By Binta Jaiteh
Hon Muhammed Kanteh, the National Assembly member for Busumbala constituency yesterday questioned Dr. MomodouTangara, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Gambians Abroad over the initiator of the deportation of the Gambians from Europe.
Minister Tangara explained that the document that led to the deportation of Gambians is a document agreed upon by the Gambia Government and the European Union (EU) in 2018 and that is part of the migration program in 2018 for the first time when the EU came to the Gambia following the change of government.
He noted that this MOU is between the Gambia government and the European Union, not the Federal Republic of Germany.
Hon Kanteh revealed this during the questions for oral answers for the Minister to answer, concerns were raised by members,, and according to Hon Kanteh, he went further to ask whether the MOU was sign.
However, the Minister said the message conveyed their agreement with the said arrangement forwarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018 through a note verbal.
After the Minister’s response, the speaker of the house interjected immediately and said “I don’t want us to go out of the question. The question is inquiring the Hon Minster to update and provide this National Assembly with the agreement document signed between the Government of The Gambia and the German Government and the Minister responded that no document was signed.”
Meanwhile, Hon Sanyang NA for Latrikunda Sabiji said Germany is part of the European Union and this question is related to the good practices between the government and EU for the efficient operation of identification and return of procedures of persons without authorization to stay.
He, therefore, asked the Minister if the 15 million euro had been disbursed to the Government, money that is meant to assist the returnees; but Speaker Jatta fired back at him that it had nothing to do with the principal question. But Hon Sanyang told the Speaker to wait till the Minister responded “No”.
The Speaker insisted and replied that they would not deny anyone from asking questions but it must be as per our regulation.
Notwithstanding, Minister Tangara said they are aware of the fact that migration is part of human history and there is no way they can stop it “We made that clear to our partners. These boys who travel to Europe are called ‘backway boys’ Sometimes their families are not aware and the solution is not deportation but to work on measures that will help us deal with this efficiently.”
The Kiang West NA, Hon Lamin Ceesay asked the Minister about the measures that the government is taking to stop this indiscriminate deportation that the country is experiencing.
The Minister answered that they have agreed that deportation is not the solution, but when you have exhausted all the legal remedies to stay in a country, even “in the Gambia we deport people who are not complying with our laws.”
He said the only thing the government can do is to negotiate to see how best they can regularize it adding that there is an offer on the table with Germany to regularize Gambians who have stayed there without any crime.
“We are duty-bound by international law when it is established that you are a Gambian with all the documentary evidence, we cannot refuse you not to come to the country because we cannot render our citizens stateless. It is with a heavy heart that we accept our people even with all the resources spent,” he explained.
He emphasized that the issue of deportation has gone beyond partisan politics and it needs a national debate.
Hon Gibi Mballow member of Lower Fulladu West insisted that he wanted to know who since 2018 signed the MOU that caused the deportation of the Gambian citizens.
The Minister answered that it is easy to verify the Minister in 2018 as everyone knows the government is a continuous process.
