Executive members of the popular 3YRS Jotna movement have been arrested by the Adama Barrow government. They were proceeding with their planned protest after finally securing a long-fought permit on Sunday, January 26th 2020. The arrested include Chairman Abdou Njie, Spokesperson Hagi Suwareh, Yankuba Darboe, Ebrima Jarjue, and other executive members.

Meanwhile, our reporters on the scene say some operatives of the Barrow government situated themselves among the protesters before the march started only to stab them with knives. As the wounded were rushed to the hospital, executive members were arrested when they tried to visit the injured comrades.

With billowing smoke punctuating the streets from burning tires, tear gas was also used against the protesters. Men and women were rushed to the hospital, some in blood while others vomit in congested rooms.

News also emerged that Pa Modou Bojang’s Brikama radio has been shut down. Reports say Bojang has been arrested too. Kebba Camara’s FM radio called King FM has also been shut down. we are not sure of Camara’s arrest.

The Barrow government continues a propaganda spree, maligning the popular movement as a Mandinka group even though Ebrima Jarjue, Hagi Suwareh, MC Cham, and many other Gambians part of the group are not Mandinka. Hundreds of thousands of Gambians from all walks of life and ethnicity came out to exercise a constitutional right.

Barrow wants to spice up an ethnic conflict, using the name of Mandinkas even though it has been explicit that 3YRS Jotna involves all kinds of Gambians. Informers tell forGambia that fear is rife in the streets that the country may be shut down Monday with no work.