BANJUL, Gambia: President Adama Barrow arrived in Gambia on Thursday to a jubilant welcome marking the beginning of the west African nation’s first democratic transfer of power, AFP sources said.
Dressed in flowing white robes and cap, Barrow stepped off the plane, with heavily-armed troops from Senegal and Nigeria standing by as his plane landed from Senegal, where he had taken shelter on Jan. 15.
Meanwhile, Switzerland on Thursday detained former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko, who is accused of committing grave abuses under the regime of ousted President Yahya Jammeh.
Sonko had been one of Jammeh’s top allies, serving in his presidential guard before leading the interior ministry from 2006 to 2016. Jammeh sacked him in September and Sanko fled to Sweden where his request for asylum was rejected. Sonko was detained in the Swiss capital Bern following a complaint filed by rights group TRIAL.
“He will be interrogated soon,” Amael Gschwind, a spokesman for Bern prosecutors told AFP, confirming the arrest.
TRIAL, which campaigns for the Swiss judicial system to act on crimes committed abroad, described Sonko as one of Jammeh’s “strongmen” and said he must have been aware of the violations committed under the fallen authoritarian regime.
“Sonko could not have ignored the large-scale torture that political opponents, journalists and human rights defenders suffered,” said Benedict de Moerloose of TRIAL’s criminal law division. According to TRIAL, Sonko arrived in Switzerland in November and applied for asylum.
TRIAL urged Switzerland to move forward with prosecution, suggesting it could give positive momentum to the unprecedented political developments underway in Gambia.
“The crimes of Jammeh’s government have never been judged, and torturers walk free. At the time Gambia is preparing for a democratic transition, these developments send a strong message of hope,” the rights group said in a statement.
A UN official said on Thursday that Barrow has asked a West African military operation to remain in the country for six months.
“The president of Gambia asked for the mission to remain for six months, and it’s up to ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) to decide,” Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the UN’ most senior official in West Africa, told a news conference in Senegal. Chambas said the UN was working to bolster stability.
Barrow took the oath of office at his country’s embassy in Dakar a week ago and a multinational African force then entered Gambia to ensure his safe return home and Jammeh’s departure. Gambians said they were looking forward to their freedom after two decades of Jammeh’s iron-fisted rule.
“I’m 100 percent a Barrow supporter and I’m more happy than I can say,” said Kanamo Sansou, sitting with his friends at Serrekunda market close to the capital Banjul.
“He will be different in all aspects... we have been living under dictatorship for 22 years,” added pensioner Ibrahima Gaye.
“You can go home at night and sleep without worrying you will be arrested before daybreak,” he said.
Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, who holds the Security Council’s presidency, said: “We shouldn’t just turn our back on Gambia now and walk away to the next situation but really make sure that we stay the course and support democracy.”
Senegal’s President Macky Sall said his country “will spare no effort to consolidate fraternal ties between the Gambian and Senegalese peoples.”
Dressed in flowing white robes and cap, Barrow stepped off the plane, with heavily-armed troops from Senegal and Nigeria standing by as his plane landed from Senegal, where he had taken shelter on Jan. 15.
Meanwhile, Switzerland on Thursday detained former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko, who is accused of committing grave abuses under the regime of ousted President Yahya Jammeh.
Sonko had been one of Jammeh’s top allies, serving in his presidential guard before leading the interior ministry from 2006 to 2016. Jammeh sacked him in September and Sanko fled to Sweden where his request for asylum was rejected. Sonko was detained in the Swiss capital Bern following a complaint filed by rights group TRIAL.
“He will be interrogated soon,” Amael Gschwind, a spokesman for Bern prosecutors told AFP, confirming the arrest.
TRIAL, which campaigns for the Swiss judicial system to act on crimes committed abroad, described Sonko as one of Jammeh’s “strongmen” and said he must have been aware of the violations committed under the fallen authoritarian regime.
“Sonko could not have ignored the large-scale torture that political opponents, journalists and human rights defenders suffered,” said Benedict de Moerloose of TRIAL’s criminal law division. According to TRIAL, Sonko arrived in Switzerland in November and applied for asylum.
TRIAL urged Switzerland to move forward with prosecution, suggesting it could give positive momentum to the unprecedented political developments underway in Gambia.
“The crimes of Jammeh’s government have never been judged, and torturers walk free. At the time Gambia is preparing for a democratic transition, these developments send a strong message of hope,” the rights group said in a statement.
A UN official said on Thursday that Barrow has asked a West African military operation to remain in the country for six months.
“The president of Gambia asked for the mission to remain for six months, and it’s up to ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) to decide,” Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the UN’ most senior official in West Africa, told a news conference in Senegal. Chambas said the UN was working to bolster stability.
Barrow took the oath of office at his country’s embassy in Dakar a week ago and a multinational African force then entered Gambia to ensure his safe return home and Jammeh’s departure. Gambians said they were looking forward to their freedom after two decades of Jammeh’s iron-fisted rule.
“I’m 100 percent a Barrow supporter and I’m more happy than I can say,” said Kanamo Sansou, sitting with his friends at Serrekunda market close to the capital Banjul.
“He will be different in all aspects... we have been living under dictatorship for 22 years,” added pensioner Ibrahima Gaye.
“You can go home at night and sleep without worrying you will be arrested before daybreak,” he said.
Swedish Ambassador Olof Skoog, who holds the Security Council’s presidency, said: “We shouldn’t just turn our back on Gambia now and walk away to the next situation but really make sure that we stay the course and support democracy.”
Senegal’s President Macky Sall said his country “will spare no effort to consolidate fraternal ties between the Gambian and Senegalese peoples.”
