(JollofNews) – Washington D.C is centre of attention for Gambian media as protestors gear up to welcome African Heads of States for the US-Africa Summit.
Some of them not cordial enough. Activists are getting ready for Operation Free Gambia, a planned demonstration to be held on August 5, 2014 by pro-democracy groups in protest against President Yahya Jammeh.
“Virtually, all civil society organizations will be participating in the demonstration, and it is meant to shed light on the human rights situation in the Gambia,” Coordinator of the Coalition for Change The Gambia (CCG) Amadou Scattred Janneh told JollofNews.
Accompanied by a high powered delegation, the Gambian arrived in Washington DC Monday evening where he will join other African leaders taking part to a three-day summit hosted by US President Barak Obama.
While Central African Republic, Eritrea, Sudan and Zimbabwe were not invited for their poor
human rights record, Gambia’s participation has raised eyebrows and left many observers flabbergasted.
Gambian activists have already expressed shock at a decision by the US to invite Yahya Jammeh, and vowed to storm Washington DC on August 5 for a protest in front of the White House. “We will be marching to the White House to make sure that maximum pressure is exerted on the Yahya Jammeh’s regime,” Janneh said.
The demonstrators are also planning to disrupt the Gambian leader’s visit constantly, anytime the opportunity arises. “We will not stop at the White House; we will make sure that we are on him (President Jammeh) everywhere he goes,” said Sohna Sallah of the US-based
Democratic Union of Gambian Activists (DUGA) which made headlines in October 2013 for taking over the Gambian Embassy in New York.
“Whenever Yahya Jammeh and his government come to the United States, we promised them they will be exposed and embarrassed.”
Gambia continues to get spotlighted for human rights violations. There is little hope that President Jammeh will come out of this meeting with the resolve to loosen his grip on power.
