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Fa Bakary Kolior Camara, chairman of Soma New Town Development Association and a former member of the defunct July 22 Movement and a member of the APRC divisional youth wing of LRD has confessed to The Independent that it was they who disrupted the good governance conference organized by the UNDP in Mansakonko in 1998.

Mr. Camara, explained that under the command of Momodou Soma Jobe, the Assistant Commissioner of the URD, they deliberately disrupted the good governance conference and forcibly expelled Lamin Waa Juwara, the Organising Secretary of the United Democratic Party (UDP) from Mansakonko. He disclosed that it was not the first time they were ordered to interrupt such meetings. He added that they were also commanded to disrupt a UDP rally at Sankuya where stones were thrown at the gathering of the UDP members. He noted that as a result, serious tension broke out and there was total confusion but due to the fact that the leader of the UDP Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, restrained his supporters the problem eventually got calm. He noted that the meeting was later suspended due to the disturbances. "I regret what had happened. I am extending my apology to Lawyer Darboe and Lamin Waa Juwara and the entire UDP. I am also apologizing to the diplomatic community, and the UNDP because it was a very important meeting that was rudely disrupted," he added. Mr. Camara said that he personally arrested Waa Juwara and handed him over to the police who "deported" him from Mansakonko, and that he and some of the members of the group also beat Juwara's driver who was trying to safe him. "This is so embarrassing and unfortunate. We were just given false promises and told to make sure we did not allow the UDP to meet the grassroots due to their massive support."

He revealed that whenever a UDP meeting or rally is announced, they are normally instructed to make sure that it did not take place. "We were normally selected including those trained from Libya to confront the UDP at all times," adding that both the village Alkalos and chiefs used to thank them for such operations. Mr. Camara also announced that he had defected to the UDP since the fallen UDP National Assembly members were denied state burial by President Jammeh. He urged the youths to be law abiding and called on Kiang youths to be vigilant and not to care money given to them by Baba Jobe adding that youths need development projects, good governance and democracy for the interest of peace and tranquility. He also urged the people to vote for the UDP candidate for the bye-elections.


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