Gambia quits the Commonwealth

[nngu007]

Announcement on west African nation's state television channel does not explain reason for decision

• Afua Hirsch, west Africa correspondent
  
• The Guardian, Wednesday 2 October 2013

The Gambian president Yahya Jammeh greeting militants in 2011. Photograph: Seyllou/AFP/Getty Images


Gambia has withdrawn from the Commonwealth, a collection of 54 nations made up largely of former British colonies, saying it will "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".

In an unexpected announcement broadcast by the west African nation on state television on Wednesday it was not immediately clear what prompted the decision to leave the Commonwealth, which is headed by the Queen.

"The government has withdrawn its membership of the British Commonwealth and decided that the Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism," the statement said.

A British Foreign Office spokesman said: "Decisions on Commonwealth membership are a matter for each member government. We would very much regret the Gambia or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth."

The Gambia joined the Commonwealth in 1965, when it gained independence from Britain. Although it remains a major tourist destination for British and other foreign holidaymakers, it has long had a troubled political relationship with its former colonial master.

The UK condemned the decision by the Gambia's president Yahya Jammeh – who seized power in a 1994 coup and who is one of Africa's longest-running and least democratic rulers – to execute nine death row prisoners, including one woman, without warning.

"I am deeply concerned over reports that nine prisoners on death row in The Gambia have been executed following comments by President Jammeh that all death row prisoners would now be executed," said foreign office minister Alistair Burt in a statement at the time.

The Gambia's decision to leave the traditionally English-speaking Commonwealth comes as Francophone African nations have expressed interest in joining the grouping. Former Belgian colony Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009, while Gabon, a former French colony and key ally to France in Africa, sparked rumours it could follow suit when it announced it would introduce English as its second language.

The Gambian government did not give a reason for the decision to leave the Commonwealth. However, it comes amid a greater emphasis by Britain on human rights and increasing pressure to promote equality based on sexuality.

Jammeh on the other hand has been highly vocal in his condemnation of homosexuality, and last week gave a speech at the United Nations calling it a threat to human existence.

The UK ceased bilateral aid to the Gambia in 2011, but still gives roughly £8m per year to the country through multilateral donations to agencies.

 

[Janjaweed]

At least wamefanya maamuzi, maana sie tunashangilia mchina, mmarekani, qatari, msauzi, brasil, mrusi, muiran etc.... na wote tunawaita nambari wani

Naona sera za mishumaa zimewashinda wenzetu Gambia:A S 41::A S 41::A S 41:

 

[kiwatengu]

Nchi ya Gambia imejifuta uanachama wa jumuiya ya madola, sababu ikiwa ni jumuiya ni ya kikoloni mambo leo.
Taasisi nyingi za kimataifa barani Afrika ni zinaendeleza ukoloni mambo leo (Neo-Colonialism).

Wameanza Gambia ni vyema wengine wafuate.

bbc

 

[kiwatengu]

source; bbcswahili.

 

[bbahari]

ni maamuzi yake rais si ya wananchi

 

[bbahari]

ni maamuzi yake na si ya wananchi ipo siku watarudi tu

 

[Utingo]

ni maamuzi yake na si ya wananchi ipo siku watarudi tu

tena kwa kupiga magoti

 

[Jospina]

Gambia withdraws from Commonwealth after 48 years

The Gambian government has announced that the former British colony is pulling out of the Commonwealth with immediate effect, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution" http://bit.ly/174mgtE

 

[palalisote]

President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, which has pulled out of the Commonwealth. Source: AFP







THE Gambian government has announced that the former British colony is pulling out of the Commonwealth with immediate effect, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".
"The general public is hereby informed that the government of the Gambia has left the Commonwealth of Nations with immediate effect," it said in a statement.
"(The) government has withdrawn its membership of the British Commonwealth and decided that the Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism."
The Commonwealth bloc is a voluntary association of more than 50 countries, many of them former territories of the British empire.
No further details were given but a foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the decision came after the government rejected a proposal by the Commonwealth last year to create commissions in Banjul to protect human rights, media rights and fight against corruption.
The proposal followed an April 2012 visit to the Gambia by Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma, during which he met President Yahya Jammeh and other top government officials.
Mr Jammeh, who is regularly accused of rights abuses, has ruled mainland Africa's smallest country with an aura of mysticism and an iron fist since seizing power in 1994.
Earlier this year, Gambia was singled out for its poor rights record in Britain's annual Human Rights and Democracy report, which cited cases of unlawful detentions, illegal closures of newspapers and radio stations and discrimination against minority groups.
A spokesman at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said early Thursday: "We would very much regret Gambia, or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth."
He noted however that "decisions on Commonwealth membership are a matter for each member government".
The Gambia is a tiny sliver of land wedged into Senegal. It suffers from widespread poverty but its miles of palm-fringed beaches are a favourite among sun-seeking European tourists
The west African anglophone nation, the smallest on the mainland, has long been dogged by rights concerns under Mr Jammeh's administration.
Mr Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup, brooks no criticism. He has been re-elected to power three times.
The man who claims he can cure AIDS and other illnesses is often pilloried for rights abuses and the muzzling of journalists.
In 2010, the EU, the country's top aid donor, cancelled $30 million in budget support for Banjul because of concerns over human rights and governance.
In August 2012, Mr Jammeh came under attack from Amnesty International and others for sending nine prisoners to the firing squad and promising many more would go the same way.
Many top officials have found themselves charged with treason, often related to coup plots which observers have said are a sign of paranoia by Mr Jammeh, who has woven an aura of mysticism around himself, dressing in billowing white robes and always clutching his Koran.
Last year he warned foreign diplomats that his country would not be "bribed" with aid to accept homosexuality.
"If you are to give us aid for men and men or for women and women to marry, leave it. We don't need your aid because as far as I am the president of the Gambia, you will never see that happen in this country," he said.
In January this year Mr Jammeh accused the European Union of trying to destablise Gambia, after the EU set out a 17-point checklist of demands for reforms.
They included calls for Gambia to abolish the death penalty and to re-open newspapers and radio stations closed down by the authorities.
The president regularly insists that he will not bow to external pressures for reform.
AFP

 

[ZeMarcopolo]

Ni ishara ya kujitambua. Naona tayari media zinamdemonise Rais wa Gambia!!!

 

[BADILI TABIA]

heri yao wamejitambua

 

[Mr.Mak]

President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, which has pulled out of the Commonwealth. Source: AFP







THE Gambian government has announced that the former British colony is pulling out of the Commonwealth with immediate effect, saying it would "never be a member of any neo-colonial institution".
"The general public is hereby informed that the government of the Gambia has left the Commonwealth of Nations with immediate effect," it said in a statement.
"(The) government has withdrawn its membership of the British Commonwealth and decided that the Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism."
The Commonwealth bloc is a voluntary association of more than 50 countries, many of them former territories of the British empire.
No further details were given but a foreign ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the decision came after the government rejected a proposal by the Commonwealth last year to create commissions in Banjul to protect human rights, media rights and fight against corruption.
The proposal followed an April 2012 visit to the Gambia by Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma, during which he met President Yahya Jammeh and other top government officials.
Mr Jammeh, who is regularly accused of rights abuses, has ruled mainland Africa's smallest country with an aura of mysticism and an iron fist since seizing power in 1994.
Earlier this year, Gambia was singled out for its poor rights record in Britain's annual Human Rights and Democracy report, which cited cases of unlawful detentions, illegal closures of newspapers and radio stations and discrimination against minority groups.
A spokesman at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said early Thursday: "We would very much regret Gambia, or any other country, deciding to leave the Commonwealth."
He noted however that "decisions on Commonwealth membership are a matter for each member government".
The Gambia is a tiny sliver of land wedged into Senegal. It suffers from widespread poverty but its miles of palm-fringed beaches are a favourite among sun-seeking European tourists
The west African anglophone nation, the smallest on the mainland, has long been dogged by rights concerns under Mr Jammeh's administration.
Mr Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup, brooks no criticism. He has been re-elected to power three times.
The man who claims he can cure AIDS and other illnesses is often pilloried for rights abuses and the muzzling of journalists.
In 2010, the EU, the country's top aid donor, cancelled $30 million in budget support for Banjul because of concerns over human rights and governance.
In August 2012, Mr Jammeh came under attack from Amnesty International and others for sending nine prisoners to the firing squad and promising many more would go the same way.
Many top officials have found themselves charged with treason, often related to coup plots which observers have said are a sign of paranoia by Mr Jammeh, who has woven an aura of mysticism around himself, dressing in billowing white robes and always clutching his Koran.
Last year he warned foreign diplomats that his country would not be "bribed" with aid to accept homosexuality.
"If you are to give us aid for men and men or for women and women to marry, leave it. We don't need your aid because as far as I am the president of the Gambia, you will never see that happen in this country," he said.
In January this year Mr Jammeh accused the European Union of trying to destablise Gambia, after the EU set out a 17-point checklist of demands for reforms.
They included calls for Gambia to abolish the death penalty and to re-open newspapers and radio stations closed down by the authorities.
The president regularly insists that he will not bow to external pressures for reform.
AFP

Nimeipenda hii habari. Hakika huyu rais anajitambua sana. Cheki leo hii maraisi wanavyohangaika kutaka kujitoa ICC kwa uzembwete wa kujiingiza kichwa kichwa.

 

[mhalisi]

kama wameona hakuna manufaa ni bora wamejitoa. Tanzania tujitathimini.

 

[Mlaleo]

Kumbe wanaofunga magazeti wapo wengi? sikujua kama ni kosa kimataifa.... why ufungie gazeti kisa kutangaza mishahara ya wafanyakazi wakati ni sehemu ya kodi wanazolipa wananchi!

 

[Yericko Nyerere]

Hili ni pigo kwa tuamini ipo siku kutakuwa na serikali moja duniani,