Case N° GMB/01 - LAMIN WA JUWARA - GAMBIA

Resolution adopted without a vote by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 158th session
(Istanbul, 20 April 1996)

The Inter-Parliamentary Council,

Having before it the case of Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara, a former member of the Parliament of Gambia, which has been the subject of a study and report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, in accordance with the "Procedure for the examination and treatment by the Inter-Parliamentary Union of communications concerning violations of human rights of parliamentarians",

Taking note of the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/158/13(a)-R.1), which contains a detailed outline of the case,

Taking into consideration the information provided by the source on 26 March 1996,

Considering that Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara was a member for Niamina of the House of Representatives, which was dissolved in the wake of the military coup of 22 July 1994 led by Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh,

Considering that, according to the source, since the coup d'Etat, Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara has been in and out of prison and detained for months without charge; that on several occasions he was reportedly taken to Georgetown by special police,

Considering that he was reportedly last arrested in October 1995 when it was believed that he had again been taken to army barracks in Georgetown; that, however, when his wife, Ms. Soma Jallow, went there in the hope of seeing him, she was told by the local authorities that they had no knowledge of her husband's whereabouts; and that he has thus "disappeared",

Considering that the source fears that Mr. Juwara's life may be in danger,

1. Is extremely concerned at the arrest and subsequent disappearance of Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara, particularly in view of the allegation that he was arrested and taken away by a special police team acting on State authority;

2. Stresses that it is the fundamental obligation of the State to guarantee and protect the right to life and security of its nationals and that, therefore, it is its duty to make every effort to shed light on the situation of disappeared persons by means of diligent and thorough investigations;

3. Wishes to ascertain urgently the whereabouts of Mr. Lamin Wa Juwara and the reasons for his arrest and detention;

4. Wishes to receive full information on the nature and outcome of the investigation, if any, carried out into Mr. Wa Juwara's disappearance;

5. Recalls that Gambia is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and therefore bound to respect the rights established therein, such as the right to life and security of the person;

6. Requests the Secretary General to convey these concerns and considerations to the competent authorities and any other body likely to supply information on the whereabouts and current situation of Mr. Wa Juwara;

7. Calls on all Nationals Groups to take such action as will require response from the Gambian authorities on this matter of serious and urgent concern;

8. Requests the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to continue examining the case and to report to it at its next session (September 1996).