Gambians protest alleged pollution from Chinese plant

By Mustapha K Darboe

BANJUL, Gambia (AA) - Hundreds of people in a Gambian fishing town on Thursday demonstrated against a Chinese company they say is polluting their environment and the sea.

Golden Lead, a Chinese fish meal processing plant, is accused of disposing suspected toxic waste into the sea via pipes, resulting in the washing ashore of dead fish along the coastline of Gunjur, a town about 36 kilometers (22 miles) from the capital Banjul.

On Thursday, prominent Gambian activist and former Information Minister Scattred Janneh led the protestors to forcibly dig out the plant's pipes without a court order.

“Thank you gallant youths of Gunjur for defending our environment,” said Ahmed Majang, an ecological scientist who spearheaded the activism against the company.

Golden Lead said the community’s action will cost them millions of dollars.

Lamin Jassey, a youth leader in the community, told Anadolu Agency that they gave the Chinese firm a week's deadline to remove the pipes but they failed to comply.

The police sent out paramilitary forces to protect the factory but they did not interfere with the removal of the pipes.

The plant has been the subject of challenges both in court and from Gambia’s environmental agency.