Madi Jobarteh calls on security personnel to understand human rights issues

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By SULAYMAN WAAN

Madi Jorbateh, political commentator has called on security personnel to have a comprehensive understanding on citizens’ rights as well as human rights issues.

“One of your colleagues, Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso told soldiers of his country that a soldier without political education is a virtual criminal,” Jobarteh said quoting the former Burkinabe president before security personnel in a GPU organized 2-day workshop with security agencies.

The training workshop themed ‘media – security relationship and access to information’ held on Thursday at National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), attracted participants from the Military, Police Intervention Unit, Security Intelligent Service (SIS) among others.

The renowned human rights activist said the political education that security personnel should have includes knowledge on citizen’s right particularly freedom of expression.

“Democracy is noisy and I hope we would have conversation so that we understand this thing (citizens’ rights) to ensure our armed and security services would not again be another tool against citizens for merely exercising their rights,” he said.

Mr. Jobarteh recalled that security personnel have been maltreating citizens over the years; however, he was quick to add that this was happening because many do not understand citizens’ rights.

“It is not just strong armed forces that defend a country. You (security personnel) need a civilian population as well,” he noted.

However, he said developing civil-security relationship is necessary in reinforcing security services.

Madi emphasized that the training is of paramount in enabling the security officers to understand issues related to human rights because the country is just upholding her democracy.

He gave an overview as to how American soldiers exercised professionalism to civilians when they were evacuating foreign nationals from Freetown using their warship amid rebel invasion in the Sierra Leonean capital in the 90s.

“All the time we were in this warship. These soldiers treated everyone with so much respect. They were saying to us yes sir, yes madam and what do you need,” he recalled.

Jobarteh added that the comfort they (Gambian students) got while in the warship generated a discussion among them, saying “we were saying these are the things military officers should be doing.”

He said some Gambians have been arrested for making statements either on social media or mainstream media, advising security personnel to analyze information made by civilians so as to know whether they (civilians) have the right to make such remarks before any reaction.

Jobarteh further recalled human rights violations that security officers did to Gambian journalists in the past citing murder, arbitrary arrest, burning of a media house among others.