Tyranny in Gambia

A highly critical situation...
Amnesty International 2013 Report NOW LIVE

For over 19 years, Gambian's President, now self titled "His Excellency Sheikh Professor Doctor Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh", has been in rule. A man who knew nothing more than military (Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, later renamed to Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction), who came from a poor village, took over the Gambian State House by coup. The then government, who led peacefully since 1965, surrendered without bloodshed.

Jammeh has built a monopoly over Gambia through businesses, head of departments, media, and intimidation. The countless and increasing murders, disappearances, tortures, executions and numerous other human rights violations have multiplied through his 19 year dictatorship. Gambians are currently still under a rule of fear. Any opposition to Jammeh or the APRC, result in charge, conviction, execution, kidnapping and torture. Jammeh also claims to be able to cure various conditions such as aids, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. He has also been known for his witch hunt throughout Gambia.

In 2009, at the United Nations general assembly, Jammeh publicly declared that “I will kill you, and nothing will come out of it,” on September 21, 2009. “If you are affiliated with any human rights group . . . rest assured that your security and personal safety would not be guaranteed by my Government.”

Since 1994, the increasing murders, disappearances, tortures, executions, fraud and other human rights violations have been documented by individuals, citizens and agencies such as Amnesty International, the United Nations, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch as well as Gambian citizen driven organizations such as Democratic Union of Gambian Activists (DUGA), Coalition for Change Gambia (CCG) including books, articles, protests, interviews, websites, journalism sites, and countless other efforts committed to ending the tyranny in Gambia and restoring democracy. These leaders and organizations have been first hand former governmental colleagues and/or prisoners of Jammeh who have managed to escape the tyranny and sought refuge in countries such as the United States, Sweden, Norway, and the United Kingdom, but not yet Canada...Jammeh's response to human rights "allegations" are that it is a "smear campaign against The Gambia for rift raft asylum seekers and criminals".

In July 2013 (less than one month after Muhammed's schedule removal from Canada), Jammeh amended his Information and Communication Act, passed by The Gambia’s National Assembly on July 5, 2013, criminalizing any individual in the country or abroad who: "disseminates “false news” about the Gambian government or public officials, incites dissatisfaction or instigates violence against the government, or caricatures or otherwise makes derogatory statements against public officials on the Internet." The punishment foreseen by the law for these crimes amounts to a fine of up to three million Dalasis (approximately $87,000 CDN) and/or a jail term of up to 15 years."

In October 2013, Jammeh declared citizens seeking asylum will be viewed as commiting treason. After Gambian protestors met Jammeh at the October 2013 United Nations assembly, where he publically declared his views on homosexuality and then declared his withdrawel from the Commonwealth upon his return back to Gambia.

In December 2013 three opposition members from the UDP (United Democratic Party) were sentenced to five years in prison for "sedition". Amadou Sanneh, National Treasurer of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and two other UDP members, Malang Fatty and Alhagie Sambou Fatty, were convicted of sedition and sentenced to up to 5 years of imprisonment after claiming one of them had suffered harassment and death threats from the Gambian authorities. All three of those convicted allege they were tortured while being held incommunicado prior to their trial and two of them – who pleaded guilty in October – had no legal representation throughout their incarceration and trial. “These convictions confirm exactly what the opposition has claimed all along: that the Gambian government persecutes its opponents. Charges of sedition and false information are being used to curtail freedom of expression and legitimate dissent,” said Aster van Kregten, Deputy Africa Director at Amnesty International."

These individual sentences and stories are only a handful of what is happening, right now.

Likeminded political activists and freedom fighters have seen corruption and lives lost for too long, and they are determined to see a free Gambia and restore democracy.

Further information and documentation on Gambia's tyranical leader:

Amnesty International: Includes articles such as "Seven Men at Imminent Risk of Execution", "No Compromise on Human Rights", "New Bill Stifles Online Dissent", "Activist Freed, Journalist Missing", "Anti Death Penalty Imam Detained: Imam Baba Leigh", "Free Activist Jailed for Life Over Anti Government T-Shirts", and many many more

United Nations Refugee Agency: 2004 report, 2011 report, includes articles such as "Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances", "Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders", and many many more.

United States Human Rights Reports: 2012, 2011