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“Punish The Gambia Government and ensure that impunity and violations of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance are halted”- rights groups appeal to ECOWAS

Fatu Camara
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Dakar, 5 June 2016- A West African grouping of faith based, rights, academic, women and youth organisations have urged the ECOWAS heads of state and government to hold The Government of the Gambia, under the leadership of President Yaya Jammeh, to account over the systematic and wonton violations of the region’s democracy and governance principles. The group, led by the West African Civil Society Forum- WACSOF, stated that ECOWAS should not tolerate nor allow the government of the Gambia’s continued position to ignore the calls for reforms by its peers, civil society and the international community. They said that The Gambia government’s determination to continue to violate the rights of its own citizens through the rule of terror, and instilling fear within the general public, as well as the persistent and systematic infractions of rules of the institutions and protocols it has vowed to respect, including the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy, must not go unpunished.

 

The call comes as the regional body is due to meet at its 49th Ordinary Session in Dakar, Senegal. The group stated that The Gambia is the only country within ECOWAS that has regressed drastically in its governance and rule of law- from the days of the 1980s when Gambia was seen as a bastion of democracy and rule of law on the whole continent to a point where it was rewarded with hosting the ACHPR, to now a pariah state where its citizen’s live in fear due to the unconscionable brutality meted out to its citizens on a daily basis, the most recent of which was on 14 and 16 April 2016.

 

The group raised the alarm over rapid deterioration of rule of law, further erosion of human rights, enforced disappearances, arrests of political party opposition, torture, illegal detention and extra judicial executions, rape and sexual violence against women, as well as wanton abuse of executive power in The Gambia. And said that this indicated that the country is presided over by an undemocratic regime, where impunity and terror are firmly entrenched.

 

In a strongly worded document titled: “CSF II: Resolution adopted at the WACSOF forum”, the group stated that the recent acts of illegal and arbitrary arrests, torture, physical and sexual violence against protesters including women, and continued threats by the Government of the Gambia on its population, were unacceptable and alien to ECOWAS’s aspirations of promoting and protecting the principles contained in the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance namely: Constitutional Convergence Principles; Free and Fair Elections; specifically- popular participation in decision-making, strict adherence to democratic principles and decentralization of power at all levels of governance. The group cited the recent Electoral Amendment Act, designed to price out political opposition from competing in elections which makes it cost prohibitive for aspiring candidates to compete for public office, especially the most vulnerable, youth and women.

 

They called on ECOWAS to: Call The Gambia to comply with its obligations as a member state and align with the normative regional frameworks and respect the ECOWAS Court rulings, and apply appropriate measures to state party violations, according to its own rules of membership and regional treaty, Article 77 of the ECOWAs Revised Treaty, and 45 of the Supplementary Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy.”

 

About:

 

Civil Society Forum II Gambia- CSF II is the second series of conferences on and about governance, rule of law and democracy in The Gambia. CSF II titled: Fading Fears and Rising Resistance was held on the 1-2 June 2016, in Dakar Senegal. Organizers are a coalition of non-state actors which include: African youth and gender activists; academics; lawyers; advocates; religious leaders; regional and international human rights organizations and other independent entities; parliamentarians. It is convened by the Coalition for Change Gambia-CCG and supported by Open Society Foundations’ Africa Regional Office.

 

West African Civil Society Forum- WACSOF serves as a receptacle for civil society organizations feeding in to the ECOWAS System processes, and empowers them to exploit the public space at the National and Regional levels, in order for civil society to contribute to an integrated, stable and developed regional community. WACSOF’s mission is therefore to create the avenues through which CSOs can more constructively engage with the authorities at the national levels as well as the Institutions of the ECOWAS System. WACSOF has membership and country representatives in: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cape Verde; Cote D’Voire; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; and Liberia.

 

Coalition for Change Gambia-CCG – a civil, human and political rights organization which brings together a cross-section of the Gambian community at home and abroad, was launched in April 2011. The group is a non-partisan organization established to challenge the dictatorship and restore basic freedoms in The Gambia through non-violent action.

 

For more information please contact:

 

Dr. Amadou S Janneh (CCG) [email protected] +221 781280742

 

Sokhna Mame Diarra Bousso Ndiaye (WACSOF) [email protected] +221 775526577

Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is new ECOWAS chair

Fatu Camara
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By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

Liberia president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been appointed as new chair for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) replacing President Macky Sall of Senegal who’s term has ended.

 

The chair of the Commission is appointed by the Heads of State and Governments to manage the affairs of the sub-regional bloc for a period of one year. President Sall who’s mandate has ended was elected chairman of the sub-regional bloc at the 47th summit of the organization in Accra, Ghana on May 19, 2015.

 

Madam Sirleaf who is the 24th President of Liberia and in office since 2006, was unanimously elected at the end of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

According to ECOWAS rules, any country’s leader elected to this position will automatically make the Foreign Affairs minister of that country become the chairman of the Council of Ministers. Therefore, Liberia will now chair all other statutory meetings (ministerial, experts and technical committees) of the bloc during the year.

 

Summit agenda

Prior to the election of President Sirleaf, the leaders witnessed the swearing in ceremony of the new President of the ECOWAS Commission Marcel A. de Souza.

Among the issues discussed are the report of the 76th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and 36th Ordinary Session of the Council on Mediation and Security.

 

They also reviewed the memorandum on the status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as well as issues relating to the signing of a Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECOWAS and Turkey.

 

 

New ECOWAS president says peace & security are sine-qua-non to regional integration

Fatu Camara
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By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

The new President of the ECOWAS Commission Alain Marcel de Souza has said that “no real and lasting integration” is achievable, “without peace and sustainable security environment in the sub-region.  Souza was speaking Saturday after he was sworn-in as new president of the ECOWAS Commission at the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

 

A super economist and bureaucrat from Benin, Souza assumed duties on April 8th, 2016 at a handing over ceremony at the Commission headquarters in Abuja. He took over from Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso.

 

 

In his first address before Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS member states, Mr Souza said the immediate role of ECOWAS under his presidency is to save Mali and Guinea Bissau. He said Mali is faced with routine terrorist attacks and an occupation of its northern part by Jihadist. He said Guinea Bissau too has for years now been suffering from political instability. He said the role of ECOWAS in Mali and Guinea Bissau is his priority and urged all member states to be vigilant especially at a time when all forms of violence and extremism is exacerbated. Mr Souza admitted that there are huge security challenges facing the sub-regional bloc and urged member states to share information, communicate, coordinate and harmonize efforts and mobilize resources to deal with the extremist groups to ensure regional stability. He then suggested the possibility of establishing a regional intervention force against terrorism.

 

 

 

Who is De Souza

De Souza was born on 20th of October 1953 at Pobè in the Republic of Benin. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Dakar as well as a specialized Master’s Degree in Management and Banking at the West African Training Centre for Banking Studies (COFEB) completing his training at the IMF Institute in Washington.

 

 

 

Mr. de Souza was formerly the Internal Controller at Banque Centrale des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest- Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) head office in Cotonou. He rose to become national Director and Director of Administration at the bank headquarters in Dakar.

 

 

 

President de Souza had also served as Head of Department of Economic and Financial Affairs in the Office of the President of the Republic of Benin before he was appointed as Special Adviser to the President of the Republic of Benin on Monetary and Banking Affairs and later the minister for Development, Economic Analysis and Forecast from 28 May 2011 to 15 June 2015.

 

 

 

Prior to his appointment as the President of the ECOWAS Commission, he has been a Member of Parliament of the Benin National Assembly since June 2015. Mr. de SOUZA is fluent in French and has knowledge of English and German. He is married with 7 children.

 

ECOWAS urges Gambia’s security forces to avoid using excessive force against citizens

Fatu Camara
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By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

West African leaders gathered for a regional summit in the Senegalese capital, Dakar have urged the Gambia’s security forces to avoid use of ‘excessive’ force against citizens and respect their democratic rights in the republic.

 

In a final communiqué issued at the end of the 49th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, the leaders called on the Gambia government and the opposition to engage in a frank dialogue without delay and encouraged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to develop a roadmap that will be agreed by all stakeholders in the electoral process.

 

ECOWAS leaders also instructed the Commission to deploy a pre-election technical mission to The Gambia as soon as possible to assess the electoral process. “We also call on the government and the National Assembly of the Gambia to engage in reforms and organize an inclusive election that will be free and credible” the communiqué stated.

 

The ECOWAS Heads of State further welcomed the opening of the borders between The Gambia and Senegal, inviting the two countries to continue dialogue while adhering strictly to the principles of free movement of people and goods.

 

Tribalism: Jammeh’s Worst Nightmare

Fatu Camara
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By Lamin Gano

 

In a recent meeting in Talinding during his meet the peoples’ tour, President Jammeh warned Gambians against tribalism. In his own words, “I will not accept tribalism anymore in this country and I don’t want to hear this tribal talk again because they are just diversionary, misguiding, and anti-development and totally a result of negative and backward ideological mentality.”

 

 

Anyone who knows the Gambia will attest to the fact that the dozen of tribes inhabiting this beautiful country are perhaps the most close-knitted society in the whole world. A classic example of Gambia’s positive tribal culture is that every tribe has two or more tribes that are its cousins. For example the Serrer, Jahanka and some of the Jolas are my tribal cousins as a Fulani person and therefore all forms of jokes and name callings are acceptable between us. For example I can call any Serrer person a slave, label all the Jahnkas as a bunch of lazy people and categorize all the members of the Jarjou families as monkeys and absolutely nothing will come out of it. And the same goes for all the rest of the tribes and even between regions. This is perhaps the greatest conflict prevention and conflict resolution innovation that our fore fathers ever came up with.

 

 

So why is Mr. President so worried about tribalism in the Gambia? The truth is that Jammeh is scared of Gambians resorting to tribal politics because that would be the fastest and surest way for him to lose power. Jammeh will be doomed in any election in which Gambians decide to vote along tribal lines. Here is how:

 

 

Out of the eight registered opposition parties in the Gambia, the leaders of all the seven parties are either Mandinkas or Fulas. And according to the recent census, more than 30% of the population are Mandinkas while more than 20% are Fulas. Only these two tribes comprise of over 60% of the population.

 

 

So Jammeh is clearly worried that the opposition parties could come together to form a coalition and then once they do, their tribes-people could also decide to vote along tribal lines. If that happens, then Jammeh would be out of the State House faster than it takes Usain Bolt to finish a 100m race!!!! However, since Gambians have never played the tribal card in politics and certainly never against each other, there is really no need for Jammeh’s tribal threats. After all there is no law banning tribal politics so how would the state stop Gambians if they chose to vote for the candidates of their tribes anyway?

 

 

To conclude, I do hope and pray that our opposition leaders would see the wisdom and urgency of coming together under one leadership to engage Jammeh on politics of maturity and common sense. This would also give Gambians one and only one option/platform to get rid of Jammeh in peace without resorting to any uprisings, violence or trials. Peace, religious tolerance and harmonious co-existence are some of our enviable trademarks which we must preserve at all cost.

George Christensen: The demise of an icon

Fatu Camara
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By D. A. Jawo

 

With the untimely death of George Christensen, the Gambia, and indeed the entire African continent has lost not only a pioneering broadcaster but also an uncompromising defender of free expression.

 

 

George left a comfortable life in the United Kingdom to return to the Gambia to contribute his quota to national development. He shot to prominence in 1990 when he opened Radio 1FM, becoming the second private radio station after Radio Syd and the first of about 20 FM stations to operate in the country since then.

 
In addition to providing alternative source of information and entertainment from the monotony of Radio Gambia, Radio 1FM also became the most effective training institution for young Gambian broadcasters. Among those trained at Radio 1FM include Lamin Manga, who later became Director General of GRTS, Fatou Camara of Fatu Show fame, Harona Drammeh of MediaMatic/Paradise FM, Sidy Ceesay of Freedom Newspaper/Radio and Modou Thomas, anchorman of the famous Sunday News Hour, to name just a few.

 
George had also played quite an effective role in doing consultancy work both in the Gambia and other parts of Africa in helping to advance community broadcasting.

 
Even though he always insisted that he was a sound engineer instead of a journalist, George played an important role in the GPU training programme and he was also a founding member of the South Africa-based World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) in which he served as lead facilitator and training officer. In that role, he travelled all over Africa to help develop community radio broadcasting.

 
We can all vividly recall the effective role that Radio 1FM played in popularizing private broadcasting in the Gambia, with George himself taking part in many interactive programmes to which the telephone lines were open to the public to contribute. One of the most popular of such programmes was no doubt the weekly Sunday News Hour during which a panel discussed several issues of national currency, as well as opened the lines for public participation.

 
We can also recall the huge impact that a special programme George initiated during the April 10/11 student demonstrations in 2000 when the security forces shot dead several of them. The live phone-in programme had such an impact that the police forced it to be stopped.

 
Another programme that made much impact was the weekly discussion by Pa Dacosta in which he bluntly criticized the regime for its stance on many issues.

 
However, despite all the threats and harassments George had been subjected to by the authorities and their agents, including the arson attack on the radio in 2001 in which he suffered serious burns, he still refused to be intimidated and continued serving the information-hungry Gambians.

 
We can also recall that Radio 1FM was the one used by the “Soldiers with a difference” to announce their coup d’etat in 1994, and yet, they still went on to subject him to all sorts of harassment when he refused to toe their line.

 
We say adieu to George and sympathies to his wife Mary Samba as well as other members of his family and friends, and indeed to all Gambians to whom he served to the best of his ability.

Yahya Jammeh’s fine art of back-scratching for political advantage

Fatu Camara
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In Gambia , many rightly wonder why every event of a serious matter of national disaster only blooms for couple days or a month and fade away quickly like a season except for cronyism persists throughout all season . With all the atrocities, brutality of UDP party members since its inception, exterminations, turmoil’s, diplomatic blunders , scandals , embarrassments and condemnation of the world, Conventional wisdom suggests that — people should distance themselves from such a person. Yaya Jammeh is bruised heavily but still stands politically in Gambia. That’s because he have been tolerated far too long by Gambians that either accepts the status quo or aren’t paying attention for 22 years. He has been allowed push his narrative unchallenged for two decades now until it becomes conventional wisdom.

 

Yahya Jammeh mastered the inside-outside power approach to trading favors in full swing early on since the dead of Koro Ceesay in 1995 — and many more— all the way to Solo Sandeng in 2016. Gambians still underestimate Yahya Jammeh. With prosecutorial discretion at the ICC in the hands of fellow Gambian ex minister of justice, huh ! The chances of an inquest about Yahya Jammeh human rights abuses are smaller than the likelihood or next to none. We keep repeating the same mistakes but Yahya Jammeh has perfected the fine art of back-scratching for political advantage and turns our problems into profit for his family. He acts with inexcusable disregard for human life. Everything about the Gambia is narrated with subsequent sensational and one-sided media coverage of his perspective only.

 

Yahya Jammeh has showed himself as a calculated manipulative individual who seize opportunity — upon— opportunity and use it to his advantage. His irresponsible perception of things nevertheless becomes reality and fear fester. 30th December heroes were betrayed by their fellow Gambian counter parts; he sold them to the world as terrorists and refused to hand over the bodies to families to this day. His narrative is wrong and deceptive. After they killed solo and jailed the UDP executives, he is out there preaching tribalism from every corner of Gambia to confused Gambians to prevent much bigger uprising. This big cry baby is encouraging the impression that UDP is a tribalism party. Again, his narrative is wrong because he is trying to cover up the fact that he responded with unrestrained violence to electoral reform request. The sad thing is that some Gambians bought it and some are siting home doing nothing about it.

 

When any good ideas surfaces and crisis of enormous proportion occurs, the Jammeh’s will find a way and turn it into a broad boulevard of personal gain. When Europeans closed your check books, he ran to Arabs and changes The Gambia to— Islamic state of Gambia. Political opportunism is now the new rule of Yahya Jammeh. He expects Gambians to stand by him in his quest to rule for many years — come hell or high water notwithstanding — cashing the favors given to the few whom he gave stolen properties ceased through eminent domain. One torturer was quoted in Fatoumata Jawara’s affidavit “you want to spoil our enjoyment “. Like the loyal soldiers, they will fall inline no matter what wrong he does and do all the dirty job of killing, raping, torturing for him.

 

The most vociferous opposition is coming from the Diaspora but every year, someone whom is granted political asylum — as a result of their testimonial about the regime, cross carpets and creates just as much of a strain on the credibility of our struggle. Recent examples of those who show solidarity with Yahya Jammeh along with all his embarrassments, got rewarded ambassadorial or diplomatic jobs in critical positions such as UN. The world gets confused and gets eggs thrown on their faces.

 

Yahya Jammeh has successfully confused the local Gambian population by redefining cronyism— with loyalty. Many feel that Loyalty is standing by ones political allies regardless of — and sometimes especially if — they’ve done wrong. Unfortunately, cronyism appears all too often to be the glue bonding together political alliances and nationalism. Never has the regime been used so extensively as a vehicle for benefiting political cronies at the expense of the rest of us. Given the regime’s rampant favoritism, special treatment and using— families, religious leaders, community elders ties to silence opponent, the chance of fighting for one’s conviction gets very difficult. Let’s be honest! Those whom are engage in politics are regarded as aimless or have too much time on their hands. If we want to regain our freedom, perpetual local practice of cronyism must end, and we all must demand more of our elected officials.

 

New revelations have surfaced from Panama papers of hidden wealth than previously known existed in Gambia but nothing came out of it so far. Jammeh clearly warded off the threat of investigations because a he ensures no paper trail documents bears his name. His supporters say — there is no smoking gun that betrays illegal activity just to kill this scandalous issue once and all. Well to many Gambians, It simply confirms what the public already knows about Gambia’s quintessential political families— Amadou samba and the Jammeh family. With no serious opposition in the parliament and mercenary judges as Chief Justice, DDP and his tribe’s men as heads of security, he is comfortable dictating everything because he doesn’t get the plain talk advice.

 

Yahya Jammeh have showed a generation of Gambians how to seize upon disaster and use it to his advantage. Dictator Jammeh understands few party militants and some party supporters are infatuated with wealth, women and cars since their childhood —growing up in poverty. He exchanged their unflinching opposition to his rule with those sweet heart deals. Hence the wollof proverb “When day light falls, we see all those with ugly face”. Yahya Jammeh— a corrupt leader will go to any lengths to protect his position with control the media, intimidation, lies, exploitation of Gambian nationalism, manipulation of people’s religious beliefs, use of people as scapegoats and novice security services to his advantage. The struggle will be very difficult atimes , but it is with hope that our dedication, endurance, and comrades whom had fallen will keep us going and ensure we don’t turn our backs on Gambia. We need to fact check Yahya Jammeh daily before he pollutes the minds of Gambia’s to the point of no return. I encourage someone to start the #Factchecking-Yaya Jammeh.

 

By Habib ( A Concerned Gambian)

Yahya Jammeh boycotts ECOWAS Summit in Dakar

Fatu Camara
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By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh has once again boycotted the ongoing 49th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which opened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

 

President Jammeh instead sends a delegation led by Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment minister Abdou Jobe accompanied by other ministers. It is not clear why President Jammeh is not attending despite the neighborliness between The Gambia and Senegal but many believe it might be due to tensed relations between the two countries over the past months.

 

Though it is not only President Jammeh who is absent from the summit but the situation between The Gambia and Senegal over the past months makes his absence a major concern. Other Presidents of Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Togo are also absent but does not raise much attention like Jammeh’s.

 

Ailing relations

Over the past four months, relation between The Gambia and Senegal are not smooth following a four-month long border impasse. The border was shut down following a boycott by Senegalese drivers after the levy they have to pay to cross The Gambia was increased 100 times – from CFA4,000 per truck to CFA400,000 (£500; $700; a unilateral move taken by President Jammeh.

 

The truck drivers refused to pay the high fee unilaterally imposed on trucks heading to Southern region crossing into The Gambia, forcing them to a 10-hour detour to Senegal’s Southern region of Cassamance.

By far the shortest route between the southern Senegalese region of Cassamance and the capital, Dakar, goes through The Gambia but since the border is currently closed, meaning the 420km (260-mile) journey is now twice as long as travelers and Lorries are driving all the way round The Gambia, via Tambacounda.

 

Several attempts were made at the community, transport union and diplomatic levels as well as at sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS, to find a solution but all proved futile throughout the over-three month border impasse.

 

Earlier, a joint mission by ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nation sent to Banjul called on the two governments to ensure dialogue and reach a lasting solution to the frequent border crisis.

 

Prior to that, Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh filed a complainant to ECOWAS but was rubbished by the sub-regional bloc, urging him to its neighbor, Senegal, as well as regional and international agreements.

 

A concession for the venue of negotiation was one time the problem to discuss the impasse and find a lasting solution. On May 15th, Gambia agreed to send a delegation to Senegal headed by Foreign Minister Neneh MacDouall-Gaye. The talks failed though the two delegations agreed on some points but failed to agree on what Senegal called ‘key points’.

 

Despite the disagreement over certain points, the over 3-month long border stand-off finally ended on Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00hrs GMT, following the May 15th negotiations in Dakar and other follow up diplomatic meetings.

 

 

49th ECOWAS Summit opens in Dakar

Fatu Camara
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The 49th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) opened Saturday in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.  Leaders got together to discuss pertinent sub-regional issues key among them the political situations in many countries, peace and security, pre and post election violence and The Gambia-Senegal routine border issue among others.

 

All West African Heads of States are attending the summit except Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh, José Mário Vaz of Guinea Bissau, Muhammadou Buhari of Nigeria and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo.

 

Welcoming delegates at the summit, President Macky Sall of Senegal congratulated the new president of the commission, the vice president and the seven other commissioners who assumed duties and assured them of all Heads of State and Government support.

 

He implored on them to work harder towards achieving the goal of ECOIWAS of the people and ensure a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous West Africa. He also paid tribute to former Commission president Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo for the valuable work he has done for the entire community. He said over the years, ECOWAS has patiently forged its integration tools, as evidenced by the entry into force on January 1, 2015, of the Common External Tariff (ECOWAS-CET), currently been implemented by nine member states. He called on the remaining six countries to support the aim of the commission in fulfilling this essential formality for the establishment of the large West African market.

 

This according to President Sall, will help in the realization of the liberalization of intra-community trade. He quickly urged the Task Force on Free Movement of People and Goods that was established by the commission to urgently work towards the lifting of many barriers within member states which is affecting the mobility of people and goods in the region. “We will achieve our goal of integration when every citizen of the community can move freely and go about his or her dail business. This is the very purpose of the ECOWAS biometric identity card whose circulation is expected to start this year. In Senegal, we have begun the process with the adoption of the law establishing this card” HE SAID.

 

On the signing of the Memorandum on the Economic Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union – WA-EU EPA which is still unfinished, President Sall reminded member states of the deadline of October 1, 2016 which is fast approaching. He called on member states to work towards meeting the deadline saying in order to preserve the assets and maintain cohesion and solidarity of the community, it is highly important that all member states support the agreement.

 

On political issues in the region, President Sall congratulated the elected and re-elected leaders after recent electoral polls across the region. He said during his mandate as chairman of the ECOWAS Commission, he has been closely monitoring developments especially in the Republic of Guinea Bissau and called on politicians there to show restrain and preserve the democratic gains of the country and to avoid any uncertain future.

 

On the security front, President Sall welcomed the significant progress made by the Republic of Nigeria in the fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram, thanks to the unwavering determination of President Muhammadu Buhari. “To him and to all the colleagues involved in the daily fight against terrorism, I renew our solidarity and support” President Sall said. Despite these successes, President Sall said the attacks in northern Mali, the Splendid Hotel attacks in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Grand Bassam in Ivory Coast clearly show that the treat of terrorist remains a major concern to the sub-region. According to him, to face and eliminate these deadly groups, member states must combine all resources and efforts in a comprehensive long term perspective. “We must at the same time raise the confusion in the terminology used to name these terrorist groups. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism and its murderous folly.

 

There is no Islamic State supporting Boko Harama or any group” he said. He said the political, security and economical challenges facing the region shows the magnitude and ever increasing challenges the sub-regional bloc has and needs to do more in meeting its goals. He quickly reminded member states that all efforts will prove futile without the mobilization of resources required and reiterated his appeal to all member states to fulfill their obligations by paying their subvention to the commission in full and on time. He also called on the Commission to continue streamlining its structures and expenses and refocusing its strategic objectives by better defining the priorities of the Community.

 

He welcomed the steps already taken by the President of the Commission in this direction and further called on the Commission and all the institutions to spend strategically in their operation and financing development projects so as to respond more to meet the goal of the common vision of ECOWAS of the people. President Sall then thanked member states and the commission for the support during his one-year mandate as chairman of the sub-regional bloc saying he has done his best over the past year to keep alive the objective of the founding fathers.

 

 

The new ECOWAS Commission President Marcel A. de Souza who was sworn-in at the start of the summit thanked member states for the trust and confidence bestowed upon him. He appealed for support in meeting the objectives of the sub-regional bloc. He assumed duties since April 8th, 2016 after a handing over ceremony at the Commission headquarters in Abuja.

 

 

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas also address the summit.

 

 

After the opening ceremony and inauguration of the head of the executive organ of the commission, West African leaders headed straight to business to review the Memorandum on the Status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as well as the signed Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECOWAS and Turkey. The will also adopt the reports of the 76th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the 36th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council of the regional organization held recently.

 

 

Leaders are expected to conclude the summit with the election of new chairman as current holder Senegalese President Macky Sall’s term has ended, before setting the date and venue of the 50th Summit to be followed by an official communiqué.

 

By Alhagie Jobe in Dakar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veteran radio journalist George Christensen dies

Fatu Camara
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The entire Gambia media fraternity is shattered by the sudden death of veteran radio journalist George Christensen.

 

Mr Christensen who was proprietor of former Radio 1 FM, the first independent FM station in The Gambia, died in Dakar Friday evening. He is reported to have collapsed and died at the Leopold Sedar Senghore International Airport in Dakar where he was waiting for his flight to Banjul.

 

Commonly known as Uncle George, Mr Christensen who is an experienced and seasoned broadcaster since 1974, trained some of the finest journalists in and outside the country.

 

A doyen of Gambian journalism, he is described by many as not only a mentor but a teacher and a critique who was always giving candid opinion on the profession.

 

Radio 1 FM was a private radio station in The Gambia which played music and emphasized issues relating to political and economic development as well as basic civic education programs. The broadcasting station served the west coast of the country which is mostly the Kombo (KSMD) area. It was transmitting its signals on a broadcast frequency of 102.1 FM. The 1994 coup that brought the current President Yahya Jammeh to power was announced on this radio.

Arrest

Among first victims of the current government’s infringement on freedom of speech and the press, Mr Christensen was on October 23rd, 2001, arrested and taken to the NIA headquarters in Banjul. He was released a few hours later after being questioned about his radio station’s financial situation.

Radio attack

On August 10, 2001 during ungodly hours, some disgruntled and still unidentified group, probably acting on orders took it upon themselves to attack and burn down Radio One FM station.

 

A protective proprietor like a mother hen, Mr Christensen staunchly defended his ‘chicks’ and faced the assailants physically and sustained burns on his body. He was applauded by all for standing strong not to see his ‘brain-child’ go up in smoke without raising a finger. He shook off the arson attackers and took photos of the incident. The then Independent Newspaper published the pictures on its August 14, 2001 edition.

 

He was hospitalized for days. Shortly after that, one of his staff, Alieu Bah who earlier received a letter threatening his life had his house set on fire while he and his family were asleep. Neighbours helped put the fire before it caused serious damage.

 

Alhagie Jobe, Dakar

 

 

Dictator Jammeh’s last hustle on trial

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Yahya Jammeh is the most polarizing figure in Gambia. In his speech Wednesday evening at Talinding— a town in Gambia, he spoke of tribalism and ethnic prejudice. The credibility gap between his words and deeds yawns wider. As divisive as he is, the current leader of Gambia has simply exacerbated a trend towards disunity that he has been developing for years. He continues — a record-setting pace of tribalism, divisiveness and mistrust for 22 years straight. Arm with the arrogance of power, Yahya Jammeh has grown particularly contemptuous and adventurous about destroying the bonds of trust and traditions of Gambia. For example, Yahya Jammeh’s regard for the majority tribe has been on a nosedive for the past 20 years. His popularity at home is fed by similar effrontery. Gambians should carefully consider the future direction of the Gambia under the stewardship of APRC regime. He is trying to burden Gambians with collective nationalism guilt by lecturing about Pan-Africanism, tribalism and the sin of the past colonial rulers. We categorically reject all these phenomena.

 

 

If Yahya Jammeh continues to serves as president. Gambians should begin by asking a key questions. Why is this man bombarding us with ethnic prejudice, tribalism, especially pan Africanism, on his tour and what does this philosophy means? He likes to talk about the worst examples of other peoples’ behavior 400 years ago but applies them to us now. Yahya Jammeh wants to rule Gambia with his 1970s mentality but wants himself and his family to enjoy all the benefits modern world. Not surprisingly, take a look at his family’s lifestyle compared with ordinary Gambians under his rule. He promised Gambians development but delivered disappointment and stagnation in the 1970 era. Our nations pocketbooks— have been thinning for so long because of his flamboyant and expensive lifestyle putting heavy strains on Gambia. His family owns the best — mansions, fleet of cars (phantoms, hummers, bimmers) and a bank account healthier than the nations savings. His home village have seen more development and is much cleaner than the capital. Our villages are still running two-wheel donkey carts for all purposes. Our hospital without proper medication.

 

 

A competent president would know that shared values like love of country, not Pan-Africanism resentment, to enables Gambia and Gambians to achieve their developmental goals. We understand the world is a global village but charity begins at home. The first responsibility of Yahya Jammeh and his regime is the perilous task to serve the Gambian people, not his— bank account, not his lust of “African Trademark” and dividing our society with tribal prejudice. Yahya Jammeh’s Pan-Africanism have other notions — a continued reliance on a policy of open-handedness of our nation coffers and judiciary to other citizens in hopes of attracting fame in history books. This is obvious nonsense. His mind control initiative— was first undertaken in a 1995 interview with a Senegalese medium. Mr. Jammeh explained his view of our “Legayocrasy” — one that goes well beyond the typical penchant for developing a nation and includes— a drastic revolutionary change. Apparently, that wasn’t radical enough for Mr. Jammeh.

 

 

He preaches about Gambia’s tribal color blindness and equality as cornerstone— that made us different from other nations to win the hearts and minds of people. Jammeh did unnecessarily politicize the government’s civil servants. He will dish out degrees— famous 89 which favored an unprecedented expansion of the powers of his government back then. Mr. Jammeh wants a government to have a bias in favor of an entire class of individuals. People with qualifications are increasingly frustrated of being hampered by internal tribal politics of hiring and nepotism. Yahya Jammeh in election time will speak so strongly about tribalism but kept Gambians in the dark about staffing decisions and hiring’s that aren’t being made on merits. A lot of his tribes’ men landed top jobs without necessary qualifications just to divide Gambians. This is wrong. We are all Gambians and love each other. Social engineering of the nation’s service men has been one of Yahya Jammeh’s goals in his quest to transform Gambia, and that means— playing with soldiers and ordinary citizens heads. By now we heard many related stories of military services about how superiors wanted to promote a qualified personnel because of their skills matched the job, but they were turned down by regime.

 

 

The colorblind tribal society in Gambia is no more under this regime. Yahya Jammeh has successfully divide Gambian communities, families and popular towns such as Bakau— Banjul — and Birikama using job positions to constantly put people at each’s others throat. No one has done more to work to cause inherent friction among the various ethnicities in Gambia than Yahya Jammeh and handful of his henchmen of this APRC regime. He and handful of rotten people, secretly spread— a message of in tolerance and differences among his tribesmen. During the PPP government, there were accusations that hiring decisions were based on who you know rather than what you know. With the APRC regime, Jammeh backhandedly gave us a pervasive culture of nepotism and tribal favoritism. The appalling pattern of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, rampant retaliation— is mind boggling. This is the reason why the government isn’t operating to its fullest potential. People whom were drivers, orderly’s, watch men now assumed mayoral posts, parliamentarian jobs, ambassadors and ministerial jobs etc.

 

 

There is no evidence that Mr. Yahya Jammeh has been seeking any consensus to change his ways. Gambia is one of the most overworked nations. He senses an opportunity to put additional pressure on a diminished and overworked Gambians. For 22- years, you have everything and we have nothing to show for. The Gambian people should ponder whether this model governance is the one we need to adopt at this juncture in our history as a country. Its seams we all looked the other way for 22 years. Gambians now want a vibrant government that will help fast track developmental goals. We don’t like the APRC model of cozy relationships and sweetheart deals when it comes to contractors or grantees, and the same holds true for pulling strings to benefit a particular tribe and friends. What makes us exceptional is — there isn’t tribal grave yard or tribal market in the Gambia. We are one people and Yahya Jammeh is the bad man. We are proud of all our different cultures. Gambians will soon come together to repent, repair and reinvent their wrong doings to society after you are long gone. So Yaya Jammeh, you keep your tribalism and Pan Africanism. A leader at his best — lifts the spirits of people but our eyes have seen a lot of bad examples from you.

 

I will leave you with one verse of the Quran to ponder upon. Surat rum verse 22: And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge.

Ramadan Mubaka

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

ECOWAS summit in Dakar to focus on regional issues

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West African leaders are meeting in the Senegalese Capital, Dakar on Saturday, June 4 to discuss regional issues of urgency particularly peace and security, pre and post election violence in member states and The Gambia-Senegal border issue.

 

 

 

The 49 Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will also see the swearing in of the new President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel A. de SOUZA. He assumed duties since April 8th, 2016 after a handing over ceremony at the Commission headquarters in Abuja. Souza, a super economist and bureaucrat from Benin took over from Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso.

 

 

 

The summit will also see the election of a new chairman of the Commission as current holder Senegalese President Macky Sall’s term has ended and he has announced that he will not renew his mandate. The summit will therefore elect a new chairman, before setting the date and venue of the forthcoming 50 Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

 

 

 

Besides the inauguration of the head of the executive organ, West African leaders will discuss several issues including the review of the Memorandum on the Status of negotiations of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between West Africa and the European Union, as well as the signed Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECOWAS and Turkey.

 

 

 

Leaders will also adopt the reports of the 76th Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and the 36th ordinary session of the Mediation and Security Council of the regional organization held recently.

 

 

 

The Heads of State and Governments will also discuss the memorandum on the submission of applications for nationals of Member States to open positions in regional or international bodies and adopt the interim report 2016 by the ECOWAS Commission president.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the opening ceremony of the summit at the King Fahad Hotel will be marked by series of speeches, including a welcoming statement by host president of Senegal Macky Sall.

 

 

 

The new ECOWAS Commission President Marcel A. de Souza, and his counterpart from the African Union, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as well as the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, will also address the summit.

 

By Alhagie Jobe

 

 

Luntang Jaiteh back as Alkalo of Bakau

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Former Alkalo of Bakau, Luntang Jaiteh has been reinstated to his old position following dictator Jammeh’s meeting in the popular opposition coastal strong hold. The move is seen by many as dictator Jammeh’s decisive schemes to further drive a wedge among peaceful residents who have been living peacefully but are now deeply divided because of the dictator’s continue interference in appointing and dismissing traditional authorities.

 

It is unsurprising that as The Gambia is gearing towards the 2016 elections, many of the traditional rulers who are seen to be doing the dictator’s bidding are randomly removed and replaced with familiar old guards who have also received the wimps of the dictators frequent sackings.

 

 

Luntang Jaiteh has been Alkalo of Bakau long before the 1994 military take over but was later removed in mid 2000 on allegations that he was too closed to former PPP mates. He was replaced by a rather unknown political asset, Dodou Bojang whose only appealing to the dictator was that he was in charge of the popular Katchikally crocodile pole which dictator wanted to use for his regular superstitious sacrifices. Unfortunately for the dictator, he could not get what he was looking for from the good people of Bakau, thus the removal of the traditional ruler and his replacement by Luntang Jaiteh.

 

It could be recalled that following the dissolution of all APRC party structures within the Bakau constituency in December last year, dictator Jammeh appointed Luntang as the chairman of the new constituency executive committee which he is still serving.

 

 

 

GDC denied permit to hold maiden rally

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The newly registered political party of Mamma Kandeh has been denied a permit to hold its first political rally which is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Saturday, June 4, 2016 at the Buffer Zone. A letter from the office of the inspector general of police stated that permit could not be granted at this time. This is not the first time that a political party is denied a permit to hold a rally, it has happened to almost all the political parties as part of Jammeh’s plans to keep Gambians uninformed about the political situation of the country.

Below we produce a copy of the announcement from the GDC about the cancellation.

 

3rd June, 2016

Radio Announcement in Mandinka, Wollof and fula

The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) would like to inform its supporters and the general public that its maiden rally scheduled for Saturday 4th June 2016 at the Bufa Zone has been cancelled. The cancellation was due to the denial of a permit to hold a rally by the Office of the Inspector General of Police. The rally was intended to publicly introduce GDC and its party leader to the Gambian electorates

GDC executive and its entire membership and supporters are disappointed with the Police decision to refuse issuing a permit to hold a rally. GDC urges all its supporters to remain calm while working towards our next public appearance.

‘Yahya Jammeh should attend Dakar Summit out of respect for ECOWAS’ President Sall

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Following the shaky relations between The Gambia and Senegal which was heightened by the recent border impasse, Senegal’s President Macky Sall has said he is still not sure if Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh will attend the 49th  summit of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS which is due to take place on Saturday, June 4 2016 in Dakar, Senegal.

 

The African leaders are currently gathering in the Senegalese capital, Dakr for the summit to discuss regional issues key amongst which is the issue of adoption of new measures against terrorism, regional peace and security, election violence, election of new chairman of the commission as well as the Gambia-Senegal border crisis.

President Sall told the French-based RFI Radio during an interview on Thursday in Paris that Gambia’s President Jammeh should attend the summit as it is a sub-regional issue and not a Senegal issue.

 

“Even if he has disagreements with the president of Senegal, it is still his responsibility as President of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia to respect the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS and to attend the summit. If he does not come, it’s also his right but I think certainly that if he comes, we will have more time to talk as we did in Istanbul, Turkey during the recent OIC summit in April 2016” Sall said.

 

He said as neighbours, problems are inevitable but always important for the two leaders sometimes to sit  face-to-face and make frank talks and trash things out especially on occasions like the ECOWAS Summit.

 

Over the years, the two countries have suffered from fractured relationship with Gambia’s President Jammeh always blame as the cause of the problems.

Four months ago, Jammeh unilaterally increased the tariff on Senegalese vehicles crossing into The Gambia to an exorbitant amount. It led to the boycott of the Senegalese transport unions and the closure of the borders for almost three months.

 

On May 15, negotiations were held in Dakar, though there was no concession reach on the several points demanded by Senegal before its side of the border was open. There was no official communiqué as to what was agreed but few days after the negotiation, both countries opened their borders.

 

By Alhagie Jobe

 

 

 

 

Senegal: Karim Wade could be released from prison by end of year

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By our Dakar correspondent, Alhaji Jobe

 

The President of Senegal, Macky Sall has said that it is very possible that Karim Wade will be released before end of 2016. “Even though many people are demanding for the release of Karim, it has to be done according to the laws of the land” Macky said.

 

President Sall made the revelation during an interview with French-based RFI Radio on Thursday, June 2 in Paris prior to a meeting with French President Francois Hollande as part of his state visit in the country.

 

“The release of Karim is definitely possible but if it’s going to happen, it can only take effect around end of the year. The process has to be done the right way” he said.

 

Three people convicted with Karim Wade, Bibo Bourgi, Samba Diasse and Papa Mamadou Pouye were released on Wednesday bringing speculations that Karim Wade’s release is also imminent.

Currently the flag bearer and presidential candidate of  his father Abdoulie Wade’s PDS Party, Karim was detained since April 2013, accused of illegally amassing about $1.4bn and illegal enrichment during his father’s 12-year rule. On March 23, 2015, a court in Senegal sentenced him to six years in prison for corruption, though cleared off some charges, he was also fined $230m (£150m).

 

Karim was senior minister in his father’s government and was also in charge of major infrastructure and energy projects which gave him the name “Minister of the earth and the sky”. His arrest came after the government of Macky Sall came in vowing to tackle corruption.

 

National dialogue

Last week, President Sall convened a national dialogue which brought together opposition leaders, religious leader and civil society organizations to discuss issues of national interest following his government’s victory in the March referendum which cleared the way to give more powers to the parliament as well the creation of a statue for the opposition leaders.

 

Despite the boycott by some political parties, to the surprise of many, the opposition Senegalese Democratic Party of former President Abdoulaye Wade who’s son and flag bearer is in jail attended the dialogue. The representative of the Wade’s opposition party, PDS, Oumar Sarr called for the release of political prisoners saying the dialogue cannot be meaningful if political opponents are in jail and Karim Wade has already served half his jail term.

 

President Sall said the issue is not about serving half of a jail term. He said the release of Karim Wade is now a prerogative on the president as enshrined in the constitution and when the time comes, it will surely happened. “Therefore, it’s not the issue of serving half his jail term or not. I expect a solution by the end of the year” Sall said.

 

According to President Sall, there is nothing that has change in his relations with the opposition especially former President Abdoulaye Wade and members of his party especially after Karim Wade was jailed. He said he has respect for all his opponents even though many of them confront him with all types of personal attacks. He revealed a surprise call he made to former President Abdoulaye Wade during his 90 birthday anniversary on May 29. Despite their political differences, he commended former President Wade for being very democratic and a matured politician who handles difficult situations with utmost  diplomacy.

ICC’s Controversial assessment of The Gambian situation

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Yahya Jammeh’s actions behind closed doors and public indifference as a pious “Muslim” to the continued persecution and murder of Gambians is a scandal of enormous proportions. Exploiting Islam and executive power of presidency to deceive Gambians is nothing new for Mr. Yahya Jammeh. All of these contradictions of the president are of his own makings and trying to preserve an exalted image of himself won’t work anymore. When Gambians cried for electoral reform, Mr. Jammeh answered with unrestrained violence. Perhaps most notable is that, the abuse of political prisoners is no secret for the master of inhumanity. Yahya Jammeh’s abuses of Gambians, taken together with his steady stream of death threats against Gambian’s and recent threats of war to neighboring countries in an interview with newspaper, signals — the crisis that could soon spread beyond the Gambia.

 

 

Unfortunately, though, ICC’s shuttered-eye approach may soon be no longer tolerable. Despite the current ICC prosecutors position that it is not time to make a statement yet. It inevitably leads to stalemate at best, or worse. This is the problem when everything about the Gambia through the eyes of the world bodies are reduced to politics. Honesty and loyalty are both virtues, but the political selfishness of an individual can put them at odds. Most important, however, so long as these kinds of statements are pronounced by powerful bodies, Yahya will continue to gather strength to continue his actions to further the cause of human rights violations.

 

 

Yahya Jammeh — The masters of spreading doubts have succeeded putting the world bodies against each other literally. But Mrs. Bensouda hurts own her image among Gambians by refusing to acknowledge as a Gambian that, Yahya Jammeh has — ties to rebels in Cassamance, however vague and obscure, and engage in war crimes there as well as human rights violation in Gambian. Given all of that, we recall when Yahya Jammeh gave you an ORG award. The ICC has one eye opened to recognize the genocide in other countries, but the other eye remains closed to the threat that Yahya Jammeh poses on Gambians. This kind of wishy-washy statements explains why the regime has used the gross negligence of human life as standard to prosecute citizens. No one in their right mind wants to be tied to a president who promises prosperity and delivers malaise.

 

 

Yahya Jammeh’s commitment to silencing Gambians through violence seems to be escalating, if incrementally. The regime is not particularly forthcoming with details of all the murders they have committed from November 11th 1995 to 2016. Many of service men and civilians whom are privy to — murders, rapes, extermination, babies buried alive, infants and virgins fed to crocodiles are neutered by an understandable fear of Yaya Jammeh going after their families — when they speak out. Nonetheless, Gambians, we have to start documenting all the atrocities of the regime and victims should come forward to expose the regime’s brutalities. Yahya Jammeh seems to have basic problems with Gambians. He likes to control all the narratives and everything. Unbeknownst to the novice commander in chief, he feels that he should always have the last word in everything. He doesn’t like— when people disagree with him about treatment of fellow Gambians; he resists listening to public concerns, and he seems to think he should be free to reshape the country to suit his vision.

 

 

The question everyone will want answered, of course, is: Does the ICC’s prosecutor believe it is better to place Gambia at greater risk than take the chance of offending Yahya Jammeh? Genocide— is a crime that has to do something with human rights too. Likewise, torture, rape, and war crimes. Yahya Jammeh is still determined to systematically persecute the country’s majority tribe because of fear of losing elections— a human rights debacle that can be described as genocide. Thousands more have fled Gambia by risking their lives at high seas, risking their lives with criminal syndicates who traffic them and force them into servitude.

 

 

Once more, the International Criminal Court should not turn a blind on Gambia but redouble its efforts to identify and prosecute perpetrators of crimes against the Gambian people, along with Yahya Jammeh who is determined— to the destruction of our heritage. Gambia is a nation where the absence of democracy and gross violations of human rights have already led to the ultimate collective war crime. Hence the ICC — simply cannot afford to continue to avert its gaze from Mr. Yahya Jammeh’s violent and arbitrary rule. Starting a criminal investigation into APRC regime is not about payback of you being fired by the regime before; it is about ensuring that human right abuses and ethnic cleansing never happens again and the ICC regains — its moral credibility to rebuke torture by other governments. No Gambian should feel that their GOD given human rights come second to other citizens of a foreign country. Gambian lives matter too even if the crimes haven’t reach your door steps.

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

The Gambia: Jammeh endorses impunity

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By D. A. Jawo

 

Once again, most Gambians and friends of the Gambia were no doubt quite embarrassed by the type of undiplomatic language President Yahya Jammeh is alleged to have used against no less a personality than the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon and a reputable human rights organization like Amnesty International.

 
During a recent interview with Jeune Afrique weekly magazine regarding their calls for an independent investigation into the alleged deaths of opposition members in police custody, President Jammeh was quoted saying; “Ban Ki-moon and Amnesty International can go to hell. Who are they to demand that” he conducts an investigation into the deaths in custody.

 
In an apparent confirmation of the death of at least one opposition member in custody, he said; “I don’t see the point. People die in custody or during interrogations, it is really common. This time, there is only one dead and they want investigations? I will not. No one can tell me what to do in my country.”
It is indeed quite hard for any reasonable being to justify the torturing to death of peaceful demonstrators, let alone the head of state who has an obligation to protect all Gambians regardless of their political affiliation. However, the very fact that he has confirmed the death of UDP activist Solo Sandeng in custody during interrogation, everyone expected him to not only publicly condemn it but to also promise an immediate investigation to identify those responsible for such a heinous act. No one in his/her right frame of mind would have expected him to react in such an undiplomatic manner as well as say; “I don’t see the point” of investigating the death in police custody because “People die in custody or during interrogations”.

 
This is by all accounts the most irresponsible statement any head of state has ever been quoted making.
The fact that he also went on to say; “This time, there is only one dead….” gives the impression that there had been more such deaths in the past. That of course reminds Gambians of the still unclear circumstances of the ‘disappearances’ of the former NIA Director General, Daba Marenah and four other detainees during the aftermath of the 2006 alleged coup attempt. We were told by the regime that the detainees ‘escaped’ while they were being transferred to Janjanbureh prison, which explanation hardly anyone ever believed. A press release issued at the time said they ‘escaped’ when the vehicle they were being transported was involved in an ‘accident’, and yet there has never been any disclosure of the registration number of the vehicle involved, where the ‘accident’ happened or even an eyewitness account of the ‘accident’. No doubt most people treated it as the fairy tale that it actually sounded like.
There has also been several other unexplained ‘disappearances’ and deaths in custody since the coming into power of the AFPRC/APRC regime about 22 years ago. Yet, hardly anyone has ever been apprehended for those violations of personal liberty, thus confirming this regime’s impunity credentials.
Therefore, President Jammeh’s refusal to carry out investigations into the deaths of opposition activists in custody is yet another carte blanche to his security thugs to continue to torture innocent Gambians to death with impunity.

 
It is indeed a shame that while all these naked human rights violations against innocent Gambians are going on, both the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) are keeping mute as if everything is fine. Gambians are even more disappointed with ECOWAS when it is considered that President Macky Sall of Senegal, who knows to his fingertips the situation in the Gambia, is the current chairman of the regional bloc.

 
Therefore, in view of the apparent failure of the regional blocs and the United Nations to take any action, one would wonder to whom innocent Gambians can now turn to for help against the continuous harassment, including arbitrary arrests, imprisonment, torture and ‘disappearance’, they are being subjected by the regime’s thugs.

Gambia: Crackdown and brutal repression in run up to elections – Amnesty International

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Authorities in Gambia must free dozens of political prisoners and end the brutal crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly ahead of elections later this year or face suspension from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

 

 

Dangerous to Dissent: human rights under threat in Gambia, launched two days before ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government meet in Dakar and six months before Gambia’s presidential elections, outlines the brutal repression of opposition demonstrations in April and May 2016. Dozens of peaceful protesters and bystanders were beaten by police and arrested and 51 people, including the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and several members of the executive, are awaiting trial. At least 36 more people remain detained without charge and one man Solo Sandeng, the UDP National Organising Secretary, died in custody after having been tortured.

 

 

“Gambia’s elections are just six months away and yet opposition members are arrested and beaten, journalists are muzzled, and civil society muted,” said Alioune Tine, Amnesty International Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

 

 

“Gambia has a long and brutal history of repression of critical voices, and demonstrators such as Solo Sandeng have paid a high price for peaceful protest.”

 

 

Nogoi Njie, a businesswoman arrested on 14 April and currently detained, described in an affidavit filed at the High Court how she herself was tortured at the NIA. She explained how she was beaten with hose pipes and batons by men clothed in black hoods and black gloves while water was poured over her.

 

 

Gambia’s elections are just six months away and yet opposition members are arrested and beaten, journalists are muzzled, and civil society muted
Alioune Tine, Amnesty International Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
No thorough, impartial, independent and transparent investigation into Sandeng’s death has taken place, despite appeals by the United Nations, ECOWAS, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, European Union and United States.

 

 

On 29 May President Jammeh told magazine Jeune Afrique that “People die in custody or during interrogations, it’s really common. This time, there is only one dead and they want investigations? No one can tell me what to do in my country.”

 

 

Other recent cases highlighted in the report include the death in custody in February 2016 of union leader Sheriff Dibba, the arrest in October 2015 and enforced disappearance of Imam Sawaneh after he submitted a petition to the President, and the arrest and trial of independent journalist Alhagie Ceesay in July 2015 for sharing a photo on Whatsapp.

 

 

The report outlines patterns of violations since the last Presidential elections in November 2011, which ECOWAS refused to monitor due to “intimidation, an unacceptable level of control of the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state and para-statal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation.”

 

 

Since that time new laws have been introduced to further restrict the right to freedom of expression, such as laws repressing online dissent, and three media outlets have been closed on five different occasions. Dozens of journalists have fled the country because of persecution. Gambian authorities have long used the Public Order Act to prohibit gatherings of opposition parties, although a period of relaxation between April 2015 and April 2016 was observed before the most recent crackdown.

 

 

Political opponents have also been arrested and tortured, including three members of the UDP imprisoned since 2013. Civil society organizations, human rights defenders and even government officials who are perceived to dissent have been arbitrarily arrested and harassed, while the widespread practice and perception of surveillance adds to a climate of fear in which the majority of people dare not openly speak out against the government.

 

 

A civil society activist told Amnesty International: “You don’t feel safe anywhere, even in your home. You don’t trust even your maids or drivers. You can pay someone $10 and they will give information. In public spaces you don’t speak about sensitive things or in public transport. You are trying to protect yourself and your family and want to keep safe.”

 

 

The report documents how Gambia’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) regularly prints out telephone records of people without any judicial authorisation or oversight, and maintains a system of informants, to report on the activities of those under surveillance.

 

 

“You don’t feel safe anywhere, even in your home. You don’t trust even your maids or drivers”
civil society activist
A journalist in exile told Amnesty International: “You don’t know who is going to report you. You don’t know who is behind you. You don’t know who is paid by the NIA to be an informant.”

 

 

Amnesty International calls on the international community to consider stronger measures if Gambia does not make significant progress towards meeting its human rights obligations under international law. In particular, Amnesty International is calling ECOWAS – whose leaders meet for a Summit on 4 June in Dakar – to take action to ensure that its own rules are respected and fully observed.

 

 

In addition to a Commission of Inquiry into the recent repression of opposition protests, Amnesty International is calling for ECOWAS to consider the possible suspension of Gambia if no progress on human rights is made. Amnesty International’s report highlights how Gambia is in contravention of its treaties it has signed as a member of regional body ECOWAS.

 

 

These include its failure to effectively implement and observe ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which demands full respect for the right to freedom of expression, and its refusal to implement three legally-binding judgements by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice relating to the torture of journalist Musa Saidykhan, the enforced disappearance of journalist Ebrima Manneh, and failure to investigate the murder of journalist Deyda Heydara.

 

 

“If ECOWAS is serious about being a community of states that respect and promote the human rights of their people, it can no longer remain silent as one of its members so flagrantly disregards its treaty obligations”, said Alioune Tine.

 

 

“ECOWAS should speak out on the deplorable situation in the country and engage with the Gambian authorities to secure the release of political prisoners, the repeal of repressive laws and to ensure judgements of the regional Court are fully enforced. If the Gambian government refuses to comply, ECOWAS should consider suspension until Gambia’s obligations are met.

 

 

Background

In December 2016, Gambia holds Presidential elections amid serious concerns about the ability of opposition leaders, journalists, human rights defenders, civil society organizations and voters to express themselves freely and without fear of reprisal.

 

 

ECOWAS refused to monitor 2011 Presidential election due to “intimidation, an unacceptable level of control of the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state and para-statal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation.”

 

 

According to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), President Jammeh won the 2011 election with 72% of the votes with Lawyer Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP) coming second with 17% of the votes. The voter turnout was 83%.

 

 

If ECOWAS is serious about being a community of states that respect and promote the human rights of their people, it can no longer remain silent as one of its members so flagrantly disregards its treaty obligations

 
Alioune Tine, Amnesty International Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
Between January 2015 and May 2016, Amnesty International researchers interviewed 127 individuals, including victims and eyewitnesses of human rights violations, relatives of victims, UN and INGO representatives, diplomats, lawyers, human rights defenders, representatives of civil society organizations, journalists, opposition members, academics, former members of security forces and sources from telecommunications companies.

 

 

Relevant desk research was also undertaken, such as review of media reports, UN and civil society reports, court documents and video footage. Amnesty International wrote to the President of Gambia on 2 May 2016, copying relevant government Ministries, requesting an official response to the concerns raised in this report. No response was received despite repeated follow up.

Yaya Jammeh’s missing messages

Fatu Camara
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Growing up in Gambia during the pre-1994 days, we cling to our faith and have strong morals. Anyone who holds a position of leadership must [have] fear of GOD, impeccable integrity, empathy for those serve beneath them, honesty built on forthrightness and dispensation of their duties with decorum. In short, this helped to lay the groundwork for the decent respectable people of society and multicultural progressivism which lead to a color-blind tribal society. Leadership positions were — exclusively based on ability and talent in mostly cases. This is not the care today. Yes, there were few cases of rotten people driven by favoritism and capitalist exploitation. Today, they are the so called elites acting infallible and appointed themselves as leaders of society. This contributed to — one of the reasons why we are further away from being a genuine meritocracy.

 

 

Our parents and the Gambia society instilled in us the attributes of self— reliance, entrepreneurship and personal responsibility. These are our greatest strengths and has always been found in one another. Hmm, I know the esteem readers are now connecting the dots wondering where Yaya Jammeh was when society was giving them away free. Well! he was around playing the victimology card and missed all those three attributes. I respect his personal struggles growing up— because he didn’t choose his parents in life. Now, non-Gambians will understand the secret why Gambians prosper in any part of the world within short period of time. That is the spirit that has always sustained. Those values were core to our upbringing. Instead learning those attributes in later parts of his life, Yaya Jammeh largely turned his back on them and with that. He has rejected the self-empowerment and prosperity that comes with it to build Gambia society today. No wonder why he led Gambia with check book diplomacy, economic plantation, heavy taxation of it citizens, blaming British and claims every event of disaster which struck far remote areas of the world as a Gambian problem. Pure laziness.

 

 

The same problem now affects our society too. Today in Gambia, it is hard to imagine the intense level of tribal hatred, moral abomination, and institutionalized discrimination faced by the population on a daily basis. This is so wrong and despicable. Job discrimination is common. Its effects continue to plague our society. Our once beloved Gambia is led by people obsessed with identity politics. leadership is now plagued with stories of his rampant adultery and serial, life-long womanizing revolted even some of his closest associates. Violence on Gambians, mass kidnapping by regime and killings of unarmed Solo Sandeng by Yaya Jammeh’s thugs have caused alarm, torturing of women, jailing of the opposition revived the nation’s conversation about Gambia today under the leadership of Yaya Jammeh— stood in stark contrast with our values.

 

 

The Gambians once more called on Yaya Jammeh to consigned again to the guiding principles of caring, empathy, neighborliness, love for one another which are the moral pillars of our nation and society. He instead continues to send them to the dustbin of history. His cohorts now employed a similar philosophy. They can play downplay the effects of harsh words or actions of Yaya Jammeh to our society as much as they wish. But to do that would ignore the real and deadly effects of such rhetoric to our children. In spite of all horrors, marching in support of Yaya Jammeh is something entirely different and wholly un-Gambian. Their message isn’t a solution to violence meted to the opposition by Yaya Jammeh but — an appeal to the anger that perpetuates the cycle of hatred. If this stands unpunished by us not turning our backs on this regime, it will set a dangerous precedent in Gambia. We have to do something about our moral standards, our fragile democracy had barely finished a long and contentious struggle that tested it founding ideals.

 

 

We need to break free from rigid ideology of— tribalism and together grab hold of this opportunity to let Yaya Jammeh go away for us to bridge our partisan divides and deliver change for the Gambia people. These are the messages missing in Yaya Jammeh’s speeches.

 

By Habib ( A Concern Gambian)

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