Travel Bans on Jammeh photo credit Samuel Correa
By Bubacarr Sowe for American Street News reporting from London, UK
Gambian pro-democracy activists in UK on Saturday gathered in front of the British Prime Minister’s office, renewing their call on both his government and the European Union to impose a travel ban on President Yahya Jammeh and top officials of his government.
Chanting “UK must act! Cameron must act,” the protesters said Gambia’s human rights violations are akin to Gaddafi’s Libya or Ivory Coast in the last days of Gbagbo and the UK has a moral duty to help bring sanity to The Gambia.
The petition handed to the UK’s Foreign Secretary, Phillip Hammond, reads: “It is frustrating and unjust that the continuing suffering of Gambians through systematic human rights abuses by the government of Yahya Jammeh is largely ignored by some governments around the world.”
“Yet the heinous crimes of the Gambian government rank high in the catalogue of human right abuses committed by African governments. Since 1994 Gambian citizens have been subjected to rampant and illegal use of the state judiciary to incarcerate both real and perceived opponents of the government through the application of nefarious laws such as “Giving false information to state official”, “Neglect of office” and “Economic Crimes” which have been included in the country’s criminal code and all of which carry mandatory jail term. Others have been, tortured, disappeared, and assassinated.”
The protesters welcomed the recent unconfirmed report that President Jammeh’s mother was denied a visa to Belgium.
UK Protest Yanks Dabo photo credit American Street News
Gambia lawyer, Yankuba Dabo told the protesters that their protests and petitions are making an effect, noting that 10 Downing Street has not only acknowledged receiving them but they are seeing Jammeh forced by the European Union to release some of the prisoners in The Gambia.
“I was speaking to one of the prisoners that were released and he said when they were in prison, their hope was on us in the diaspora,” Dabo said.
He said the struggle to end Jammeh’s dictatorship faces even greater challenges now as most of the people who were in it have their family members released but they failed to realize The Gambia itself, is a prison.
He added the prisoners pardoned by Jammeh need clearance from the tyrant to have a passport and leave in the country.
“These men are still suffering because they were falsely imprisoned. In any other country they deserve compensation.”
News Report by Bubacarr Sowe of American Street News
http://americanstreetnews.com/news/uk-protesters-renew-call-for-travel-ban-on-gambian-officials