Find attached the Final Communique of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ 20th Extraordinary Session held in the Gambia from 9 – 18 June 2016.
Some Background:
The African Commission monitors the implementation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights by member states for the protection of the human rights of African people. Every 6 months it holds a session, mostly in Banjul the Gambia, which is the host of the Commission since 1981.
On April 19 this year, the Commission issued a press release (attached) on the Gambia following the incidents of April 14 and 16 in which several people have been arrested, detained, tortured and killed as the Commission indicated in its release. The Chair of the Commission called on the Gambian Minister of Justice to explain the circumstances of the incidents and ensure that the provisions of the Charter are enforced to investigate all cases of abuse and bring perpetrators to book.
Less than 2 months later, the Commission held its extraordinary session in Banjul from 9 – 18 June. Thus it is expected that in this session there will be adequate information about the situation in the Gambia which will be communicated in this communique.
Amazingly, the Commission has now issued its communique and not a single word about the issues it raised in its press release 2 months ago were addressed! No information came out as to what the follow up or the outcome has been.
In the Communique, the Commission took a number of resolutions regarding human rights cases in other African countries, but it remained mute on the situation in the Gambia which is in fact unique on the continent right now. There is no country in the continent in which a sitting head of state directly and unequivocally stated publicly that it would kill citizens of any ethnic group thus threatening genocide. There is no country in Africa within these 2 months where an entire leadership of the biggest opposition have been arrested and detained in a maximum state prison without bail for 2 months. There is no country in Africa right now where within these 2 months a bunch of demonstrators have been arrested and detained and subjected to torture and some killed.
Yet the African Commission, headquartered in Banjul and meeting in Banjul to oversee the performance of member states on the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights otherwise called the Banjul Charter have decided, loudly to be silent about the clear and blatant abuse of rights in the Gambia.
Something must be wrong! Seriously.
