UK politicians urge their government fight for return of democracy in Gambia

Politicians urge UK Government to use all the correct international channels open to them to bring back democracy in The Gambia

At a rally, organised by The Campaign for Human Rights in The Gambia UK, Amnesty International join Scottish politicians and union representatives in Glasgow today (Friday 22nd July) to call on the Gambian authorities to end human rights abuses and the culture of fear which has led to hundreds, including many journalists, being tortured, killed or ‘disappearing’.

Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie told the rally: 'I get a bit hacked off when I see what happens in our Parliament and in our media. But it is easy to forget what happens when you don't have a backstop of Human rights legislation. Then you have a vicious government which will imprison and torture journalists and others who investigate what is going on. Such a government has the power of life and death over people. For one third of my life The Gambia government has had total disrespect for the rights of its citizens. Therefore we must encourage the Scottish Government and the Westminster Government to continue to put pressure on Gambia through all the correct international channels open to them to bring democracy back.

Labour MP Anas Sarwar for Glasgow Central, congratulated the Campaign for Human Rights in the Gambia for the 'tremendous energy' it has. He said: 'I promised before I was elected that I would stand up for human rights in the Gambia. And I've done that and will continue to do so. I organised a meeting for the Campaign with the Foreign Office and I put down an early Day Motion. The Minister of Justice in Gambia contacted me to berate me about what I was doing. I told him he should be called the Minister of INJUSTICE!.'

I am proud of the city of Glasgow and of the people of Scotland who stand up to fight for what is right and just. As a proud Glaswegian and a Scot, I will continue to do that.'

Kate Temple of Amnesty International told the Glasgow rally in an emotional speech : ' There are enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions and torture going on in The Gambia. It is horrendous. Confessions made under torture are accepted as evidence in court.' She went on to say that this month (JULY) is the fifth anniversary of journalist Ebrima Manneh's disappearance. 'We will continue to call on the Gambian High Commission to find him and investigate his whereabouts. He was arrested by Government controlled forces and was seen in their hands once since then. But even the Media Foundation for West African took his disappearance to the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who demanded that The Gambia government produce Ebrima - all to no avail.

At 18, Austin Sheridan is one of the youngest elected representatives who spoke at the Glasgow rally today. He is a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP). He recollected how he was the first person to turn up at the first rally and vigil held in July 2009 out of interest. When he learned, then, about the human rights abuses in The Gambia he helped form the Campaign locally and has continued to support that cause. 'But,' he added 'No matter who is in power in the Gambia, we must send a strong message to them that the human rights abuses we are aware of are not acceptable.

Alieu Badara Ceesay Exiled Gambian Journalist said The Gambia campaign is proud to be associated with the Gambia Day of Action to draw attentions to a government that has dismantled every form of dissent in the Gambia and can shamelessly claim to to be celebrating Freedom Day even though the regime knows freedom has become an illusion in the country."We want the Gambia government to realise that the rights to free speech, the right to assemble, are not western imposed values, but they are human rights to be enjoyed by all - not for some".

The rally held at the top of Buchanan Street in full view of the statue of Donald Dewar, the first First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, also heard passionate speeches from Danny Alderslowe Councillor Glasgow City Council and Dee Dee Cudily Secretary Geneal NUJ Glasgow Branch. The rally was followed by leafletting in the city centre of Glasgow to draw attention to the so called freedom day.


(2011-7-23/SenegambiaNews)