hours.
Meanwhile and almost at the same time all hell broke loose in Serekunda and Senegambia strip where hundreds of demonstrators took to the Highway burning car tires and throwing stones at the police whom they accused of causing the death of a market vendor.
The man, Ousman Darboe a Sierra Leonean died at Medicare on Tuesday days after being released from the police anti-crime unit where he was held in connection with alleged possession of stolen goods.
However, his colleagues at the market and their friends claimed he was tortured and blamed the police for his death.
They marched to the anti-crime unit office near Bijilo to demand justice.
A huge commotion ensured as the police tried to disperse them and remove road blocks.
Meanwhile as the evening approached, the police came out with a statement on the incident:
The office of the Inspector General of Police received disturbing information about a mob of angry youths marching towards the Anti Crime Unit to protest the demise of Ousman Darboe.
The Office of the IGP is calling on the youth to observe calm and restraint.
Ousman Darboe’s name came up during investigations into a breaking and stealing incident that occurred at Kerr Serign on 11th July 2019. Suspects in the said case confessed selling items stolen from the Kerr Serign incident to Ousman Darboe.
Investigators visited his shop at Serekunda market where a flat screen television set, part of the stolen items was recovered in his possession.
On the 12th July 2019, he was arrested and charged with receiving stolen properties contrary to the laws of the Gambia.
On Monday the 15th of July 2019, he was granted bail within 72hours as specified by law and was subsequently reporting on bail.
Ousman Darboe during his detention was said to be an asthmatic patient as shown by medical papers tendered by his family which prompted his bail.
The Inspector General’s Office assures the public that it will continue a probe into the death of Ousman Darboe and the outcome will be duly communicated to ascertain the cause of death.
In this regard, the public is urged to maintain the peace and security of the country”.
As we went to press, we were reliably informed that the house of the anti crime unit commander Gorgi Mboob has been set on fire.
https://standard.gm/demonstrations-hit-brikama-and-senegambia/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2019 : 16:19:59
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Must Not forget The Point must we 
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Friday, July 26, 2019
Several shops and other small businesses were shut down in Brikama on Wednesday following a protracted confrontation between the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) anti-riot team and a group of protesters who call themselves Concern Youth.
The group, who launched a hashtag #OccupyBAC, planned to protest against the Brikama Area Council for what they called their failure to provide basic facilities like good road networks, standard markets and proper waste management and collection. They also accused the council of not properly ploughing the rates and taxes into development, manhandling of market vendors and poor drainage system.
Several people were arrested and others sustained injuries and unconsciousness as police fire tear gas, causing panic and fear.
The disrupted protest which ended with the throwing of tear gas by the PIU officers to disperse the crowd assembled around the market, forced market vendors to shut down their shops and small canteens to avoid become casualties.
President of Brikama market vendors association, Foday Manjang, said the protest forced them to the close their businesses, which, he said affected their sale.
He said he and other vendors at the market have to run for their lives to avoid tear gas, which was fired by the police to disperse the protesters. “We have to close our businesses and run for our lives because the amount of tear gas that was fired was reaching the market,” he said.
Sally Bojang, a vendor at the Brikama market, said the crowd that was running from the effects of the tear gas destroyed all of her goods. “I have nowhere to depend on as a parent with children to feed except the small sale I gain from the market. I use to sale more than 500 dalasis a day but today I could not make any sell due to the problem.
Author: Yusupha Jobe
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/businesses-on-standstill-amid-protest-in-brikama |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 26 Jul 2019 16:20:47 |
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2019 : 16:28:01
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"BAC to dialogue with #OccupyBAC "
All very good BUT will this "dialog" lead to ANY ACTION from BAC ?
Let's wait and see,BAC has so much on it's plate that requires, MONEY, has BAC got any MONEY ?
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Friday, July 26, 2019
The director of Administration and public relations officer of the Brikama Area Council (BAC), Ebrima Sawaneh, says that the council will invite a youth movement that calls itself #OccupyBAC to dialogue with them and look into some of their demands.
The movement on Wednesday 24 July 2019 took to the streets, demanding better social services such as good roads, standard market facilities, proper waste collection system, good drainage and other social amenities.
However, they were later dispersed by the PIU personnel, using tear gas.
Mr. Sawaneh told The Point that the council will invite organisers of the #OccupyBAC protest for a dialogue with a view to responding to some of their demands that were embedded in their petition.
He added that the council will look into their demands and see which of them fall under their mandate, but was quick to point out that some of those demands do not fall under their purview as a council.
“We have received their petition and we are going to invite them,” he declared.
“We will invite them for a dialogue and the CEO did even mention that the council is going to invite them for talks and then we will try to tell them our mandate as a council.”
He acknowledged that the council is currently facing difficulties for the provision of some of the social services to the people of the region; as most of their sources of income have been taken away by the central government. He outlined revenue collection, sand mining, car park fees, cattle tax and bill boards fees as all currently under the control of the National Roads Authority.
Author: Yusupha Jobe
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/bac-to-dialogue-with-occupybac |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2019 : 16:41:32
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By
Madi M.K. Ceesay -
July 26, 2019
What happen in the Brikama town when protesters were trying to reach the Brikama Area Council to deliver their concerns and the incidents at the Serekunda markets are the outcome of police denials of a request for a peaceful demonstration by some citizens of the country?
There is room for citizens to express their feelings, either by way of speech, written or actions; by peaceful means in the laws of the land.
Why is it that anytime citizens apply for a permit to peacefully protest such permits are refuse by the police? These acts tantamount to the suppression some fundamental human rights.
In other countries citizens only had to inform the police of a peaceful protest and they the police will provide security for the protection of the protesters and that of the people. That is not the case in the Gambia.
What happen in Brikama and in some other parts of the country is an outcome of the police refusals to grant them the permit to go ahead with their peaceful protest. Subsequently what happen later should be the responsibility of the security forces.
If the police had granted the Brikama protesters with a permit and provided them with security, they would have peacefully reach the Brikama Area Council and present their demands without any hitches.
Unfortunately even before the 24th July when the protesters made their intentions clear that they were going on a peaceful protest the police were negative about the whole thing and there were some pronouncements in the local papers and in the social media that the police cannot stop the protest. So in essence, that is where the antagonism started.
The police could have averted the friction and the firing of tear gas on these peaceful protesters easily by granting them permit which is their fundamental rights.
The peaceful protests that had happen in the Gambia in the last few years easily turned violent only after police interventions.
The late Solo Sandeng’s case , was very peaceful from Bambo right through the streets of Serekunda past the busy Serekunda market up to wellfield; when the police confronted them with heavy hands causing serious wounds and eventually the death of late Solo.
In April of 2000, the student protest over the maltreatment of a student who died under police custody in Brikama in the hands of the Fire Services was also as a results of police handling of issues. That protest had resulted to the killing of 12 students and a journalist Omar Barrow.
One wonders if our men in uniforms are giving the right trainings or not. As the riots were all over last Wednesday the police graduated 35 police in the area of anti-terrorism, bank robbery and other skills but yet police performance is poor when it comes to crown management.
The Daily News calls the attention of the police to the provision of permits to peaceful protesters as required by our laws and provide security. There should not be any restrains of the issuances of permit for peaceful protests as it is the constitutional rights of citizens to go on a peaceful protest.
Yes there is another commission to look into the circumstances of the death of one Ousman Darboe alleged to have being killed by a section of the police called the anti-crime unit. In the same week another alleged killing by the police was the case of a University student called kebba Secka.
The Daily News hopes that, the findings of this particular commission will have the urgent attention of the President in its implementations.
http://dailynewsgm.com/police-denials-responsible-for-the-unfortunate-july-24th-incidents/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2019 : 23:35:36
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By Louise Jobe July 24, 2019
ECOMIG troops have been deployed in Brikama shortly after protesters set the old market ablaze.
ECOMIG forces are now guarding the Brikama Police Station to prevent angry protesters from invading it.
The youths are dissatisfied with the manner the Brikama Area Council is managing the affairs of the council.
A young boy was knocked down by a vehicle belonging to the Police Intervention Unit. The boy is currently admitted at the Brikama Health Center, though the police have denied the press access to enter the health facility to ascertain the fate of those admitted there as a result of the demonstration.
Foroyaa can confirm that five people have been hospitalized. Three ladies, a man and the young boy are all admitted at the Brikama Health facility.
The protest is ongoing and the youths are adamant that they would continue with the it. PIU officers are dispatched in strategic locations to quell the demonstration in Brikama. Brikama is the administrative town the West Coast Region.
The demonstration, according to the protesters, is organized by the youths to protest against what they called bad leadership and governance at the Brikama Area Council. They said the Council has failed to provide the area with good roads, standard markets and proper refuse collection system. In addition, the protesters said the people of the Region pay their rates and yet they do not see the benefits of their tax payment. They said the Region has a very poor drainage system as well. Finally, the protesters said the Council agents are not sensitive to the plight of the vendors who lack market space.
https://foroyaa.gm/breaking-news-3-wounded-many-arrested-in-brikama-demonstration/
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2019 : 02:08:23
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Published in The Standard Newspaper under "OPINIONS" I cannot find the Author of this Opinion shown anywhere.
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July 31, 2019
It can be recalled that on Wednesday 24 July youths of Brikama and the entire west coast region gathered physically, psychologically and even ideally to show their grievance or dissatisfaction at the way the chairman of Brikama Area Council and his entourage are steering the wheel of their affairs.
Along the line, it looks like The Gambia police intervention unit were deployed to strategic locations to control the situation by any means possible, looking from the angle from which the scene has unfolded.
Unfortunately the PIU officers were misinformed and have failed drastically in their operations starting from where the mode of operation was nurtured down to the men on the ground. Their failure was not to intentionally suffocate their own people, instead they have failed woefully in the following;
Impact assessment: The PIU vividly failed in the impact assessment of the incident as this was never an emergency operation and also bearing in mind the settlements around the BAC.
In these surroundings where innocent people, some of whom were not even aware of the scene talk less of taking part, lives. Majority of these people are young children, babies and their mothers and older people whose immune systems are immature or weak.
Hey officers why are you so hungry to manipulate the trigger to openly release such a highly concentrated tear gas on your own people as if you were conducting training.
Are you really concern about their health and wellbeing? Do you know that tear or CS gas suppresses the upper respiratory tract? Do you know suppression of such a vital system can risk someone’s death? Do you know asthmatic people can die through this? Do you know you were attempting to kill? If you don’t know, you better wipe your lenses and know now!! You cannot openly release tear gas on people to jeopardise their health conditions.
I want to remind you that health is a fundamental human right!
Contingency Plan or Theory: The Gambia police intervention unit Officers that were deployed at BAC were not informed about the contingency theory or plan putting into consideration the modalities of controlling demonstrators. The men (PIU) need to be informed that there is not only one best way of doing things, even though the end justifies the mean.
Is it that they only know about CS or tear gas in calming or controlling demonstrators even in health risk areas?
Wonders shall never end!
Do you know that the PIU officers discharged this harmful compound or tear gas within the hospital atmosphere?
This was so unprofessional and heart bleeding about The Gambia PIU officers and it’s unacceptable.
In fact we condemned it in the strongest terms possible.
The tear gas diffused in every nook and cranny of the Brikama District Hospital. All the patients, escorts including the nurses and doctors who were there to recue the victims, were struggling to breath normally at some point.
Within the hospital, there were several different patients admitted with several different diagnosis ranging from antenatal women, neonates, paediatrics and other categories of patient.
So the PIU had failed in their pre-planning through impact assessment as to the location of the hospital to the BAC and also contingency plan.
They at some moments were tampering with innocent patients’ lives by introducing tear gas within the atmospheric boundary of the hospital.
Think of those in the labour ward! Does the PIU know that tear gas can cause miscarriage, choke, forceful cough just to mention few?
At the out patient department, two escorts collapsed instantly and a baby of three (3) weeks old was also affected due to the inhalation of the tear gas in consultation room 2 & 3. Other escorts in the observation room ran out and left their people behind, running for their dear lives.
Does the PIU know that tear gas can cause chemical burn in the airways, temporal blindness, bullet vomiting?
Children admitted at the paediatric ward with neonatal and childhood illness are not thought of during the initial planning of the operation. Most of their conditions or diagnosis affect the respiratory system.
So if the PIU expose these children to tear gas that also affect the respiratory system respectively.
Does the PIU know that tear gas is somewhat toxic and can kill people suffering from pneumonia, asthma and pulmonary disease? So they wanted to kill even the patients that were already hospitalized if other factors are kept constant.
Trust me with out an iota of doubt that, the PIU officers are not inform about the content, concentration and effects of the tear gas they are using.
They need intensive training training on how, where and when to use the tear gas.
When my colleagues rushed to the PIU office in Brikama to inform and make them understand that the tear gas from the operation is diffusing within the entire hospital environment, one of their bosses responded, ” Is it my people that take the gas there or is it the wind”|? So ‘blame the wind’ he added.
Lol! What a scruple and trivial statement from a man of such calibre .
Yes! Other people might also argue the same thing but only if they don’t know the relationship between pressure, gas and volume.
July 31, 2019
So this is a clear vindication that the officers doesn’t even have a clue about the chemical they are using and it’s mode of operation in terms of frequency and duration.
I consider this unprofessional operation of officers, as a superimposed respiratory suppression and diagnose it as a medical emergency.
If I were the OIC of Brikama District Hospital I will have call for legal emergency by filling a case against the Gambia PIU for wanting to deliberately kill my patients.
“Health is a fundamental human right”
https://standard.gm/piu-made-monumental-errors-at-bac-demonstration/ |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2019 : 18:31:49
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BAC has experienced YEARS of problems MANY are still unresolved today,Resignations MAY be the only way out for many of BAC.
Lets see if this gently prod from Bakary Sanyang,has any result, (an new election might help  )
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Friday, August 02, 2019
The governor of West Coast Region (WCR), Bakary Sanyang, has urged the Brikama Area Council (BAC) to convene an emergency meeting next week over the demands laid by #OccupyBAC – a youth movement that staged a protest against the council last week.
Mr. Sanyang was speaking at a gathering designed for a peaceful dialogue between the BAC and leaders of the #OccupyBAC. The meeting was witnessed by lawmakers of Brikama North and South constituencies, deputy governor, the CEO of BAC, ward councilors, security personnel and the alkalo of Brikama.
#OccupyBAC on Wednesday 24 July 2019 took to the streets, demanding better social services such as good roads, standard market facilities, proper waste collection system, good drainage and other social amenities, but they were later dispersed by the PIU personnel, using tear gas.
After statements from the two parties, Governor Sanyang pointed out that it is always important that the council organises meetings in which people; including the media will be invited to know what exactly is happening within their domain.
“This will assist in showcasing transparency and accountability on the functions of the council as an institution,” he said.
He indicated that with the number of the elected and nominated ward councilors in WCR, nothing wrong should be happening when it comes to the frustrations without councilors being aware of.
“I am very much appreciative of you as concern youth in going out there to the people to find out issues that are affecting their livelihoods; which should in fact be the responsibility of your very own ward councilors who are voted to take development to your various wards in the region.”
“The only reason of having these concern youth going around all the areas to find out the complaints of the people is because they are not happy with the performance of the council,” Governor Sanyang said. “This is because if they were performing their duties, probably we will not have reached this point where the concern youth would go out to bring information that should be brought to the attention of the council or the government.”
“We have all heard during your campaign for these positions what you have promised us, but there is nothing that has been said here today.” You councilors have not promised that you will take care of them. And I think CEO as early as next week; you should have an emergency council meeting.”
“So I think you have done a good job as concern youth in forwarding your demands to the council and I can assure you that we are going to look at them and that you will surely receive answers because you have rights as far as you are paying your taxes,” he concluded.
Author: Yusupha Jobe
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/bac-urged-to-convene-emergency-meeting-to-address-protesters-demands |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 02 Aug 2019 18:32:28 |
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BRIKAMA 28 in hospital TEAR GASSED by PIU !!
