Gambia News : Lawyers debate ethics, politics in Gambia

Feb 03,2010 00:00 by lamin

The issue of when and how far lawyers should go in tackling human rights violations in the Gambia without being "political" has sparked a debate among legal practitioners attending a meeting, funded by British Government, in Banjul City, PANA reported Thursday.

The meeting is part of United Kingdom government's support towards "Legal Capacity Building Programme Phase II" in the West African country.

Awa Ceesay-Sabally, a prominent human rights lawyer and member of Gambia Bar Association (GBA), called on her colleagues in the profession to join forces and face squarely human rights violations happening in the country.

"It cannot be a one-man crusade," she said, adding: "we must do it together or allow dictatorship to prevail."

She recalled the personal efforts she had made in representing journalists under the banner of Gambia Press Union which challenged the country's infamous Media Commission Bill that the government attempted to impose in 2003.

Awa further cited the move by some few members of GBA in April 2000 who fought hard to secure the release of detained students after a riot in the Gambia.

The GBA President, Ms. Amie Bensouda, called for clear-cut rules for the bar in tackling issues that border on political matters.

"When should the Bar make statements on current issues which can be seen political? How far should we go?" she wondered.

"Because of the lack of this precision, it is difficult to make a choice. We should have a rule to state as to what the executive can do when such critical is sues arise."