Twenty-four Gambian migrants stranded in Libya returned home safely after they were assisted by the International Organization for Migration through the UN agency’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return Programme.

Among the 24 returnees were two female minors.

A statement from IOM on Friday said: “They first joined a total of 88 stranded migrants, including Malians and Guineans, on a charter flight from Tripoli to Bamako, then proceeded onward to Banjul. In the same evening, five Gambians stranded in Morocco were also assisted to return home.

“The returnees were provided temporary accommodation, meals and non-food item (NFI) kits containing essential supplies, such as hygiene material. The following day, they were issued arrival assistance cards, which they can use for temporary identification, and underwent a preliminary medical and psychosocial screening.

“After taking part in an orientation session on the process of receiving reintegration assistance, each of them received “pocket money” in Gambian Dalasi (worth EUR 65) to cover basic needs.

“Over the coming weeks, IOM will be working closely with government and development partners to ensure the returnees’ economic, social and psychosocial reintegration. Each will commence counselling sessions to tailor reintegration assistance to their specific needs, interests and skills, and based on the available opportunities in the country.

“This assistance may consist of support to set up or strengthen a small business, support to pursue education or vocational training, support for job insertion or referrals to other services, or other forms of support such as housing or psychosocial counselling. Returnees also have the option to team up for collective or community-based projects.

“Even though the number of Gambians stranded in Libya has decreased considerably since 2017, we deem it crucial to offer assistance to those who wish to return home but do not have the means to do so, particularly in light of the deteriorating situation in Libya,” expressed Fumiko Nagano, IOM’s Chief of Mission in The Gambia.

“Through the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, IOM has assisted over 5,000 returnees, including over 3,000 from Libya alone. IOM continues to facilitate voluntary return from other countries, including over 500 returnees Niger in 2019.

“The Joint Initiative is funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and covers 26 African countries. The project aims to contribute to migration governance and to support the sustainable reintegration of returning migrants through an integrated approach, which addresses economic, social, and psychological dimensions and fosters the inclusion of communities in the process.”

By Lamin Njie

An Ecowas Court of Justice sitting in Abuja has ordered the Gambian state to pay the sum of $100,000 ‘equally’ to UDP leader Ousainou Darboe and nine other UDP top figures who were arrested in 2016.

UDP leaders including Mr Darboe took to the streets on 16 April 2016 following the arrest and torture-death of top activist Ebrima Solo Sandeng. The UDP figures later filed a case at the Ecowas court of justice seeking declaration from the court that their arrest was unlawful under the African charter on Human and People’s Rights.

They further asked the court to take action against their subsequent detention and torture.

Justice Edward Amoako Asante of Ghana in a ruling on 20 January in Abuja however held that their arrest was lawful and that it didn’t violate articles 5, 6 and 11 of the African charter.

The justice however ordered the Gambian state to pay the sum of $100,000 equally to the 1st (Ousainu Darboe), 3rd (Femi Peters), 4th (Lamin Dibba), 5th (Lamin Jatta), 15th (Fanta Darboe Jawara), 17th (Juguna Suso), 26th (Nogoi Njie), 27th (Fatoumatta Jawara), 28th (Fatou Camara), 30th (Ebrima Jadama) “for the hardships and violations of their human rights caused to them by agents of the respondents”.

By Adama Makasuba

TRRC in partnership with International Centre for Transitional Justice is taking victims of former president Yahya Jammeh through reparations regulations procedures.

The one-day stakeholders meeting seeks to discuss issues of victims’ registration, general perceptions about reparations and reparation measures that are responsive to victims’ needs.

It brought together representatives of civil society organizations, victims’ and victims’ families from different regions of the Gambia to dialogue with policymakers and community-based organizations on reparations issues.

The government last year announced 50 million dalasis former reparations for victims of former president Yahya Jammeh. The reparations money comes from the sale of assets of Jammeh.

Speaking at the event, TRRC deputy chair Adelaide Sosseh described the gathering as an important milestone in the development of the reparations regulations saying it is “one of the instruments that are to guide the granting of reparations to victims”.

International Centre for Transitional Justice’s Gbery Didier said: “The reparation process will hardly be successful without proper and effective consultation and participation of victims and civil society organizations in the process. This participation is indeed a complex undertaking, that requires flexibility and opening but that is necessary to manage and avoid unrealistic expectations and include every victim making sure no victim is left behind.”

According to him, in every transitional justice process, reparations play an undeniably important role in acknowledging and addressing the harms suffered by the victims, adding it may help reparations play an important role in the broader agenda of achieving justice and modeling respect for human rights and democracy.

“Reparations serve to acknowledge the rights of the victims as citizens, to repair the consequences of violations and express to victims and society that the state is committed to addressing the root causes of past violations and ensuring non –recurrence,” Mr Didier said.

By Lamin Njie

Prophet Nigel Gaisie has called on President Adama Barrow to leave power ‘so that another person will come’.

Prophet Nigel said the Lord has brought him to The Gambia to tell President Barrow that he step down according to his three years promise.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network, the popular Christian cleric, from Ghana, said: “Barrow is not doing well and I will appeal to him… And I am seeing insecurity in Gambia. Let Gambia strengthen their security.

“I have already prophesied within the year, last year that I saw a West African state toppled politically. That I have seen the country but I would not mention it. Because when I speak now, I speak maturely and figuratively.

“The president, he came and said he wants a mandate of three years. So he should go so that another person will come.

“Just like I told His Excellency Yahya Jammeh to go, he didn’t go and he was humiliated. He should go. I saw a mob, it will be a bad thing. He should go.

“Prophetically, I don’t see His Excellency Barrow beyond the five years. The lord has brought me here to come and tell him, admonish ahead of time that he should go.”

By Lamin Njie

Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou’s ‘political brinkmanship’ comments are for President Adama Barrow, Madi Jobarteh has said.

Mr Tambadou at the legal year opening last Sunday vowed to arrest and drag to court former president Yahya Jammeh if he ever returned to the country. The justice minister said no amount of idle political talk or political brinkmanship could stop that from happening.

Madi Jobarteh has pored over the justice minister’s comments telling The Fatu Network Mr Tambadou’s political brinkmanship comments are for President Barrow.

Mr Jobarteh said: “[The lack of political will] is what is bringing up this march, especially where you have the president himself go to rallies and speak about, ‘Yahya Jammeh can return to The Gambia but not as a president but as a private citizen’.

“I think that is a huge misconception and something unbecoming of President Barrow to say, indicative of, really, that lack of political will. Given also the way and manner he has been getting himself closer to APRC and even bringing in key Jammeh enablers right inside his cabinet and to other parts of his government, which is also the valve that has given the air to APRC to breathe to the point that Yahya Jammeh himself would have the audacity to say that, ‘Gambians miss me, I am better than Barrow’, and all of those things.

“So what Ba said last week should be something that should have been said since 2017. But what Barrow has been saying, what his spokesperson Sankareh said, that ‘his [Jammeh’s] security cannot be guaranteed’. Yes, his security should be guaranteed by the state because the state has a responsibility to guarantee the security of each and every Gambian.

“But when Ba said… There are two things in his statement; no amount of political talk and no amount of political brinkmanship. For me, I have distributed that to two people. Idle talk is about Fabakary Tombong Jatta and his APRC folks who are in that idle talk that ‘Yahya Jammeh did not kill anyone, Yahya Jammeh did not torture anyone, Yahya Jammeh is innocent’.

“The second thing is political brinkmanship. When we talk about political brinkmanship, it is when politicians engage in maneuvers, in schemes, in that kind of games in order to seek votes, in order to seek support, to seek legitimacy, in places where they are not even needed. And that is what we see Barrow do. I don’t know what is in Ba’s mind, but in my analysis of that speech, that political brinkmanship is for Barrow.”

Police in Mauritania have arrested Senegalese and Mauritanian homosexuals who were getting married in Nouakchott, Senego reported on Thursday.

Last weekend, the Senegalese-Mauritanian gay community held a mass wedding that was filmed and posted in various websites.

Police in Mauritania have now arrested the individuals as they launch a new crack down on gays.

The suspects were arrested in the chic Tevra Zeyna district on Wednesday, according to Senego.

The ministry of foreign affairs on Thursday announced the visit to The Gambia of the president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Mr Erdogan will pay a day’s visit to The Gambia on 27 January 2020. It will be the first time a Turkish president is visiting the country.

A statement from foreign affairs said: “The purpose of the visit is to facilitate a review of the bilateral relations between the two countries and to map-out ways of strengthening collaboration relative to development cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral level.

“During the visit by President Adama Barrow to Turkey in February 2018 the two countries signed various Bilateral Agreements, Protocols and Memorandums of Understanding. Since that fruitful visit, bilateral cooperation between the two countries has become more comprehensive involving commercial, educational, economic, health and security sectors just to name a few.

“The Gambia and Turkey have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations dating back to 1965 following the country’s attainment of independence and have been collaborating closely at the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and other international fora.”

The Awards Committee of The Fatu Network Heroes Awards has finalised the categories for the top-line awards as well as the criteria. Eleven categories have been identified by a seven-man independent awards committee.

The awards event is slated for 14 March 2020 and it will attract 1000 people among them First Ladies, ministers, businesspeople and members of the Gambian diplomatic community.

The First Lady of Sierra Leone Mrs Fatima Bio will be presented with a special award for her work in the area of girls in the West Africa sub-region under her Hands Off Our Girls campaign. Other high profile figures will also be presented with special awards.

See the different awards categories and their criteria as well as an explanation of the awards committee and the awards procedures below;

Awards Committee
The members of the Awards Committee are chosen by The Fatu Network. These individuals are apolitical and have been seen by The Fatu Network as able to demonstrate fair and unbiased judgement in assisting to recognize exemplary Gambians. Once identified, the committee works independently from The Fatu Network. The Fatu Network cannot make any decisions as to who should be awarded or not.

Award Nominations
Essentially, anyone can nominate an individual or group they see fit to receive an award within the applicable category. Prior to the awards, there will be a brief period of time in which the general public has the opportunity to submit nomination suggestions based on the categories and criteria presented. From there, the awards committee will assess all suggestions and ultimately narrow it down to a maximum of 4 candidates for each category.

Determining Award Winners
Award winners will be determined by both the awards committee (60%) and general public (40%). Once the nominees for each category are finalized, there will be a public voting poll open which will feature the group/persons qualifications, work, and accomplishments. There are two methods of voting; an easily accessible online survey and AFRICELL SMS. All will be informed immediately when the polls are open, each individual can only vote ONCE.

Resolving a conflict of interest: If a member of the committee is directly involved with a nominee, they will automatically be excluded from nominating and/or voting in that category.

CATEGORIES:

. Agriculture- Agricultural Leadership Award
. Diaspora-Diaspora Engagement Award
. Disabled- Trailblazer Award (Honoring the differently abled)
. Education- Education Prize for Excellence Award
. Environment- The Green Award
. Health- Health Servant of the Year Award
. Man of the Year Man of the Year Award
. Philanthropy- Philanthropist of the Year Award
. Posthumous- Iconic Gambian Award
. Woman of the Year Woman of the Year Award
. Youth- Exemplary Youth Award

Agricultural Leadership Award
The Agricultural Leadership awardee is one who establishes high impact achievements in the realm of Gambian agriculture. This group/person’s work has resulted in the demonstrable increase in the quality, quantity and/or availability of consumables for our urban and/or rural society- even more so if their ‘green thumb’ has been able to extend outside of the borders of The Gambia. We are considering the significance of individual achievements, but the complexity of the problem solved will be the most important aspect considered.

Criteria:
. Increased production or productivity of crops
. Reduced cost of cultivation through use of sustainable methods
. Has reduced poverty, hunger or suffering; or enhanced health, nutrition, quality of life and well being
. Uses cutting edge technology to address food security

Diaspora Engagement
For years, groups and individuals of the Gambian Diaspora have been selflessly and tirelessly contributing to the development of The Gambia-from a distance. The aim of the Diaspora Engagement Award is to highlight and showcase this effort! We are not talking of the obligatory remittances sent back to sustain their families back home, but going further by striving to make a difference and actively contributing to the change they want to see.

Criteria:
. Donates an extensive amount of time, energy, or money to an underrepresented and . underdeveloped cause in The Gambia
. Created a group or organization that contributes to the development or advancement of the following sectors: Maternal Health, Education, Science, Poverty, Environment etc.

Education prize for excellence of the Year
“In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else”
– Lee Iacocca

The Education Prize for Excellence Award aims to highlight and reward a true inspirer in and out of the classroom, we are looking to- recognize a teacher, administrator or institution. The importance of the role a teacher and/or institution plays extends far past the textbook and deep into the future of the youth, especially in a society like this where the youth spend a large amount of time under their care. Even more so, in a society like this where the youth account for roughly 60% of the population and are, undoubtedly, the future of The Gambia.

Criteria:
. An outstanding Teacher, Administrator or Institution
. Proven record of outstanding achievement and leadership in the education sector
. Uses modern techniques and innovations to impact knowledge
. Achieved significant results (of a class/individual) through their influence
. Exposed and encouraged youth to participate in national and international competitions
. Overcomes difficult challenges to delivering quality education in a marginalized or disadvantaged community, especially in the rural Gambia

THE GREEN AWARD
More often than not, environmental causes are neglected and not seen as a pressing enough issue to pursue. This is a wild misconception and approach the very basis of our homes and livelihoods. The Green Award will highlight and reward the efforts of a group or individual working tirelessly against the odds to ensure that a difference is made in the way we treat our environment. This can be by way of sustainable business solutions, activism, policy or any effective type of outreach being made to change the societal norms in Gambia.

Criteria:
. Uses sustainable and innovative means to address environmental challenges
. Demonstrated achievements in rolling back the effects of climate change
. Initiated a major environmental initiative that addresses and provides sustainable solutions to waste management
. Has a proven track record of activism to both educate and inform stakeholders and communities alike on issues affecting our environment

Health Servant of the Year
The Health Servant of the Year award is dedicated to a civil servant promoting or improving the health and well-being of all individuals that cross their paths. Regardless of social background, wealth, status or influence- this individual treats all walks of life as one when it comes to dedicating their time, expertise, and energy.

Criteria:
. Makes ‘do’ with limited resources to incite impactful results that save or enhance lives
. Shows extraordinary commitment to dispensing healthcare throughout the country
. Demonstrates strong leadership that result in significant gains for a health facility
. Goes above and beyond in providing greater care, excellent customer service and support for patients during their line of duty
. Innovative health administrators and organizations that have made significant contributions to the health sector can also be nominated in this category

Man of the Year
This award will go to a man who inspires, motivates, invests, and dedicates himself to the advancement of the society. Through these actions, he has impacted society in a profound fashion – in terms of empowerment of youths, women, the underprivileged, peace building, and all other patriotic endeavors geared towards molding The Gambia into a beacon of hope.

Criteria:

. Makes the single-biggest achievement/impact in a year
. An emerging voice who uses his/her work to achieve a result in the greater interest of the country and people
. Emerges as the single-biggest influence in the year
. Showcases huge patriotism in addressing or preventing something that saves lives
. Worked to enhance the image of The Gambia internationally
. Brokered peace through conflict-prevention and management that fostered socio-political stability

Philanthropist of the Year
The Philanthropist of the Year award is presented to an extraordinary individual who has shown outstanding leadership in the area of philanthropy and who, throughout their giving, has made remarkable differences in bringing about sustainable social change.

Criteria:
. Giving in the moment a ‘giving’ that is strategic and long-term
. May include an individual, couple or family
. Evidence of outstanding civic responsibility as demonstrated by contributions of financial resources and voluntary commitment of time
. Willingness to serve in leadership roles and providing vision and the ability to involve others in philanthropic efforts

Trailblazer of the Year (Honoring the differently abled)
The Trailblazer of the Year award is accredited to celebrate and acknowledge a person with disability who, despite the odds against them, RAISE THE BAR AGAINST THE ONE SET FOR THEM.

Criteria:
. Breaks barriers to accomplishing an extraordinary achievement, especially by members of the disability community
. Proven record of sustained advocacy or campaign that empowers persons with disability
. Emerged as a strong voice for the cause of persons with disability
. Donates resources and time to championing the cause of persons with disability
. Initiate a project that provides skills for the employability of persons with disability.

PostHumous (inspiring Gambian award)
This award celebrates a person who made numerous sacrifices for the advancement of our society. Life is precious and only true patriots are willing to give it up for the greater good. This award is a nod to not only the selflessness of the recipient but also the inspiring attributes he/she possessed.

Criteria (not limiting):
. Lost their life in the previous year (2019)
. Led a life of sacrifice and dedication to justice for all or any particular noble cause
. Was a voice for the voiceless during their lifetime
. Sacrifice resulting in lasting, positive impacts in The Gambian society

Woman of the Year
This award will go to a woman who inspires, motivates, invests, and dedicates herself to the advancement of the society. Through these actions, she has impacted society in a profound fashion – in terms of empowerment of youths, women, the underprivileged, peace building, and all other patriotic endeavors geared towards molding The Gambia into a beacon of hope.

Criteria:

. Makes the single-biggest achievement/impact in a year
. An emerging voice who uses his/her work to achieve a result in the greater interest of the country and people
. Emerges as the single-biggest influencer in the year
. Showcased huge patriotism by addressing or preventing something that saved or enhanced lives

Exemplary Youth
The Exemplary Youth Award section is dedicated to a young Gambian who exerts their effort to create positive social, economic and/or environmental change in our society. Making up roughly 60% of the Gambian population the youth are undoubtedly the future; but this person in particular has been demonstrating acute direction in regard to solving at least one of the numerous development issues we continue to face. This person’s ideas and actions are innovative, impactful, and has the potential to bring about true structural and institutional change. We are particularly looking for an individual who has demonstrated: Resourcefulness and Perseverance, Strategy and Bigger Picture, Revolutionary Thinking, and Advocacy.

Criteria:
. Aged 15-35
. Making a difference in the Gambian society
. Has spearheaded urban and/or rural projects/community initiatives
. Innovative in Business/Entrepreneurship

The Gambia case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice got off to a good start after the world’s top court ordered Myanmar to take measures to prevent genocidal acts against the Rohingya.

The court on Thursday unanimously adopted “provisional measures” that require Myanmar to prevent genocide and take steps to preserve evidence.

Myanmar’s military committed extensive atrocities against the Rohingya, including murder, rape, and arson, that peaked during its late 2017 campaign of ethnic cleansing, forcing more than 740,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, according to human rights watch.

In September 2019, the United Nations-backed International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar found that the 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Myanmar “may face a greater threat of genocide than ever,” the group said.

Thursday’s development comes as a huge victory for The Gambia as the country and Myanmar lock horns after it filed a case at the International Court of Justice last year alleging that Myanmar was committing “an ongoing genocide” against its minority Muslim Rohingya population.

Myanmar has since denied those allegations.

By Adama Makasuba

Leaders in Tallinding Wednesday evening convened an emergency news conference, calling on feuding Tallinding families to find a way of ending their dispute peacefully.

The Cham Kunda and Badjie Kunda families of Tallinding are locked in a bitter feud over the headsmanship of the town.

The two families have in recent weeks been throwing jabs at each other over who really are the true custodians of Tallinding. Gambian customary law says the family that founds a town or village automatically becomes the custodian of that town as well as its alkaloship (headsmanship).

The Chams of Tallinding claim they founded the town and that the Badjies were temporarily assigned the alkaloship role. The Badjies have dismissed that claim as they claim they are the larger family.

On Wednesday, respected figures of the town held a press conference calling on the two families to end their feud.

Mbemba Barrow who spoke a the news conference asked the two families to allow elections settle their dispute.

He urged the two families to calm down and know that they are one people.

By Lamin Njie

The campaign to bring former president Yahya Jammeh to justice has received a huge boost as Gambians abroad have stumped up various amounts that totalled D70,000 ahead of a march on Saturday.

Victims of Mr Jammeh’s 22 years tyranny will take to the streets on Saturday to call for the former leader’s arrest and prosecution for crimes he allegedly committed.

Mr Jammeh’s rule was marked by gross human rights violations and abuses, and the case has sparked an investigation.

Victims of his rule will stage a protest on Saturday to call on the Barrow administration to ensure Mr Jammeh faces justice. An amount of D77,000 have been raised to be ploughed into the march with indefatigable Yunus Hydara leading the fundraising campaign. The sum is from diaspora Gambians.

It comes days after opposition APRC, Mr Jammeh’s party, staged a protest calling for the return to the country of the former president.

Mr Jammeh has since January 2017 been living in exile in Equatorial Guinea following his shock electoral defeat in an election the previous year. He had refused to step down but troops activated by Ecowas forced him to flee the country.

Gambia for Five Years and Peacebuilding will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss its next move, The Fatu Network has gathered.

Gambia for Five has been rivalling Operation Three Years Jotna on the latter’s campaign against President Adama Barrow’s decision to set aside his promise to serve a three-year term.

The anti-Barrow pressure group staged a protest last month to call for the president to resign.

Gambia for Five Years wants President Barrow to serve a five-year term and group answered Operation Three Years Jotna’s protest by coming up with their own protest to call on the president to ignore demands for him to leave office.

Three Years Jotna will stage a second protest on Sunday after a showdown last Friday which saw the police roll back an initial position of denying the group a permit.

Gambia for Five Years will hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss its next move.

By Lamin Njie

The leadership battle at the Supreme Islamic Council has edged closer to a close as it has emerged imams of the government-recognised body plan to hold a congress soon.

Sources have told The Fatu Network a commitee has been set up tasked with organising a congress that could churn out a new leadership.

Gambians imams have been at loggerheads over the leadership of the country’s top Islamic body.

The Imam Momodou Lamin Touray-led administration has been accused of leading the council illegally.

As a result, Imams under the banner of Rawdatul Majalis set up a parallel Supreme Islamic Council and announced their own president.

The Fatu Network now understands a congress is in the pipeline which could see the election into office of a new leadership at the government-recognised Supreme Islamic Council. The congress could be held within a month.

By Adama Makasuba

Top imam Baba Leigh has detailed his fractious and bitter relationship with ex-president Yahya Jammeh.

Imam Leigh testifying before the TRRC went down memory lane on a relationship that was so bitter it led his torture and jailing.

In his testimony, the imam said: ” Yahya Jammeh just hate and dislike me and he even said it.”

According to him, Jammeh was following him to incriminate and silence him over his words of preaching and activism.

Baba Leigh told commissioners that it was Mr Jammeh who stopped from hosting a programme on GRTS, adding he was also stopped from doing a programme on West Coast Radio.

Imam Baba Leigh was among a number of religious leaders who were arrested and tortured.

His ordeals saw him flee into exile to America.