The
Government of The Gambia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International
Cooperation and Gambians Abroad (MOFA) has announced its resolve to continue
the cancellation of diplomatic and service passports issued to former
government officials and their families, a government official source has said.
“Cancellation
of 271 diplomatic passports is nothing new in The Gambia and around the globe.
These state documents are issued for a purpose, and if a person is not in a
position to hold these passports; obviously he should not be in possession of
such proof to enjoy diplomatic immunity. It is one way of ensuring justice and
fair play,” the source said.
Our
source added that the cancellation exercise is to ensure that only ‘lawful’
holders possess these documents.
According
to the source, the Ministry in March 2017 made a request through a press
release which was circulated among media houses, notifying all in possession of
diplomatic and service passports and no longer in public office or entitled to
such state privileges to surrender them to the Protocol Division of the
Ministry.
The
source said those in the country have surrendered their passports but the
Protocol Division is yet to receive passports of those that fled during the
political impasse.
The
source noted that whoever makes an attempt to use or travel on these passports
will be apprehended, as countries have notified them of their readiness to
arrest whoever makes an attempt to use them.
List
of names considered to be in possession of such passports can be found on page
15 of this publication.
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