By Akaleke, Our Banjul Correspondent


  Yai compins in Banjul were arrested  yesterday and detained at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) headquarters. The women political leaders were held for some hours, prior to their release from custody.  No reason was advanced for the mass arrest of these "Yacompins."  But sources reaching this paper say it may had to do with the court order, which asked for the immediate reinstatement of Banjul Mayor Pa Sallah Jeng.

  Dependable sources in Banjul say,  there were jubilation throughout the city  on Monday,  after the  court ordered  for the immediate reinstatement into office of Mayor Pa Sallah Jeng.  Jeng was democratically elected as a  Mayor of  Banjul, but for some reasons, the Ruling APRC fired him and later accused him of abuse of office.  Aggrieved by  what he Jeng calls the unconstitutional action of the state, he instructed his lawyer, Hawa Sisay Sabally to challenge the "illegal action taken by the state to send him packing" even though he was elected democratically. Mr.Jeng was accused of awarding contracts to people close to him and abuse of BCC facilities, a charge he strongly denies.

  A concern citizen in Banjul who spoke to  The ALLGAMBIAN on condition  of anonymity said " I think the government may have think that the Yai compins are behind the  jubulation, and that is not the case. The Banjulains, especially the youths, were all very happy with the court's ruling because Pa Sallah, had not  done anything wrong and it is only Pa, who can bring development in Banjul"

  In another development, all Yai compins who were given tickets for the 2006 Hajj by the APRC party has been confiscated from them yesterday immediately after their arrest and detention.  Again,  no reasons  were  forwarded as to why these tickets were taken from them.

  One of the affected Yai Compins who spoke on condition  of anonymity said " I don't know what must have done to warrant  the government to take our tickets?  I was in my house,  until some officers from the NIA came for me and said I  am under arrest and I  ask why and one of them replied lets go to the NIA headquarters, there  you will know why." she said. Ask whether she was  still loyal to the APRC party,  the Yai Compin replied " Yes I am still 100% APRC and this cannot stop me from supporting the party, because I love the party leader, despite taking away our Hajj tickets. It means nothing to me" She concludes.

  Many observers say they are  now fed up with the frequent arrest and detention of political opponents taking place in The Gambia.  They called on the government to respect the rights and freedoms of citizens.








---------------------------------
Yahoo! Photos – NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 8p a photo.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤