On The Arrest of Halifa Sallah
“This Must Stop!” These were the
words of Halifa Sallah, an opposition leader and social scientist,
while under arrest at Yundum Police Station, on Sunday evening. He was
arrested at his home by five plain clothes policemen on Sunday, at
about 5.15 pm and taken to Serrekunda Police Station.
The Police at Yundum Police Station could not explain the reason for his arrest to this reporter. Bail was refused.
Following
several reports of the activities of so-called witchcraft hunters
accompanied by armed uniformed men and so-called green boys and girls,
Halifa decided to visit the affected villages to find out what had
happened. He went to Makumbaya on Saturday and was able to get the
testimonies of the victims of the so-called witchcraft hunters. Halifa
told this reporter that the matter was serious and indicated that he
was going to write to the President about the matter and to get Human
Rights and other concerned organisations to go to these villages and
see things for themselves. The victims complained of being forced to
drink concoctions and to make “confessions”. They also complained of
all sorts of ailments after taking the concoction and having been
subjected to beatings.
The former member of the Pan African
Parliament and Minority Leader of the National Assembly is also a
member of the Editorial Board of Foroyaa. He is the Secretary General
of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism
(PDOIS) and the coordinator of the National Alliance for Democracy and
Development (NADD). He stood as a presidential candidate for the
Alliance in 2006.
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