Gambia calls for lifting of sanctions on Cuba

Lamin Jahateh, Banjul The Gambia Parliamentarians had ratified a resolution calling on the United Nations, the United States of America and the International Community, to lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on Cuba since 1960. “It is a matter of particular urgency,” said Hon. Fatou Mbye, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia on Monday while tabling the motion before the National Assembly for ratification. Pic: Hon. Fatou Mbye, Deputy speaker, Gambia National Assembly Hon. Mbye calls on the United Nations Security Council and all its bodies to reconsider their positions and urge the Government of the United States of America to lift the embargo and blockade imposed on the Government and people of Cuba for over half a century now. The United States of America imposed sanctions on Cuba which was endorsed by the Security Council, following the Cuban missiles crisis in 1960. The Government of The Gambia, through the National Assembly of The Gambia, is calling on the Security Council and the USA to lift this “inhumane and unjustified” sanction against people of Cuba. Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Gambia said United States spent millions of Dollars to enforce “that unjust embargo in the name of protecting the people of America from threat of communism”.  “History has proved that Cuba and Communism had never been threat to the USA and its peace loving people.” The Parliamentarians said the threat from Cuba was a perceived speculation and fifty years on, “we can conclude that the threat was not real but perceived”. “Cuba and Communism had never been a threat to the security of The United States of America, and the United States must also admit that ‘a dwarf is in as much a human being like a giant’ that is a small peaceful country republic like Cuba is a sovereign state like the most powerful kingdom on earth,” Hon Mbye said. In 2009, 187 Member states of the United Nations voted in favour of lifting the blockade.  This constitute a true demonstration that the battle to lift the blockade enjoys the acknowledgement and backing of the overwhelming majority of the International Community, including The Gambia. The President of The Gambia, Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh on September 24th 2009, in addressing world leaders at the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York, called on the UN to urge the United States of America to immediately and unconditionally lift the embargo on Cuba in accordance with the wishes of more than 98% of the membership of the UN. “This trade embargo continues to hurt Cuban women and children.  The Cuban children that are born into these extreme hardships have committed no crime.  The punishment of women and children because of political difference is a very serious violation of Human and Children’s Rights,” President Jammeh said. The majority Leader of the National Assembly, Fabakary T Jatta said the blockade violates International Law.  It is against the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.  It constitutes a transgression on the right to peace, development and security of a sovereign state.  In its essence and purpose, it is a unilateral act of aggression and constitutes a flagrant, massive and systematic violation on the rights of an entire people. “The American taxpayers are financing the cost of this blockade at the expense of the much needed welfare service for the poor, Hon. Jatta said. He said the state apparatus of the United States of America particularly the CIA got it all wrong in 1960 for advising and imposing economic sanctions and blockade on peace loving people of Cuba.