The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) has issued a strong condemnation of the events at the Bulock Military Border Post on July 16, describing the actions of Senegalese forces as a “grave and provocative act” against Gambian sovereignty.
In a statement signed by Party Leader Mai Ahmad Fatty, the GMC rejected Senegal’s explanation that the demolition of a Gambian Armed Forces perimeter installation was rooted in unresolved border concerns. The party insisted that such grievances must be addressed through established bilateral mechanisms, not unilateral military action.
“No nation negotiates its sovereignty,” the statement declared. “A grievance nursed for years is an argument for urgent recourse to the Joint Military Committee and other diplomatic channels. It is not, under any recognised principle of international law, a licence for one state to unilaterally alter facts on the ground inside another state’s sovereign territory.”
The GMC commended the Gambian Armed Forces for their discipline and professionalism in the face of provocation, and praised the government’s composed handling of the incident. However, the party stressed that restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.
“Senegal should take no comfort from Gambian restraint,” the statement continued. “It is an invitation to correct course through legitimate means, extended once, in good faith.”
The party urged President Adama Barrow to raise the matter directly with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the upcoming ECOWAS Summit, warning that tolerating such incursions would set a dangerous precedent for the region.
“A precedent tolerated quietly in Bulock today is a precedent available to be repeated, against The Gambia or any other member state, tomorrow,” the GMC cautioned.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the party’s “full and unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Republic of The Gambia”.
