NO “NEW PAGE” TO OPEN; JAMMEH MUST GO!
You had 21 pages in 21 years to write onto and leave an admirable legacy in the history of the Gambia but you chose to write on those pages with our BLOOD. You have no more pages left to open; not in the Gambia.
After 21 years of pomposity, tyranny and outright looting of the meager resources of our beloved Gambia, the once aspiring king (“Babili Mansa”) has been jolted out of his delusions of grandeur into submission for “bogus reconciliation”. From his trademark of insults and threats: “go to hell, heads will roll and six feet deep”, Jammeh has gone into a deeper tucked –tail retreat in fear of his own shadow.
In a desperate act to survive this catastrophe, Jammeh wants to “open a new page”. But a new page to do what? He has unleashed his home grown propaganda engine to win sympathy while equally trying his desperate best to sanitize his international “image” to no success, mainly due to his mediocre diplomatic representations. We must unleash our own contending propaganda to suffocate every breathing space the regime attempts to secure.
If you notice; even the social media propaganda (Facebook and tweeter) is in effect. When have we ever seen Zainab Jammeh, the “first lady”, ever took pictures with “locals” and posted on social media? Is this the “new page” being opened? The Zainab segment of the AFPRC-APRC propaganda will show its “blow back effect” momentarily.
All these attempts are typical of dying tyrannical regimes; they all go out on a limp. The history is there for all to see from Mobuto, Bokasa, Amin, Campaore and now Jammeh. We must not relent in our offensive to push Jammeh and all those still wanting to climb the “slimy pole of success” over the cliff. There can be no revolutionary progress in our beloved Gambia with Jammeh “opening a new page”.
Instead, we the people for a proud- future Gambia have opened a new page to stamp our indelible national hand print and narratives onto this page and subsequent pages to prepare future generations, never to allow any monster to raise their ugly head in this land of ours again.
The massive “prisoner pardon”, “amnesty to all those who wronged him” and all his bogus reconciliatory gestures impresses us the least.
JAMMEH SPEAKS WITH A “FORKED – TONGUE”
In his campaign to “open a new page”; magistrates, Imams, journalists and citizens at large are still being arrested, and illegally detained on trumped up charges. Jammeh is fully aware of being at the end of his rope. His disastrous “sympathy tours” to win “sympathy votes” reveals how fed-up the people are with his buffoonery. In desperation for “sympathy”, he resorts to his old foolish tricks of blaming and hauling threats at Senegal. Adding insult to injury, Jammeh continue to mislead himself and his herd of willfully ignorant sycophants that he is “anti – imperialist”. Jammeh is a feudal neocolonialist.
In our quest to effectively fight neocolonial tyranny, we the people must stop accepting the arrogance and reckless behavior from these impotent elites that have gotten so comfortable in their reckless abuse of Africa and dare us to do something about it. We have allowed the most reactionary and brutal monsters to rise to power and in constant rivalry for neocolonial dominance at the expense of African lives. These monsters like Jammeh fester and wreak havoc within our ranks for decades with a nod and a wink from the imperialists. African lives will never matter as long as neocolonialism exists.
The Gambian people have reached their breaking point with the Jammeh regime; many have come to despise gatherings with his presence and despise more his foul mouth piece, GRTS (Gambia Radio and Television Services).
What is missing in the midst of these crises is REVOLUTIONARY leadership willing to lead and not tail the people. Jammeh cannot rule in the same old way he used to; the neocolonial regime is on its death bed, let’s deliver the final blow to relief our beloved Gambia of this tape worm once and for all time.
DOWN WITH NEOCOLONIAL TYRANNY! JAMMEH MUST GO!
NO “NEW PAGE” TO OPEN; JAMMEH MUST GO!
You had 21 pages in 21 years to write onto and leave an admirable legacy in the history of the Gambia but you chose to write on those pages with our BLOOD. You have no more pages left to open; not in the Gambia.
After 21 years of pomposity, tyranny and outright looting of the meager resources of our beloved Gambia, the once aspiring king (“Babili Mansa”) has been jolted out of his delusions of grandeur into submission for “bogus reconciliation”. From his trademark of insults and threats: “go to hell, heads will roll and six feet deep”, Jammeh has gone into a deeper tucked –tail retreat in fear of his own shadow.
In a desperate act to survive this catastrophe, Jammeh wants to “open a new page”. But a new page to do what? He has unleashed his home grown propaganda engine to win sympathy while equally trying his desperate best to sanitize his international “image” to no success, mainly due to his mediocre diplomatic representations. We must unleash our own contending propaganda to suffocate every breathing space the regime attempts to secure.
If you notice; even the social media propaganda (Facebook and tweeter) is in effect. When have we ever seen Zainab Jammeh, the “first lady”, ever took pictures with “locals” and posted on social media? Is this the “new page” being opened? The Zainab segment of the AFPRC-APRC propaganda will show its “blow back effect” momentarily.
All these attempts are typical of dying tyrannical regimes; they all go out on a limp. The history is there for all to see from Mobuto, Bokasa, Amin, Campaore and now Jammeh. We must not relent in our offensive to push Jammeh and all those still wanting to climb the “slimy pole of success” over the cliff. There can be no revolutionary progress in our beloved Gambia with Jammeh “opening a new page”.
Instead, we the people for a proud- future Gambia have opened a new page to stamp our indelible national hand print and narratives onto this page and subsequent pages to prepare future generations, never to allow any monster to raise their ugly head in this land of ours again.
The massive “prisoner pardon”, “amnesty to all those who wronged him” and all his bogus reconciliatory gestures impresses us the least.
JAMMEH SPEAKS WITH A “FORKED – TONGUE”
In his campaign to “open a new page”; magistrates, Imams, journalists and citizens at large are still being arrested, and illegally detained on trumped up charges. Jammeh is fully aware of being at the end of his rope. His disastrous “sympathy tours” to win “sympathy votes” reveals how fed-up the people are with his buffoonery. In desperation for “sympathy”, he resorts to his old foolish tricks of blaming and hauling threats at Senegal. Adding insult to injury, Jammeh continue to mislead himself and his herd of willfully ignorant sycophants that he is “anti – imperialist”.Jammeh is a feudal neocolonialist.
In our quest to effectively fight neocolonial tyranny, we the people must stop accepting the arrogance and reckless behavior from these impotent elites that have gotten so comfortable in their reckless abuse of Africa and dare us to do something about it. We have allowed the most reactionary and brutal monsters to rise to power and in constant rivalry for neocolonial dominance at the expense of African lives. These monsters like Jammeh fester and wreak havoc within our ranks for decades with a nod and a wink from the imperialists. African lives will never matter as long as neocolonialism exists.
The Gambian people have reached their breaking point with the Jammeh regime; many have come to despise gatherings with his presence and despise more his foul mouth piece, GRTS (Gambia Radio and Television Services).
What is missing in the midst of these crises is REVOLUTIONARY leadership willing to lead and not tail the people. Jammeh cannot rule in the same old way he used to; the neocolonial regime is on its death bed, let’s deliver the final blow to relief our beloved Gambia of this tape worm once and for all time.
DOWN WITH NEOCOLONIAL TYRANNY! JAMMEH MUST GO!
With Inevitable Economic Collapse, President Yahya Jammeh Resorts To Senegal Bashing Blaming It For The Gambia’s Economic Woes
The Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh has come heavily on Senegal and its leaders for causing what he called “the Gambia’s economic problems.” In a rather blistering speech punctuated by scornful and disrespectful words directed at past and present Presidents of Senegal. President Jammeh who was speaking in the provincial border town of Farafeni in the North Bank Region of the Gambia as part of his Meet-The-People-Tour, accused Senegal but more so it’s Presidents of harbouring serious grudges against the Gambia.
He particularly accused current President Macky Sall of masterminding sinister plots to, in his own words, “not only to cripple Gambia’s economy but to ferment trouble in the country.” Jammeh who did not tell his audience what kind of trouble President Sall is allegedly planning against the Gambia could only say that Gambia is fully prepared for the eventuality. He added “let Macky Sall be warned that we are not afraid of any nation on the face of this earth. Whatever they are planning, they will find us here. We will deal with them mercilessly.”
The Gambian leader further accused Macky Sall of being a “hypocrite and a stooge” for the West saying Macky is one of the few Presidents in Africa where the West constantly engages to ensure that Africa is perpetually trapped in a bondage and in abject poverty. “The Gambia will never be part of such schemes,” he said.
He accused President Sall of lacking in vision and tenacity to develop what he called “a backyard much more a country.” Jammeh said he has even been helping Senegal to attain its development objectives. “We have so far pumped in more than 250 Million US dollars into Senegal in terms of contracts given to Senegalese construction workers,” he said adding “I wonder how Senegal could elect someone like Macky Sall as President?”
Jammeh who appeared and sound wired all along his speech, rambled over his seeming mythical powers where he said he once confronted former President Abdou Diouf and made it categorically clear to him that he Diouf was going to lose the 1997 general elections. Jammeh said “I told Diouf if you got elected then he Diouf should go round the entire Africa and name every dog after me Yahya Jammeh” adding “in fact I also told him that he Diouf would come to know who Yahya Jammeh is when he leaves office which would have been too late for him.”
Jammeh also accused Diouf just like he did with Macky Sall of also constantly closing the borders to sabotage the Gambian economic progress.
In an apparent show of disrespect but which has come to be an embodiment of Jammeh’s traits, the Gambian leader greatly demeaned the personality of former President Abdoulaye Wade with a mockery unbecoming of a statesman.
Jammeh said it was in his first meeting with President Wade that he knew he Wade was not up to anything good for the Gambia. “But I warned him and put it flatly on his face that the fact that he Wade’s head does not have hair spell doom for the region.” Jammeh then continually taunted Wade’s name, his personality and his appearance. In a remark that sent his audience into heavy laughter of mockery President said this of former President Wade: “how can someone whose head could not bear the weight of human hair be tasked with the responsibility of shouldering the affairs of a country.”
He said when President Wade came to power, his first pronouncement was that he did not need the Gambia to mediate in the armed conflict in the Southern Senegalese Province of Cassamance. “And he Wade went further as part of his deliberate policy of confrontation with the Gambia not only to close the border but also to give sanctuary to dissidents and enemies of the Gambia,” Jammeh said.
According to Jammeh, all throughout the presidency of President Wade, he never referred to him Jammeh as Mr President. “Instead, Wade in his policy of provocation always belittled Gambia and its leadership. Even me, he was always calling Yahya Jammeh not His Excellency or Mr President. I refused to accept that and I refused to be belittled,” the erratic Gambian dictator who loves titles said.
President finally made it clear that he is not against Senegalese but their leaders who are always looking for all means possible to wreck our economy and to destabilize our country.
With Inevitable Economic Collapse, President Yahya Jammeh Resorts To Senegal Bashing Blaming It For The Gambia’s Economic Woes
The Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh has come heavily on Senegal and its leaders for causing what he called “the Gambia’s economic problems.” In a rather blistering speech punctuated by scornful and disrespectful words directed at past and present Presidents of Senegal. President Jammeh who was speaking in the provincial border town of Farafeni in the North Bank Region of the Gambia as part of his Meet-The-People-Tour, accused Senegal but more so it’s Presidents of harbouring serious grudges against the Gambia.
He particularly accused current President Macky Sall of masterminding sinister plots to, in his own words, “not only to cripple Gambia’s economy but to ferment trouble in the country.” Jammeh who did not tell his audience what kind of trouble President Sall is allegedly planning against the Gambia could only say that Gambia is fully prepared for the eventuality. He added “let Macky Sall be warned that we are not afraid of any nation on the face of this earth. Whatever they are planning, they will find us here. We will deal with them mercilessly.”
The Gambian leader further accused Macky Sall of being a “hypocrite and a stooge” for the West saying Macky is one of the few Presidents in Africa where the West constantly engages to ensure that Africa is perpetually trapped in a bondage and in abject poverty. “The Gambia will never be part of such schemes,” he said.
He accused President Sall of lacking in vision and tenacity to develop what he called “a backyard much more a country.” Jammeh said he has even been helping Senegal to attain its development objectives. “We have so far pumped in more than 250 Million US dollars into Senegal in terms of contracts given to Senegalese construction workers,” he said adding “I wonder how Senegal could elect someone like Macky Sall as President?”
Jammeh who appeared and sound wired all along his speech, rambled over his seeming mythical powers where he said he once confronted former President Abdou Diouf and made it categorically clear to him that he Diouf was going to lose the 1997 general elections. Jammeh said “I told Diouf if you got elected then he Diouf should go round the entire Africa and name every dog after me Yahya Jammeh” adding “in fact I also told him that he Diouf would come to know who Yahya Jammeh is when he leaves office which would have been too late for him.”
Jammeh also accused Diouf just like he did with Macky Sall of also constantly closing the borders to sabotage the Gambian economic progress.
In an apparent show of disrespect but which has come to be an embodiment of Jammeh’s traits, the Gambian leader greatly demeaned the personality of former President Abdoulaye Wade with a mockery unbecoming of a statesman.
Jammeh said it was in his first meeting with President Wade that he knew he Wade was not up to anything good for the Gambia. “But I warned him and put it flatly on his face that the fact that he Wade’s head does not have hair spell doom for the region.” Jammeh then continually taunted Wade’s name, his personality and his appearance. In a remark that sent his audience into heavy laughter of mockery President said this of former President Wade: “how can someone whose head could not bear the weight of human hair be tasked with the responsibility of shouldering the affairs of a country.”
He said when President Wade came to power, his first pronouncement was that he did not need the Gambia to mediate in the armed conflict in the Southern Senegalese Province of Cassamance. “And he Wade went further as part of his deliberate policy of confrontation with the Gambia not only to close the border but also to give sanctuary to dissidents and enemies of the Gambia,” Jammeh said.
According to Jammeh, all throughout the presidency of President Wade, he never referred to him Jammeh as Mr President. “Instead, Wade in his policy of provocation always belittled Gambia and its leadership. Even me, he was always calling Yahya Jammeh not His Excellency or Mr President. I refused to accept that and I refused to be belittled,” the erratic Gambian dictator who loves titles said.
President finally made it clear that he is not against Senegalese but their leaders who are always looking for all means possible to wreck our economy and to destabilize our country.
Child beggars’ issue in Senegal worries African CSOs
The issue of child beggars in Senegal, locally called “Almud’ or ‘Talibeh’, has become a worrying subject for African civil society organisations as it is said to deny children to education, healthy life as well as encouraging child trafficking.
According to organisations that met in Banjul last week on the sidelines of the ordinary session of the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights, led by the African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO), such acts against the children contravenes articles 4, 7, 5, 12, 14, 15, and 21 of the African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Aged between five to fifteen years, these children are almost exclusively boys who study in ‘daaras’ (Wolof for Quranic schools) under Quranic teachers. Most of these schools do not charge the students for their studies, food or accommodation. Instead, the children are compelled to spend several hours each day begging in the street, on top of several other hours of learning the Quran by memorization.
RADDHO, a Non-Governmental, non-partisan and secular organization established and operating from Dakar since 1990, met other human rights institutions to “seek for reinforcement of ideas and recommendations to make a stop to the trend of child begging in Senegal.”
RADDHO enjoys a Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the human rights arm of the African Union.
The organisation’s secretary for external relations Mr. Sadikh Niass, described child begging as an act that is in “total violation of the rights of children.”
Niass told fellow civil society activists that despite a decision passed by the concerned committee of African Commission to stop such act, the situation is still remains unabated in Senegal, and its government has not done enough to stop it.
“The committee prefers local remedies to the situation but the international law is preferable to the situation when the local remedies are inefficient,” Niass told colleagues.
Among such recommendations include the return of such children back to their families; that international organisations should facilitate their union with families; that they should be educated, that the state of Senegal to ensure all such religious learning places comply with the proper standard or be closed.
These recommendations are meant to stop child trafficking and impunity, RADDHO said, noting that such enforcement of decisions should involve stakeholders such as marabouts, teachers, police and that the government of Senegal was urged to submit report on the situation.
Madam Mame Couna Thioye, Coordinator at the Department of Women and Children Unit of RADDHO, said her organization decided to step in the matter “because the issue of child begging in Senegal is becoming a big phenomenon.’
She said this begging is having a big impact on children’s abilities and described these issues as ‘frightening’.
In response to these submissions, and giving some guidelines on litigation procedures, Mr Gaye Sowe, Secretary General of Institute of Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) informed the RADDHO team the existence of African Children Charter Project (ACCP) which he said, would address the situation.
Sowe said his office has two cases similar to the issue which are pending at the committee involving Malawi and Cameroon.
“In Malawi, we are challenging the law on definition of a child as child is considered from 16 of age which is a violation while private actor raped a child in Cameroon. It is our responsibility as CSOs to change such situations,” he said.
The issue accoding to Mr Sowe is a concern not only for Senegal, but also its neighbours as children from the Gambia, Mali and Guinea Bissau are all part of it, hence it was apt for other CSOs to partner with RADDHO to solve the issue through collaborative ideas.
Magistrate Jaiteh Finally Released on Bail
Magistrate Ebrima Jaiteh of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court who was picked up at his residence in Madina Salam on the night of November 6th has been released from Police custody. Jaiteh was kept in police custody for over week in apparent violation of the 72 hour limit in the constitution that suspects could be held before they are released on bail or taken to court. Fatu Radio had confirmed that Jaiteh was held at the serious crimes unit of The Gambia Police Force, at the Force headquarters in the capital Banjul.
His arrest, according to sources, is in connection with land case he struck out from his court and transferred to Bundung Magistrate’s court on the basis that his court lacked the jurisdiction. Although he acted professionally, the government still became dissatisfied with his actions and ordered for his arrest immediately after the word got out to The Dictator.
Magistrate Jaiteh has presided over many high profile cases, among them, the case of the Calipha General of Dasilameh, Sheikh Muhideen Hydara and the Alkalo of the village, Buya Touray. Magistrate Jaiteh freed both Hydra and Touray after a long and protracted legal case which was handled by several magistrates. His judgement to free both men stemmed out what he called “prosecution’s lack of credible and compelling.
He further stated that the prosecution has failed flat to proof that the announcement over the national Television sanctioning the Eidul Fitr on a specific day was from The President. He thereby acquitted and discharged the accused persons on counts one and two respectively.
Another case that he presided over was the case of Lamin Waa Juwara, former minister for local government and regional administration, whom he also acquitted and discharged in May 2015.
Magistrate Jaiteh was granted bail by The Brikama Principal magistrate, Hilary Abeke at the sum of D50,000, a little over a thousand US dollars. He is charged with Abuse of office and negligence.
President Jammeh vs Detained Journalist Abdoulaye Ceesay: His Family Now Denied Access To Him
Security sources have confirmed to Fatu Radio that journalist Alhagi Ceesay has been denied access to his family for three days now. Alhagi whose family has been taking meals to him since he was remanded at the Mile II Central Prison has been told that there will no longer be any homemade meals for him until further notice.
No reason has so far been officially advanced as to why such a drastic decision has been taken but for years now the conditions at the state Central Prison has been on the radar of rights groups who described it death trap.
In addition to overcrowding, credible reports have emerged from former inmates where it is alleged that in some instances, prisoners were fed with dead animals.
Family members visiting loved ones at Mile II have also been asked not to go anywhere the main gate of the prison. They were asked to stop on the opposite side of the road and wait to speak with prison officers. Whatever is going on there at the moment is unknown, but Fatu Radio is keenly monitoring the situation.
We have also been informed that the former deputy minister for Agriculture, Ousman Jammeh is being held at the security wing of Mile II for over a month now without being charged with any crimes. He is said to coping and is held in the place as Solo Bojang and many others. Meanwhile Alhagi Ceesay will appear before Justice Abi on Wednesday November 11, 2015. Many are wondering what will happen especially after both witnesses fled the country and said that they were asked by the state to lie against the poor journalist to implicate him in a crime he has never committed.
But facts have now emerged that after all, Journalist Ceesay is a victim of presidential jealousy after President Jammeh eyed his girlfriend who was later wrapped and employed at the State House as protocol officer to the president himself. The girl has since fled the Gambia accusing the president of sexual molestation.
OPEN LETTER TO GAMBIANS IN THE DIASPORA CAN THE GAMBIAN DIASPORA EFFECT POLITICAL CHANGE IN THE GAMBIA? YES WE CAN!!!
Dear Gambians in the Diaspora,
First of all I would like to crave your indulgence to hide my true identity and to simply identify myself as Princess Buga Gambia. This is for the safety and security of some of my relatives who live and work in the Gambia. I am a Gambian citizen and a university student of Political Science here in North America and my particular area of research interest is African politics in general and fixed presidential term limits in particular.
My aim here is to share my thoughts with all of you with the hope of building a consensus on one way to effectively and peacefully remove Jammeh from power in next year’s general elections of our homeland. I have a simple and very easily implementable five point plan which, if followed, would surely and definitely result in a defeat for Jammeh in 2016. However, whether he would concede defeat and get out of State House or refuse to hand over power is another issue all together.
This is the first of my 5 points theories on how Jammeh would lose the 2016 Gambian elections. My postulation is that the Gambian Diaspora has 50% of the power to effect political change in the Gambia because we can control almost 50% of the Gambian votes which could all very easily go to the opposition. This is how and why I came to this thesis:
According to the Migration Policy Institute, there were 65,000 Gambians living abroad in 2010. Going by that statistics, it is a fair assumption to say that there are at least a 100,000 Gambians currently living in the diaspora in the form of “semesters” and expatriates (working for International Organizations such as the UN, ICC, WHO, FOA, universities etc). Yes at least a 100, 000 Gambians in the diaspora!!!
And as we all know, Gambians are a shining example of a people who, not only care for our immediate family but for the whole extended family as well. This is evident from the huge amount of remittances we send home every year which could even be higher than the government’s annual budget. Even me as a student and a part-time worker, I am responsible for 9 people back home. It will therefore be very close to call to postulate that on average, each of us in the diaspora has responsibility over at least 5 voting aged people in the Gambia (say our mother, father, a brother a sister and our spouse/partner). Our responsibility naturally goes with some degree of control/influence/right/say over our families/relatives/friends and so therefore, each of us can influence at least, on average, about 5 people back home. Recalling that we are about 100,000 in the diaspora, this means that together, we can influence 500, 000 voters!!!!
According to the 2006 election statistics, 796,929 people registered to vote. Let us take population increase as a factor and estimate that the number of registered voters for 2016 at 1million. This means that by influencing 500,000 voters in the Gambia we are in control of 50% of the votes!!!!!
Based on this analysis therefore, I believe that we the people living in the diaspora can generate the greatest influence to remove Jammeh from power through the ballot box next year without even stepping feet in the Gambia to vote. Without any more coups, violence or blood shed!!!
All we have to do is to appeal, coax, instruct, threaten or do whatever it takes to get each and every single member of our families, friends and relatives above the ages of 18 to register and vote for the opposition (voter apathy/abstinence is what keeps Jammeh winning as the majority of the Gambians hate him and refuses to vote at all). It is really that simple. We get them all to register and get them all to vote for the opposition.
I think the greatest strength of my approach/point is that even if we assume that the Gambian Opposition will not unite behind one party/candidate and that we in the diaspora will not unanimously and collectively agree on a single party/leader, this plan can still work and get Jammeh out of State House. This is because the one area in which all of us diaspora Gambians are united in is that we are all fed up with Jammeh and his government and we all want to see him out of power. That is what unites us and that is our strength!!!! So by influencing 500,000 voters, we have successfully denied Jammeh of 50% of the votes!!!!
In conclusion, I strongly believe that we the Gambians in the diaspora have 50% control/influence over the results of next year’s Presidential election. This is the first point of my 5 points agenda for political change in the Gambia next year and each of my remaining 4 points adds 10% to the possibility of getting back our country from Jammeh. We don’t have to unite, we don’t have to come together, we don’t have to agree, we don’t have to contribute money for anything, we don’t have to form any coalitions, our brothers do not have to plan for any coups or assassination of Jammeh. This plan can work……. Especially if my remaining 4 points are added to the agenda!!!
The second of my five point plan to get rid of Jammeh through the ballot box will immediately follow the publication of this one in the form of an open letter to the opposition parties of the Gambia. To Lawyer Ousainou Darboe in particular and to all the opposition parties in general. Watch this space for more!!!
Child beggars’ issue in Senegal worries African CSOs
The issue of child beggars in Senegal, locally called “Almud’ or ‘Talibeh’, has become a worrying subject for African civil society organisations as it is said to deny children to education, healthy life as well as encouraging child trafficking.
According to organisations that met in Banjul last week on the sidelines of the ordinary session of the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights, led by the African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights (RADDHO), such acts against the children contravenes articles 4, 7, 5, 12, 14, 15, and 21 of the African Charter on Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Aged between five to fifteen years, these children are almost exclusively boys who study in ‘daaras’ (Wolof for Quranic schools) under Quranic teachers. Most of these schools do not charge the students for their studies, food or accommodation. Instead, the children are compelled to spend several hours each day begging in the street, on top of several other hours of learning the Quran by memorization.
RADDHO, a Non-Governmental, non-partisan and secular organization established and operating from Dakar since 1990, met other human rights institutions to “seek for reinforcement of ideas and recommendations to make a stop to the trend of child begging in Senegal.”
RADDHO enjoys a Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the human rights arm of the African Union.
The organisation’s secretary for external relations Mr. Sadikh Niass, described child begging as an act that is in “total violation of the rights of children.”
Niass told fellow civil society activists that despite a decision passed by the concerned committee of African Commission to stop such act, the situation is still remains unabated in Senegal, and its government has not done enough to stop it.
“The committee prefers local remedies to the situation but the international law is preferable to the situation when the local remedies are inefficient,” Niass told colleagues.
Among such recommendations include the return of such children back to their families; that international organisations should facilitate their union with families; that they should be educated, that the state of Senegal to ensure all such religious learning places comply with the proper standard or be closed.
These recommendations are meant to stop child trafficking and impunity, RADDHO said, noting that such enforcement of decisions should involve stakeholders such as marabouts, teachers, police and that the government of Senegal was urged to submit report on the situation.
Madam Mame Couna Thioye, Coordinator at the Department of Women and Children Unit of RADDHO, said her organization decided to step in the matter “because the issue of child begging in Senegal is becoming a big phenomenon.’
She said this begging is having a big impact on children’s abilities and described these issues as ‘frightening’.
In response to these submissions, and giving some guidelines on litigation procedures, Mr Gaye Sowe, Secretary General of Institute of Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) informed the RADDHO team the existence of African Children Charter Project (ACCP) which he said, would address the situation.
Sowe said his office has two cases similar to the issue which are pending at the committee involving Malawi and Cameroon.
“In Malawi, we are challenging the law on definition of a child as child is considered from 16 of age which is a violation while private actor raped a child in Cameroon. It is our responsibility as CSOs to change such situations,” he said.
The issue accoding to Mr Sowe is a concern not only for Senegal, but also its neighbours as children from the Gambia, Mali and Guinea Bissau are all part of it, hence it was apt for other CSOs to partner with RADDHO to solve the issue through collaborative ideas.
President Jammeh vs Detained Journalist Abdoulaye Ceesay: His Family Now Denied Access To Him
Security sources have confirmed to Fatu Radio that journalist Alhagi Ceesay has been denied access to his family for three days now. Alhagi whose family has been taking meals to him since he was remanded at the Mile II Central Prison has been told that there will no longer be any homemade meals for him until further notice.
No reason has so far been officially advanced as to why such a drastic decision has been taken but for years now the conditions at the state Central Prison has been on the radar of rights groups who described it death trap.
In addition to overcrowding, credible reports have emerged from former inmates where it is alleged that in some instances, prisoners were fed with dead animals.
Family members visiting loved ones at Mile II have also been asked not to go anywhere the main gate of the prison. They were asked to stop on the opposite side of the road and wait to speak with prison officers. Whatever is going on there at the moment is unknown, but Fatu Radio is keenly monitoring the situation.
We have also been informed that the former deputy minister for Agriculture, Ousman Jammeh is being held at the security wing of Mile II for over a month now without being charged with any crimes. He is said to coping and is held in the place as Solo Bojang and many others. Meanw
OPEN LETTER TO GAMBIANS IN THE DIASPORA CAN THE GAMBIAN DIASPORA EFFECT POLITICAL CHANGE IN THE GAMBIA? YES WE CAN!!!
Dear Gambians in the Diaspora,
First of all I would like to crave your indulgence to hide my true identity and to simply identify myself as Princess Buga Gambia. This is for the safety and security of some of my relatives who live and work in the Gambia. I am a Gambian citizen and a university student of Political Science here in North America and my particular area of research interest is African politics in general and fixed presidential term limits in particular.
My aim here is to share my thoughts with all of you with the hope of building a consensus on one way to effectively and peacefully remove Jammeh from power in next year’s general elections of our homeland. I have a simple and very easily implementable five point plan which, if followed, would surely and definitely result in a defeat for Jammeh in 2016. However, whether he would concede defeat and get out of State House or refuse to hand over power is another issue all together.
This is the first of my 5 points theories on how Jammeh would lose the 2016 Gambian elections. My postulation is that the Gambian Diaspora has 50% of the power to effect political change in the Gambia because we can control almost 50% of the Gambian votes which could all very easily go to the opposition. This is how and why I came to this thesis:
According to the Migration Policy Institute, there were 65,000 Gambians living abroad in 2010. Going by that statistics, it is a fair assumption to say that there are at least a 100,000 Gambians currently living in the diaspora in the form of “semesters” and expatriates (working for International Organizations such as the UN, ICC, WHO, FOA, universities etc). Yes at least a 100, 000 Gambians in the diaspora!!!
And as we all know, Gambians are a shining example of a people who, not only care for our immediate family but for the whole extended family as well. This is evident from the huge amount of remittances we send home every year which could even be higher than the government’s annual budget. Even me as a student and a part-time worker, I am responsible for 9 people back home. It will therefore be very close to call to postulate that on average, each of us in the diaspora has responsibility over at least 5 voting aged people in the Gambia (say our mother, father, a brother a sister and our spouse/partner). Our responsibility naturally goes with some degree of control/influence/right/say over our families/relatives/friends and so therefore, each of us can influence at least, on average, about 5 people back home. Recalling that we are about 100,000 in the diaspora, this means that together, we can influence 500, 000 voters!!!!
According to the 2006 election statistics, 796,929 people registered to vote. Let us take population increase as a factor and estimate that the number of registered voters for 2016 at 1million. This means that by influencing 500,000 voters in the Gambia we are in control of 50% of the votes!!!!!
Based on this analysis therefore, I believe that we the people living in the diaspora can generate the greatest influence to remove Jammeh from power through the ballot box next year without even stepping feet in the Gambia to vote. Without any more coups, violence or blood shed!!!
All we have to do is to appeal, coax, instruct, threaten or do whatever it takes to get each and every single member of our families, friends and relatives above the ages of 18 to register and vote for the opposition (voter apathy/abstinence is what keeps Jammeh winning as the majority of the Gambians hate him and refuses to vote at all). It is really that simple. We get them all to register and get them all to vote for the opposition.
I think the greatest strength of my approach/point is that even if we assume that the Gambian Opposition will not unite behind one party/candidate and that we in the diaspora will not unanimously and collectively agree on a single party/leader, this plan can still work and get Jammeh out of State House. This is because the one area in which all of us diaspora Gambians are united in is that we are all fed up with Jammeh and his government and we all want to see him out of power. That is what unites us and that is our strength!!!! So by influencing 500,000 voters, we have successfully denied Jammeh of 50% of the votes!!!!
In conclusion, I strongly believe that we the Gambians in the diaspora have 50% control/influence over the results of next year’s Presidential election. This is the first point of my 5 points agenda for political change in the Gambia next year and each of my remaining 4 points adds 10% to the possibility of getting back our country from Jammeh. We don’t have to unite, we don’t have to come together, we don’t have to agree, we don’t have to contribute money for anything, we don’t have to form any coalitions, our brothers do not have to plan for any coups or assassination of Jammeh. This plan can work……. Especially if my remaining 4 points are added to the agenda!!!
The second of my five point plan to get rid of Jammeh through the ballot box will immediately follow the publication of this one in the form of an open letter to the opposition parties of the Gambia. To Lawyer Ousainou Darboe in particular and to all the opposition parties in general. Watch this space for more!!!
Magistrate Jaiteh Finally Released on Bail
Magistrate Ebrima Jaiteh of the Brikama Magistrates’ Court who was picked up at his residence in Madina Salam on the night of November 6th has been released from Police custody. Jaiteh was kept in police custody for over week in apparent violation of the 72 hour limit in the constitution that suspects could be held before they are released on bail or taken to court. Fatu Radio had confirmed that Jaiteh was held at the serious crimes unit of The Gambia Police Force, at the Force headquarters in the capital Banjul.
His arrest, according to sources, is in connection with land case he struck out from his court and transferred to Bundung Magistrate’s court on the basis that his court lacked the jurisdiction. Although he acted professionally, the government still became dissatisfied with his actions and ordered for his arrest immediately after the word got out to The Dictator.
Magistrate Jaiteh has presided over many high profile cases, among them, the case of the Calipha General of Dasilameh, Sheikh Muhideen Hydara and the Alkalo of the village, Buya Touray. Magistrate Jaiteh freed both Hydra and Touray after a long and protracted legal case which was handled by several magistrates. His judgement to free both men stemmed out what he called “prosecution’s lack of credible and compelling.
He further stated that the prosecution has failed flat to proof that the announcement over the national Television sanctioning the Eidul Fitr on a specific day was from The President. He thereby acquitted and discharged the accused persons on counts one and two respectively.
Another case that he presided over was the case of Lamin Waa Juwara, former minister for local government and regional administration, whom he also acquitted and discharged in May 2015.
Magistrate Jaiteh was granted bail by The Brikama Principal magistrate, Hilary Abeke at the sum of D50,000, a little over a thousand US dollars. He is charged with Abuse of office and negligence.
Fatoumatta Tambajang On 24 Hour Surveillance, Security Sources Told Fatu Radio
Information from security sources reaching The Fatu Radio news desk has alleged that The Gambian authorities have started monitoring the activities of Fatoumata Tambajang, President Jammeh’s former health minister who is now very vocal on issues affecting the country. Senior security operative who reached us said the situation has been occasioned by Mrs Tambajang’s active participation in efforts to restore sanity and internationally accepted norms in the country. Alarmed by the apparent rejuvenation of organization and seriousness Mrs Tambajang brought to the struggle, President Jammeh thus decided to put her under his radar. Like it is happening to all other opposition leaders and perceived enemies of the regime, Mrs Tambajang according to our sources is now placed under constant surveillance.
Just late Monday night, Fatu Radio News Desk received this message from one of our trusted sources: “Fatu I got this information about aunty Fatoumata Tambajang that a team is assigned to monitor her. She should watch her back and should particularly also be looking out for a white pickup truck following her. The team is to monitor her here in the Gambia please take this very serious,” the message ends
Fatoumata has been in The US for a little over three weeks, during which she had interviews with online radios in the diaspora. In all her interview, she never minced her words each time she referred to The Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh. She has been leading voice calling on Gambians to work together to bring about the much needed change in The Gambia.
Mrs Tambajang has also promised to negotiate between members of the opposition in The Gambia to form a coalition. Many in the diaspora have called on her to form her own political party to take on Jammeh in the upcoming elections.
Fatoumata Tambajang visited to The US on the invitation of Coalition for Change and partners to attend the International Civil Society Forum on Gambia, held at the Marriott hotel in downtown New York. The forum brought together Gambian Opposition party leaders, policy experts and activists to work on creating a common framework to address challenges facing The Gambia. It also looked at protecting a common position on what role Gambians and the international community must play to promote peaceful democratic change. The event was held on October 1, 2015.
The Merry Go-round In Journalist Alagie Ceesay’s Continues As His Case Is Transferred To Another Judge
The High court in The Gambia has finally set a hearing date for the embattled journalist and managing director of Taranga FM, Alhaji Ceesay. Alhaji was scheduled to go to court on October 13, but the case was called off because of lack of high court judge. The Judge hearing his case, Justice Mohammed Ban Azumi Balarabe was said to have travelled to his native country for vacation and not even his clerk knew when he was set to return. The case is now scheduled for November 11 and Justice Abi is expected to preside over it. The world’s attention is now turned on Justice Abi as to how the case will be handled after the witnesses fled the country.
The ongoing trial of Taranga FM radio station Manager, Alagie Ceesay has been roundly condemned by the International Community and Gambian political activists as a sham. The State’s star witnesses, Fatoumata Drammeh and Zainab Kone have since absconded the country because they didn’t want to serve as false witnesses against Alagie Ceesay who they see as an innocent man. And if there are any indication, the world community after all has good reason to doubt the credibility of this entire case. Both Fatoumata and Zainab were Protocol Officers at the State House.
With the new discovery by Faturadio Investigative Team of an elaborate scheme by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), in collaboration with Africell (the Cell Phone company with which Alagie’s phone line is subscribed) and Jimbe Jammeh, a Protocol Officer at the State House to frame Alagie Ceesay, any attempt to send this man to prison will represent abuse of power at its best.
Alagie Ceesay was first arrested on July 2nd 2015, by the NIA. He was held incommunicado for 2 weeks during which time he was also severely tortured. On July 13, they dropped him off for dead on the roadside around the Airport. His release was met with a big sigh of relief by family, human rights and journalist groups, and the media who were by now making noise around the world demanding his unconditional release since he hadn’t been charged with any crime.
However, it turned out to look like his well-wishers celebrated way too soon, for just when they thought his ordeal was finally over, Alagie was rearrested on the night of July 16. What happened before and after this arrest exposes the true intent of his captors – the system is determined to put this poor guy away for good by hook or crook.
Before being picked up, the NIA went to Africell and asked to have a SIM card assigned with Alagie’s number and have his phone blocked temporary. Once these were done, the NIA sent via Whatsapp, a picture text image of President Jammeh with a gun and bullet pointing to his head with the heading Sniper 15. Prior to this, the same picture was circulating on the Internet where it was posted by Fatou Camara of Faturadio, who in turn received it from anonymous sources in The Gambia.
According to both Zainab and Fatoumata, they both received a call from an NIA agent who would only identify himself as Kay as soon as they received this text. He informed them of the arrival of the text and instructed them not to delete it. When Faturadio researched who this Kay could be, the description could fit only one agent called Kebba Secka. Even when Alagie was in custody, text messages continued to be sent to the girls’ phones from supposedly this same phone number.
The Merry Go-round In Journalist Alagie Ceesay’s Continues As His Case Is Transferred To Another Judge
The High court in The Gambia has finally set a hearing date for the embattled journalist and managing director of Taranga FM, Alhaji Ceesay. Alhaji was scheduled to go to court on October 13, but the case was called off because of lack of high court judge. The Judge hearing his case, Justice Mohammed Ban Azumi Balarabe was said to have travelled to his native country for vacation and not even his clerk knew when he was set to return. The case is now scheduled for November 11 and Justice Abi is expected to preside over it. The world’s attention is now turned on Justice Abi as to how the case will be handled after the witnesses fled the country.
The ongoing trial of Taranga FM radio station Manager, Alagie Ceesay has been roundly condemned by the International Community and Gambian political activists as a sham. The State’s star witnesses, Fatoumata Drammeh and Zainab Kone have since absconded the country because they didn’t want to serve as false witnesses against Alagie Ceesay who they see as an innocent man. And if there are any indication, the world community after all has good reason to doubt the credibility of this entire case. Both Fatoumata and Zainab were Protocol Officers at the State House.
With the new discovery by Faturadio Investigative Team of an elaborate scheme by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), in collaboration with Africell (the Cell Phone company with which Alagie’s phone line is subscribed) and Jimbe Jammeh, a Protocol Officer at the State House to frame Alagie Ceesay, any attempt to send this man to prison will represent abuse of power at its best.
Alagie Ceesay was first arrested on July 2nd 2015, by the NIA. He was held incommunicado for 2 weeks during which time he was also severely tortured. On July 13, they dropped him off for dead on the roadside around the Airport. His release was met with a big sigh of relief by family, human rights and journalist groups, and the media who were by now making noise around the world demanding his unconditional release since he hadn’t been charged with any crime.
However, it turned out to look like his well-wishers celebrated way too soon, for just when they thought his ordeal was finally over, Alagie was rearrested on the night of July 16. What happened before and after this arrest exposes the true intent of his captors – the system is determined to put this poor guy away for good by hook or crook.
Before being picked up, the NIA went to Africell and asked to have a SIM card assigned with Alagie’s number and have his phone blocked temporary. Once these were done, the NIA sent via Whatsapp, a picture text image of President Jammeh with a gun and bullet pointing to his head with the heading Sniper 15. Prior to this, the same picture was circulating on the Internet where it was posted by Fatou Camara of Faturadio, who in turn received it from anonymous sources in The Gambia.
According to both Zainab and Fatoumata, they both received a call from an NIA agent who would only identify himself as Kay as soon as they received this text. He informed them of the arrival of the text and instructed them not to delete it. When Faturadio researched who this Kay could be, the description could fit only one agent called Kebba Secka. Even when Alagie was in custody, text messages continued to be sent to the girls’ phones from supposedly this same phone number.
Fatoumatta Tambajang On 24 Hour Surveillance, Security Sources Told Fatu Radio
Information from security sources reaching The Fatu Radio news desk has alleged that The Gambian authorities have started monitoring the activities of Fatoumata Tambajang, President Jammeh’s former health minister who is now very vocal on issues affecting the country. Senior security operative who reached us said the situation has been occasioned by Mrs Tambajang’s active participation in efforts to restore sanity and internationally accepted norms in the country. Alarmed by the apparent rejuvenation of organization and seriousness Mrs Tambajang brought to the struggle, President Jammeh thus decided to put her under his radar. Like it is happening to all other opposition leaders and perceived enemies of the regime, Mrs Tambajang according to our sources is now placed under constant surveillance.
Just late Monday night, Fatu Radio News Desk received this message from one of our trusted sources: “Fatu I got this information about aunty Fatoumata Tambajang that a team is assigned to monitor her. She should watch her back and should particularly also be looking out for a white pickup truck following her. The team is to monitor her here in the Gambia please take this very serious,” the message ends
Fatoumata has been in The US for a little over three weeks, during which she had interviews with online radios in the diaspora. In all her interview, she never minced her words each time she referred to The Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh. She has been leading voice calling on Gambians to work together to bring about the much needed change in The Gambia.
Mrs Tambajang has also promised to negotiate between members of the opposition in The Gambia to form a coalition. Many in the diaspora have called on her to form her own political party to take on Jammeh in the upcoming elections.
Fatoumata Tambajang visited to The US on the invitation of Coalition for Change and partners to attend the International Civil Society Forum on Gambia, held at the Marriott hotel in downtown New York. The forum brought together Gambian Opposition party leaders, policy experts and activists to work on creating a common framework to address challenges facing The Gambia. It also looked at protecting a common position on what role Gambians and the international community must play to promote peaceful democratic change. The event was held on October 1, 2015.
International Civil Society Forum on Gambia: FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING ELECTORAL REFORMS IN THE GAMBIA
We, representatives of Civil Society Organizations met in New York, on the margins of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly on October 1-2, 2015 to deliberate on the state of affairs in The Gambia.
Asserting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which came into force in February 2012, to which The Gambia is a signatory, obligating it to adopt the broader principles of popular participation, democracy, and good governance as enshrined in: Article 3- respect human rights and democratic principles; promotion of a system of government that is representative; hold regular, transparent free and fair elections; effective participation of citizens in democratic and development processes and in governance of public affairs; strengthening political pluralism and recognizing the role, rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties, including opposition political parties, which should be given status under national law; Article 11- promoting the culture of democracy and peace;
Recalling that the Democracy Charter further makes for specific provisions under Article 17 – Democratic Elections, which compels AU member states, to which The Gambia belongs: establish and strengthen independence and impartial national electoral bodies; establish and strengthen national mechanisms that redress election-related disputes in a timely manner; Ensure fair and equitable access by contesting parties and candidates to state controlled media during elections;
Concerned by the rapid, systematic and deliberate policy by The Gambia Government, over the past two decades to close civic space, discourage popular participation, and curtail media freedoms;
Further concerned by State capture of the National Assembly; the blurring of the lines of separation of powers; the continued disregard for the 1997 Constitution; and passage of laws that contradict regional and continental normative standards and frameworks as well as illegal laws which violate or contradict the national constitution;
Shocked by the rapid and continued deterioration of rule of law and erosion of human rights, as documented by Human Rights Watch and the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Mr. Juan Mendez;
Alarmed at the abuse of executive power in The Gambia as evidenced by recent events, which have been widely documented, indicating that the country is fast sliding towards economic and political chaos, where impunity and terror are now firmly entrenched;
Disturbed by the recently passed Elections Amendment Act of 2015;
Condemn the action taken by the National Assembly to pass the Elections Amendment Act 2015, and President Jammeh for appending his signature on the Bill;
Emphasizing that the Elections Amendment Act 2015 contradicts section 25 (1)(e) of the Constitution- which states that people have the right to – freedom of association, which shall include freedom to form and join associations and unions, including political parties and trade unions;
Cognizant that the Elections Amendment Act 2015 prices out political opposition, making The Gambia the most expensive country to vie for public office, in the process curtailing the rights of citizens provided for in the constitution for full participation and representation;
Fully Cognizant that through the Elections Amendment Act 2015, the executive has demonstrated its determination to continue to stifle freedom and peoples’ right to popular participation, prodding The Gambia, and by extension, Senegal, towards a precipice;
Aware that on 24th November, 2011 the regional body, ECOWAS, refused to observe the elections stating that it was conducted: ‘in an atmosphere of “intimidation, an unacceptable level of control of the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state and parastatal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation,”
Fully aware that ECOWAS also stated that conditions on the ground, in The Gambia in 2011, would not ensure a level playing field;
Appraised of the “12 DEMANDS FOR ELECTORAL, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS” document by Gambian political opposition parties;
Call upon the Gambia Government to engage in urgent dialogue with political opposition on the “12 Demands for electoral Constitutional reforms”;
Call upon the international donor community not to fund the 2016 presidential elections, and the 2017 National Assembly elections unless the following minimum criteria are met:
ü Commissioners of the Independent Electoral Commission, whose tenures have expired are relieved from their posts, and new Commissioners are hired – the current Chairperson of the Electoral Commissions is currently illegally occupying the position as head of the Independent Electoral Commission;
ü Integrity that meets international standards is infused into the voter registration process;
ü All political parties are given equal access to public media;
ü Abuse of state resources by the ruling APRC party under the leadership of President Jammeh is halted, and mechanisms put in place to monitor such violations before, during and after the election period;
ü An amendment to the law compelling the Independent Electoral Commission to issue permits for political rallies in a fair and expeditious manner must be passed;
ü The Inspector General of Police should be stripped of the responsibility of issuing permits for public gatherings and campaigns;
ü The Gambian constitution should be amended to remove the 65 year age limit for presidential candidates;
ü The state must cease the intimidation and harassment of the opposition parties and their supporters;
Call upon ECOWAS and the African Union to withhold funding assistance and not to observe the 2016 Presidential and 2017 National Assembly elections if the above minimum criteria are not met;
Done on 20 October, 2015
Signed
Campaign for Human Rights Gambia UK (CHRG-UK)
Civil Society Association Gambia (CSAG)
Coalition for Change Gambia (CCG)
Democratic Union of Gambian Activists (DUGA)
Gambia Consultative Council (GCC)
Gambia Democracy Action Group (GDAG)
Save the Gambia Democracy Project (STGDP)