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HUMRA challenges Gambia’s Justice Minister on rights abuses
Saturday, 15 May 2010 23:32
Following his recent comment defending the Gambian government’s human rights record, Justice Minister,
Edward Gomez appear the focus for many people who took his statement as a blatant refusal of what is the obvious.Yaya Dampha, a human rights activist and a “victim” of the endless allegations of human rights violations in the country, have forwarded
a scathing attack on the Minister, challenging him to explain series of reported disappearances and killing which took place under the watch of this government.“I challenge the Gambian Justice Minister on the human rights abuses in the country,” the caption of Yaya’s statement reads.
Dampha went on: “In your defense, you may have quoted the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia to support your case. Right, we all know that that Constitution is one of the beautifully written documents that your government ever produced. Our problem is for your government to respect what is in that constitution and further repeal all the bad laws that are enacted by our rubber-stamp National Assembly.
Below is a reproduction of the full text of the statement.
The justice Minister of the Gambia , Edward Gomez, recently openly refused to accept the reality that serious human rights violations are perpetrated by agents of the Gambian government against real and perceived opponents on a routine basis. Therefore, in my capacity as the coordinator of HUMRA - Human Rights for All - and as a Gambian with good knowledge of the Human rights situation in the country, and, above all as a human being with uncompromising stands against all forms of injustice, I challenge Justice Minister Gomez that he was only out to defend the indefensible and thereby exposing his own lack of respect for human rights and justice.
Minister Gomez, I am going to challenge you on facts and I will show you evidences of Human rights violations and abuses demonstrated by your government during its decade and half years of rule.
It is an open fact that once people are in custody in the Gambia, they are susceptible to a whole range of violations including unlawful detention, torture while in detention, unfair trial, enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings. This are well researched and documented reports of human rights violations following the March 2006 alleged coup and the post coup period.
I will now proceed to bring cases of human rights violations and abuses case by case and mark you these are going to be just a fraction. Gomez, get ready, I am ready to expose your hypocrisy in your attempt to defend injustice. DO NOT WORRY YOU HAVE
YOUR RIGHTS TO REFUTE THESE FACTS. THEN HISTORY SHALL BE OUR JUDGE!In November 1994 the following officers and soldiers were rounded up and executed in a real military manner. This happened after an alleged planned coup which was said to be led by Lt. Basiru Barrow. Those killed were: Lt. Basiru Barrow, Lt. Abdoulie Dott Faal, Lt. Bakary Manneh, Lt. Gibril Seye, Lt. Lamin Darboe, Lt. Buba Jammeh, Lt. Abdoulie Bah (chopping), Sgt. Fafa Nyang, Sgt. Basiru Camara, Sgt. Ebou Ceesay and Cadet officer Amadou Sillah.
Justice Minister Gomez, punishing people accused of committing a crime or an offence without the due process of law; is that not a violation of rights?
In the year 2006 dozens of students were killed on the streets of Serekunda and Brikama-Ba by soldiers of the Gambia National Army. The offence they committed was exercising their constitutional rights to demonstrate against the killing of their colleague, Ebrima Barry, by members of the Fire Ambulance Services of The Gambia and the raping of a school girl another security officer during inter school athletics competition.
Justice Minister Gomez, how do you interpret this?
In December 2004 a prominent journalist, Deyda Hydara, was killed in a drive-by shooting, and some six years today, his killers are still at large, mainly due to your government’s lack of interest in investigating the matter.
Justice Minister Gomez, what is your interpretation of this one?
In July 2006, journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh was arrested from the offices of the Daily Observer, where he worked, by members of National Intelligence Agency attached to the Bakau Police Station. His former colleagues confirmed this to researchers. I, Yaya Dampha, saw Manneh under police escort at Fatoto Police Station, and I went to the Police Headquarters and told then police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Aziz Bojang about it. He said he was not going to comment on the issue. In 2007, I testified and gave evidence of my sighting of the missing Journalist Manneh at the ECOWAS court in Abuja together with Brother Ousman Darboe, who was present when the agents came in to arrest Manneh. And Ousman knows these agents personally. The ECOWAS court ruled that The Gambia government was responsible for the disappearance of the young man. The court subsequently ordered the Gambia government to produce him and pay compensation to his family. This regional court’s order is still being flouted by your government.
Justice Minister Gomez, what is your interpretation of this too?
On October 6, 2006, I was arrested along with two non-Gambian Amnesty International staff I was travelling with during a field visit. We were arrested in Basse by plain clothes police officers who did not immediately identify themselves. I was accused of being a spy only because I investigated the disappearances of people in the country and reported my findings on newspapers. This was what brought the Amnesty staff to Gambia on a fact finding mission. I took them to Sarengai, where we saw Ousman Ramboa Jatta and interviewed him on how long he had been there. Rambo and school master Tamba Fofana were released after we saw them. And the price we paid was unlawful detention.
Is this a respect to human rights, Justice Minister Gomez?
In March 2006 the then director general of NIA Daba Marenah, Lieutenant Ebou Lowe, 2nd Lieutenant Aliue Ceesay, Regimental Sgt. Alpha Bah and Staff Sgt. Manlafi Corr, were arrested on suspicion of plotting a coup. Initially, they were detained at mile 2 and held without charge. Then on the 6 of April, government reported that these five men were being transferred to Janjabureh Prisons when their car crashed in to a ditch and the vehicle summersault. All five men are said to have escaped. There has been no sign of them since their alleged escape. The government never talks of them, raising the fear that they have become victims of enforced disappearance or extrajudicial execution.
Is this what your government calls respect for human rights?
The following persons were arrested by agents of the Gambia government, some for many years. They are still being detained and have no access to their families and lawyers since their arrest.
They are:
Kanyiba Kanyi of Bonto Village; Mace Jammeh, Haruna Jammeh, all of Kanilai Village; Momodou Lamin Nyassi, former Chief of Kansala Fonnie; Buba Sanyang of Kankuntu Village, Fonnie; Ndongo Mboob of Bwiam, Fonnie; Jisagi (Jisaja) Kujabi of Dobong; Andoulie Njie of Fagi Kunda; Aliue Lowe of Fagi Kunda; Navy Chief, Sarjo Fofana; Sgt. Sam Kambai; Alfusainey Jammeh of Kanilai; Bakary Gassama, formerly of the NIA; Ebou Jarju, a steward at the State House; Corporal Mamat Nyang of State Guard; Warden Aliue Camara of Sinteti, Fonni; and many more.
Now, I call on you, Justice Minister Edu Gomez, to tell me if people under whose watch where all this is happening could be referred to as respecters of human rights. Or maybe you were busy collecting monies from your clients and not bordered to follow the realities on the ground; or still maybe it was because of your insensitiveness?
Finally, I am prepared to challenge you at all levels to proof to you that there is no such thing as respect for human rights in the Gambia, a country where people do whatever they can to avoid getting arrested, because once you are arrested you are out of the protection of the law and are subject to all kinds of human rights violations from the police, army and the NIA.
In your defense, you may have quoted the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia to support your case. Right, we all know that that Constitution is one of the beautifully written documents that your government ever produced. Our problem is for your government to respect what is in that constitution and further repeal all the bad laws that are enacted by our rubber-stamp National Assembly.
I am sure after reading this piece, with all your support for the dictatorial regime, you will come to your senses and advice your government on issues of promoting human rights. This may not be easy for you but you will be doing yourself a great deal because the ink of history is rolling and your children and children’s children will not be happy to read your witched role in defending injustice while wearing that gown of a Justice Minister.
I await for your response.
In the service of Humanity,
Yaya Dampha
Coordinator –HUMRA
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Comments
"What makes some people think that people are interested in lousy comments that are often longer than the articles they are commenting on?
I guess its because it always takes a bigger lie and excuse to cover the last one".
People with little knowledge and ignorant of issues will always be short of comments because is only one who is knowledgeable and aware who can give more. All they can do to oppose but give no reason. So is always the toothless who will swallow food without chewing.
I guess its because it always takes a bigger lie and excuse to cover the last one.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks”. This article rule out confrontation as we implied on attacking the president giving him all names, violating his right and expect for him to protect our right. I always say Gambia problem is a Gambia solution but to most they think is an international solution. But if so which country do they think is clean to challenge the Gambia on it's human right when those nations are worst. All what am trying to tell everyone here is we can solve our problem through engagement
So let them stop the oppression and no one will have no reason to shout!
Mr stronger, you couldn't have put it any better; we all love the country that is, in fact, why we are complaining. Is any one here complaining about Somalia? DRC? or elsewhere in the world? No; it is Gambia. We all own it just like that rutless dictator in the white gown own it; so if he can not own up to that reality, he can as well live the country...
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