Calls for international investigations into the killing of 14 unarmed Gambian students and crimes against Gambians perpetuated by the government of President Yahya Jammeh recieved a boost last month at the British Parliament.
More than 20 British MPs have signed a House of Commons Motion 1287 ,calling on the Prime Minister David Cameroon to add Britain’s support to calls for an immediate independent international inquiry into the April 10-11 student massacre ,and the maiming of many including Abdoukarim Jammeh,Yusupha Mbye and Sainey Senghore and many others.
The Parliamentary motion tabled by Labour Party MP Katy Clark and supported by MPs from all Parties in Parliament , urges Her Majesty’s government to work with others in the UN to establish a database for evidence with a view to future justice and accountability and further urges the UK government to actively consider every possible mechanism for accountability of this massacre and other reported killings since 1994,including the establishment of an ad hoc tribunal.See the motion below http://www.parliament.uk/edm/
The Parliament recalled with repugnance the biggest single attack inflicted by the security forces of President Yahya Jammeh on Gambian students for peaceully demonsrating against the government. They congratulate the UK Campaign for Human Rights in The Gambia (CHRG-UK) for raising public awareness about the human rights situation in Gambia.
The MPs also called on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague to demand a full accounts of the events on April 10 and 11 2000, from the Gambia government and appalled that security forces and senior government officials involve in the massacre have been indemnified by Gambia government as well as its refusal to implement the recommendations of the coroner inquest after the incident.
The Parliamentarians renew calls for targeted sanction against President Jammeh and his immediate circle,including asset freeze,visa ban and the imposition of arm embargo on arm sales to the Gambia government and to encourage EU countries to adopt similar measures.