Recently, human right groups and advocates across the world made urgent calls on ECOWAS, AU and the UN to “thoroughly investigate the link between Conde and Jammeh,” thus describing Washington’s statement as an “excellent and honest starting point.”
The former West African leaders are both accused of “extra-judicial killing, human rights abuse, extreme violence and extortion” against several people including foreign nationals.
But since Jammeh’s cumbersome departure, Conde faced accusations of “creating a clandestine escape-route for the Gambian dictator to abscond with billions of tax payers and donor funds without any remorse or accountability.”
Yet, during his unpopular third term bid, Conde, reportedly ordered the killing of dozens of protestors and jailing of several opposition elements.
Similarly, Jammeh on the other hand, equally ordered the killing of over dozen student demonstrators, summarily executed and tortured opponents as well as activists and journalists during his 22-year tenure in office.
The Point earlier reported that Conde later tried to disassociate himself from Jammeh’s malicious activities when he “found out the facts” by noting that “Africa is no-longer a Trade Union of Heads of State protecting each other...”
Accordingly, the U.S. confirmed that the sanction is “his connection to serious human rights abuses…Alpha Condé is therefore being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is or has been a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuses relating to his tenure.”
Furthermore, the U.S. also accurately recalled that “during Condé’s presidency, security forces engaged in violence against the opposition… arbitrarily arrested and detained opposition members… and after the October 2020 election, security forces reportedly killed over a dozen individuals, including individuals killed at close range who presented no immediate danger to the security forces”.
During our investigations, this correspondent gathered that Equatorial Guinea, a country legally bound to prosecute Jammeh, but reluctant to abide by the direction of the international community, is “now having a rethink over the issue…”
Already, President Obiang had told western media that he would “consider any extradition request against Jammeh with lawyers”.
But, right groups revealed that “what is lacking is the determination and will from Banjul to demand an official and formal extradition…also, there are certain sinister forces in the shadows hindering or delaying such a bold and courageous decision for their own personal gains...while the victims continue to suffer in pain”.
Most importantly, Gambian President, Adama Barrow had expressed his willingness to work with the international community by declaring that he is “more than willing to open discussions about Jammeh’s extradition” if it is recommended by the Gambian Truth Commission.
Meanwhile, as the battle for justice over injustice continues, the victims of the brutal and ruthless regime of Yahya Jammeh keep waiting for the appropriate answers.
