Africa-Press – Gambia. Hon. Fatou Cham, National Assembly Member for Sanimentereng Constituency, has strongly condemned the recent demolitions in Salagi, calling for justice and accountability from the Ministry of Lands and the government at large.
The lawmaker made these remarks during a visit to Salagi, where she met with affected residents to hear their grievances and witness firsthand the devastation caused by the demolitions.
Hon. Cham appealed to the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Lands, and the President to take swift and decisive action to ensure justice for the victims. She decried the manner in which the demolitions were carried out, stating that no law in the world justifies evicting families while they are still inside their homes.
“Therefore I am calling on the National Human Rights Commission and challenging them to take a stand on this matter i want justice to prevail we have human rights advocates in the Gambia as well as international human rights laws and I am calling on them to act. The people of Salagi deserve just homes were demolished while residents were still inside that is a clear violation of their rights and I Hon. Cham strongly condemn it,” he said.
Although the incident occurred while she was out of the country on official duty, Hon. Cham said she was shocked and heartbroken by the images and videos that circulated on social media. Upon her return, she made it a priority to meet with the victims and gather firsthand accounts.
“I will approach the minister of local government and lands Hon. Minister Hamat Bah I will come to your office because I need answers I need a clear explanation on how and why the demolitions in Salagi happened. Why should women and children be homeless why should families be forced out of their homes and why should innocent citizens be made suffer in this why,” she expressed.
She highlighted that she knows that the minister of Lands is a man of integrity and principles that she is calling him to let those principles guide his actions.
Hon. Cham emphasized her belief in the integrity and principles of Minister Bah and urged him to let those values guide his response to the crisis.
“What happened in Salagi is wrong. No citizen should be rendered homeless without accountability. We must ensure justice for the victims,” she asserted.
She lamented that while governments around the world work to provide housing for their citizens, in The Gambia, people are instead being made homeless.
“What happened is unjustifiable and unacceptable and I strongly condemn it I will continue to speak out and stand with the victims until justice is served and the rights of those affected are fully respected. Salagi community has suffered enough I am calling on the government of President Adama Barrow that let this be the last time any demolition takes place in Salagi. We are tired and frustrated by this unnecessary demolition i call them unnecessary because you are making people homeless. You cannot justify demolishing people’s homes in the name of reserving land for those who don’t have shelter,” she said.
She concluded by questioning the government’s priorities: “How can a football field or any other facility be more important than the basic human right to shelter? Who is the land really being reserved for, when our own people are left in the open? It’s time for this injustice to end—once and for all.”
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