QUESTION OF THE DAY
The issuing of ID cards should be scrutinised by independent and impartial observers. The UN, AU and ECOWAS should engage the Gambia Government on the issue of stateless residents in The Gambia. Human rights NGOs should seek cooperation with the Minister of the Interior so that they would have their officers posted where ID cards are issued to monitor the process and take note of every person rejected so that the country will put a phase and have a head count of all the stateless persons in The Gambia.
Foroyaa has cautioned the nation to be aware that a citizenship time bomb is being fueled. Once the issuing of ID cards is done under a law which does not recognise being born in The Gambia as the basis of citizenship by birth many people would become stateless. Where will they go? Would other countries accept them as asylum seekers or would they be treated as illegal migrants?
A simple amendment of our citizenship would avert the explosion of the citizenship time bomb. To fail to do so is to create a problem not only for the Gambia but also for countries where these persons will take refuge. The government and the world should take interest before it is too late. The future will tell.
