UPDATE: Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye has said that "former president Jammeh and his team concocted a declaration to be endorsed by (regional bloc) ECOWAS, the United Nations and the African Union that gave him every guarantee, essentially impunity", but it was signed by no one.
Earlier report...
Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh finally left Banjul, the country's capital, Saturday night to go into exile after signing a deal.
Jammeh leaves "temporarily" and is assured there will be no "witch-hunting" or asset-seizing.
According to a deal with ECOWAS, AU and UN, Jammeh is at liberty to return to The Gambia at any time of his choosing in accordance with international human rights law.
He was defeated in December's election by Adama Barrow but he went on to challenge the results.
But two days after Mr Barrow was sworn in, Mr Jammeh is now in Malabo, Equitorial Guinea.
The former-soldier-turned-civilian leader held sway in the country for 22 years and had vowed to rule for a “billion years” until he was defeated in the presidential election.
However, below is the deal that Mr. Jammeh signed with the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) before agreeing to leave the country and allow the new president take over:
Joint Declaration by the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and the United Nations on the Political Situation of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia
1. Following the Decision of the Summit of the ECOWAS Authority taken on 17th December 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria, Mediation efforts, including visits to Banjul, were undertaken by the Chair of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, HE President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Mediator, HE President Muhammadu Buhari and Co-Mediator on The Gambia, HE former President John Dramani Mahama, along with HE President Ernest Bai Koroma to mediate on the political impasse with Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh.
2. Following further mediation efforts by HE President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and HE President Alpha Conde of the Republic of Guinea Conakry with HE Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh, the former President of the Republic of The Gambia, and in consultation with the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the Chairperson of the African Union and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, this declaration is made with the purpose of reaching a peaceful resolution to the political situation in The Gambia.
3. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commend the goodwill and statesmanship of His Excellency former President Jammeh, who with the greater interest of the Gambian people in mind, and in order to preserve the peace, stability and security of The Gambia and maintain its sovereignty, territorial integrity and the dignity of the Gambian people, has decided to facilitate an immediate peaceful and orderly transition process and transfer of power to President Adama Barrow in accordance with the Gambian constitution.
4. In furtherance of this, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it assures and ensures the dignity, respect, security and rights of HE former President Jammeh, as a citizen, a party leader and a former Head of State as provided for and guaranteed by the 1997 Gambian Constitution and other Laws of The Gambia.
5. Further, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it fully guarantees, assures and ensures the dignity, security, safety and rights of former President Jammeh’s immediate family, cabinet members, government officials, Security Officials and party supporters and loyalists.
6. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that no legislative measures are taken by it that would be inconsistent with the previous two paragraphs.
7.
ECOWAS, the AU and the UN urge the Government of The Gambia to take all necessary measures to assure and ensure that there is no intimidation, harassment and/or witch-hunting of former regime members and supporters, in conformity with the Constitution and other laws of The Gambia.
8. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to prevent the seizure of assets and properties lawfully belonging to former President Jammeh or his family and those of his Cabinet members, government officials and Party supporters, as guaranteed under the Constitution and other Laws of The Gambia.
9. In order to avoid any recriminations, ECOWAS, the AU and the UN commit to work with the Government of The Gambia on national reconciliation to cement social, cultural and national cohesion.
10. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN underscore strongly the important role of the Gambian Defence and Security Forces in the maintenance of peace and stability of The Gambia and commit to work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that it takes all appropriate measures to support the maintenance of the integrity of the [Defence and] Security Forces and guard against all measures that can create division and a breakdown of order.
11. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN will work to ensure that host countries that offer “African hospitality” to former President Jammeh and his family do not become undue targets of harassment, intimidation and all other pressures and sanctions.
12. In order to assist a peaceful and orderly transition and transfer of power and the establishment of a new government, HE former President Jammeh will temporarily leave The Gambia on 21 January 2017, without any prejudice to his rights as a citizen, a former President and a Political Party Leader.
13. ECOWAS, the AU and the UN will work with the Government of The Gambia to ensure that former President Jammeh is at liberty to return to The Gambia at any time of his choosing in accordance with international human rights law and his rights as a citizen of the Gambia and a former head of state.
14. Pursuant to this declaration, ECOWAS will halt any military operations in The Gambia and will continue to pursue peaceful and political resolution of the crisis.
Yaw Sakyi
ReplyDeleteGOOD DEAL !!!!!!... NOW STOP TALKING ABOUT HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT JAMMEH AND FOCUS TOUR ATTENTION TO YOUR ADAMA BARROW!!!!!!!!!!
You sound devastated, get used to the new reality fast! Otherwise the world will leave you behind!
DeleteBut another source claimed there was no deal .....
Deleteyomitech.com
This agreement is porous and one sided with respect to those whose rights were usurped by former president Jammeh, this is a bad precedent in African politics. Jammeh has blood on his hands and to be given such an easy pass does not augur well for others in the sub region or on the continent.
ReplyDeleteLost opportunity to teach would-be dictators a lesson they should never forget!
ReplyDeleteJammeh will face the Icc no body has the power to stop
ReplyDeleteI mean no court or organisations can give jammeh total amnesty because we are talking about the life's of people who jammeh killed.
DeleteWhat is ICC? what have they done so far to those western leaders who have committed massive crimes against humanity?
DeleteFor your information, that court has not been recognised by the US, Russia, Israel, and the U.K. and even many countries have so far withdrawn their support and even pulling their countries out of that so called ICC.
He can be tried in Gambia by the new overhauled international criminal court but certainly, Not in The Hague for your information.
There was actually no deal at all. This it seems was a draft document prepared by the aids of the Guinean and Mauritanian presidents which the new Gambian authorities rejected outright. He left thus with no deals at all. Please see the declaration by Hon. Mai Fatty of the Coalition who has been the closest aid to President Barrow in Dakar.
ReplyDeleteWow Jammeh is a hard man
ReplyDeleteThis is what we need in Rwanda now.Rwanda is under the worst dictatorshiof the whole world. Where killing of civilians is a hobby of president Paul Kagame.
ReplyDeleteif Gambia can be liberated, Rwanda too can be liberated. It is a matter of good will of everyone who sa a need for freedom of the Gambian people.
ReplyDeleteYes for sure vengeance will serve as a great lesson and warning for the tyrants and sycophants, but yet that will never eradicate them in any community let alone in a country or a region or a continent or the surface of the earth.so therefore an instrumental person with an aim of development and successs is one who do not waist the precious time in vengeance but rather focuses on forgiveness,sustainable development, unity and peace for a better and lasting success.
ReplyDeleteBy a Sierra Leonean
Yes for sure vengeance will serve as a great lesson and warning for the tyrants and sycophants, but yet that will never eradicate them in any community let alone in a country or a region or a continent or the surface of the earth.so therefore an instrumental person with an aim of development and successs is one who do not waist the precious time in vengeance but rather focuses on forgiveness,sustainable development, unity and peace for a better and lasting success.
ReplyDeleteBy a Sierra Leonean
Whatever document was signed by Jammeh if he really did) was to see him out without blood of innocent civilians. That does not exempt him from prosecution for crimes he committed while serving as president for 22 years. Right now the prosecutor at the ICC (Fatou) is a Gambian, am quite sure she is one of Jammeh's victims. I can guarantee you that jammeh will pay some price for his actions.
ReplyDeleteWhatever document was signed by Jammeh if he really did) was to see him out without blood of innocent civilians. That does not exempt him from prosecution for crimes he committed while serving as president for 22 years. Right now the prosecutor at the ICC (Fatou) is a Gambian, am quite sure she is one of Jammeh's victims. I can guarantee you that jammeh will pay some price for his actions.
ReplyDeleteThis Goes a long way to show show how greedy and backward we Africans are...
ReplyDeleteEveryone would have expected this dude to handover power without without any issue but he decided decidedto do it with force.
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Wow to day Africa is the worest situations, how one person is hesitated to leave power?Its only in Africa most of African country s are rules by undemocratic ways they are dictatorship ,the ruling party can't want opposition party ex Ethiopian all are at prison so one day God can pay for all as they job ,please African leader take a lason from peaceful transtion of power from Obama and Trump .
ReplyDeleteVisit Www.higherlevel360.com for top african entertainments
ReplyDeleteLet the Folks investigate and indict Jammeh any one in his government who does anywrong. We heard a lot of alleged killings, tortures, rapings, kidnappings, corruptions and even men being castrated. Let´s brings those who we have evidence against to console the victims and or their families.... Long Live The Gambia. GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA.
ReplyDeleteThe AU,ECOWAS and UN have been coerced by the position of Former President Yaya James that is why they went ahead by signing this decorated deal with someone, who, even a one-year old kid knows about his éveil deeds. Giving him such a generous liberty means he's going scar-free which is not a good example. What is the difference Yaya James and former President Laurent Gbabo of the Ivory Coast who was arrested and turned over immediately to the Hague. Why must people whom we called leaders continue to have execute the four principles of the UN? Is the life of a cruel leader who is behind the lost of innocent civilians in The Gambia? Is the life of James more than those he intimidated and molested and are still living a psychological effects in their day-to-day lives?
ReplyDeleteFor God's sake, if there is anyway this agreement can be repealed, let it be.
thanks for sharing this awesome post
ReplyDelete