ECOWAS troops disarm Gambia’s army, take over Jammeh’s village
The ECOWAS Military Intervention in The Gambia (ECOMIG) has disarmed some Gambian soldiers, and taken over the military installation in Yahya Jammeh’s home village of Kanilai.
Kanilai came under heavy shelling from ECOMIG troops on Thursday.
The troops have been reported to have seized the military barracks in the border town of Farafenni as part of strengthening security across the country.
AP quoted reliable sources as saying ECOMIG forces are disarming soldiers as part of their operational mandate ordered by the regional bloc to resolve the political crisis in the country.
According to the sources, the mopping up operation is being carried out mainly by Senegalese troops.
“They entered the town early on Sunday morning, occupied the military barracks, ordered Gambian soldiers there to lay down their arms before proceeding to dismantle its defensive fortifications,” a source was quoted as saying.
Some Gambians have also taken to social media to confirm the sighting of ECOMIG troops in parts of the country, including the coastal village of Kartong, bordering Senegal’s southern region of Casamance.
The movement of ECOMIG troops is necessitated to neutralise deployments by a section of the Gambian military on the orders of Jammeh, who initially resisted intervention of the regional group that was aiming to forcibly remove him from power.
Jammeh flew into exile late Saturday, ending a protracted political crisis caused by his dramatic U-turn, despite initially conceding the election to President Adama Barrow.
The head of the Ecowas Commission, Marcel de Souza, said the mopping up operation will clear the way for Barrow’s eventual return to Banjul from Senegal, where he has been taking temporary refuge since last week.
Barrow took his oath of office in the Gambian embassy in Senegal.
According to de Souza, the ECOMIG troops are also mandated to search, find and neutralise secret weapons depots Jammeh had built over the years.
“We will look for hidden weapons and mercenaries will be arrested to create a true situation of tranquillity, secure the return of populations who fear reprisals and to ensure that the country regain its national unity” he said.
There are some inconsistencies or clarification needed in the current status of ECOMIG Force and what they are doing in the Gambia. If there is no Resistance from the Gambian Army or Military, what “Mop Up” Operations” is ECOMIG and especially the Senegalese Intervention Contingency engaged and I’d reported by AlJazeera News Outlet, AFP, and CNN? ECOWAS, AU, and the UN Member states but especially those leaders designated to Head the Negotiations and Peaceful Transition of Government in the Gambia, Presidents Muhammed Buhari of Nigeria, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, and Bai Morons of Sierra Leone should be very much in Control of the Troops in the Gambia, especially the Senegalese and to some measure the Ghanaian Troops to endure Professional, Duty and Ethical and Appropriate Conduct in their “Mopping up” Operations in the Gambia. The Ghanian Troops are of concern due to an incident about a decade ago involving the deaths of Ghanian emigrant who were “mistaken” for an invading or Coup Making Force. The inclusiin of the Ghanaian Troops may be another attempt by some people and Faction in the Coalition Alliance Party Leadership for example, The UDP EXTREMISTS to Contract Out their Stated need for Revenge against Perceived “Jola Hegemony” and as a result engage in Ethnic Cleansing by going after the Jola Tribe of which Former President Yaya Jammeh is from. The Senegalese Troops need to be Monitored and Restrained in their Desire to Settle Scores with any and all Perceived Yaya Jammeh Loyalist and again with Special reference to the Jola Tribe of which Senegal had and still have an ongoing ,”Low intensity Civil War in the Southern Province of Cassamance”. The Civil War has been going on since Former President Jawara’s regime and has been an irritating and troublesome factor in the relationship between Successive Gambian and Senegalese Governments and Presidents. The Senegalese would like the Gambians to Seal the Open Boarder between The Gambia and their Southern Province to prevent the Cassamance predominantly Jola fighters for Autonomy if not Independence from Senegalese Domination with Representation or Development. Both The JAWARA and Jammeh regimes at one time or another, but especially Yaya Jammeh’s government have been accused by the Senegalese governments of Siding and Abetting the Cassamance “Rebel Movement. This has been an irritating and troublesome obstacle between Yaya Jammeh’s government and Mackie Sall the Senegalese President.
Given these underlying Real or Perceived Grievance against the Former President Yaya Jammeh and his Tribe both in Senegal and the Gambia, it is Urgent and ibfsct, imperative for the UN, AU, ECOWAS, and the EU Designated Authorities to Diligently, Expeditious and with a Decidedly United Voice Urge and Demand both the Senegalese and Ghanian Troops to Resist, Cease and Desist from any Attempt to engage in Retributive and Wanton Revenge Killings as well as Destruction of Persons on the behave of a Minority but Extremists Individuals with the Gambian President Adama Barrow’s Coalition Alliance Government especially, those within the UDP PARTY who are close to Presidents Mackie Sall and the Subservient Current President Adama Barrow who is been Manipulated by both the Senegalese Government officials and an Extremists Cabal within the UDP Currently in Senegal with President Adama Barrow as “Senior Advisers”. These Extremists Gang of Two to Three UDP Extremists, one man (“Special Advisers”) to President Adama Barrow need to be Monitored and Restrained in their Backdoor Manuevering for Political Positions and Influence, by assigning themselves titles and Usurping the Gambia Coalition Alliance Government and the Spokesman’s Role in the Coalition Alliance Government.
Inorder to avoid further complicating Gambia’s Transition to the Third Republic, the Senegalese Government and officials and All Stakeholders including ECOWAS,AU, and the Designated Authorities authorized to Resolve the Gambian Political Impass, Should be even more Vigilant and Alert to Prevent “Settling of Scores or Grievances Real, Imagined or Perceived Against President Yaya Jammeh’s government Supporters, especially his Jola Tribe from Ethnic or “Tribal Cleansing” by the Senegalese and a Mandinka Minority Extremists Gang of the UDP PARTY FACTION Currently “Advising” President Adama Barrow and President Macky Sall of Senegal. These are Extremists Individuals Who feel that they have to have their,”Pound of Flesh from President Yaya Jammeh and his Colleagues. But they are not Satisfied with that until they achieve a Mandinka Minority Extremists Led Government, they would Stop at Nothing. They need to be Monitored and Restrained in their Tracks if Gambia is to remain Peaceful. Ethnic Cleansing is their Goal and Genocide their Objective. They must not be able to Execute their Diabolical “Senegalo-Gambian “Final Solution”. The Senegalese Government and President Adama Barrow and his Colleagues Should return to the Gambia to not only Reassure, build a Sense of Normalcy and Laws and Order, instead of Contracting it Out to SENEGAL and President Macky Sall. Gambian can’t afford to Contract Out it’s Democracy and Sovereignty, and hope to Regain it in full without a huge loss of National Sovereignty, Pride, Peace and Tranquility. The Choice is the AU, ECOWAS, UN AND Presidents Adama Barrow and his counter part, Macky Sall of Senegal. They can chose to Act in a Honorable, Accountable, Humane and Morally Centered Manner, or give in to the Basic Instincts of Evil Men and Women with Power and Authority. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Individual, Ethnic group, Tribe or Region. One Gambia, One Destiny For All.