Hi Halifa! Thanks for the clarification. Yes, I am aware of what the editors are going through and strongly condemn the use of the citizenship issue to make them toe the line. I hope you succeed in getting the necessary changes. Thanks. Buharry. ----- Original Message ----- From: foroyaa <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2000 8:34 PM Subject: Re: THE NEED TO REVIEW LAWS ON CITIZENSHIP > Buharry, > > The 1970 Constitution is, indeed, no longer valid. The reason for referring > to its provision is to draw the attention of the Law Reform Commission to > the plight of people in The Gambia who, because of neglect, now find > themselves stateless. > > Section 8 of the 1997 Constitution states that: "Every person who, > immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution, is a citizen > of The Gambia, shall subject to this Constitution- > > "(a) continue to be a citizen of The Gambia; > "(b) retain the same status as a citizen by birth, by descent, by > registration or by naturalisation, as the case may be, as he or she enjoyed > immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution." > > You would recall that many people could have registered as citizens under > the 1970 Constitution for having been born in The Gambia without parents and > grandparents being born in The Gambia if the provisions had been created. > > This simply means that if the provisions of the 1970 Constitution were > adhered to, those people who would have registered as citizens would simply > continue to be regarded as citizens under the 1997 Constitution. > > Since ignorance had barred the taking of national initiatives to create the > necessary provisions for the people concerned to have registered as > citizens, our argument is that the present Constitution should be amended > and the provisions in the 1970 Constitution incorporated to make room for > citizenship through registration for those born in The Gambia of parents and > grandparents who were not born in The Gambia. > > I am not sure whether you are aware of the current problems being > encountered by the editors of the Independent newspaper which touches on the > subject that is now under review. > > I hope Rene will see the issue from the angle stipulated. > > Greetings. > > Halifa. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 3:07 PM > Subject: Re: THE NEED TO REVIEW LAWS ON CITIZENSHIP > > > > Hi Halifa! > > Sorry for the late response to this posting but I have > been > > in and out of Stockholm a bit lately and have not had much time for my > mail. > > However, I would like to ask for the rationale behind basing your > arguments > > on the 1970 Constitution when that Constitution was abrogated in Schedule > 2, > > Section 15 of the current Constitution. Thanks. > > > > Buharry > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------