Gambia Is The Crying Coast Of Africa – Dr Janneh (JollofNews) – A former Gambian Information minister jailed for trying to organise an Arab spring type of revolution has expressed concern at the worsening human rights situation in that tiny West African country. Dr Amadou Scattred Janneh said the Gambia which was once a beacon of peace and hope has under the leadership of President Yahya Jammeh become more of a crying coast characterised by gross human rights abuses. In an interview with the UK Vox Africa TV channel on Sunday, Dr Janneh, 50, who was released from Gambia’s Mile Two Prisons last September after the intervention of Rev Jesse Jackson, said although the country is sold to the outside world as a tourist paradise, there are serious rights abuses beneath the image that is presented by the government. ‘’We have a government that is bent on killing its own citizens,’’ he said. "We have disappearances on a regular basis and the prison conditions are very horrible. We have one of the worst prisons in the world and these are things that tourists ought to be aware of and not to go to the Gambia thinking that it is just some paradise." Dr Janneh said with the Gambia’s terrible human rights record, many Gambians have found it hard to understand how the Jammeh regime is able to evade the attention of the international community and its neighbouring countries. ‘’I think that is something that we hope to change,’’ the former University of Tennessee political science lecturer said. ‘’Yes, they think of the beaches we have, tourism, stability and so on, but is at a great price indeed and we are trying to change that which is one reason why I have been touring the UK. We have been to Brussels and we are going to other West African countries very soon to try to push this on to their agenda to say that there are gross atrocities going on in the Gambia and it is time that we look into what is going on there and try to bring about an end to the madness." Commenting on the formation of the civil society organisation, Coalition for Change – The Gambia, Dr Janneh said it was set up to bring about change and to end dictatorship in the country through peaceful means. He added that while a large percentage of Gambians supported him, they were unable to do anything when he was arrested due to fear of the Jammeh regime. He said: ‘’The degree of fear in the country is very significant indeed so my task was to find a way to erode the fear and I knew just simply distributing the T-shirts would not do it but I had to set an example by wearing the T-shirt myself and going around town. And from my arrest too, I was put in chains and thrown in the back of a truck each time I went to court. The government meant to frighten the population even more and when I was released they expected that I would be fearful that I would just go and do something else. But I’m coming out to do everything I can to try to erode that fear so that people can stand up and try to end dictatorship in the Gambia.’’ Shocked Dr Janneh said he was shocked when he was found guilty and given a life sentence for treason and sedition. ‘’I was very shocked and surprised because I never thought wearing a T-shirt that calls for an end to dictatorship would even warrant a trial. To be charged with treason and convicted was unbelievable and then the temperament of the judge (Justice Emmanuel Nkea) too was something else. He was so angry and he seems as if he was delivering judgement against a mass murderer. The first thing I thought about was all these years I got a PhD at the age of 28 and seeing all of that going down the drain but then I said well I have to stand up as I have nothing to loss and have to continue the fight. ‘’I didn’t think I would get any justice in the Gambian justice system because we have mercenary judges who dances to Yahya Jammeh’s tones. They are only loyal to their pockets and to Dictator Yahya Jammeh so I wasn’t expecting anything from them. However, I knew that with my case in court and the fact that I had a dual Gambian–US nationality, the issue would be in the spotlight and that it would at least shed light on the type of the dictatorial regime we have in the Gambia. ‘’I was not physically tortured but I was put in a one man cell in total solitary confinement for a period of seven months and denied access to my family and lawyer. Even the US Consular had a hard time seeing me. For the seven months period he was able to see me for about three times and it was horrible indeed.’’ Dr Janneh said although he is aware that security agents of the Gambian government are tracking his movements and activities, he will intensify the struggle to end their dictatorial regime. Written by PK Jarju and Yusupha Cham
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 09:33:19 +0000
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