Gambian human rights activist urges govt. to demand justice for slain African-Americans
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Prominent human rights activist in The Gambia, Madi Jobarteh, has urged the Gambian government to demand from the American government justice for Momodou Lamin Sisay and George Floyd and all those victims of US police brutality.
Sisay, a 39-year-old Gambian, died in the US State of Georgia after a reported police shootout on Friday.
"He was killed after a shooting that happened on Temple Johnson Road near Pate Road in Snellville, Georgia," according to local media.
“Let our Government make it clear to the US Government’s representative in Banjul that we will not tolerate Gambians and African-Americans being killed by the US Police with impunity. Furthermore, let us make our political parties to speak up. America is NOT the Almighty.
“Let us reject that sense of helplessness and small and poor nations' mentality that America is a huge and invincible super power that we cannot do anything about. Let all political parties in Africa begin to act like governments and leaders and take a proactive and definitive stance on fundamental issues affecting African lives across the world.
“Let all governments in Africa stand up and speak with one voice that the blatant, indiscriminately and racist attacks on our kith and kin in the United States will never go unnoticed and unchecked,”Jobarteh said in statement made available to PANA here on Sunday.
He disclosed that Gambian activists in the United States are actively engaged on this matter and they are seeking the support of lawyers to ask the courts to make the police release their videos publicly as well as have human rights organizations raise the issue across the nation.
“In the Gambia, let us raise the issue as well. Let us demand that the Gambia Government should summon the Ambassador of the United States to State House to make it clear to him in no uncertain terms the painful grieve and deep concern of the people and Government of the Gambia for the killing of Momodou,” he emphasized.
He described explanation which says they came under fire from Momodou and so in the exchange our boy was killed, as “false” and rejecting the narrative 100% saying it’s nothing but the same typical pattern of fabrications that the US Police are notorious of spreading anytime they kill Africans.
“Once again, they victimize the victim! For that matter we demand the release of the police videos to show exactly what happened to Momodou,” he demanded.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 31May2020
