The International Community Continue to Condemn the Human Rights Situation in The Gambia as African Institutions Remain Aloof

Following a recent statement issued by the United Democratic Party regarding the death, while in detention of another member of the party, the International community yet again issued identical statements condemning the situation. And yet again, the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) remain tight-lipped over happenings in The Gambia. Below we reproduce some of the major outcries from the international community:

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has deplored the death in custody of Ebrima Solo Kurumah, a member of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), last Saturday, a spokesperson for the Office said. Mr. Kurumah was among 30 members of the UDP who were imprisoned, in April, following protests against the death of Solo Sandeng, the Chairman of UDP's youth wing. Mr. Sandeng had also died while in custody.

OHCHR had earlier expressed concerns over the imprisonment and that there had been no proper investigation into allegations of excessive use of force in the context of the demonstrations. Speaking at a regular press briefing in Geneva, Cécile Pouilly said that according to reports, Mr. Kurumah passed away after he was taken to a hospital for a surgical operation.

He had allegedly been denied medical help on several occasions while in detention. Additionally, there are reports that other detainees have also been denied medical care in recent months.

“We urge the authorities to investigate the death in State custody of Mr. Sandeng and Mr. Kurumah,” said Ms. Pouilly, urged them to also investigate allegations that detainees are denied access to medical care.

UK Ambassador to The Gambia

“The United Kingdom is concerned about the reported death in custody of the Gambian opposition member, Ebrima Solo Krummah. The United Kingdom has raised concerns over reports of excessive violence and ill treatment of those in custody in the Gambia on a number of occasions, and we have also expressed our dismay over the severity of the sentencing in the case of the United Democratic Party leader and his supporters.

The United Kingdom calls on the Gambian authorities to release all political prisoners and ensure that claims of mistreatment are investigated in a credible and transparent way in line with international human rights obligations. We also call on the Gambian authorities to create an inclusive environment that allows all political parties, and their supporters, the ability to participate in the electoral process without hindrance.”

US States Department

The United States is deeply concerned by the death of Gambian opposition member Ibrima Solo Krummah, who reportedly died on August 20 while in government custody. We remain troubled by reports of the Gambian government’s continued mistreatment of detained opposition figures, as evidenced by recent deaths and allegations of torture.

We call for an independent investigation of all credible allegations of torture and abuse, and for the Gambian government to provide for the humane treatment of all prisoners. We again call on the government of The Gambia to immediately release all political prisoners, including the 30 individuals sentenced last month and those arrested during the April and May demonstrations. We further urge the government of The Gambia to cease its sustained crackdown on political opposition members and supporters, and to respect the rights of all citizens to freedoms of expression and association without fear of retribution.

France

France is concerned by the death, while in custody, of Solo Krummah, an official in Gambia’s United Democratic Party (UDP), who had been arrested on May 9. We urge an independent investigation into the circumstances of his death, as well as that of UDP activist Solo Sandeng shortly after his arrest on April 14. We call for the release of all political prisoners. The allegations of torture are particularly troubling. France asks the Gambian authorities to fully respect the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly and human rights, in keeping with Gambia’s international commitments.

We join the international community and all concerned Gambians to urge the Government to set up a coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Solo Krummah and Ebrima Solo Sandeng. We also continue to demand for the unconditional release of all political prisoners.

Rest in eternal peace Messrs Krummah and Sandeng. You may have gone too soon but your legacy will forever remain in the history books of The Gambia.

Gambia: Election Looms as the Call for a United Opposition Coalition Still Remains a Challenge

Opposition Leaders. Photo source: foroyaa

As the decisive presidential election fast approaches, opposition parties in the country are still at log-ahead in trying to form a united opposition coalition which, all of them understands fully well that is the only chance they have against the ruling party. With a little over three months to the December 1st polls, there is still no sign of a coalition. Eight opposition parties have already been cleared by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to challenge the ruling APRC party in the forthcoming elections which have already been tainted by the incarceration of the leading opposition leader and a significant number of his United Democratic Party (UDP) party militants.

I am not in any way affiliated with any political party but I genuinely still struggle to come to terms with the fact that Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, and a significant number of UDP members are still languishing in jail. What many deemed as politically motivated imprisonments, one would have expected all the opposition parties to come together in a more defiance manner to demand for the unconditional release of Lawyer Darboe and all political prisoners. Failure of which, they wouldn't partake in the coming elections - my point if view. But no! they all continue to focus on their own parties and go on their businesses as usual. As if that was not worrying enough, they still simply cannot agree to form a united opposition coalition.

Apparently, negotiations are still ongoing with some parties still in favour of the idea of a coalition while others already casting shadows of doubts over the whole process. It is reported that the NCP, one of the oldest parties in the country said they would not take part in any opposition alliance that is led by another opposition party. And the UDP, who are yet to nominate a flag bearer, are seen by many as the stumbling block in the entire process by trying to use the size of their party as a leverage in any negotiations. Am not entirely sure what the party’s official stance are, but size, popularity or longevity should certainly not be considered in any negotiation process. In my opinion, since all parties are genuinely fighting for the same course, each and every single one of them is equally a stakeholder and must therefore have the same negotiating rights around the table. Why this is difficult to accomplish and why does it always come down to the wire is indeed baffling to me.

Meanwhile, the new kid in the block - the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) appear to be gaining significant momentum in the political arena. They appear to be resonating well with potential voters which is manifested in the huge crowds attending their rallies. I must admit when the IEC announced the registration of a new party - being the GDC back in May, I couldn’t quite make sense out of it given the current political climate. However, they seem to quickly stamp their mark and make their presence felt in the political field. Will they be able to translate crowds into votes come December? Only time will tell! One shall obviously not get carried away just yet.

Affirmingly though, I still stand by an argument in a previous blog post. Whatever following an individual party might have or is able to amass, there is absolutely no chance for any one single political party to take on the APRC on its own. This is largely due to the country’s ‘simple majority’ electoral system otherwise known as ‘first-past-the-post’. There is no chance for a second round of voting, meaning a party can even secure less than 50% of total votes and still emerge victorious.

Sadly, if the current status quo is anything to go by, the December 1st polls can simply be regarded as another formality to extend the already lengthy reign of the APRC regime. So, in the absence of an opposition coalition, we the ones yearning for a 3rd republic can unfortunately continue to dream for the next five years at least. God save the Gambia and her people!

AfDB’s High 5s: A Game Changer in Africa’s Development Discourse

In his inaugural address on September 1, 2015, the eighth elected President of the African Development Bank Group, Akinwumi Adesina, set down a new agenda for the Bank Group, building on its existing 2013-2022 Strategy. In his speech, he outlined the five development priorities for the institution. The High 5s are to: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. These focus areas are essential in transforming the lives of the African people and therefore consistent with the United Nations agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In 2013, the African Development Bank’s Board approved a Ten Year Strategy covering the period 2013-2022, entitled At the Center of Africa’s Transformation (TYS). The overarching twin objectives of the TYS are the achievement of inclusive growth and the transition to green growth through five operational priorities: infrastructure development, regional economic integration, private sector development, governance and accountability, and skills and technology. In addition, the TYS highlights three areas of special emphasis: gender, fragile states, and agriculture and food security.

In September 2015, world leaders agreed to an ambitious set of Sustainable Development Goals, with the objective of eliminating extreme poverty from the planet by 2030. A few months later, at the Twenty First United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, an equally ambitious agreement on Climate Change was reached. To respond to this ambitious development mandate, the global community has tasked the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to significantly scale up their activities by leveraging and crowding in financial resources and moving from “billions to trillions”, as was articulated during the UN Financing for Development conference held in July 2015.

These ambitious development goals will only be realised if they can be achieved in Africa. The Bank is responding to the challenge of supporting inclusive growth and the transition to green growth by scaling up investment and implementation of the TYS by focusing on five priority areas, referred to as the High 5s. These priority areas are:

• Light up & power Africa
• Feed Africa
• Industrialise Africa
• Integrate Africa
• Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa

Not only are these five priority areas central to the TYS, but they also are intrinsically linked to the SDGs and the global commitments made on climate change, which were adopted after the approval of the TYS. These five priorities have also been highlighted as critical priorities in the Agenda 2063 for Africa, developed in partnership with the African Union. Figure 1 illustrates the linkage between the SDGs, the TYS and the High 5s.

Although the continent has experienced consistent growth over the past decade, 120 million Africans remain out of work, 42 percent of the population still live below the US $1.25 poverty line, and around one in four people in SSA remain undernourished. Inequality is also high: six of the 10 most unequal countries in the world are African, particularly affecting women and the youth. While it is recognized that Africa is the least contributor to carbon emissions globally, the continent is also the most vulnerable to climate variability and change. Making growth inclusive will require broadening access to economic opportunities for more people, countries and regions, and helping the continent generate much needed productive jobs, while protecting the vulnerable. Helping the continent transition to green growth will require mainstreaming sustainable development initiatives through investments in clean renewable energy, climate smart agriculture and sustainable water resource management, among others.

Source: afdb

#BrandGambia: What The Gambia Really Need is the 'Birth of a new Republic' NOT 'the Birth of a new Country Brand'

Photo source: thegambia.gm

During the past week, Twitter and Facebook have been inundated with a new hashtag - #brandgambia. Some commentators made a big fuss out of what it is referred to as ‘the birth of a new country brand’ while others simply ridiculed the idea. As usually the case, whenever something is created or introduced, people's opinions always tend to be divided. Some will feel optimistic while others will always be pessimistic, at least for the beginning. And thanks to social media, nowadays people can easily express their opinions or voice their concerns on whatever subject matter there is. So this accords myself and many like me the opportunity to add our voices to any burning issues or hot topics of discussion.

As the hashtag #brandgambia began trending, I started to dig in to find out more information about the project. Thankfully there is a dedicated website already up and running. I must stress however that I was very disappointed with the elementary nature of the information on the homepage especially the vision, mission and positioning statements. Whoever is responsible for editing that website must go back to the drawing board because what is put out there as a vision statement is nothing like one. That is simply a point of view at best! Remember a destination’s brand have to be credible and real, so it cannot simply be manufactured.

The brand’s mission statement according to the site however is; “to stimulate sustainable growth in The Gambia towards middle income economic status.”  That is indeed a very bold statement but then again, it fail to clearly convey the key components of a good mission statement.

So there we go! We have heard such statements over and over again. The government of the first republic promised us back in the days that the Gambia will become the Singapore of Africa by the turn of the new millennium. Fast forward 30 years, nothing happens! so they were sent packing with their empty promises by disgruntled soldiers. Now the government of the second republic came up with the ‘Vision 2020 slogan’ - which they hope will transform the Gambia into a highly developed model country. Yet again, fast forward 22 years and barely 4 years to the targeted year - 2020, we are now left to backtrack from hoping to become a ‘highly developed model country’ to simply trying to become a ‘middle income economy’. So after 51 years of independence, we are still force to 'hope and dream' without any tangible or practical 'ways and means' to realise our dreams.

My take on the #brandgambia project is therefore plain and simple. At this point in time, the Gambia certainly does not require a new brand name but rather a new Republic with fresh ideologies. I argued in a previous blog post that; it beggars belief after 51 years of nationhood, the Gambia is only in her second republic. The government of the first republic’s almost 30 years reign is often quashed by the incumbent government for failing in its development efforts. The same narrative is today being upheld by the opposition towards the 22 year rule of the current government. It just goes to show that overstaying in power is never the right thing to do. Clinging onto power for too long simply leads to a point of stagnation in development, no matter how hard you try - just ask one Mr. Robert Mugabe or Mr. Paul Biya.

We therefore hope and pray that the December 2016 Presidential elections will peacefully usher in the third republic, with a competent government that fully understands the values of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with other countries.

Gambia: Why is the Government Staying Mute Over Illegal Arms Deal Allegations?

Photo source: Dailymail

Some very revealing and troubling allegations regarding illegal arms deals, mentioning the name 'Gambia' have recently circulated on major international news sites and on various social media outlets. Well renowned news outlets including the dailymail, the telegraph and the ibtimes have all published a similar story of an international criminal gang who are involved in illegal arms trafficking. It is alleged that the ring leader who claimed to enjoy diplomatic immunity from Guinea Bissau (with an expired passport apparently) was able to use the presidential plane to fly from Poland to Gambia to conduct illegal arms deals.

The dailymail reported as follows:

Police have smashed an international arms gang based in Ibiza headed by a Polish billionaire who claimed to be a diplomat from Guinea Bissau. The ex-military man had a plaque put up outside his house on the island to say he enjoyed diplomatic immunity and even used the Gambian presidential plane to send military weapons to South Sudan.

Similarly, the telegraph ran the following piece:

A Polish-French multimillionaire businessman, Pierre Konrad Dadak, has been arrested in his Ibiza mansion suspected of masterminding an illegal arms-dealing network which fuelled the civil war in South Sudan.The Spanish police also said Dadak once flew from Poland to Gambia in the latter country’s presidential plane to do business, reportedly in the company of a member of Marseille’s Barresi clan criminal organisation.

Meanwhile the ibtimes came up with the following:

A Polish billionaire who pretended to be a diplomat from Guinea Bissau has been arrested by Spanish police for suspected illegal arms sales. Claiming to be a diplomat from Guinea Bissau, the man was said to have been a military veteran who had erected a plaque outside his house on the party island that said he had diplomatic immunity. Another allegation said that he used the Gambian presidential plane to send military weapons to the embattled South Sudan.

These are very serious allegations indeed and why the Gambia government remain tight-lipped over such accusations is definitely beyond me. One would have expected the ministry of information or the ministry of foreign affairs to immediately come up with a strong worded statement to rebuffed such claims. For any sitting president or government to be named in the illegal sales of more than 200,000 Kalashnikov AK-47s assault rifles, rocket launchers and military tanks; and to be further accused of fuelling the troubles in South Sudan is indeed very troubling. More so to the ordinary concerned citizen of that particular country.

Worryingly though, ever since the news first broke out almost a week ago, I have browsed through various national and international news outlets hoping to stumble on a statement in which the government strongly condemns such allegations, but to my surprise, I find nothing so far. We are therefore urging the Information or Foreign Affairs Ministry, or indeed the government spokesperson to come out clean and say something about this revealing accusations. Staying mute over such allegations is never the best option. Remember ‘silence means consent’!