Faraba: Julakay “disobeys orders” to halt mining operation
Experts said the refusal placed Julakay in contempt with the lawmaking body’s environmental committee whose powers are equivalent to that of the high court.
The National Assembly committee on environment has said the company whose mining operations led to the confrontation between natives of Faraba and police have disobeyed their orders to halt operations.
The confrontation led to the death of two people who were shot by the police.
Experts said the refusal placed Julakay in contempt with the lawmaking body’s environmental committee whose powers are equivalent to that of the high court.
On Monday, the armed wing of the police caused outrage in the country when they open fire on civilians on Monday killing 2 and injuring several others.
Since last week, Suwaibou Touray, a member of the Committee has told Kerr Fatou that they have asked Julakay to halt operation until their findings are done.
The Committee of the lawmaking body went on a fact-finding mission in Faraba relating to the conflict between the community and Julakay.
Touray told Kerr Fatou that mining has destroyed two of the three rice growing areas in Faraba and also poses serious risk to the remaining one.
And this information was further confirmed by Sainey Touray the chairman of the committee who told journalist on Tuesday that their orders were ignored.
When the Faraba incident occurred on Monday, lawmakers who were on sessions on at the time suspended sittings and head for the place.
A veteran lawmaker Seedia Jatta expressed outrage as the rest asked what emboldened Julakay to refuse an order from the National Assembly to halt operations.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers have on Tuesday summoned the country’s vice president Fatoumata Jallow and the interior minister Ebrima Mballow to discuss the incident.
Their resolution is expected to be out on Wednesday.
Following their close door session which took several hours, Mballow told journalists that Julakay had no order from them to continue operations after the lawmakers asked him to stop.
Meanwhile, the Gambian police have announced an arrest of five officers whose services have been suspended as investigations deepen into the circumstances that cost two people their lives.
The officers are two Field Commanders – Superintendent Baboucarr Cham and ASP Musa Fatty and three other ranks – Nuha Colley, Momodou S. Jallow and Musa Badjie.
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