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Human rights
GAMBIA: HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION STILL APPALLING
2001-12-20, Issue 47
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/rights/4833
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The secretary general of a coalition of human rights defenders in Gambia, Mohammed Lamin Sillah, has described the country's human rights record as appalling. Sillah, who is also the local Amnesty International Director, told a news conference that the frequent arrest and detention of innocent citizens, including journalists and human rights activists tarnished Gambia's human rights status.
Copyright 2001 Financial Times Information
All rights reserved
Global News Wire
Copyright 2001 Panafrican News Agency
Panafrican News Agency (PANA) Daily Newswire
December 11, 2001
LENGTH: 337 words
HEADLINE: GAMBIA'S HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION STILL APPALLING
BODY:
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - The secretary general of a coalition of human
rights defenders in Gambia, Mohammed Lamin Sillah, has described the
country's human rights record as appalling.
Sillah, who is also the local Amnesty International Director, told a news
conference Monday that the frequent arrest and detention of innocent
citizens, including journalists and human rights activists tarnished
Gambia's human rights status.
"These arrests and detentions without trial makes life difficult for human
rights defenders," he said at a news conference to mark the anniversary of
the United Nations human rights declaration.
Sillah who was recently arrested and detained by the security agents for
six days said no amount of intimidation and threat will prevent activists
from advocating human rights in the country.
"The struggle is unabated and it is a life long process which must
continue. Human rights is a non-negotiable thing", he told journalists.
Sillah called on Gambia government to set up an independent and impartial
committee to recommend the prosecution of security officers accused of
massacring innocent students on April 2000.
"The trigger-happy soldiers killed fourteen unarmed and defenceless
students and they were left scot-free by an indemnity act".
He said his office at times finds it difficult to investigate cases of
human rights abuses in the country because some victims hardly report
alleged cases or are afraid to talk about them.
Sillah said that Amnesty International was still lobbying the Gambian
government to sign and ratify the convention establishing the International
Criminal Court, whose role will be to try people who commit crimes against
humanity such as torture.
"AI is also urging The Gambia to sign, ratify and implement the Optional
Protocol, setting at least 18 as the minimum age for all forms of military
recruitment".
He urged the government to respect the rights of people irrespective of
their political, religious and ethnic background.