Africa-Press – Gambia. The Chairman of the Mansakonko Area Council, Landing B. Sanneh, has raised concerns about the continued presence of ECOWAS and Senegalese forces in The Gambia, nearly nine years after the country’s political transition.
Sanneh questioned the justification for the sustained deployment of foreign forces—particularly Senegalese troops stationed at the State House—arguing that their presence undermines The Gambia’s independence and sovereignty.
“Why are ECOWAS (ECOMIG) foreign forces still in The Gambia to the extent that Senegalese armed forces are occupying the State House after about nine years of a bloodless political impasse?” Sanneh asked. “If President Barrow chooses to neglect the implications of the continuous presence of Senegalese forces in our State House, we, the citizens, must not.”
Chairman Sanneh said it was “unacceptable” for a sovereign nation to rely indefinitely on foreign military forces for internal security, noting that other countries—including Senegal—had long ended such arrangements with former colonial powers.
“Serious countries, including Senegal, parted with the military presence of their former colonizers decades ago in the name of preserving and protecting their independence and sovereignty,” he said. “Why should The Gambia entertain an unjustified pampering that seems to be unending?”
Sanneh recalled that even in the aftermath of the 1981 coup attempt, then-President Sir Dawda Jawara acted swiftly to implement security reforms before withdrawing Senegalese troops. He contrasted that response with the current situation, which he said “cannot in any way be described as a genuine mutual international relationship.”
The council chairman also criticized comments previously attributed to President Adama Barrow, who once claimed he was “more powerful than former Presidents Jawara and Jammeh” because he commands both national and ECOWAS forces.
“We all know how such comments are linked to bullying and attempting to silence political opponents and critics,” Sanneh said. “Perhaps the President enjoys the presence of these forces as a patronage to his administration, but he is neglecting the short- and long-term implications.”
Sanneh questioned what tangible contributions the ECOWAS and Senegalese troops currently make to The Gambia’s national security.
“What visible, sustainable, transformative activities are they doing apart from mounting checkpoints and escorting the President on his endless tours?” he asked. “Are the Gambian Armed and Security Forces not capable of performing such basic duties?”
He urged the government to prioritize comprehensive security sector reforms to enable national forces to fully take charge of the country’s protection, calling the continued foreign military presence “unfashionable” and contrary to national interest.
“The Gambia has the prime responsibility to secure its President and people, which must not be transferred to any other country,” Sanneh emphasized. “The continuous indefinite presence of Senegalese forces in our State House is not in the interest of The Gambia or her people.”
While acknowledging the “critical support” provided by ECOWAS and Senegal during the 2016–2017 political impasse, Sanneh said the time had come for both to facilitate a safe and transparent withdrawal.
“Overstay may sometimes defeat the primary purpose of a wonderful gesture,” he noted. “We value our historic and cultural ties with Senegal and the ECOWAS bloc, but these should never come at the expense of our sovereignty.”
Sanneh concluded by calling on President Barrow’s administration, ECOWAS, and the Senegalese authorities to “transparently explain to Gambians” the reasons behind the continued deployment of foreign troops in the State House.
“We cannot continue being mute about this,” he said. “It is time to let our country breathe a sense of sovereignty.”
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