THANK GOD MR. JOOF IS ALIVE!
Astrid/
From The Daily Observer Published Friday, 12 May, 2000
OMAR JOOF'S WHEREABOUTS CONFIRMED
Following the violent student-police clashes of April 10 and 11 in
which 12 young people, including students, died, members of the
Gambia Students Union (Gamsu) were arrested. When the student leaders were
released a fortnight later, the president of Gamsu,Omar Joof, was not among
them. That prompted speculation about his whereabouts. Theories were spun,
among which was that he was tortured in detention and died.
His family denied knowledge of his whereabouts since the day of the student
demonstration. However, in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer,
Emmanuel Joof of the African Society of International and Comparative Law,
has confirmed the whereabouts of Omar Joof.
"Omar is with a human rights organisation in Dakar, Raddho, and
he is being taken care of by them. He left the country after the
events of April 10 and 11. In fact, he is traumatised," Mr Joof said.
Mr Joof, a human rights lawyer, said he has been in constant contact with
Raddho on Omar's welfare. "The reason why Omar has not been in touch with
his family is that he fears they might be intimidated."
Asked whether the Gamsu president is planning to return home,
Emmanuel Joof explained that Omar might be arrested "just as some
of his colleagues in the union or even tortured. However, I have
intimated Raddho that Omar should come back because a recent court decision
gave directions to the attorney general, the inspector general of police and
his agents, not to interfere with, or in any way fetter the liberty of Gamsu
leaders, including Omar Joof, for the events that took place on April 10 and
11," Emmanuel Joof said.
Mr Joof, who was among the team of lawyers who acted for the
release of the detained student leaders, said, "Omar is encouraged
to contact the team of lawyers as and when he wants to come back
home so that his passage would be safe-guarded. We went to court
and asked for the release of about 20 students before Justice Mam
Yassin Sey. Even though some of the detained students have been
released, some are still unaccounted for. But it has been learnt that
some of them allegedly listed as detained may have fled the
country such as Omar Joof. Therefore, I am appealing to family members to
furnish us with information concerning the whereabouts of the others."
On the coroner's inquest, Emmanuel Joof said, "I find it very
revealing. Human rights organisations and the international
community are all watching to see what the final reports of the
coroner will be. As for the independent commission, its setting up
is welcomed because it was one of the things that was suggested
by the Human Rights Coalition. And this buttressed the point
which the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, made during his
maiden visit to The Gambia; that not only should the rule of law be
upheld, but those responsible for the shooting should be
prosecuted. The whole world is really watching with great interest
the outcome of the commission's findings."
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