‘Bad human rights record’ led to Gambia’s Commonwealth exit’

While reports link Gambia's Commonwealth exit to a New York hotel protest, the Hamat Bah-led NRP says the regime is aware of a possible backlash at  the Commonwealth summit next month and decided to pull out (Photo/SoutAfrica)

Gambian President: ‘Commonwealth withdrawal is non-negotiable’

Jammeh says the “Commonwealth remains at best a neo-colonial institution and at worst an animal farm, an idea which The Gambia will never subscribe to”. (Photo/EPA)

OJ urges Gambia to revisit Commonwealth withdrawal

The opposition leader criticised the President Jammeh-led government for not giving clear reasons of its shock withdrawal from the body usually referred to as “the Family of Nations”.

The Gambia: 'Enemies' Britain, US lying against government’

The tiny West African nation of 1.7 million has over the years grabbed international headlines over the state of human rights in the country; however, the President Yahya Jammeh-led government said (The) Gambia's human rights record since 1994 is “better than that of the United Kingdom and the United States put together”
(AP Photo/Andrew Burton,Pool)

Gambia pulls out of Commonwealth citing 'neo-colonialism'

The West African nation said it "will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism".

The Gambian President identified “excessive greed”, “obsession with world domination”, and“homosexuality” as the three biggest threats to human existence - as he addresses the 68th United Nations General Assembly on Friday Sept. 27, 2013 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Andrew Burton,Pool)

Gambia: ‘Viable avenue for citizens to report human rights violations’

The tiny West African nation of The Gambia is often criticized for alleged human rights violations.

Sioux City Human Rights Commission (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The creation of a Human Rights Commission in The Gambia will provide a “viable avenue” for the citizenry to lodge their complaints on human rights and other violations, according to Claire Mckenzie.

The acting General Secretary, Commonwealth Secretariat, who was speaking last week at a validation of a document on the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in The Gambia, support the significance of an independent human rights institution.

Mckenzie said the proposed NHRC can help draft legislations that are passed through parliament to ensure they are in conformity with international human rights obligations ratified by The Gambia.