A petition against President Adama Barrow’s administration was filed with the European Parliament by a group of Gambians.

The petition draws attention to violations of human rights and the potential return of authoritarianism in The Gambia. The petitioners contended that Mr. Barrow’s administration is not upholding its pledges of accountability and change, and that he has neglected to carry out important recommendations from the TRRC meant to remedy historical injustices.

We, the concerned Gambians, are writing to you expressing our deep concern about the reemergence of dictatorship in our country led by President Adama Barrow,” the petition, which The Standard was able to receive, went on. We, the Gambians, will never again tolerate dictatorship in our nation, which is why we are writing to the president to request that he halt this project.

We, the concerned Gambians, are submitting this petition to your honorable office for various reasons,” the statement said. One of the main causes, according to Crystal, is the significant role your organization plays in supporting President Adama Barrow’s growth ambitions for the government of the Gambia. In addition to being European citizens who work and pay taxes, we are Gambians sending our petition to your office. We therefore implore your organization to cease spending our tax dollars to support a government that is becoming into an entirely autocratic one.

The petitioners further stated that “our collective experiences during the last dictatorial regime led by the former president Yahya Jammeh for 22 years” are the driving force behind their request that the EU Parliament step in and prevent the resurgence of dictatorship in The Gambia.

We, the Gambians, did everything in our ability to overthrow a cruel dictator throughout these 22 years. It cost us our lives, our freedom, our possessions, our exile, etc. These are extremely costly memories, and we are not ready for them to happen again in our nation. The petitioners stated that Adama Barrow, the current president, was chosen and elected to guide the nation through a three-year transition as a result of our joint efforts to overthrow the tyranny.

The group went on, “President Adama Barrow decided to ditch his promise of a three-year transition for a five-year term and subsequently 10 years, to the dismay of the entire nation.” Regretfully, he intends to run for a second five-year term.

The petitioners further stated that President Barrow “started laying ground work by ditching all the important transition programs which were initiated by the new democratic government and sponsored by your institution, the European Union,” indicating that he was preparing to become a tyrant. For instance, the Electoral Reforms; the Security; the Constitutional Review Commission; the Jammeh Asset Recovery Commission; and the TRRC

reform, such as in the civil service.

“The purpose of these transition programs was to protect our nation and keep dictatorship from returning.” The president receives recommendations after these programs are finished, but they are disregarded.