Friends ,
this is from the Observer two days ago.
Another piece in the pattern I try to find of the april-incident.
Now we get the information that the cabinet march 26. approved a memorandum
submitted by the secretary of state for defence, which empowered the GNG
with "limited police duties", and that took effect on april 7. And was
practiced the 10.-11. april, I say.
To me the list of duties is not "limited". They put the police aside, my
opinion.
If the military has taken over they certainly has to behave. It is not
acceptable that they can not give an exact description of how orders were
given and dealt with. And it is not acceptable that they use physical abuse
on detainees, when they are under control in prisons.
But now I understand why the military was so heavy involved in the april
incident. Until now I could not understand why military was so active those
days.
Comment from Asbjørn Nordam
>National Guard given police duties
>
>The department of state for Defence, yesterday afternoon, issued a press
>release announcing the empowerment of the Gambia National Guard with "limited
>police duties." The empowerment was said to have taken effect on April 7, 2000.
>
>Cabinet was said to have given approval to the memorandum on the matter on
>March 26, 2000 when the secretary of state for Defence submitted it.
>
>The press release further stated, "This approval necessitated an amendment to
>the relevant sections of The Gambia Armed Forces Act to cater for these
>responsibilities, including the implementation modalities relevant to this
>assignment.
>
>In this regard, the National Guard shall, together with the police, be employed
>in the preservation and maintenance of law and order, protection of properties,
>and the prevention and detection of crime.
>
>Other duties include:
>
>. riot control
>
>. combating drug trafficking and cattle rustling
>
>. money laundering and counterfeiting
>
>. armed robbery
>
>. detention, control and fight against serious crime among others.
>
>Civilian authorities and the general public are hereby requested to convey to
>the National Guard, relevant information they may consider useful for the
>execution of these duties and responsibilities or that may have a direct or
>indirect bearing on the safety of the public and general security as a whole."
>
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