EFSCRJ calls for Jammeh’s exclusion from Diamond Jubilee billboard

The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) called on the government of Adama Barrow to remove the picture of Yahya Jammeh from the billboard on Gambia’s Diamond Jubilee.

A giant billboard along the Bertil Harding Highway commissioned by State House displaying the portrait of former Gambian leaders: Sir Farimang Singhateh, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, Yahya Jammeh and Adama Barrow. The billboard is announcing the diamond jubilee of the Gambia’s independence anniversary slated for 18th February 2025.

The centre urged the government to refrain from giving Jammeh any honorable mention or status in the entire celebrations. It said the government should be sensitive to the pain and misery of Jammeh’s victims.

“We refuse to accept those who seek to rationalize that simply because Jammeh was a former President therefore he deserves to be recognized.

We wish to remind those people that to be a President is not only a legal and political status. It is also a question of legal and political obligations and ethics to ensure justice, freedom, peace, security and dignity of citizens,” the release said.

The centre said Gambia should not celebrate Jammeh as countries like Germany, Cambodia, Rwanda, Spain, and Argentina did not celebrate their brutal leaders.

“Or the Gambia too, Yahya Jammeh represents for us Hitler, Pol Pot and Habyarimana and others. Yaya should not hold a place of pride and honour in our national activities, even though he was a former President.”.