An email emerging from one Kebba T Sanneh contains disturbing information threatening the life and personal protection of our colleague Pa Kemo Jarju better know as PK.
All Gambian media establishment is alarmed and concerned by the sender Kebba T Sanneh who claimed to be a soldier in the Gambian Army. We find the email threatening and disturbing in that Sanneh claimed to know everything about PK’s personal life, including his home address. Our sources have it that Sanneh is an active member of Jammeh’s execution squad responsible for the murders of veteran Journalist Deyda Hydara and most recently Chief Ebrima Manneh.
Since Sanneh claimed to know the whereabouts of PK and his family at home and abroad, we at All Gambian take such a claim seriously, knowing fully well the vicious track record of Jammeh’s henchmen against critics. We know that these are the ones responsible for setting fire to media houses as well as attempts on the lives of journalists. It is no secret that Yahya Jammeh’s regime lacks tolerance for independent media and has no desire to observe citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of speech.
Journalist PK Jarju like President Jammeh also belongs to the Jola ethnic group of Gambia. Nonetheless, PK is one of the sharpest critics of Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorial policies and administration. It turns out this does not go well with some Jolas in Jammeh’s camp whose objective is to have a unified Jola support around the administration even to the detriment of national unity and harmony. Jarju, on the other hand chooses not only to distance himself from Jammeh’s maladministration of the nation but expresses his disagreement for it in his writings on many occasions.
This statement is to convey our concern to all democratic governments and organizations having relations with government of Gambia. It is extended to international and domestic human rights institutions, Amnesty International, the Commonwealth Media Unit, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), International Journalists Federation (IFJ), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Reporters without Borders (RSF), Gambia Press Union (GPU) and its subsidiaries, Gambian online establishments, President’s Office Gambia, British Police, Home Office (UK). We solicit the cooperation and support of all concerned in defense of full safety and security for our colleague Pa Kemo Jarju and his family both in Gambia and wherever they may be.
Monday 12 November 2007
Media watch group wants Jammeh tried for rights abuses
Accra, Ghana - A media watch group Saturday called for the trial of Gambi an President Yahya Jammeh at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for human ri g hts abuses.
The Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) specifically mentioned the July 2005 gruesome murder of some 50 West African nationals, inclu ding 44 Ghanaians, who were arrested in the Gambia while on their way to board a vessel to Europe.
MFWA Executive Directo Kwame Karkari, who read out decisions taken during a two- day meeting in Accra, said the Foundation also took a serious view of media repr e ssion in the Gambia.
He said apart from going to the ICC, the group would also use several means in i ts campaign to apply pressure on President Jammeh.
Karikari said the campaign targeted at President Jammeh and members of his gover nment and families would include a tourist boycott of their businesses, visa and travel ban and cessation of foreign assistance to the military and law enforceme n t agencies.
They also planned to organise protests and rallies against the Gambian authoriti es in their diplomatic missions in West Africa, he said.
The campaign against Jammeh would also be carried out on African Human Rights Da y, International Human Rights Day and other major meetings in sub-regional and i n ternational bodies.
Karikai said MFWA would establish various networks and work with other regional and international human rights organisations for the purpose of implementing its activities.
He urged African Union Chairman, Ghana's President John Kufuor, to step up press ure on Jammeh to respect the rights of his nationals and other Africans living i n Gambia.
He also announced plans by the Foundation to mobilise the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Authority of the Heads of State and Cou r t of Justice to ensure that the Gambia government is compelled to end human righ t s abuses. Several rights groups have criticized the Gambian leader for his lack of coopera tion to investigate the murders. Several delegations sent by the Ghana government to investigate the murders got cold response to their requests to the Gambia government to respond to the charg es and aid investigations into the matter.
The victims of the 2005 murders were alleged to have been arrested while on thei r way to Europe by sea through Gambia. They were allegedly accused of attempting to overthrow the Jammeh regime and e xecuted in cold blood on the orders of the Gambia leader. One survivor, Ghanaian Kwame Kyere, 28, revealed how his colleagues were murdered.
Accra - 10/11/2007
Panapress
The Accra-based Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) specifically mentioned the July 2005 gruesome murder of some 50 West African nationals, inclu ding 44 Ghanaians, who were arrested in the Gambia while on their way to board a vessel to Europe.
MFWA Executive Directo Kwame Karkari, who read out decisions taken during a two- day meeting in Accra, said the Foundation also took a serious view of media repr e ssion in the Gambia.
He said apart from going to the ICC, the group would also use several means in i ts campaign to apply pressure on President Jammeh.
Karikari said the campaign targeted at President Jammeh and members of his gover nment and families would include a tourist boycott of their businesses, visa and travel ban and cessation of foreign assistance to the military and law enforceme n t agencies.
They also planned to organise protests and rallies against the Gambian authoriti es in their diplomatic missions in West Africa, he said.
The campaign against Jammeh would also be carried out on African Human Rights Da y, International Human Rights Day and other major meetings in sub-regional and i n ternational bodies.
Karikai said MFWA would establish various networks and work with other regional and international human rights organisations for the purpose of implementing its activities.
He urged African Union Chairman, Ghana's President John Kufuor, to step up press ure on Jammeh to respect the rights of his nationals and other Africans living i n Gambia.
He also announced plans by the Foundation to mobilise the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Authority of the Heads of State and Cou r t of Justice to ensure that the Gambia government is compelled to end human righ t s abuses. Several rights groups have criticized the Gambian leader for his lack of coopera tion to investigate the murders. Several delegations sent by the Ghana government to investigate the murders got cold response to their requests to the Gambia government to respond to the charg es and aid investigations into the matter.
The victims of the 2005 murders were alleged to have been arrested while on thei r way to Europe by sea through Gambia. They were allegedly accused of attempting to overthrow the Jammeh regime and e xecuted in cold blood on the orders of the Gambia leader. One survivor, Ghanaian Kwame Kyere, 28, revealed how his colleagues were murdered.
Accra - 10/11/2007
Panapress
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)