In a scathing response to President Adama Barrow’s televised address tonight, Omar Camara, spokesman for the Gambia Against Looted Assets (GALA), condemned the government’s handling of the death of Omar Badjie and its broader approach to human rights and civil liberties.
Camara’s statement, issued today, accuses the Barrow administration of fostering division, disregarding human life, and undermining the rule of law under the pretext of promoting national unity.
Camara expressed deep concern over the government’s apparent contradiction between its official narrative and its actions. “It is difficult to reconcile the statements made by the Police regarding the death of Omar Badjie with the actions and rhetoric of the President and senior government officials,” he said. “Their own conduct suggests an unspoken acknowledgment of the community’s claims that Omar Badjie was indeed tortured to death, a position that starkly contradicts official denials.” Badjie’s death, widely believed to be the result of police brutality, has sparked nationwide outrage and demands for justice.
In his televised address, President Barrow emphasized “peaceful engagement” and “lawful expression” as democratic principles, while praising the police for their professionalism. Camara called these remarks a “cruel irony,” pointing to the violent crackdowns, arrests, and intimidation faced by citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest. “For months, Gambians have attempted to hold the government accountable through peaceful assemblies, only to be met with brutality at the hands of the very police force the President praised,” Camara stated. He described the government’s claim of respecting protest rights as “an affront to every victim of political repression under this regime.”
Camara further criticized the administration for politicizing public suffering and failing to address the root causes of discontent. “Our legitimate demands are met not with empathy or action, but with silence, indifference, or repression,” he said. “This is not governance in the public interest; it is governance in defense of power.” He accused the government of stoking division while publicly advocating for peace, noting that threats issued in the name of stability often come from the state itself.
In a direct appeal to President Barrow, Camara urged a reevaluation of the government’s approach. “The President must take a moment of serious reflection to re-evaluate both the tone of his leadership and the dangerous direction his government is heading,” he said. Camara called for Barrow to address the nation with “sincerity, accountability, and action,” particularly in response to the pain of Omar Badjie’s family and others affected by police brutality. “Justice is not a privilege, but a right equally accessible to all,” he emphasized.
The statement concluded with a demand for the government to confront the nation’s plight head-on and recommit to the rule of law. The government faces mounting pressure to address allegations of human rights abuses and deliver justice for Omar Badjie and others.
