By Kemo Kanyi
Mr Omar Camara, the PRO of the pressure group, Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) yesterday disclosed that their planned peaceful protest would be held irrespective of whether they have police permit or not.
He was addressing a press conference held at the YMCA hall in Kanifing, shortly after the Inspector General of the Police denied the group a police permit.
The IGP in reply to the request wrote: “Please be informed that your permit request is not approved. Kindly accept assurance of the Inspector General of Police in the maintenance of peace and security at all times.”
GALA was seeking for a permit to stage a peaceful protest against government’s handling of former dictator Jammeh’s properties. In a letter addressed to the office of IGP and seen by the Voice Newspaper, the advocacy youth group requested a permit to hold a peaceful assembly slated for 8th May, 2025, from 11:00am to 1:00pm.
According to Mr. Camara, they will go ahead to advance their demands which is lawful. “Under our constitution, freedom of assembly is a lawful and principled right. We will proceed peacefully and responsibly to exercise our democratic rights with or without the police permit,” he said.
The group is demanding from the government an immediate publication of the full list of all seized and sold assets, including buyer names and final sale prices, full disclosure of the allocation of proceeds, including any payments to intermediaries or agents, independent public oversight of the asset‑disposal process by the National Assembly, the National Audit Office, and civil‑society representatives, immediate withdrawal of the nomination of the former Minister of Justice Abubacarr Ba Tambedou to the ICC, and call on the President of the republic to immediately address the Nation regarding the unforgivable findings that threaten the collective progress of the people.
The pressure group highlighted that Gambians deserved to have answers for questions like: Which assets were sold? Who bought them? At what prices? How were the buyers selected? And where did the proceeds go?
Mr Camara also emphasized that their planned protest was based on no partisan politics but a call for truth, justice, and the restoration of public trust.
“We invite all Gambian students, workers, survivors of past injustices, and patriots to stand with us. This is a defining moment for our democracy and governance. The work of the Janneh Commission and the TRRC must not fade into secrecy,” he stressed.
Camara went on to argue that Gambia can’t be rebuilt on a foundation of impunity, adding: “We cannot honour victims with mere words. We must act, and we must do so now.”