Breaking News: Gambian Journalist & Human Rights Crusader Abdou Karim Sanneh Faces Deportation by UK Gov't.

-Dissidents jittery over Karim’s return to Gambia

By EBRIMA G. SANKAREH, Editor-in-Chief

Abdou Karim Sanneh, in detention in Leeds, UK

 Today, The Gambia Echo reports with deep resentment and well founded fear over the British Government’s intention to deport our colleague, Abdou Karim Sanneh, a prolific Gambian journalist, student activist and human rights crusader who for the past 14 years has been restlessly exposing the utterly criminal character of the Yahya Jammeh government. Gambian newspapers and other documented materials are replete with Karim’s intrepid commentaries and always biting analysis over the gruesomeness of the Jammeh regime.

A former college mate of this reporter, Karim’s flair for journalism began at The Gambia College and soon after graduation, he became a columnist for the Gambian Daily Observer where he quickly rose to become its Agriculture Page Editor. Over the years, he has written extensively about the dismal plight of the down trodden Gambian farmer and has assiduously documented the Jammeh government’s excesses particularly, in the murder of Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara and the liquidation of several school children on April 10-11, 2000.

Late last year, Abdou Karim wrote a damning feature article in The Gambia Echo reminiscing over his soured relation with Gambia President Jammeh when both were members of the Movement of Justice in Africa- Gambia outfit (MOJA-G) and in great detail, he revealed how both Yahya Jammeh and former Majority leader in the Gambian Parliament, Baba Jobe have abused office and contradicted MOJA’s principles of equity and good governance. In that acerbic piece, Abdou Karim Sanneh consistently referred to President Jammeh as a dictator who lacks candour and clarity.

In the Diaspora, he has been all over the Internet writing and commenting on all issues that affect Gambians, particularly on those issues related to our fettered freedoms and human rights. On the pages of The Gambia-L, a premier Gambian cyber outlet, there is a corpus of literature demonstrating Abdou Karim Sanneh’s wit, intelligence and brilliant political commentaries on the plight of the Gambian nation. On a Daily basis, it has become Mr. Sanneh’s ritual to report and comment on all issues of human rights violations not only in The Gambia but Africa as a whole. He is a bonafide journalist and a true Gambian patriot whose acerbic criticisms of the predacious Jammeh regime are well documented. Based on the forgoing and conscious of the vindictiveness of the Gambian president, The Gambia Echo calls on all media houses and human rights organizations to prevail on The British government to grant Abdou Karim Sanneh unconditional amnesty. Deporting Sanneh to The Gambia tantamount to signing his death certificate.

Accordingly and in consideration of the well founded fear of persecution in the hands of the Jammeh government, The Gambia Echo Newspaper, LLC in highlighting journalist Abdou Karim’s Sanneh’s precarious and worrisome circumstances crave the indulgence of the following:

Amnesty International, The Media foundation for West Africa, Reporters Without Borders, Committee for the Protection of Journalists, the African Press Agency, The British Broadcasting Corporation, Reuters and to all those human rights organizations and human rights lawyers who have been depending on our reports to intervene immediately.You can contact Abdou Karim Sanneh @ abdoukarim_sanneh@hotmail.com. One Ms. Flora Robertson is alleged to be Mr. Sanneh's immigration attorney and The Gambia Echo will continue to monitor developments. The Gambia Echo, LLC © is a legally registered newspaper in Raleigh, state of North Carolina in the USA and has a Federal tax identification number. All rights reserved.