Gambia Affairs - Truth Without Borders

This blog is written by a number of contributors, most notably the editor Mr Saikou Ceesay.

Mr Ceesay is an investigative journalist and over the years covers high profile stories. He is an executive member of The Gambia Press Union.

The blog was started by Mr Ceesay in close collaboration with Danish journalist and communications adviser Kim Jensen.

The Story Behind the Blog:

The Birth Of A Web Site

26 May 2008 marked the birth of Gambia affairs website namely, gambiaaffairs.bogspot.com.

In a country voices resides in the people. An independent people are the architects of their own destiny. Their voices must not be silent.Their minds must not yield to slumber. They must stand vigil and exercise permanent scrutiny on how the affairs of their country are managed.

The voices of the people must have authority to determine the policies and programmes of government which manage their affairs. The government must be transparent and accountable to its people. The Gambia Affairs blog will aim to be the vehicle on which the Gambian people can travel towards greater transparency.
This blog is written by journalists from different Gambian newspapers.

Gambian opposition leader highlights on the current economic, political, and related trends

UDP leader Ousainou Darboe
In this exclusive interview with Gambia Affairs, Mr Ousainou Darboe leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) comments on the current depreciation of the Gambian currency, recommending appropriate solutions; escalating prices of basic commodities, calling for improved man power on agriculture, which is term as backborn of the country's economy; legislation against begging; disappearances without trace of civilians in the country; President Jammeh's denouncing of EU's 17 points recommendation on democracy and good governance, among others.

Q- Gambia Affairs: In this question and answers interview, Mr Darboe started by responding to the question: "What is [his] view on the depreciation of the Gambian dalasi over major international currencies such as the Dollar, CFA and Euro?"

Ans: Mr Darboe in his own words said: "The depreciation of the dalasi against major foreign currencies has not just come abruptly, but we have in the past months seen the dalasi (Gambian currency) gradually depreciating against major currencies. This is because there is a high domestic demand of foreign currencies, so that you can use it to import or siphone foreign currency abroad when there is less demand for our local currency.

"And the demand for our local currency would come about through the medium of export market. In effect the demand for foreign currency to finance import is on the increase and the foreign demand for our local currency in finance export is on the decrease. In addition to that, the irresponsible spending of fiscal budget by government, and all these have bearing on how the dalasi perform against major currencies. I believe that the time is overdue for the various institutions in the country.

Mr Daboe therefore advised the need for the: "Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Gambia Investment Economic Promotion Agency, the Ministry of Trade and the Gambia Chamber of Commerce to seriously look at this very troublesome situation. They should get back to the drawing board and find solutions to the problem. I am sure the Minister of Finance with his very solid background in economics and other institutions will, without any political interference, be able to provide long term solutions to this problem. We must accept the fact that prinicpal advisers to government are not free to operate professionally. Is it not strange that the office of the President and the Ministry of Finance or the Central Bank to issue statement on the depreciation of the dalasi and threatening to deal with people who are "hoarding" foreign currencies. This and many other instances showed that all the Ministries are micro-managed by the office of the President.

Q- Gambia Affairs: What is your view on the sharp increase on the prices of basic food stuff such as rice, oil, sugar and flour?

Ans: If the money market is expensive, the imported goods would naturally be expensive. I don't think any serious government should really be making pronouncement on what appears to be good policies without having the capacity as well as the political will to implement those policies.  I believe that there ought to have been very serious effort in attracting investors to the country. By now we should have been boasting of one or two factories. We should also have been near self sufficient in food. The economy of the country been based on agriculture should have been given utmost priority in terms of efficient man power; in terms of affordable implements and inputs and high quality seeds. The inputs and high quality seeds should be made available to farmers on time. It is unfortunate that during the farming you occupy the farmer's time on the various Kanilai farms. I want to repeat what I have said some time ago about the initiative of former Youth Minister- Mr Sheriff Gomez in initiating youth farms throughout the country is really a good decision. I would have thought that this would be replicated in every village and the produce in every village farm, will be stored or banked in village food bank, so that in terms of need the villagers can have cause to the food store, either loaning it out or selling it at affordable prices.

Q-Gambia Affairs: How will the sharp increase on the prices of construction materials impact on the lives of the people?

Ans: It goes without saying that where goods cannot be accessed by ordinary people because they cannot afford the prices then they will go without those goods. So when the price of building materials are expensive and consequently when the ordinary people cannot buy them then they would definately not be in a position to build their own houses or those who live in homes will  continue to live in over-crowded conditions. We have Social Security and Housing Finance Cooperation (SSHFC), providing houses to people, but those who qualified for this constitute a minor fraction of the society. For example, somebody in provincial Daru-riwan or Sare-madi want a four bed room cement block house in their family home and he is a farmer who probably for the past four years has no market for his produce. He is virtually not in a position to satisfy or achieve his objective because of high cost of building materials.

Q-Gambia Affairs: The National Assembly has legislated against begging in public places, what is your reaction to this piece of legislation?

Ans: It was a shame for the National Assembly to have enacted such a law. I think what they ought to have done is to debate the root cause of this social problem. And then they would have known the reasons and provide solution to those problems and to decriminalise it. After all these people in wheelchair, those blind and those engaged in begging do not do so in pride. If this people have other means of earning a living other than begging that is what they would do. They would not want to go begging neighbours. So I asked the government of The Gambia to investigate why these people are begging. You have intelligent people in the streets begging and just because they are in wheelchairs or blind or because they have some other type of disabilities they tend to be the forgotten citizens of the country. We should all put our thinking caps on so that the potentials that these people have is utilised in the development of the country.  

Criminalising it shows government's concern about this social problem of begging, but it also in my view shows the level of poverty in the country. Years back you did not see so many beggers in the country. Five years ago you did not have beggers taking position in the evening at Pipe Line Mosque. Now is happening because poverty is deeply rooted in the country. I told one journalist that Gambia to me is like Roman empire under Naro; while Rome was in hunger Naro was wining and dining.

While the dalasi is depreciating, prices escalating, Yahya Jammeh is organising musical jamboree and telling people that food and drink will not be a problem, but I wonder after the party those boys when they go back whether they have launch provided by their parents.

Q-Gambia Affairs:  What is your opinion on the incommunicado detention of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lamin Jobarteh and his  Solicitor General and Legal Secretary, Pa Harry Jammeh?

Ans: No I cannot comment on that.

Q-Gambia Affairs:  July 7 will mark seven years after the disappearance of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh, what do you think the State should do to help Mr Manneh get his freedom?

Ans: Let me say that it has been a very trying moment for the family of Chief Ebrima Manneh. And for his family it cannot be a consolation that Ebrima Manneh has earned for himself a permanent place in Gambia's history as far as resistance to dictatorship is concerned.  What will be consoling to his family is for him to regain his freedom and return to his family or to live outside The Gambia and constantly cummunicating with his family. That is what the family will find consoling than a place in history. It is not a question of helping, it is a question of acting by releasing Chief Manneh. Some months ago I was also saying the government should help but when former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Edward Gomez in an interview revealed that Chief Ebrima Manneh is alive, puts it beyong speculation that Chief Manneh is in the hands of the government of The Gambia or the government knows where he is. That is why I am saying the government should act now by releasing him from custody.

Q-Gambia Affairs: Your client, Kanyiba Kanyi, is yet to be seen. What is the state of the civil suit at the High Court in respect of Kanyiba Kanyi?

Ans:  Well the state of the civil suit is that the High Court has issued and order of Habeas corpus  directing the state to release Kanyiba Kanyi and the State has refused to do so. On the false pretext that Mr Kanyi is not in State custody. There is evidence before the court that former Secretary of State for Interior, Mr Babucarr Jatta admitted that he gave orders for the arrest of Kanyiba Kanyi and made this revelations in the presence Mr Yankuba Touray [Ex-Minister], United Nations representative on electoral matters, Majority leader Mr Fabakary Tombong Jatta and this was at a meeting at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), in October 2006.
Now how can the government say that they did not have him when a State Minister who ordered for his arrest, admitted his arrest. The State has always been in denial that Kanyiba Kanyi and Ousman Rambo Jatta have been in their custody until when Mr Yahya Dampha of Foroyaa newspaper, with representatives of Amnesty International found Mr Jatta under police custody at Sare Ngai Police Station. Kanyiba is in their custody and if anything happens to him we will hold the government responsible. We have a list of all the people who are concern [linked] with his arrest and detention and we consider them as conspirators in this unconstitutional act of what I now call abduction and kidnapping.

Q-Gambia Affairs:  The Ecowas court made ruling against the illegal detention and torture case of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh and editor Musa Saidykhan respectively. The government of The Gambia is yet to comply with the ruling of the court. In your view what image would the  government's refusal to honour the ruling of the court create for The Gambia?

Ans: The Community court is one of the institutions within the Ecowas establishment. And certainly if the court which has the jurisdiction on the matters submitted to it decides against the government of The Gambia, the government should show respect the court and honour its obligation under the judgment. It does not speak well of us to disregard international judicial decision. The impression it gave to other people is that the government of The Gambia has no regard for rulings made against it by our local court. Kanyiba Kanyi's case is an example. The government disregard the ruling of the High Court to release him. I think we should really occupy a position of respect among nations and this we can only do by discharging our obligations imposed on us either by treaty or by international judicial decision. I don't think it will be out of place if the Ecowas head of States take steps against States that treat judgments of Ecowas with disrespect.
I find it contradictory that the government of The Gambia could disregard the judgment of the Ecowas court which the government is a party and extol judgment of the Federal High Court in Nigeria in a case in which the government of The Gambia is not a party.

Q-Gambia Affairs: President Jammeh during a cabinet meeting produced by the State-owned GRTS in February said that since the European Union is concerned about the re-opening of Teranga FM radio, Daily News and Standard newspaper he was not going to open them. Could you share with us what image will the continous closure of these media houses create?

Ans: It is not new for private media houses to be shutdown in this country. The closure of
Teranga FM, Daily news and Standard newspaper came about as a continuation of government's intolerance to strong and constructive dissenting views. What is normal is if any of these media houses offended the law, prosecute them in line with the due procedures of criminal code. You shutdown media houses and Jammeh's actions showed that he does not like dissenting views  express through the media. I would have thought any serious government to sit down with the European Union and discuss these issues with them and they would reach a common ground. You don't reject dialogue and misform and mislead the people that the European Union was imposing conditions on the country. There should be a dialogue. If EU made homosexual a condition why is the government not talking about other conditions.
 

GPU to organise training on media ethics, gender reporting and media law

GPU President Emil Touray

The Gambia Press Union, GPU, has upped the ante for a three day training seminar designed to empower as well as develop skills of its members in the execution of their jobs in a non media free environment.

According to organisers, the objective of the seminar slated for 20th to the 22nd June, 2013, "is to improve  the ability of journalists to report on complex issues relating to corruption, human rights violations and core values of democracy in professional, ethical and constructive manner."

They said the training is part of activities the Union is undertaking with support from the UNDP Banjul Office, under the project Strengthening Capacities of Governance Institutions.

The three day convergence came as a result of an understanding between the government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs as the implementing party, and the Gambia Press Union as the sub-implementing party, whereas the UNDP provides funding in the context of the quarterly FACE and ICE.

Nana Grey-Johnson is new deputy Secretary General

I belong to media fraternity-Nana Grey-Johnson
President Yahya Jammeh has appointed Mr Nana Grey-Johnson as deputy Secretary General Office of the President with effect from Thursday 6 June.

Until his new appointment, Mr Grey-Johnson,62, was the Minister of Information and Communications Infrastructure. Mr Johnson, a veteran journalist and prolific writer was first appointed minister on 12th March 2013. He replaced Dr Njogu Bah, the present Secretary General and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Mr. Johnson is a Banjulian by birth and obtained a B.A. in Communication and M.A. in Journalism from reputed Stanford University. He has over the years worked as a journalist and authored several books. He lectures at the University of The Gambia prior to his appointment as Communications minister.

Meanwhile, by the time we went to press no appointment was made to Communications portfolio.

President Akuffo bemoans lack of justice for victims

President of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Justice Sophia A.B. Akuffo

The President of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Justice Sophia A.B. Akuffo, has observed that there is crushing lack of justice for victims of human rights violations in Africa.

Honourable Justice Akuffo made this statement at the recently concluded three-day regional seminar on the promotion and strengthening of the African Court held in Abidjan, Cote d' Ivoire.

She pointed out that the Court is yet to be generally accessible to individuals and Non-Governmental Organisations even though they are supposed to be protected by the Court. She said this was not made possible owing to the fact that some states are yet to make declaration to the Court which will help ensure justice for victims on the continent.

Ms Akuffo said out of fifty-four African states, twenty-six have ratified the protocol establishing the Court while six states out of the twenty-six made declaration. She said depositing  the declaration to the Court allowed individuals and NGOs to seek redress from the Court. 

Below is full statement of madam  Justice Sophia A.B. Akuffo at the Abidjan seminar:
"It gives me immense pleasure to stand before you here in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, at the official opening of the Regional Seminar for the promotion of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Cote d'Ivoire is a Member State of the African Union which, together with 52 other States, reaffirmed, in the preamble to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. Its commitment to the human and peoples' rights and freedoms contained in the Charter and other human rights declarations, conventions and universal instruments. In pursuance of this commitment, and its duty to ensure the promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms, it ratified the Charter on 6th January 1992. This Charter is a precious unifying instrument of African peoples and the fundamental pillar of the African system for the protection of human rights.

Cote d' Ivoire has furthermore set up a National Human Rights Commission, which is currently undergoing restructuring. Moreover, it has nominated one of its citizens for appointment as Judge of the Court by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union,AU, the Honourable Sylvain Ore, and Ivorians serve among the Registry staff. These stand as clear testimony of the Ivorian Government's commitment to respect and uphold human rights.

However, the effectiveness of the Court cannot be realised without adequate knowledge of the normative and institutional framework within which it operates, or the preconditions and procedures for accessing it. The objectives of the seminar are, therefore, two-prolonged: firstly to exhort the Republic of Cote d' Ivoire and other West African States, members of the African Union to ensure respect and  protection of human rights through adequate ratification of the Protocol establishing the Court(hereafter referred to as the Protocol) and deposit of the declaration enabling indiviuals and NGOs to directly access the Court. Secondly the seminar aims at informing all stakeholders about the existence of the Court, its activities, the various ways of getting access and the procedure before it.

Honourable Prime Minister, I am most grateful to the Government of Cote d' Ivoire for accepting our request to organise this regional seminar in Abidjan and for the assistance granted to the Court in the preparation of this important activity. Furthermore, I am infinitely grateful to you Honourable Prime Minister for accepting to personally grace the opening ceremony of this seminar with your presence despite your heavy workload.

Permit me to thank, with equal sincerity, all the Institutions and Organisations represented here for accepting our invitation to participate in this seminar. We treasure your participation. I would also like to seize this opportunity to thank the German International Cooperation Agency, GIZ, for the support that it gave for the realisation of this activity.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

As you may recall, after the entry into force of the Protocol in January 2004, the first Judges were elected in January 2006 and were sworn in in July 2006. The Court started work thereafter, first in Addis Ababa, the seat of the African Union and then at its own seat established in Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania. The Court became administratively and judicially operational in 2008, after Member States of the African Union had provided it with a budget and Registry staff; the host State Government, the United Republic of Tanzania, having installed it in a temporary seat and the Court itself having drawn up its Rules of Court.

Challenges

The main challenge that the Court has faced since its operationalisation is that of underutilisation. Indeed, from 2008, when it became fully operational, to January 2011, the Court was seized of only one matter: from an individual against a State which had not made the declaration enabling individuals to seize the Court directly. Fortunately, the Court has since then received 30 matters of a contentious nature and 5 requests for advisory opinion.

In the analysis of the Court, this state of under utilisation is attributable to two main factors: The first is that the Court is not yet generally accessible to individuals and Non- Governmental Organisations, NGOs, even though the former are the prinicipal subjects of judicial protection of human rights (human rights being rights of persons). In this regard, it is noteworthy that, out of the fifty-four, 54, Member States of the African Union, only twenty-six have ratified the Protocol establishing the Court, and of these twenty-six States, only six ,6, have to date deposited the declaration allowing indiciduals and NGOs supporting them to have direct access to the Court. These are, in alphabetic order, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda and United Republic of Tanzania.

The second factor is the incontestable fact that, that Court, by reason of its relative newness, is not well known by the African people and the various other entities authorised to seize it, both with regard to its contentious and advisory jurisdictions, including even in those countries that have ratified the Protocol establishing the Court and those that have made the declaration authorising individuals and NGOs to seize it directly.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is precisely to make the Court better known and encourage its optimal utilisation that it decided to undertake a series of promotional activities, including regional seminars; seminars for special interest groups such as Women's Rights NGOs, the Media and National Human Rights Institutions; national seminars in various countries and sensitisation visits(the most recent of which was in Cameroon). Within this same context, the Court has, in the last two days, had audiences with representatives of the Government of Cote d' Ivoire. To date, the Court has therefore already undertaken conferences, seminars and visits in about seventeen African countries.

This seminar in Abidjan is characterised by its regional dimension, (the Regional Seminar for East and North Africa which the Court held in Addis Ababa being the only one of its kind to date), which brings together representatives of key institutions and organisations of the West African Region. The main objective of this seminar is to make the Court known, in all its facets, to a wide range of partners of the West African human rights protection system, so that, thereafter, they themselves are enabled to, promote the Court before their respective constituencies, and conduct sensitisations of their own amongst decision makers in their respective spheres. The ultimate goal is that those empowered to seize the Court ought to have recourse to its both with regard to contentious matters and for advisory opinions.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

Without any doubt, each invited organisation and institution represented here has an important role to play in the promotion of the Court:

a)Member States of the Africa Union play a central role in the Court's judicial protection of human rights on the continent: They created the Court and provide it with the means to judicially function effectively, through provision of a budget, structure and most importantly, political will. The Court, therefore, takes every opportunity, to remind States that have not yet done so, to ratify the Protocol establishing the Court, and those that have done so, to deposit the declaration allowing individuals and NGOs to directly access the Court. Further, the Court reminds all States, including even those which are not state parties to the Protocol, that they must consider the possibility of requesting the Court for relevant advisory opinions on human rights issues and collaborate in sensitisation activities on the Court. I, therefore, seize the opportunity presented by this seminar to reiterate this call to member States represented here.

b) African Union Organs and Institutions are also reminded that they equally play a prominent role to make the Court known and function effectively. Firstly, with regard to contentious matters, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is at the forefront of the list of organs authorised by the Protocol to seize the Court. Moreover, within the framework of its general mission of promoting human rights on the continent, the Commission can promote the Court as its sister institution responsible for judicially ensuring the implementation of African human rights instruments. I should mention here that since 2009, the Court and the Commission have been engaged in dialogue that has enabled us to harmonise our respective Rules of Procedure and institutionalise our relations, thus facilitating seizure of the Court by the Commission, and we continue to explore ways and means that will enhance and enrich our complementary relationship.

Secondly, with regard to the Court's advisory jurisdiction, all organs of the African Union, defined in Article 5 of the Constitutive Act, are entitled to seek the advisory opinion of the Court on any issue relating to human rights. Within the scope of their various mandates and activities, AU organs may also carry out actions to promote the Court.

c) National Judicial Institutions are the guarantors of the protection of human rights within States. In this regard, they can help in making the Court known especially by accepting to be associated with sensitisation actions carried out by the Court and other partner institutions.

d) For their part, National Commissions on Human Rights, as independent bodies responsible for oversight of the huamn rights situation in the various AU Member States, may, when necessary, advise the Governments on matters which the latter could submit to the Court within the scope of its advisory jurisdiction as well as organise promotional activities on the Court.

e) With regard to Bar Councils and Bar Associations, we all know that it is lawyers who engage in litigation and submit matters before the Court. Moreover, through their general assemblies and colloquiums, these organisations can contribute effectively in making the Court known to their respective members.

f) The role of academic institutions is crucial because they have the facility to provide the most profound knowledge on the African human rights protection system in general and on the Court itself in particular, to audiences which include future judges, lawyers, intellectual and political elite of African countries.

g) As for Non Governmental Organisations involved in human rights protection, they can, better than the Court itself, organise and carry out campaigns for the ratification of the Protocol, for the deposit by Member States of the declaration enabling individuals and NGO to have direct access to the Court, for the optimum utilisation of the Court in advisory matters and for the promotion of the Court in general. Besides, as appropriate, they may themselves submit applications to the Court.

h)Lastly, but not least, the media, as disseminators of information, has a very important role in ensuring dispersal of information on sensitisation, promotion and all the activities of the Court which should be brought to the knowledge of the African people in general.
 
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

I would therefore request every one of you to be fully conscious of the respective roles of your institutions and organisations in the promotion and utilisation of the Court for effective human rights protection in Africa, and enjoin you to fully play this role.

In this regard, you will notice that the seminar programme is structured in such a manner as to provide you with an overview of the Africa human rights system and the place of the Court therein before concentrating on processes and procedures of the Court itself, to ensure that you are fully informed and hence able to, in turn, utilise and promote the Court to the greatest effect. Finally, a panel discussion will allow us, together, to devise strategies which the various human rights actors may use to ensure the promotion of the Court, encourage the acceleration of the ratification of the Protocol establishing the Court and the deposit of the declaration enabling individuals and NGO to seize the Court.

I hope the various aspects of the programme of the seminar will adequately meet your expectations. The Court, on its part, expects that you will all participate constructively and fruitfully in the discussions on each topic and that you will make rich contributions that will ensure the success of this seminar.

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

In conclusion, let me once again; thank each and every one of you for accepting to attend this seminar. May Cote d' Ivoire seriously consider the possibility, where necessary, of seeking the advisory opinion of the Court.

And , may the Government of Cote d' Ivoire further seriously consider depositing the declaration accepting the jurisdiction of the Court to be seized with contentious applications from individuals and NGOs, after they have exhausted, or attempted to exhaust, domestic remedies.

Finally, may the Court really become and in the nearest future, to you all, as suggested by the general theme of the seminar "Your new partner in the reinforcement of the protection of human rights in Africa".
Thank you and i wish all participants fruitful deliberations."

Jammeh admits dictatorship as he defends his good governance record

Jammeh in white African atayaa with Ghana's president

President Yahya Jammeh has said that he is a dictator who within the span of eighteen-years in power brought unprecedented infrastructural development that impacted positively on the lives of Gambians.

President Jammeh who came to power through a peaceful military takeover in 1994, is criticised by human rights groups for alleged human rights violations perpetrated against the civilian population.

"Anywhere you should stand as an African all what they [West] think of is you are either HIV positive, a drug dealer or a dictator or whatever. Dictator does not mean anything to me as far as i am concern. A dictator is better than a vampire. Yes, i am a dictator, yes, but what i have done in eighteen years in this country the British could not do it in a million years.So who is a dictator?," Jammeh told the state-owned  Gambia Radio and Television Services,GRTS, after stepping off his plane from attending the AU's 50 African head of state and government and the 50 year Golden Jubilee celebration, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  

He continued: "These are the sorts of things they [West] use to divide Africans and create conflicts. Oh! your neighbour is a dictator; there is bad governance; he is a violator of human rights. But that is not true.Now, what is good governance for? Is to engender economic prosperity and the prosperity of the people and high living standards. If you build one High School and two hospitals in four hundred years, how many High Schools did i build in eighteen years? If good governance is anything to go by, i am a better Governor than the British who ruled The Gambia.

"Now, some African leaders may not be as brave as others but they have realised that what they [West] are saying is a bunch of rubbish and we should discard it and work together. Now what is more interesting is that their eye-boys are now speaking out against them. I am not against anybody but injustice is unacceptable. You [West] are ungrateful to us and calling us all sorts of names is unacceptable. Up to today, Africa is the richest continent on earth in terms of mineral resources and we have human resource too. If Japan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar can develop, why can't the continent of Africa develop?Now we realised that we have to work together. The Arabs speak with one voice regarding an issue but when you come to African, we speak with ten or twenty different voices. Now those working for them realised that they are wasting their time.For example, if i asked you to follow me to GRTS office will you ever be infront of me? That is why Africa is backward because most of the leaders from Independence to date have been following those that subjugated us, colonised us, enslaved us and exploited us for the past four hundred years."

The Gambia leader called for reconciliation on the continent for there to be a durable peace. " As we are celebrating at the celebration venue most of us are fighting each other either directly or indirectly.How can you integrate Africa when we are fighting each other. So the most important thing is to engender peace and security in Africa. It will not take you one year to do so. Some of these crisis are deeply entrenched that it will require concerted effort of all African leaders. It will take almost ten years for us to end all conflicts and reconcile and ensure peace and security. Until we so do, this coming 2030 to 2063 would be an elusive dream. So without peace and stability let us not talk about development,"Jammeh contended.

Gambia urged to set up National Human Rights Commission

As President Jammeh nudges establishment of National Human Rights Commission

Mr Tony Ojukwu

By Saikou Ceesay

The director of Legal Services, Protection and Monitoring at the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq, has appealed to the government of The Gambia to consider establishing a National Human Rights Commission for the promotion and protection of human rights.

In April 2012, the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, came to the country and held discussions with officials of the regime, including the Vice President, Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. Mr Sharma, at the end of his two-day official visit, told journalists "We have agreed to help establish a National Human Rights Commission. A Commonwealth team will be in Banjul next month to take this forward."

Since then little has been done by the government to establish the Commission. During a cabinet meeting in February this year, President Jammeh nudges the establishment of a  National Human Rights Commission. He expressed his disapproval to the setting up of the Commission.

According to Nigeria's Tony Ojukwu Esq, establishment of a National Human Rights Commission would transform the country's unpopular human rights record and help ensure the promotion and protection of human rights.

Speaking in an exclusive with Gambia Affairs he said: ""I think the government of The Gambia should rethink on its stance not to establish a National Human Rights Commission. Its establishment will give a lot of credit to the government of The Gambia. It will establishment Gambia among committee of Nations as one willing to respect the rule of law. It will show that The Gambia is developing. This will further convince many investors to invest in the country. Above all, Gambians will love their government for respecting their human rights.

"Officials of Nigeria Human Rights Commission are willing to come and help develop Gambia's Human Rights Commission to a world class Human Rights institute. I can see a bright future for The Gambia if the government respect and protect the human rights of its citizens.Even at the United Nations level it has been recognised in one of the resolutions that countries should establish National Human Rights Commissions for the promotion and protection of human rights. It is difficult for countries at times to protect and promote human rights because while governments have the duty to protect and promote human rights it has been discovered that governments are one of the greatest violators of human rights.

"The law enforcement agencies that have the duty to promote and protect human rights  like the police and the military are seen violating the rights of the people they should protect. They sometimes use torture to obtain information from the people. That is a violation of human right. So there is need to have an independent body to be able to protect the rights of the people. When police officers commit human rights violations, how do you expect the police to take themselves to court? It is natural that they will try to cover up themselves from justice. So it is important to have an independent human rights institution in The Gambia that will serve as a reminder and check on the government in the promotion and protection of human rights."

Commenting on challenges faced by Human Rights Commission in Africa, Ojukwu continued: " Some governments don't want to establish an institution that will challenge their misrule. Governments frustrate them in so many ways. They do not fund them well, they do not provide them the necessary environment to work. At times they are intimidated. Some members of the Governing Board councils were jailed for criticising  governments. We have seen instances where Governing Board councils of some National Human Rights Commissions were dissolved because they criticised governments. People that come to the aid of Commission are mostly international organisations like the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, UNDP, OSIWA among others. Governments at time under-funded them to make sure they are ineffective."

Gambia urged to set up National Human Rights Commission

As President Jammeh nudges establishment of National Human Rights Commission

Mr Tony Ojukwu

By Saikou Ceesay

The director of Legal Services, Protection and Monitoring at the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq, has appealed to the government of The Gambia to consider establishing a National Human Rights Commission for the promotion and protection of human rights.

In April 2012, the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, came to the country and held discussions with officials of the regime, including the Vice President, Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. Mr Sharma, at the end of his two-day official visit, told journalists "We have agreed to help establish a National Human Rights Commission. A Commonwealth team will be in Banjul next month to take this forward."

Since then little has been done by the government to establish the Commission. During a cabinet meeting in February this year, President Jammeh nudges the establishment of a  National Human Rights Commission. He expressed his disapproval to the setting up of the Commission.

According to Nigeria's Tony Ojukwu Esq, establishment of a National Human Rights Commission would transform the country's unpopular human rights record and help ensure the promotion and protection of human rights.

Speaking in an exclusive with Gambia Affairs he said: ""I think the government of The Gambia should rethink on its stance not to establish a National Human Rights Commission. Its establishment will give a lot of credit to the government of The Gambia. It will establishment Gambia among committee of Nations as one willing to respect the rule of law. It will show that The Gambia is developing. This will further convince many investors to invest in the country. Above all, Gambians will love their government for respecting their human rights.

"Officials of Nigeria Human Rights Commission are willing to come and help develop Gambia's Human Rights Commission to a world class Human Rights institute. I can see a bright future for The Gambia if the government respect and protect the human rights of its citizens.Even at the United Nations level it has been recognised in one of the resolutions that countries should establish National Human Rights Commissions for the promotion and protection of human rights. It is difficult for countries at times to protect and promote human rights because while governments have the duty to protect and promote human rights it has been discovered that governments are one of the greatest violators of human rights.

"The law enforcement agencies that have the duty to promote and protect human rights  like the police and the military are seen violating the rights of the people they should protect. They sometimes use torture to obtain information from the people. That is a violation of human right. So there is need to have an independent body to be able to protect the rights of the people. When police officers commit human rights violations, how do you expect the police to take themselves to court? It is natural that they will try to cover up themselves from justice. So it is important to have an independent human rights institution in The Gambia that will serve as a reminder and check on the government in the promotion and protection of human rights."

Commenting on challenges faced by Human Rights Commission in Africa, Ojukwu continued: " Some governments don't want to establish an institution that will challenge their misrule. Governments frustrate them in so many ways. They do not fund them well, they do not provide them the necessary environment to work. At times they are intimidated. Some members of the Governing Board councils were jailed for criticising  governments. We have seen instances where Governing Board councils of some National Human Rights Commissions were dissolved because they criticised governments. People that come to the aid of Commission are mostly international organisations like the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, UNDP, OSIWA among others. Governments at time under-funded them to make sure they are ineffective."

PRESS STATEMENT: GAMBIAN GOVERNMENT RELEASES DETAINED IMAM; WARNS OF INTOLERANCE FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

The Gambian government on May 11th, 2013 released a renowned Muslim Cleric and a Human Rights Defender – Imam Baba Leigh after he was arrested and detained on 3rd December, 2012.

Imam Baba Leigh was detained incommunicado for five months and seven days for condemning the execution of nine death row inmates by the Yayha Jammeh-led government, describing the act as inimical to Islamic teachings and precepts. He was neither charged to court nor granted access to his family and lawyer.
 
Since his detention, international and regional organisations including the MFWA has waged series of interventions for his release fearing that he may suffer the same fate as some others who have also been detained in the same fashion e.g. Chief Ebrima Manneh
 
The MFWA for example issued an alert on the arrest and detention of the imam and followed up with an appeal to the Gambian government to release him or charge him to court. The Foundation was also in the process of launching an elaborate campaign to secure his release when fortunately he was freed. We therefore welcome his release and we are happy that the government of The Gambia has finally yielded to the call by both regional and international organisations for the release of the Imam.
 
However the MFWA is displeased with and condemns the intolerance of freedom of expression by the Yahya Jammeh led government. For instance Dr. Njogu Bah, the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Secretary General and Head of Civil Service, while speaking at a gathering on the day of the Imam's release issued a stern warning to religious leaders to desist from commenting on issues that involves politics: "... Imams should discuss religious matters when they are at their religious gatherings, but when you want to comment on politics, you should form your own political party," meanwhile Chapter IV of the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia guarantees all Gambian citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression. 
 
The Media Foundation believes in the importance of freedom of expression in promoting human and democratic rights and depriving citizens of this right is tantamount to subjecting them to tyranny and arbitrariness of government.
 
Issued by the MFWA, Accra, Ghana on May 14th, 2013.
 
The MFWA is a regional independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Accra. It was founded in 1997 to defend and promote the rights and freedom of the media and of expression.

Imam Baba Leigh remains defiant

Imam Baba Leigh was detained for over five months without any court order

Imam Baba Leigh, who was arrested and held incommunicado for over five months by the brutal regime of the Gambia's iron fist ruler, dictator Yahya Jammeh, has said that his faith and dedication to the truth shall remain unshakable by the grace of God.


Imam Leigh's appreciation message to the public and well-wishers is hereunder reproduced:
"Since my abduction, spanning five months and 17 days; I have caused tremendous stress to my love ones. Gambians and non-Gambians alike have been tormented psychologically because of my ordeal. I want to express my deepest and sincere sense of appreciation for your genuine concern about my life and safety."


"To all those concerned, I want to say sorry for the trauma you have gone through for my sake and for the sake of the truth. I wish to note that my predicament is one ordained by Allah and that my faith and dedication to the truth shall remain unshakable by the grace of Allah."
"I wish to acknowledge your efforts for the sake of my freedom. To all individuals, families, communities, institutions, and diplomatic missions within and outside of the Gambia; I want to say a big thank you for your concern. What I have gone through is inexplicable but Allah is in control and I wish to focus my attention on the future."


"I wish to thank the Banjul Muslim Elders for their solidarity and support. I am also aware of the tremendous efforts of GAMCOTRAP and other human rights institutions. I extend appreciation to the American Embassy, The British High Commission and the European Union delegation and the International Human Rights Institutions in the Diaspora for the solidarity and support. I also wish to register appreciation to the Christian community for their support to my family and their solidarity. I extend appreciation to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat for their support in this difficult period. I also want to thank my congregation and neighbors in Kanifing for being with my family and supporting them throughout. My immediate family has also been struggling day and night and their ordeal was also my ordeal and by extension the ordeal of all truth loving people. To them I say thank you so much."


"The media have also played a great role and supported me as well as made continuous call for my release. Foroyaa, The Point newspaper, the Voice newspaper, Daily news online, Today newspaper, RADDHO and FAMEDEV in Senegal and all media houses in the Gambia and the Diaspora including online media outlets. I appreciate the calls and articles by people and groups that have made attempts to call attention for my release.

The Gambian communities in the Diaspora have also stood by me, some have protested and some held banners while others walk in very cold situations to call for my freedom."
"To all these people I owe you my apology for the hardship you have endured.

I wish to assure you that Baba Leigh of today is the Baba Leigh you knew yesterday, and so I wish to call for mutual respect and acceptance of one another in a world where we are supposed to be each other's keeper. May Allah guide us all and rightly bless us in our various engagements."
Source:www.americanstreetnews.com

MFWA intensifying campaign, plans FoE index

MFWA Executive Director, Prof Kwame Karikari

By Madi Njie in Accra

The Accra based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is further intensifying press freedom and freedom of expression campaign through a two year West Africa Freedom Expression Index publication, in collaboration with Freedom House based in the United States.
To achieve this objective, MFWA is hosting a three days training for its West African correspondents and representatives of the Ugandan Human Rights Journalists Association at the Sun Lodge Hotel, Tesano, Accra Ghana from 22 to 25 May 2013.

Addressing participants at the training, MFWA executive director, Professor Kwame Karikari stated that in addition to the usual advocacy activities (issuing news alerts on freedom of expression and publication of annual reports on press freedom violations and developments) the sub-regional media rights advocacy organization intends to embark on two year data collection activities and monthly reporting by its correspondents on press freedom and freedom of expression violations and developments in their respective countries. He said this will be in form of national survey on issues concerning freedom of expression.

He expressed the importance of credibility in the work of journalists, adding that MFWA rely on the trust it have for people they are working with. He said the training curtails the use of a module developed, to enable participants do their work effectively.

He however expressed the need for correspondents to be more active, noting that the trend has been going down over the past year. He also noted the recently ongoing political related challenges in Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Benin, Guinea Conakry and Liberia affecting the work of journalists. "Our region is still struggling to instill democracy," he said, and called on the correspondents to provide the real picture of issues happenings in their countries. "We need to do the democracy ourselves; no one will do it for us. We need to be stronger in the work we do. We need to add value on the alerts, we must protect press freedom, and the integrity of the profession," he stated.

He reaffirms MFWA's commitment to continue supporting journalists who fall victim as a result of the work they do.

Deputy Director, Sulamana Ebrahima, in his remarks said among others that MFWA is looking into other expression, such as artistic, cultural, academic and political rights related issues.

Mr Ebrahima also made presentation during the second day of the training on the roles monitors are expected to play, giving guidelines on data collections, among others.
Leslie McDanqua, MFWA Officer on Protection, Promotion and Defends facilitated the first day session, assessing individual countries status, highlighting challenges being faced and recommendations on the way forward. He among others called on correspondents to provide detail and timely reports.

Participants in their deliberations spoke of numerous challenges, including legal issues faced with in their respective countries, mainly due to lack governments' compliance to freedom of expression rights.

Mr McDanqua called correspondents to adjust from the trend of issuing alerts, to alert advocacy activities.He said beside issuing alerts, MFWA intends to expand its coverage on freedom of expression monitoring to include issuing monthly reports on freedom of expression and publication of the Index mentioned.The training continue and ends today 24 May 2013.

President Jammeh says people now urged him to dismiss people

President Yahya Jammeh says Gambians now know how he operates

The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh on Thursday expressed delight before the newly sworn in senior government officials that people now spurred him to dismiss public officials bent on destroying the country.

The President made this remark at State House during the swearing-in-ceremony of Justice Minister and Attorney General and the Solicitor General and Legal Secretary, Ms Amie Joof and Basiru Mahoney respectively.

Jammeh, speaking at a low tone from his lush Presidential seat, explained: " As i said the world is three days. Yesterday when i was younger and very hot, you did something once the second time you are off. "Ah kimom mukaydaha-rek" [he is always dismissing]. You can see the lesson i have gone through. Ah the President wakes up one morning and start kicking people out. He is always dismissing, dismissing. Ok good, you think it is a pleasure? Let me take your own time.Let me go with your paste. People will say why is President keeping this man or woman as Minister or as this? Now people will be asking "Hana President-bi gesut ki?" [Has the President not seen him or her] Ah gesnako wallaihi [He has seen him]. Now people urged me to dismiss people and i am very happy they are doing that.

" I have a piece of advice to Gambians. If somebody is not worthy of an office and is serving you the Gambian people and destroying the country why should you wait until it got to the attention of the President to take him out.Sometime it may not come to my attention and the damage would have been too great. If you are a patriotic citizen, if you cannot report him, talk to the person and tell him what he is doing is bad. Is not good for you because we are public servants. And we are serving you the Gambian people.So if we are doing something bad you say wait the President is watching him. It is our duty as Muslims and Christains to make sure we fight evil in whatever form and whoever is behind it. Seek advice, consult and consult. You have to sleep with your consultation before you act. Seek Allah's blessing before you do anything.  Don't also think that today you do mistake, tomorrow you are going. No, Yahya Jammeh don't operate like that. I think Gambians now know that. But before, i thought that prevention is better than cure and i tried to prevent things before cure them.That is why those who are here for money would say oh let me accumulate as much as i can before he kick me out. I wish you all the best. Allah put you where you are and is Allah who will decide and not Yahya Jammeh."

Jammeh assured the two newly sworn officials of the valuable support of their colleagues while urging them to consult and work in tandem with the team to drive the Gambia's development agenda to highest level.

Meanwhile, President Jammeh accompanied by a high powered delegation will leave Banjul on  Thursday night  for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the 21st Ordinary Session of the submit of the African Union as well as the 50th anniversary of the African Union.