Ex-Interior Minister Sheriff M.L. Gomez talked to The Point on the incident of security concerns in Foni on what the government should do to reassure peace and security within the Foni borderline.
He said that the government should recognise that it has the burden of responsibility to the Gambian people by reassuring and providing security to them especially under prevailing circumstances in Foni.
According to Mr. Gomez, the government should come forward and provide timely information and launch its investigation into the matter for a full report on what the situation is; and what it will do about this incident, and the guarantee of people's safety and security.
"The idea of providing and exchanging information with the communities must be part of the security arrangement because then, you are reassuring security to the people and making them feel that security will be taken in their interest and the interest of the state."
Dwelling on Senegalese soldiers stationed in Foni, Mr. Gomez believes the Senegalese soldiers based in Foni falls under the ECOMIG troop deployment. However, he added that this may need to be clarified to the Gambian people by the government, saying that doesn't take away the concerns of the people of Foni.
"They have a legitimate claim and concern regarding security because citizens within the Foni region are constantly faced with these anxieties. The NAMS of the region have called for the removal of the Senegalese contingent of the ECOMIG troops in the region for which in what appears to be a response of the Defence Minister is quoted in a daily newspaper to say that only the ECOWAS can withdraw the ECOMIG from the Country."
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He continued that The Gambia has always advocated neutrality and taken a peace facilitator's role in this Senegalese conflict and must continue to demonstrate this stance."
The former Sports and Youth minister expressed that this is particularly important from a strategic security perspective of primarily guaranteeing the security of the Gambian people and the integrity of sovereignty of The Gambia. He added that it is empirical that no nation wants foreign troops to stay or prolong its stay on its soil for the negative effects on nation's integrity, pride and self-esteem of its people.
"The Gambia's sovereignty includes all and everyone within the confines of its borders and for this reason, dedicated effort must be invested in disentangling this complex security - Senegalese troops; the Cassamance rebels; and boxed in between, the people of the Fonis.
For instance, is it possible that a different troop-contributing country to the ECOMIG be deployed in this region? Is it not possible for the easing of people's anxieties and the need to tone down tension that ECOMIG consider internal troop rotation? On the other hand, if Senegalese troops deployed in the Gambia, at the Fonis, is separate from the ECOMIG (and I doubt this theory), the Government owes it not just of the Fonis but the nation to explain the reason deter/national interest in this arrangement and why the policy change." Follow the paper for more quotations from the interview.
