Friday, June 10, 2016

Jammeh incendiary denunciation of the Mandinkas ethic group condemned by the United Nations

Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser to the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide condemned Jammeh's recent speech directed at the Mandinka ethnic group which the UN characterized as "inflammatory".  

The speech was delivered at a Tallingding rally on the 3rd of June in which he reportedly threaten to eliminate the Mandinka ethnic group.  Jammeh alleged referred to Mandinkas as "enemies and foreigners" and threaten to kill them one by one and to put them "where even a fly cannot see them."

In a statement issued by the UN Special Adviser he said and we quote "I am profoundly alarmed by President Jammeh's public stigmatization, dehumanization and threats against the Mandinkas. Public statement by a national leader are irresponsible and extremely dangerous.  They can contribute to dividing populations, feed suspicion and serve to incite violence against communities, based solely on their identity."   

"We have seen" the statement continued ", in Rwanda, Busnia - and more recently in the Middle East - how incitement to violence has led to mass killings along identity lines."

The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide reminded the Gambia dictator that his vitriolic rhetoric against Mandinkas constitutes a hate speech that that falls in the category of advocacy for national, racial or religious hatred that incites discrimination, hostility or violence which contravenes international human rights law as well as local laws.

The Gambian dictator who is currently putting Mr. Ousainou Darboe, leader of the main opposition party, on trial for "incitement of violence and riot" among other ridiculous charges for simply peacefully demonstrating against injustice and impunity, was reminded by the United Nations that [S]tates have the primary responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and their incitement.  Finally, Jammeh was urged to "...ensure that the rights of all populations of The Gambia are respected, irrespective of ethnicity or political affiliation."

We hope Yaya Jammeh takes heed.