EYEAFERICA TV: Banjul, THE GAMBIA: Junior Police Intervention Officers who were deployed to Faraba Banta during a sand mining dispute there says they are disappointed in their commanders who ordered them to fire live bullets and now running away from the responsibility.
It is not yet confirmed who ordered the junior officers to fire live bullets of the civilians in Faraba but the presidency on Monday announced that investigation has begun to gather facts about what led to the clashes and who authorized the shooting.
Monday morning, a group of youth in the community had a confrontation with the PIU in protest of the presence of Julakay Construction Company there to mine sand. This led to confrontation and two men were killed and several other injured including PIU officers.
Julakay claimed that it was legally issued licence to mind sand. The youth were protesting that the mining will cause more environmental harm to the community than good.
According reliable sources, National Assembly select committee on environment had earlier ordered Julakay to cease mining on the site until the matter is mediated but he failed to take heed.
The source said the committee Monday visited Faraba and found that some houses were burnt down and later to Brikama Police Station where some youth were detained.
Sources close to Eye Africa TV said two of the PIU officers who shot the residents are currently under detention while some of them were wounded and hospitalised.
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