By Buba Gagigo
A government attempt to quell growing youth-led protests in The Gambia failed on Friday, after demonstrators rejected an offer of dialogue, demanding the unconditional release of detained activists before any negotiations could begin.
The protest movement, Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), has led a series of demonstrations urging the government to publish a complete list of buyers of assets seized from former President Yahya Jammeh. Tensions escalated Thursday after security forces arrested more than two dozen participants in Banjul, prompting outcry from rights groups and civil society organizations.
Lamin K. Saidy, a youth adviser to President Adama Barrow, arrived at the National Youth Council headquarters in an effort to initiate talks. He was reportedly accompanied by an unnamed official from the State Intelligence Services (SIS), formerly known as the National Intelligence Agency.
But protest leaders refused to engage unless their detained colleagues were released without conditions.
“I think this is where we should have started before coming here today. Now we cannot negotiate when we have our brothers behind bars,” said Babucarr Nani Sey. “What we are telling them is, let them, release them unconditionally, not even with bail, but unconditionally, then we can come back and negotiate. This is the bottom line. Let Gambians know that we are not negotiating when our brothers are kept behind bars.”
Sey said the government representatives promised to relay the protesters’ demands to authorities, and noted that GALA is prepared to resume talks if their condition is met. Absent that, he said, demonstrations would continue.
“They said they will go back to the authorities and communicate with them. We told them today is Friday and when our brothers are released, we don’t mind coming back tomorrow. If they don’t release them, the protest continues.”
Human rights observers expressed concern over reports that Ebrima Jallow, a prominent activist known as “Ghetto Pen,” sustained a head injury while in custody. The circumstances of his injury remain unclear.
A list of 27 detained protesters has been circulated on social media and confirmed by the police, with individuals reportedly held at police stations across the Greater Banjul Area. The following names and locations were released by Human Rights activist Baboucarr Nyang:
| Police Station | Names |
|---|---|
| Sanyang Police Station | 1. Alieu Bah 2. Ebrima Kaira 3. Sheik Faal 4. Lalo Gannes |
| Brufut Police Station | 1. Omar Camara 2. Ousman Jammeh 3. Seedy Cham |
| Brusubi Police Station | 1. Sonko Gambia 2. Salifu Darboe (Nusrat Student) 3. Mam Jam |
| Brikama Missira Police Station (access denied) | 1. Abdoulie Jallow 2. Mamadi Kurang 3. Hakeem Touray |
| Banjulinding Police Station | 1. Kexx Sanneh 2.Mafugi Fatty 3. Abubacarr Ceesay (Student/released on self bail) |
| Anti-Crime Banjulinding | 1. Ebrima Jallow 2. Omar Sanyang 3. Salim M. Jabbi 4. Ebrima Keita |
| Old Yundum Station | 1. Sedat Terry Sarr 2. Sheriff Secka 3. Alieu Fadera |
| Jabang Anti-Crime | 1. Bob Keita 2. Munain Ceesay |
| Wellingara Police Station | 1. Ousainou Gambia 2. Fallou Gallas Ceesay |