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A 10-person delegation of the Gambia Government, headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, had on Wednesday, 4th August met with Gambian refugees, refugee helpers, friends of the Gambia and volunteers at the Alte Seegrasspinnerei located at 14th Plochinger Straße in Nürtingen, to discuss the fate of Gambian migrants and refugees.The delegation is on a Technical Level Migration visit to EU Member States and selected European Union countries. They had since begun in Belgium before coming to Germany. Their tour started on 31st July and they are expected to cover Belgium, Germany, Italy and Austria.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Musa Camara, director of the Gambia Diaspora Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Gambia, introduced members of his delegation and disclosed the purpose of their tour.
Among the senior officials of the delegation, he said are; Mr. Saikou J.K Trawally, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, Ebrima Sanneh, also a Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, Mr. Manding Saidykhan, Principal Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Alhagie Jarjue, Executive Secretary of the National Youth Council (NYC) five others (Ms Ajara Jallow, Pa Malick Nyass, Foday Gassama, Andrew Sylva and Malang Nyass), who were on another assignment.
According to him, the purpose of their mission is to embark on a fact finding mission about the situation of Gambian refugees, their constraints and challenges. He added that they want to get first hand information about the situation of Gambians in the Diaspora and are poised to find a solution to these problems.
Mr. Camara maintained that migration is a key priority for the Gambia government, adding that Government is committed to curbing the menace of irregular migration.
He said the government established a Task Force for Migration Management with representatives from various institutions, adding that their objective is to device a strategy and a roadmap to embark on an outreach programme to meet the Gambians in the diaspora to interract with them to know their problems, challenges and find solutions to these problems.
He stated that the have been engaging the EU and the selected EU countries and the Gambian diaspora to have a first hand info about their problems and challenges.
Mr. Camara disclosed that the Gambia government created a National Migration Co-ordination Committee in which his Task Force serves as Technical members.
On his part, Mr. Yahya Sonko, an elected member of the Refugee Council of Baden-Württemberg gave a brief introduction of the refugee council. He said the council was established in 1988 as a network of local groups of volunteers working with refugees.
“The main tasks of the council are advising and informing people who are working with people and also refugees themselves. The council also produces information materials to explain legal topics, a magazine called Perspective which is produced three times a year, etc. email newsletters, website, etc,“ he disclosed.
He added that the council organises seminars to explain legal topics and other important issues concerning refugees.
“The council also engages in advocacy, publicity and networking with the goal of improving the situation of refugees. The Gambia is a great concern for the council. They help to explain how to obtain Gambian ID cards, birth certificate, passports, etc to Gambian refugees.“
In a similar development, Yahya Sonko also made an individual contribution after his speech on behalf of the refugee council, by advocating for the rights of deportees, denounced the inhumane treatment they are subjected to and called on Gambia government to find a solution to help the frustrated Gambian migrants who are almost losing their minds.
For Mr. Assan Sallah, chairman of the Gambia Refugees Association- Europe Branch, the delegation’s visit is a great opportunity for refugees to interact and share their problems, constraints and challenges with the Gambia government officials. He welcomed the delegation to Germany and Europe by extension. Mr. Sallah introduced the GRA Europe Branch and highlighted its efforts to curb deportation.
He disclosed that there are over 16,000 registered out of which over 4000 have their asylum cases rejected. He appealed to the delegation to look into their situation and re-enegage, negotiate with the EU officials and German authorities to give chance to the rejected refugees instead of deporting them.
Sallah made a brief background of the GRA‘s efforts to reach out to the Gambia government to help rejected asylum seekers, minimize deportation, etc.
He commended the delegation for their foresight and commitment in tackling the problems faced by Gambians in the Diaspora.
Dr. George Bouche, the Honorary Consul of the Gambia in Stuttgart, disclosed that he first travelled to The Gambia in 2014.
He said he built six (6) Nursery Schools and employed 50 Gambians in the Gambia. According to him, many years ago the Gambia had four (4) Honorary Consuls in Münich, Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart, some of whom have passed away. He added that he is in charge of Baden-Württemberg and Bayern Münich where he helps Gambians to get a passport, ID card or birth certificate. He also spoke about the fear and concerns raised by Gambian refugees when they face deportaion threats.
The Honorary Consul said Germany now considers Gambia a safe country and that is the reason for the rejection of so many Gambian asylum seekers.
Mr. Saikou J.K Trawally, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, said their mission is to have a better understanding of the situation of Gmabian refugees. He stated that the Government is aware of the significant role migrants play by contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Our government is working to ensure that migration becomes regular, orderly and safe. We want to discourage irregular migration and encourage regular migration,“ Mr. Trawally noted.
He advised the migrants to always maintain discipline, be law abiding, adapt to the European culture and raise the Gambian flag higher.
Ms. Fara Pecerella, a member of the Gambia in Blick project, presented a paper about her organisation. She disclosed that it was created for a political reason to change something on a political level.
“Our target is to forster link or partnership between The Gambia and Baden-Württemberg. We want to encourage Germany and The Gambia to encourage legal migration and find a solution for the migrants who are already in Germany,“ she remarked.
She advocated for the welfare of refugees and said they have to survive and must be supported.
Mr. Eckert Winter, the founder of Smile Solidarity Network who visited Gambia in 2014, said this is not the moment to deport anybody to The Gambia. He commended Gambians for being hard working by going to school and working hard. The Gambia, he added is in a fragile situation at the moment and cannot take care of its citizens from outside.
Other speakers such as Lamin Jaiteh, and Alhagie Njie, both highlighted the problems faced by refugees in Germany and called for the intervention of the authorities.
Mrs Julia Rieger, welcomed the delegation and chaired the ceremony.
Reporting by Assan Sallah.