Was government playing to the gallery when they issued permit to the 3 Years Jotna movement?

After that protest, almost all government officials bragged about their democratic credentials as they had allowed a movement calling for the stepping down of the president to protest unhindered.

The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure Mr Ebrima Sillah and the Government Spokesperson, Mr Ebrima Sankareh spoke about it on Coffee with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio.

Similarly, the vice president of the Republic, Dr Isatou Touray, sang the praises of government at the National Assembly Chambers saying that this happened only because the government of President Adama Barrow was very democratic. This became a trending song of almost all government officials wherever they went.

Fast forward to January 3rd, with the Three Years Jotna Movement gearing up to their next protest scheduled for January 20th, the government denied them permission to hold a fundraising event at the Buffer Zone. One then wonders whether the earlier permit was given due to their democratic nature, due to pressure from development partners, or they were simply playing to the gallery but are not the least democratic?

You see, it is high time we started doing the right thing regardless of who is watching or who is pulling the monetary strings from outside. Our democracy cannot – should not – depend on the goodwill (read as financial aid) of the West or the East. If you are going to be a democrat, be a democrat for the sake of democracy. You cannot be dancing to the tune of outsiders and throwing dust in our eyes here at home. What would be the difference between what was and what is in that case?

So, I ask again: Was the government plating to the gallery when they issued a permit to the Three Years Jotna Movement in December?

The Watchman