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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Dec 2017 : 12:56:23
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U.S. sanction of Jammeh,‘Victory for Gambia’
The Poine: Friday, December 22, 2017
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/us-sanction-of-jammehvictory-for-gambia
 A leading, Washington-based international human rights campaigner has described as “a massive victory” for all Gambians the decision by the U.S. government to officially sanction Yahya Jammeh and Yankuba Badjie,
Reacting to the Trump Administration’s announced a global freeze order on assets of Yahya Jammeh, and a list of many other international investments related with the exiled dictator, Mr. Smith said it is “a further testament to the collective tenacity of their allies who’ve sought to hold the past regime accountable and help the country move on to a brighter, more prosperous and democratic future,”.
Smith, one of the key human rights campaigners who lobbied for this measure against Jammeh since 2014, said for too long, Jammeh and his “purveyors of terror” in Gambia received a free pass from the international community for their heinous crimes.
In December 2014, Mr. Smith had activists Fatu Camara and Amadou Scattred Janneh met at the White House with Obama’s staff to raise this.
The sanctions order which came into effect yesterday, forms part of a new U.S. “executive order” seeking to implement Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
This Act provides for the U.S. Treasury to impose sanctions against “malign actors” worldwide, and targets human rights abusers and corrupt actors around the world. It builds on the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act passed by the US Congress last year.
“During his tenure, Jammeh used a number of corrupt schemes to plunder The Gambia’s state coffers or otherwise siphon off state funds for his personal gain,” a release from the U.S. Treasury said yesterday.
It added that ongoing investigations continue to “reveal Jammeh’s large-scale theft from state coffers prior to his departure”.
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order yesterday declaring a national emergency with respect to serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world and providing for the imposition of sanctions on actors engaged in these malign activities.
Secretary of the Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin said the enforcement of the law means the United States is taking “a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally…”
U.S. says it will shut these bad actors out of its financial system: “Treasury is freezing their assets and publicly denouncing the egregious acts they’ve committed, sending a message that there is a steep price to pay for their misdeeds,” Secretary Mnuchinsaid.
Yahya Jammeh
The release from the U.S. Treasury said Yahya Jammeh has a long history of engaging in serious human rights abuses and corruption.
“Jammeh created a terror and assassination squad called the ‘Junglers’ that answered directly to him. Jammeh used the Junglers to threaten, terrorise, interrogate, and kill individuals whom Jammeh assessed to be threats.”
During Jammeh’s tenure, he ordered the Junglers to kill a local religious leader, journalists, members of the political opposition, and former members of the government, among others.
Jammeh used the Gambia’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) as a repressive tool of the regime – torturing political opponents and journalists. Throughout his presidency, Jammeh routinely ordered the abuse and murder of those he suspected of undermining his authority.
In a related action, U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Africada Airways, Kanilai Group International, KanilaiWorni Family Farms Ltd, Royal Africa Capital Holding Ltd, Africada Financial Service & Bureau de Change Ltd, Africada Micro-Finance Ltd, Africada Insurance Company, Kora Media Corporation Ltd, Atlantic Pelican Company Ltd, Palm Grove Africa Dev’t Corp. Ltd, Patriot Insurance Brokers Co. Ltd, and Royal Africa Securities Brokerage Co Ltd.
All of the listed assets within U.S. jurisdiction of the individuals and entities included in the Annex to the Order or designated by OFAC have been blocked. “U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them,” the release added.
Yankuba Badjie
Yankuba Badjie former Director General of the NIA is also reported as one who “presided over abuses throughout his tenure.”
“During Badjie’s tenure as director general, abuses were prevalent and routine within the NIA, consisting of physical trauma and other mistreatment.”
In April 2016, Badjie oversaw the detention and murder of Solo Sandeng, a member of the political opposition. In February 2017, Badjie was charged along with eight subordinates with Sandeng’s murder.
Prior to becoming director general, Badjie served as the NIA deputy director general for Operations, and he once led a paramilitary group known as the Junglers to the NIA’s headquarters to beat a prisoner for approximately three hours, leaving the prisoner unconscious and with broken hands.
The following day, Badjie and the Junglers returned to beat the prisoner again, leaving him on the verge of death.
There has been intense lobbying going on for the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to be expanded over the years… Sohna Sallah, chairperson of the Gambian Diaspora Civil Society group DUGA, said it is not a surprise for Jammeh to fall in the web of the U.S. Justice Department once it was expanded.
“Despite the fact that it is something we have expected, we are still thrilled that the voices of Gambians and the advocacy that have been going on for many, many, years has been heard, and the US Justice Department has acted,” Ms. Sallah said yesterday.
“We hope that this sanctions and assets freeze expand beyond the United States, to wherever Jammeh may have hid his ill-gotten wealth or has invested so that Gambia would be able to recoup those assets,” she added.
Author: Sanna Camara
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kiwi
Sweden
661 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2017 : 16:15:36
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That the US administration now freezes all assets belonging to former president Yahya Jammeh is a long-awaited message, isn ´t it?
All of the mentioned assets belong to the Gambian people. |
kiwi |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2017 : 10:52:19
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This is great news but I believe there are more that have not been discovered yet. Companies and funds belonging to his wife and children should be included.
The outcome of the ongoing commission of inquiry will be interesting.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 27 Dec 2017 : 12:55:22
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Gambia urges U.S. include Zeineb Jammeh in sanctions
The Point: Wednesday, December 27, 2017
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/gambia-urges-us-include-zeineb-jammeh-in-sanctions
The minister of Justice has called on the United States Treasury to include wife of former Gambian dictator and other family members in the latest assets freeze and sanctions on dictator Jammeh.
The United States through the Treasury Department last week included former President Jammeh and Yankuba Badjie and companies associated with them on the list of sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act passed by their Congress last year.
The reasons given by the U.S. government for this latest action includes: “taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption…[by] freezing their assets and publicly denouncing the egregious acts they’ve committed, sending a message that there is a steep price to pay for their misdeeds”.
“While we commend the U.S. government for this laudable act, we would like to encourage them to do more and therefore call on the United States to include on this list some family members of former President Jammeh especially his wife Mrs Zeineb Souma Jammeh,” Justice minister said to journalists at a press conference on Friday.
“We have information, and I think the Commission of Inquiry that is going on at the moment has also revealed actions connecting the former president’s wife to the unauthorized withdrawal of huge sums of money from state coffers,” said Minister Tambadou, in response to a question from reporters as to what it was necessary to include the ex –first lady in the freeze and sanctions list.
He further argued that such were enough reasons to include Zeineb Suma-Jammeh on this list as well.
Aboubacarr Tambadou said Gambia recognises the fact that this action comes less than a year after Jammeh left power and therefore demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. government to support the people of The Gambia in their quest for justice.
“This latest action by the Treasury Department underscores the importance of adhering to the rule of law in our actions. It is a tangible demonstration that when we do things in accordance with the law, when we follow due process, we will earn the respect and cooperation of others around the world,” Tambadou said.
“We will continue to work closely with authorities in the U.S. and other countries and organisations around the world to help us trace and recover assets of former President Jammeh, his family members and close associates wherever those assets may be found. In this regard, we wish to thank all those who came forward with information and assisted us in this very complex process, and hereby reiterate our call for more information from the public,” he added.
“In the same vein, we call upon the international community and all friends of The Gambia including the European Union to also adopt similar measures against former President Jammeh, his family members and close associates and companies associated with them,” Tambadou stated.
Author: Sanna Camara |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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U.S. sanction of Jammeh,‘Victory for Gambia’
