By: Dawda Baldeh
Omar Jatta, Assistance Chairman of the Gambia Refugees Association Europe branch, based in Germany, has informed The Fatu Network that a good number of Gambian migrants are awaiting deportation scheduled for March 9, 2023.
“As we speak, many of our youths are already paraded in deportation camps waiting for a flight,” he disclosed.
When asked about how many are expected to be deported, Mr. Jatta responded, “the association has not given me permission to disclose the number, but we are expecting many to be deported.”
He noted that the association has tremendously impacted the welfare of the migrants since its inception.
“We are doing all we could to make sure our people are safe and free from deportation. We have conducted several dialogues with the German government, and they are willing to support us so that our youths will not be deported always.
“Over the years we have intervened in many instances where people are taken to deportation camps, we engaged the authorities and they were released to go back to their workplaces,” he said.
On his part, Zakaria Sowe alias Zakz, the Public Relations Officer of the association said the Gambian government is not putting more effort to protect the welfare of its citizens.
“Our government is not doing much to support the citizens. Gambian youths are hardworking and even the German government recommended that but back home the leaders are not supporting,” Zakz asserted.
He further stated that Gambian youths all over Europe are known to be committed to their jobs.
“The German government has given the Gambian migrants the opportunity to stay and learn skills to regularize their status. They give the Gambian government the opportunity to come up with a master plan so they can work together as two nations but unfortunately, the Gambian government has failed to materialize their side of the plan,” he asserted.
Speaking further on diverse topics, Zakz noted that during winter other nationals will not go to work, but Gambians will sacrifice in the snow to go to work.
This, he added, has helped Gambians to get the trust of white people. “The problem is our leaders,” he said.
The Gambia Refugees Association was formed after the beginning of mass deportation in Germany some years ago.
The list of Gambian migrants who are awaiting deportation has not been disclosed to The Fatu Network, but it is scheduled for March 9th according to the refugees association assistant chairman.
