afrol News, 20 August - The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) has asked Ghanaian government to file an official complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking legal redress for the gruesome massacre of its citizens by Gambian security operatives.

In a statement, the human rights body entreated the Ghanaian government to seek diplomatic action against The Gambia government in addition to the criminal justice measures.

CHRI had been relentlessly championing the call for justice in the mass execution of innocent Ghanaians in The Gambia. The body could not understand why the Ghanaian government was slow in dealing with the case.

On 22 July 2005, 54 West Africans [44 Ghanaians] were brutally killed by Gambian security operatives after they accused them of trying to dislodge the government from power. It later turned that the executed men were economic migrants who were waiting to be ferried to Europe in search of greener pastures.

The Ghana Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had earlier presented its findings to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which was like manna from heaven to CHRI. It has given the organisation a ray of hope.

ICHRI said the report had not only revealed President Yahya Jammeh’s involvement, but also his role as the main perpetrator of the extra-judicial killings.

“His [President Yahya Jammeh] implication and that of several others indicate a major step towards the call for justice against the perpetrators. We, therefore, believe the government needs to take further action against The Gambian government,” CHRI said, commending the CID for its positive action. It argued that the report could only yield positive results provided the government concludes its investigations timely and brought those responsible to justice.

Ghanaian government has been asked to make the public so that citizens can get a clear understanding of the true story. It said it will be in line with the provisions of the Ghanaian constitution and international instruments on the right to information and human rights to make the report public.

“This will also serve to show the level of commitment the government has towards achieving justice for the 44 murdered Ghanaians in a transparent manner that will also show public participation.”

The right group also asked the Ghana government to include the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) as part of an investigative established to conduct further investigations into the massacre.

By S. Makalo in Accra, Ghana

© afrol News

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