Breaking News: Jammeh Gov’t. Arrests Amnesty International’s Africa Chief  

 By Ebrima G. Sankareh, Editor-in- Chief

Unimpeachable sources from The Gambia report that Ms. Tania Bernath, Amnesty International’s Africa Programme Director and Yahya Dampha; a reporter with the local Foroyaa Newspaper have been arrested by agents of the much feared NIA- National Intelligence Agency of President Yahya Jammeh Saturday evening. The duo were on a trip in the Gambia’s Upper River Region investigating the whereabouts of Catholic Relief Service Officer Kanyiba Kanyi and Ousman Rambo Jatta a Councilor for Bakau.

              Both men have been arrested and held incommunicado since last year leaving behind a combustible combination of rumour and fear of probable foul play by the dictatorial regime of President Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a military coup thirteen years ago. Ms.Bernath who was in The Gambia as part of a human rights sensitization group for media practitioners, human rights groups and civil societies took up a trip to Sare Ngai, Basse and Fatoto in the accompaniment of Dampha from where they were trailed and seized by the NIA. As we went to press their exact whereabouts are not known. Stay tuned to The Echo for your most reliable news from The Gambia. Our Banjul correspondent Pateh Kinteh is  enroute to Basse and we will update as the developments unfold.