{"id":20503,"date":"2024-10-18T15:29:01","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:29:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=20503"},"modified":"2024-10-18T15:29:05","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T14:29:05","slug":"explainer-understanding-the-protest-against-2-gambian-ministers-at-unga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/explainer-understanding-the-protest-against-2-gambian-ministers-at-unga\/","title":{"rendered":"Explainer: Understanding the protest against 2 Gambian ministers at UNGA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this explainer, DUBAWA offers a detailed account of the protest organised by some Gambians in the United States aimed at two notable Gambian ministers. The protest has attracted public disapproval from Gambians both domestically and internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The protesters gathered outside the streets of  New York to voice their discontent with the country\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two ministers who were the focus of the protest are Dr Ismaila Ceesay<\/a>, a former Political Science lecturer at the University of The Gambia who is currently serving as the Minister of Information, and Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh,<\/a> the Minister of Health.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These ministers were part of The Gambian delegation to this year\u2019s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the company of the President for the \u2018Summit of the Future.\u2019 Watch the unedited video version here on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What occurred?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the event in New York, a segment of Gambians in the United States organised a protest<\/a> against the government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A viral video shared on social media, especially TikTok<\/em>, showed how the two ministers were confronted by protesters who accused them of corruption and called for their resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The video elicited mixed responses from the public, with some condemning the protesters for using offensive language on the ministers and harassing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, some individuals have argued that the protesters acted appropriately by confronting the ministers despite their offensive language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the footage, protesters could be heard using vulgar language directed at the ministers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One SU~BOY SPEEDO 100 1 TikTok user commented: \u201cKeep humiliating them one after the other. Shameless ministers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheikh Tian Sarr also said, \u201cWhat you did is wrong. Please let’s support our future leaders, guide them, and wish the best for all Gambia because the problem is the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lamin Jamba Jammeh also said, \u201cYou think disrespecting people is the best if doctor was his brother would he do this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe, the citizens, are the only ones making things hard for our government. Why can we stop insulting our government and join hands and work together in our country?\u201d Buba Sanyang added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See the screenshots of additional comments from various viral posts.<\/em>\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As the video continues circulating on social media platforms, DUBAWA aims to delve deeper into the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public reactions following the incident<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The viral video has largely been met with public condemnation, with many describing the protest as an attack on the ministers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modou Nyang, a social commentator, criticised the protester\u2019s approach in an opinion piece published in The Standard Newspaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe attack on Dr Samateh was not merely an assault on an individual\u2014it was an assault on the fundamental principles that support Gambian society. Those accountable for this disgraceful act do not reflect the wider Gambian diaspora, who continue to engage in meaningful and positive ways,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party, also denounced the protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is entirely unacceptable to assault Gambian diplomats in such a manner. Gambians deserve better than this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are genuinely concerned about the government\u2019s misconduct, return home and participate in lawful and constructive protests,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another prominent social activist, Raffie Diab, shared his perspective on the protests during a weekly show (Giss Giss) aired on Friday at The Fatu Network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI always support protests, but this one was out of line. You can protest while being respectful. This was an attack on the ministers and tarnished the reputation of our beloved country,\u201d he expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did protesters target the two ministers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The protest against Dr Ismaila Ceesay is linked to what the protesters described as corruption. He was a constant critic of the government, which resulted in his arrest and detention a few years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Ceesay, who heads an opposition party (Citizen Alliance), joined the ruling National People\u2019s Party (NPP) last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protesters believe Ceesay\u2019s decision to join the government is not in the country’s interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou joined Barrow and his government because of corruption. You are very corrupt. You condemned this government, and now you joined them. You should resign. You know that Barrow is not good for the country\u2026,\u201d one of the protesters, identified as Jobiz, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Dr Ahmed Samateh\u2019s attack was linked to the tragic deaths of over 70 children in early 2022 under his ministry due to the consumption of contaminated syrups imported from India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protesters angrily attacked Dr. Samateh, calling him unpleasant names and asking him to resign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou killed our babies, you are a killer, you should resign,\u201d the protesters chanted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brief History of AKI Cases in The Gambia<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The World Health<\/a> Organization (WHO) defines Acute kidney injury as a sudden and rapid deterioration of kidney function, leading to a build-up of waste products in the blood and disruptions in fluid balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In early 2022, a sudden rise in cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) was reported in The Gambia that has been linked to the consumption of tainted syrup medications for cough, colds, pain, and fever manufactured in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 8, 2022, the Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) Unit under the Ministry of Health published a situational report on the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The condition was observed among 32 children below five years, resulting in the deaths of 28 children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 26 July 2022,<\/a> the Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) unit received a report through the Director of Health Services from a concerned nephrologist (a kidney specialist) of a sudden rise in cases of AKI among children aged five months \u2013 four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert over four cough syrups, asking regulators to remove them from the market after it was linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A commission of inquiry was established by the President to investigate the deaths of the children and ordered the suspension of the license of the suspected importers of the drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, a parliamentary inquiry was launched to probe into the allegations of the suspected drugs manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four types of medicine made in India caused the deaths of at least 70 children in Gambia in 2022 within six months, according to a Parliamentary inquiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accountability<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After the shocking deaths, victims\u2019 families filed legal action against The Gambia government and two other pharmaceutical companies on behalf of 27 bereaved families at the high court. The case is still in court. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read related articles on the ongoing court case here,<\/a> here<\/a>, and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a long break, the AKI case resumed<\/a> at the Banjul High Court with a pretrial presided over by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The protest against the Gambia government during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York has been widely criticised. Many accused the protesters of attacking government officials, thereby defying the intended purpose of the protest due to their approach and the use of offensive language.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this explainer, DUBAWA offers a detailed account of the protest organised by some Gambians in the United States aimed at two notable Gambian ministers. The protest has attracted public disapproval from Gambians both domestically and internationally. The protesters gathered outside the streets of  New York to voice their discontent with the country\u2019s leadership. Two ministers who were the focus of the protest are Dr Ismaila Ceesay, a former Political Science lecturer at the University of The Gambia who is currently serving as the Minister of Information, and Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh, the Minister of Health.   These ministers were part of The Gambian delegation to this year\u2019s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the company of the President for the \u2018Summit of the Future.\u2019 Watch the unedited video version here on Facebook. What occurred? During the event in New York, a segment of Gambians in the United States organised a protest against the government. A viral video shared on social media, especially TikTok, showed how the two ministers were confronted by protesters who accused them of corruption and called for their resignation. The video elicited mixed responses from the public, with some condemning the protesters for using offensive language on the ministers and harassing them. Additionally, some individuals have argued that the protesters acted appropriately by confronting the ministers despite their offensive language. In the footage, protesters could be heard using vulgar language directed at the ministers. One SU~BOY SPEEDO 100 1 TikTok user commented: \u201cKeep humiliating them one after the other. Shameless ministers.\u201d Sheikh Tian Sarr also said, \u201cWhat you did is wrong. Please let’s support our future leaders, guide them, and wish the best for all Gambia because the problem is the world.\u201d Lamin Jamba Jammeh also said, \u201cYou think disrespecting people is the best if doctor was his brother would he do this?\u201d \u201cWe, the citizens, are the only ones making things hard for our government. Why can we stop insulting our government and join hands and work together in our country?\u201d Buba Sanyang added. See the screenshots of additional comments from various viral posts. As the video continues circulating on social media platforms, DUBAWA aims to delve deeper into the situation. Public reactions following the incident The viral video has largely been met with public condemnation, with many describing the protest as an attack on the ministers. Modou Nyang, a social commentator, criticised the protester\u2019s approach in an opinion piece published in The Standard Newspaper. \u201cThe attack on Dr Samateh was not merely an assault on an individual\u2014it was an assault on the fundamental principles that support Gambian society. Those accountable for this disgraceful act do not reflect the wider Gambian diaspora, who continue to engage in meaningful and positive ways,\u201d he stated. Conversely, Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party, also denounced the protesters. \u201cIt is entirely unacceptable to assault Gambian diplomats in such a manner. Gambians deserve better than this. If you are genuinely concerned about the government\u2019s misconduct, return home and participate in lawful and constructive protests,\u201d he remarked. Another prominent social activist, Raffie Diab, shared his perspective on the protests during a weekly show (Giss Giss) aired on Friday at The Fatu Network. \u201cI always support protests, but this one was out of line. You can protest while being respectful. This was an attack on the ministers and tarnished the reputation of our beloved country,\u201d he expressed. Why did protesters target the two ministers? The protest against Dr Ismaila Ceesay is linked to what the protesters described as corruption. He was a constant critic of the government, which resulted in his arrest and detention a few years ago. Dr Ceesay, who heads an opposition party (Citizen Alliance), joined the ruling National People\u2019s Party (NPP) last year. Protesters believe Ceesay\u2019s decision to join the government is not in the country’s interest. \u201cYou joined Barrow and his government because of corruption. You are very corrupt. You condemned this government, and now you joined them. You should resign. You know that Barrow is not good for the country\u2026,\u201d one of the protesters, identified as Jobiz, said. On the other hand, Dr Ahmed Samateh\u2019s attack was linked to the tragic deaths of over 70 children in early 2022 under his ministry due to the consumption of contaminated syrups imported from India. Protesters angrily attacked Dr. Samateh, calling him unpleasant names and asking him to resign.  \u201cYou killed our babies, you are a killer, you should resign,\u201d the protesters chanted.  Brief History of AKI Cases in The Gambia The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Acute kidney injury as a sudden and rapid deterioration of kidney function, leading to a build-up of waste products in the blood and disruptions in fluid balance. In early 2022, a sudden rise in cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) was reported in The Gambia that has been linked to the consumption of tainted syrup medications for cough, colds, pain, and fever manufactured in India. On August 8, 2022, the Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) Unit under the Ministry of Health published a situational report on the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). The condition was observed among 32 children below five years, resulting in the deaths of 28 children. On 26 July 2022, the Epidemiology and Disease Control (EDC) unit received a report through the Director of Health Services from a concerned nephrologist (a kidney specialist) of a sudden rise in cases of AKI among children aged five months \u2013 four years. In October 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a global alert over four cough syrups, asking regulators to remove them from the market after it was linked to the deaths of 66 children in The Gambia. A commission of inquiry was established by the President to investigate the deaths of the children and ordered the suspension of the license of the suspected importers of the drugs. Additionally, a parliamentary inquiry was launched to probe into the allegations of the suspected drugs manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals in India. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20504,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"hannibal_claim_source":"","hannibal_source_label":"","hannibal_card_color":"blue","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_bluesky_share_type":"","_mastodon_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[2815,1572,3815,119],"tags":[],"verdict":[],"ppma_author":[3788],"class_list":["post-20503","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-gambia","category-explainers","category-homepage","category-security"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8R6dE-5kH","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":3788,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"dawda-baldeh","display_name":"Dawda Baldeh","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&r=g","author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":""}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Dr.-Samateh-Dr.-Ceesay.jpg?fit=470%2C470&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20503","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20503"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20505,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20503\/revisions\/20505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20504"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20503"},{"taxonomy":"verdict","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/verdict?post=20503"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=20503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}