Africa-Press – Gambia. Human Rights Activist Madi Jobarteh has has urged the National Assembly to summon State Intelligence Services (SIS) Director General Ousman Sowe over the institution’s request to observe proceedings of the Russian oil saga.
Jobarteh’s appeal comes amid reports that the SIS requested permission to attend the National Assembly’s inquiry into the Russian Oil matter, a request which the Assembly rejected.
Jobarteh, a known government critic and human rights activist, said the National Assembly should not only reject the request but should also go further to summon the Director General of the SIS to question him about the intention of such a request.
“The National Assembly is the foremost national institution with the highest responsibility for accountability. There is no national institution beyond and above the National Assembly. Hence no public institution has the authority to observe the work of the National Assembly,” he stated.
He added: “It is indeed concerning that the SIS (erroneously and illegally called SIS) would have the audacity to write to the National Assembly requesting to observe proceedings in the Russian petroleum saga. What will the SIS observe in a parliamentary inquiry? Is the SIS arrogating itself a superior position over the National Assembly or is the SIS saying they wish to monitor and determine if the process is going accordingly?”
He said the mandate of the SIS is to gather intelligence intended to protect national security. “To observe a parliamentary inquiry is not within the authority and mandate of the SIS. Therefore, this request is indeed concerning.”
This request from the SIS, Madi added, “should concern both the parliament and citizens alike. It should concern organizations demanding transparency and accountability.
“Given the role and mandate of the SIS, it is obvious that this request is only aimed at intelligence gathering. By having the SIS sit in the proceedings, it means therefore intimidating both NAMs and witnesses thereby preventing the full and open disclosure and thorough discussion of issues.
Jobarteh said section 119(3) of the Constitution protects witnesses from civil or criminal proceedings for what they testify before the National Assembly. “Both sections 113 and 114 protect NAMs from impeachment or question or prosecution in any court for whatever they say during National Assembly deliberations. Section 109 has already given a National Assembly committee the status of a high court at a trial in which the SIS has no role to play. What would be the purpose and effect of SIS going to observe the sittings of the Russian petroleum inquiry?”
He added that a parliamentary inquiry is a key oversight function which should not be a target of the NIA.
“The National Assembly is not a source of intelligence gathering for the SIS. Thus, for the SIS to request to be an observer is tantamount to interference with the National Assembly hence contempt which is a violation of the Constitution under Section 110. The Director General should have known the scope of his mandate and that of the National Assembly to know better that such a request should never have been made.”
He said the fact that the Russian petroleum saga exists to the point that the matter is now before the parliament indicates the failure of the SIS in the first place.
“If the SIS had done their job well, they should have long detected the illegal entry of Russian oil into the country and the illegal conduct of various public institutions and officials. Having failed to detect and expose the presence of Russian oil in The Gambia, why would the SIS now want to observe how a parliamentary inquiry is taking place?”
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