(JollofNews) – Dr. Amadou Scattred Janneh of Gambia Center for Victims of Human Rights Violations (GCVHRV) welcomes the decision by President Donald J.Trump to impose restrictions on former longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh and the country’s ex-spy chief Yankuba Badjie.
“It is a good move, a step in the right direction,” Dr.Janneh told The JollofNews in an exclusive interview.
A news release issued Thursday by US Treasury Department announced that the Trump Administration has launched “new sanctions regime targeting human rights abusers and corrupt actors around the world,” using the used the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act endorsed in 2016 by former President Obama to freeze the assets of Gambia’s ex-dictator and a dozen other “serious human rights abusers and corrupt actors.”
US gov’t move comes on the heels of startling revelations made by key witnesses before the Commission of Inquiry into the assets and financial transactions of former President Jammeh and his close associates, which commenced hearing on Aug.10. Yahya Jammeh reportedly looted public funds, giving directives to senior public and military officers to make withdrawals from the country’s central bank and other financial institutions.
Janneh said they have been calling on US, and European countries to take a strong stance against Jammeh, who lost power to Barrow in December 2016 Presidential elections. He then described the move taken
by US authorities as ‘encouraging.’
The victims’ centre is spearheading a global campaign geared towards bringing Gambia’s ex-dictator and accomplices to justice.
Launched on Oct. 21st, the campaign is also endorsed by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, Article 19 West Africa, Coalition for Change, The Gambia (CCG), TANGO, EG (Equatorial Guinea) Justice, Trial International (Switzerland), Human Rights Watch, Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers, Aid-Free World and La Fondation pour l’Egalite des Chances en Afrique.
Dr. Janneh urged European governments to follow suit in scaling up the pressure on Yahya Jammeh and his close associates, saying they will ultimately have to face justice.
He expressed hope that Moroco and other African countries will not miss an opportunity to fight impunity in denying former Gambian leader any possibility of using their territory as safe haven.
Yahya Jammeh lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea since he was voted out by Gambians, fed up with his 22-year rule punctuated by arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings.
The new government has vowed to respond to rising demand for justice in announcing the establishment of a truth, reconciliation and reparation commission as well as the much awaited national human rights commission.
What does it in practical terms really accomplish or mean? Trump is a flame thrower who is as Despotic and Lacking Credibility as those he supposedly Sanctioned. Paradoxically, Trump himself is under investigation for Corruption and Corruptive Practices as well as Assaults on Women numbering over a Dozen. He is suspected of directly or indirectly involved in Money Laundering, and or in Ilegal Foreign Banking Schemes to Avoid Paying Taxes and other Required International Money and Investment Regulations. We should be Careful not to Enable the likes of Trump, a well known SUPREMACIST, KKK, WHITE EXTREAMIST GROUP AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTER AND POTENTIALLY CARD CARRYING MEMBER. Trump is feeling the Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s “Heat” and like a Cornered animal, Trump is grabbing and throwing anything and everything he can put his hands on with the hope of diverting attention from his Domestic Problems. The Domestic Problems are Existential and Trump knows that his life and limb may depend on how much Cynical and Hypocrital he is willing to go to get both Domestic and International Support. His Domestic and International Support is Lower than any recent American President. The more the Special Counsel Robert Mueller gets Closer to Trump’s Everglades of Corruption and Corruptive Practices as well as his Unconstitutional Acts and Behavior, the Desperate he becomes and gets more Dangerous and Deadly. Nothing Trump does or says is calculated for Self-Preservation and nothing else. Trump was Nurtured and Sustained on a Diet of Racism, Neo-Nazi Supremacist Ideology all his life and has reportedly insulted Nigerians and Haitians and by Extension, Africans. The New York Times repots that at a White House Meeting on Immigrants and Immigration, Trump blew his top when he was told that thousands of Haitians and Nigerians entered the United States of America recently. According to the New York Times, Trump angrily said, “once those Nigerians enter and see America, they will never go back to their huts”. Trump is also quoted as saying, “all Haitians have AIDS. Does anyone really believe that Trump who holds these Opinions and Views of Africans Truely and Sincerely gives a damn about his Fellow Corrupt Money Launderers and Political Despots? Let’s be intropective and reflective not Reflexive and Kneejerk Reactionary Rush to Embrace Trump’s Cynical and Hypocrital List of Self-preservation by Wagging the his Fellow Vultures. Trump’s Nonsensical Document is nothing but a Smoke screen, a Trumpian Mirage that is Not Real because it is not Meant to Mitigate alleged Wrong Doing by those on the list. It is meant to Divert Attention from Trump’s own Abuses and Wrong Doings. With Trump, it is very important to ask yourself what is Trump getting in return for what he is doing or saying on any given day? Trump is for Trump and the Great, Beautiful Despotic, Racist, Neo-Nazi Supremacist Way. Does Africans and Africa Fit in Trump’s World View? No. Decidedly No.
Irrespective of Trump’s wrong doings and his domestic issues this is a welcome move by the US government that we all should commend and hope other countries will follow suit. Am not sure what you are trying to get to with your response although I agreed with some of your views about Trump and I am no supporter of his. I welcome and applaud this action. This man nearly bankrupted our country whilst living a lavish lifestyle with his allies. He needs to be brought to justice and be accountable for his human rights and financial abuses. Any help we get around that irrespective of who or where that help comes from does not matter. This does not mean that we all share some of Trump’s views.