(JollofNews) – Nearly 70 Senegalese nationals expelled from the Gambia into Senegal’s Casamance region on Sunday were children, a spokesman for the country’s Immigration Department has confirmed.
Assistant Superintendent Mamanding S. Dibba, said the Senegalese aged between 11 and 16 years old were picked up on Friday night during a raid.
He said the children numbering 69 were found living in the Streets of the capital, Banjul, without parents/guardians or documents authorising their stay in the country.
He added that the children were screened by the security forces before they were booted out of the country.
The spokesman said 71 other foreign nationals who were picked up during the raid are being questioned by the authorities.
The expulsion of the Senegalese kids comes only three days after a meeting held by the interior ministers of the two states in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Last Wednesday, Gambian Interior Minister Mai Ahmad Fatty was in talks with his Senegalese counterpart Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo in a bid to work out a joint strategy to tackle cross-border crime, including drug trafficking and potential terror threats.
Gambia’s immigration director, Buba Sanyang, ordered the expulsions without allowing those detained to appeal, BBC Afrique reported.
It quotes a Gambian government source as saying that the expulsions are not a reflection of President Barrow’s immigration policy.
According to the source, no officials from the justice and interior ministries were consulted over the expulsions.
A disgrace to African humanity; Don’t talk to me about slavery and western values anymore. Charity begins at home. This is a hopeless government without a beating heart.
We need to see Barrow and Darboe out !!! Unforgivable !!!
Negligence Yes !!! that’s it>>>Negligence. Children are always someone else’s problem. God Bless ’em.
Bloody hell. This gets even worse. What kind of crocodile heads are making decisions in our country. You don’t deport children, for God’s sake. You protect them until they reach adulthood (18 or more) before deportation is even considered. What a disgrace this so called Assistant Supritendent is!! Shame on you all.
Barrow better come out with a statement or I will wash my hands clear of him.
I think at least an LLB or some sort of recognised law degree with basic human rights awareness should be a prerequisite for positions like I.G, ……………..Sups and Assistant Sups etc. This is a very serious matter. Very very serious mistake! Undocumented kids, then how do I know where to send them to. How about accommodating them the best way possible and sending them to school and skill training centers whilst efforts are made to establish their IDs?
Come on, we can allocate some of ‘it’ for emergency situations like this one… Kids with a difficult ‘psychology’ can be taken to ‘specific’ centers if necessary…. Come on, don’t tell me there isn’t a single Butut left..
This is what a government that has three presidents will do. One president is expressing regrets over the issue, the other is standing behind his immigration director for taking such a bold decision. They are not speaking with one voice. Welcome to the new Gambia.
Gambia immigration should be careful when dealing with immigrants, there is laws protect immigrants especially minors, every thing has to go through due process. Interm of burden of responsibility RED CROSS and other organizations are available to support. WE MUST BE CAREFUL.
Yes indeed, Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children are The Gambian government’s conscience/ Don’t talk to me about Senegambia anymore. Senegal don’t need this.
WE are the world,,,WE are the children/
selfishness and lack of responsibility of Barrow and Co. truly exposed. They cannot make this good. Not in 3 to 5 years…. Not never.
We are all hopeful for a better Gambia when we wake-up on January 20, 2017. However, the path we are trekking will lead us to a more serious situation we were in on January 19, 2017 in 22 years time. This deportation and the illegal arrest and detention of innocent drivers and apprentices on Monday are the hallmarks of Jammeh.
I think BAX captures the mean spirit of the coalition.” Deporting kids to a conflict zone”
Quite a difference from those in power, who crave 5 star hotels and business class travel with expenses.
Here’s to the new boss,,, same as the old boss. So what’s fresh ?
Mike nothing is new
As the Vice president of the BAR asserted, they are duplicating what Jammeh was doing. Very sad!
Hello Gambians. The current Mismanagement, Incompetence and Unreliability of the Gambian Regime or Government is Costing and will continue to cost the Gambians for a long time. When will President Adama Barrow Step Up and Put his Full weight on the Levers of Governance. Note I said Levers of Governance, Not Power of Government. Fraudulent and Unconstitutional Acts of the UDP Led Regime or Government’s Unilateralist Decision to Marginalize and in all practical intent, Destroy the MOU that brought or gave birth to the Coalition Alliance Party to contest the Presidential Elections, the Current Gambian Regime is leading the Gambians into a Perpetual State of One Emergency to Another. From Security, Oil Company Exploration License Debacle, fast becoming a Financial Crisis, the Electricity and Water Crisis (that is self-inflicted due to the Amateurish manner of Staffing and Management), the Kanilai, Farato-Baffuloto Village Incidents, the Mai Fatty factor of assuming the Defacto Positions of Chief of Police, The Minister of Justice, Minister of Interior and all in between Portfolios, Coupled with the Vice Presidency’s Portfolio being Unconstitutionally and Unlawfully Apportioned, Reserved and Handed to one One Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang who is Disqualified by a Constitutional age requirement is Eroding Public Confidence in the Current Gambian Regime. Public Anger, Distrust and Resentment is growing geometrically while their Faith and Patience is diametrically growing at an ever Increasingly Slower Arithmetical Pace. Not unlike the Malthusian Theory, Except in this Case, it is Not a Theory, it is an Imperical Fact and Reality of an increasing number of Gambians. Mai Fatty Ordered the Arrest and Detention of the NIA NINE, Which has ever since put the Case of the NIA NINE in Jeopardy of being ilegitimate, Not Free, Nor Fair Court Case. Now, Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept., reportedly recently Ordered about 70 So-called “SENEGALESE Children to be Deported to Cassamance, that is, Southern Senegal. This is why the Meeting with the True Overseer of the Current Gambian Regime, Senegalese President Macky Sall was held in Dakar, Senegal to have his “Blessings” for the Devil’s Deed about to be Embarked on by the Two Extremists, Mai Fatty and his Junior Partner in Hate, Buba Sanyang. Buba Sanyang is Not a Fellow most Gambians know and if they did, they don’t know his Politics of Ethnic Group Persecutions, especially those of the Jola and Wolof. In his Online rantings and Insidious Ethnic Group Cleansing and Defermatory writings, Buba Sanyang has time and time again, demonstrated his Virulent Anti-Jola Believes and Extreamists Policy Recommendations in which he called for the Expulsion and or Deportation of Jolas from Gambia’s FONI to Cassamance in Senegal. The same Buba Sanyang Consistently Called, Labelled and Described All Jolas as Culprits or Enablers of Jammeh. It is therefore, Not Surprising that “Bird’s of the Same Feathers Flock Together” in the Ministry of the Interior to Carry Out their Diabolical Plan of Deporting Jolas to Cassamance Not Unlike how Hitler did to the Jewish People in Germany and Across Europe. Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept , is Not Appointed or Selected to that Post by Accident. Nor was Mai Fatty’s Choice of Wanting to be the Interior Minister Accidental or Happenstance. It is by design by an Extreamists Cabal within the UDP LED REGIME HELL BENT ON REVENGE FOR WHAT SEE AS THEIR CALLING. This is a Continuation of the Thinking and Philosophical Trajectory of Mai Fatty, Buba Sanyang and Some of the Extreamists Current Regime Officials and Supporters Ideology of Marginalization, Purgings and Deadly Noxious Agenda of Arrest and Detention of Perceived Political Opponents. Gambians must be Careful Not be Party to another return to Despotism and Unlawful Practices they fought against for more than half a Century. There are more Northern Senegalese Youths and Children in the Gambia than there are those from the Cassamance, yet Buba Sanyang and Mai Fatty ran to their Overseer of the Gambian Interior Ministry and Security Apparatus, Macky Sall of Senegal to Seek for Permission to Selectively Arrest and Deport only those Youth from the Cassamance Region of Senegal. Why? Those not familia of or followed the likes of Buba Sanyang’ s Hatred of everything Jola and or Wolof may ask. I am not Surprised. It was because of The likes of Buba Sanyang and Mai Fatty’s Ethnic Group Based Politics and Vitriol why I became involved in the Online Discussions during the days leading to the Impasse. Before that, I kept my Peace. The Uptic here is Simply this, the Majority or most of the Victims of Such an Insidious, Unlawful and Amoral Selective Deportation been Subjected to even Children from Cassamance is Diabolical and Ethnic Group Based. Most of the Children will Undoubtedly be of the Jola Ethnic Group. This Rotten Mangoes in the Current Gambian Regime is what is driving most Politics and Policies been Formulated and Unilaterally Implemented by the likes of Mai Fatty and his Trained “Tonso” (Bat) Heading the Immigration Dept. These Universally Condemned and Unlawful Practices being Advocated by Mai Fatty, joined now by an Avid, Virulent Anti-Jola and Anti-Wolof in form of Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept., is another indication that All the Talk and Pronouncements of Unity Under One Destiny, that is the Gambia, is All a Lie, Subterfuge Wrapped Up in “Behind Closed Doors” and in the Dark Ethnic Cleansing and Potential Genocide of a Minority Considered Guilty by Affinity and Affiliation with Yaya Jammeh who happens to be Jola. The Slow Motion and Delibrate Abandonment of All Moral, Ethics and Humanitarian quality of these Gang of Evil has no Demarcation or Measurement. The Depravity and Insidious Ethnic Group Politics and Policies of Mai Fatty and Buba Sanyang must be Remedied with the required Surgical Procedure. The Gambians and especially, President Adama Barrow and those in his Cabinet and NATIONAL ASSEMBLY need to call for an Emergency Session to bring those responsible for this and Other Abominable, inhumane, Evil Deeds to Account. Gambians need to Understand that the Current Unholy Alliance of Mai Fatty and Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept., Need to be Held Accountable and Dealt with with all the Full Weight of National and International Law. Those who Aided and Abetted this Action must be Removed from their Positions Forthwith. Failure to Make them Accountable would have a Chilling Effect on Law and Order and Send the Wrong Message that Impunity, Ethnic Group Based Selective Arrrests and Deportation of Perceived Political Opponents Even Children, is not only Acceptable in the Gambia, but Welcomed. If an adult breaks a law and he is accorded the minimum amount of Due Process, I have no Complaint Against that. However, where Children are concerned, it is the Whole State and every Individual Gambians’ Privilege and Right to Intervene when Injustice and Abuse of Power is Directed at and Levelled on the Helpless and Vunorable Cohorts of our Society. No other Cohorts fill this Subgroup than Children. Adults who are willing to Abuse, Malreeat and Mistreat Children as has been Undertaken by the Ministry of the Interior’s Mai Fatty and his “Tonso” (Bat) Buba Sanyang is another Indication of the Deadly Noxious Agenda some in the Adama Barrow-UDP Government have in Plan for Some Gambians. Buba Sanyang would not Embark on such an Adventure without the Tacit nod of Approval from his boss or Senior Official, Mai Fatty. Government by Crisis, is No Government, Nor Governance. Reductionist and Histronics of always justifying Wrong doing in the Current Gambian Regime by Blaming Yaya Jammeh, APRC, or his Ghosts will Not do. Yaya Jammeh has been gone for at least Seven months, and the New Gambian Regime has yet to be Accountable for Many Unsolicited, Unnecessary Self inflicted Wounds. Every Month gives birth to One or Two Incidents or Scandal that would “Bring down” Most TRUELY Democractic Dispensation Governments. Adama Barrow must Decide, and Make a Choice of either being with the People or with the Party Hacks and Opportunist who are Undermining his Presidency and Legitimacy as the Unitary and Duely Elected President of the Gambia. He needs to demonstrate to his Cabinet and the World that he is the “Decider” and the Final Arbiter Period. Failure to Clean House off of the likes of Mai Fatty and Buba Sanyang will come to Hunt Adama Barrow and the Gambia. The deadly noxious Politics of Mai Fatty and Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept , is Repugnant, Destructive, and Destabilizing. Mai Fatty and Buba Sanyang’s Ethnic Group Persecutions especially of the Jola is Not Sustainable nor Uniting in any way. I predict that with Buba Sanyang being given a Free Hand and an Avenue to Marginalize his Perceived Enemies, will create an Unintended Consequence with a Downside that in a Short Time would Galvanize once Opposed Factions into a Unitary Force that would Usher in Difficult and “Dark Days” in Gambia. It will happen when those Marginalized come to See the the Current Gambian Regime as an Adversary, if not an Enemy and Resort to Active Resistance. That would not be good for the Gambia or for Senegal. Gambians Must Demand that No one Ethnic Group is Marginalized nor Foni “BIAFRA-NIZEd”. That would not be in the interest of any Gambian, Senegalese or the West Africa Sub-Region. Stop the Madness Before it is Late. Throw Out the Bad Mangoes before they Infect the Rest. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Ethnic Group or Region.
Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
The Senegambia is fighting the menace of street children. Street children are found to be easy prey for the human and drug traffickers, terrorists and other criminals. Authorities should find them and re-unite them with their parents or guardians within or outside the Gambia. This is not an easy task, in Europe, more than ten thousand unaccompanied Syrian children went missing, and they could end up in terribly unwanted conditions. I hope they Senegalese Children sent back home were handed over to the counterpart Senegalese immigration forces to re-unite them with their parents and guardians. If they were Gambians, they would be sent to their parents and guardians. Unaccompanied children, whose parents and guardians cannot be located within or outside the Gambia, can be hosted by NGOs and some government agencies. I believe, this what the authorities in Senegambia are practicing to protect the children against being ended up in unwanted conditions.
We shouldn’t rationalise such cruelty with excuses. The children’s identities should have been established in The Gambia, and reunited or handed over to their parents, through the right protocols, whether that’s through government or NGOs.
Indeed, Syrian Children may not always receive the protection they are entitled to, even in some countries in the West, but that does not justify the actions of our government, nor make it any less cruel. We should not be deporting children that need our protection, and certainly, not to a conflict zone, like Cassamance.
Hello Gambians. My Thoughts Inform me that There is More to the Headlines and the Headline Should Read: “Cassamance” Children Deported to Cassamance by The Ministry of Interior.” Mai Fatty Authorized, Directed the Director of Immigration, Buba Sanyang to Carry out such a Diabolical and Potentially Ilegal Act. The Minors whose Identities and Origin may not have been Vetted and Verified in a Manner Consistent with Gambian and International Immigration and Deportation Law and Procedure were in a Sense “Kidnapped” and Deported to Cassamance. I Predict that Mai Fatty and his Cabal of the UDP ETHNOCENTRISTS would attempt to Dump and Point the Fingers of Blame on Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept., and Use it to Fire him. This is the Goal, and Objective Mai Fatty and Some of the Current Gambian UDP Regime’s Leadership’s Plan has been All About. They are too Invested in the Dangerous and Deadly Politics of “Our Jolas, the “Good” Jolas” VS. “Their Jola, the “Bad” Jolas”. Notice that even Journalist are falling for this False Narratives. Use of Terms or Words such as Drug Traffickers, Rebels and Terrorist is been Associated and Used in Connection with Foni, the Jola Ethnic Group and Cassamance Citizens. This Subliminal Messages are Irresponsible and Unethical at the least and Marginalizing at Worst. This is Dangerous and Unworthy of our Collective Beloveth Gambia and by Extension Senegal. Hatred of former President Yaya Jammeh who happens to be a Jola Should not by Extension be Hatred for Jolas as an Ethnic group. The Utilization of Buba Sanyang, a “Jola Ethnic Group” Immigration Dept., Official to Carryout Mai Fatty’s Ethnic Group Cleansing, Purgings and Marginalization has no Redeemable Value and yet, has already started to get the Opposite Uptic among True Patriotic Gambians who are Appaled and Against Gambians and Gambia been Subjected and “Contracting” or Sub-letting it’s Sovereignty to the Senegalese President Macky Sall and Senegal. Buba Sanyang is the “Fall Guy” and the “COVER” Mai Fatty and Ousainou Darbo and the rest of their Cabal Insidiously Used, Spin and Push the Uptic on? The Uptic that “Buba Sanyang is a Jola and therefore, the Deportation of the Children to Cassamance is Not Ethnic Group Based Politics”. Ofcourse, the Truth is far from the Uptic. Why not Deport Similar Numbers of Northern Senegalese Children in a Similar situation the Gambia? Simply stated, “the Overseer of The Current Gambian Regime and especially, the Ministry of the Interior and the “Insecurity” Apparatus in the Gambia, Macky Sall will not Permit that. Hence, the so-called “High level Bi-lateral Meeting” as stated by Freedom Online News. There are Potentially, more Northern Senegalese Children in the Gambia any given day than there are Cassamance Children. Note, that I would be just as against such a move to Summarily Deport them back to Northern Senegal as I am Against the Diabolical, and Politically Designed Macky Sall “Demands on his Governors” in the Gambia and especially, at the Ministry of the Interior and else where in the Current Gambia of The UDP Led Regime. If the Ministry of the Interior and Mai Fatty were indeed trying to Protect the Children they Deported to Cassamance, why Deport them to an Area or Zone Classified by Many as well as the same Ministry of the Interior as a “War Zone”. How do you Protect Children by Deporting them to a “War Zone”? Such Incredible and Intentional Avoidance of Calling a “Vulture” a “Vulture” is a Malignant Cancer in the Gambian Political Character and Discuss. We need to take a U TURN if not a Complete Turn away from Avoidance of Calling a “Vulture” a “Vulture” when our Fellow Gambians Demonstrate such Behavior. Mai Fatty of the Interior Ministry and Buba Sanyang of the Immigration Dept., who has been Cynically and Insidiously Used by Mai Fatty and his Fellow Cabals in the Ministry of the Interior and else where in the Current UDP Led Regime of Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darbo and the Ilegal Overseer of the Vice President’s Office, to do their Dirty, Unconstitutional, Unethical, Depraved Politics and Policies they rightly accused the APRC and Jammeh’s regime of. This is part of the reason why the Current Gambian Regime is Not Interested in Amending the Sections and Sub-Sections of the 1997 Gambian Constitution the UDP Party, it’s Leadership and Supporters built their Political House on. Now that UDP is in Power and want to Perpetuate itself in Power, they are with Gross Negligence and Repugnance, Embracing the Same 1997 Constitution to Utilize it as a Selfish SAFETY NET for the UDP PARTY, NOT THE GAMBIA OR THE GAMBIANS. This is Not By Any means What “Gambia Has Decided” Unless What Gambia Has Decided is Demagoguery, and Ethnic Group Based Politics and Selective, Collective Punishment of the Current Gambian Regime. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Ethnic Group or Region.
I’d agree with most commentators condemning the sending of children across a border to nowhere but doing so needs no frailing those efforts with some self-oriented bugaboo.
M scale,S bojang,Gambian,tafel
U guys really disappointed me today,it seems to me as if u guys already spoke to this people and they told u guys they were forcefully remove from d Gambia to anywhere in cassa..Sidi are u threatening the Gambians or adviceing d Government
I am ashamed of hearing this kind of news in our dear Gambia; Children between the ages of 11 and 16 been deported ed by Adama Barrow’s government ? I’m seriously disappointed.
What is going on ?
Shame on all those who has anything to do with this decision from the president to the last person.
I think Gambia can take some comfort in the wholesale condemnation from the Jollof News executive commentators who identify right from wrong. In Britain we are taught right from wrong from birth. How do you teach a government what children are taught ?