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Momodou
Denmark
11739 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 19:45:12
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 Sab, Whats important is that you remembered about this report.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2008 : 21:05:14
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I look forward to reading the news that John MacKintosh a Scots businessman accused of raping a 10-year-old girl is returned to The Gambia and put on trial. Apparently it is said, three times he has been too ill to return.
John MacKintosh calculated his escaped from The Gambia after being issued a replacement passport by the British High Commissioner.
http://www.ecpat.org.uk/downloads/Return_to_Sender_2008.pdf.
Since our 2006 report was published a number of the recommendations have been taken up by government and we are very pleased to see this progress. In July 2008 the government withdrew ‘dual criminality’ from the Sexual Offences Act (2003). This was a major campaign call from ECPAT UK and means that a British national can be prosecuted in the UK for offences abroad, even if the offence is not a crime in the country where the offence took place.
Ministers have also announced their intention to close the ‘three day loophole’ making it compulsory for registered sex offenders to notify all foreign travel where at the moment they only have to notify if they intend to travel more than three days. These are significant legal changes but as history shows, having the law is one thing and using it is another.
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The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 01 Sep 2008 : 12:16:21
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Sab,
thanks for the link. infact the case you mentioned highlights some of the challenges where someone released on bail, can simply walk into his embassy and get a new passport to leave the country!
no questions asked |
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 22:42:51
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Hiz Princess, don't get me wrong. I tried to show that one cannot use statistics of one country for another even here in Europe.
Yes I understand that, obviously this is the case but it was used to highlight a point not for Gambian data although I understand the confusion over the original posting.
I am not in any way defending any child abuser, whether it's the parents or any pedophiles.
Momodou, I never assumed this if you thought that was what I was insinuating than please accept my apologies it couldn't be further than the truth. I was responding to your sentence
'as one cannot compare child abuse in UK to that of Denmark '
because I think there is no difference.
Nonetheless, it is very often I see people try to condemn others through their own cultural glasses.
I certainly do not think this is the case here. Certainly Snuggles posting about the NSPCC is nothing for any UK resident to gloat about. To date There was not one UK posting that either objected or tried to justify those figures Id actually argue that the figures are now higher than that but still the figures are there to see. I really don't believe in this instance this has been the case with these postings.
Cultural differences are always going to be a problem. Its interesting that the comments of 'early marriages ' have come from European females, but still we have no real Consensus of what Gambian nationals think.
Why is this??
With so many people here that argue points on politics I'm interested as to why they have avoided this topic?
Its hard to understand the 'early marriage' situation as the state Laws say one thing and religious laws (sorry I do not know the correct term) allow something different.
I personally feel that because we question does not necessarily mean we condemn. |
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 22:45:28
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quote:
Originally posted by mavaric
I dont think the term 'paedophile' should be used to describe them. From what I understand here on the ground, those girls are all above the age of 18. If its consented, its not illegal to be honest.. They are adults allowing two white people to take pictures of them. I think we have a tendency here in The Gambia to overeact... The fact that they are outsiders & white makes the authorities & press blow it out of proportion.
Mavaric I thought the newspapers reported that it was a minor child/ren is this not the case?
I'm sorry im not up to speed just trying to play a mad catch up |
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 23:00:23
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quote:
Originally posted by sab
I look forward to reading the news that John MacKintosh a Scots businessman accused of raping a 10-year-old girl is returned to The Gambia and put on trial. Apparently it is said, three times he has been too ill to return.
John MacKintosh calculated his escaped from The Gambia after being issued a replacement passport by the British High Commissioner.
Its an absolute disgrace but I think there's a lot more to this story. 
I'm afraid id much rather see him face a court in the UK to be honest they'd be little chance of him bribing his way out.
For those not familiar with the case ...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2004/aug/01/ukcrime.alexduvalsmith
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Hiz Princess
United Kingdom
464 Posts |
Posted - 02 Sep 2008 : 23:38:53
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Apologies Gambia does have its own task force
CPA (The Child Protection Alliance) this is a non-governmental organisation that does lobby the government I'm told.
Here's a document on child sex tourism that may bring this thread back on course.
The issue of sex tourism and in particular child sex tourism has until recently received little
attention from researchers and others in The Gambia. The reasons for this are many. The Gambia
is a Muslim country and its people are peace loving and friendly. The idea that tourists would
deliberately come to The Gambia to harm children is inconceivable to the majority of people. Allied
to this would be local beliefs and customs about the position of children in society and the lack of
awareness of abuse in general which creates a culture of silence. Children in this situation have
no means of defending themselves or speaking out about being abused by tourists or others.
http://cpagambia.gm/images/cstreport.pdf |
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 06 Sep 2008 : 01:07:14
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| A very interesting and comprehencive report on child abuse by tourists. A step in the right direction. The survey was based on individule or group inteviews Not on staistical evidence to the actual figures involved. It now needs a broader investigation to see who the main perpetrators are. Maybe for Gambians as a child is deemed to be anyone under 18 then a law passed no one can get married untill the age of 18 would also be a step in the right dirction |
Edited by - snuggels on 06 Sep 2008 01:11:12 |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2008 : 22:02:06
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| what about gambians? my last visit last week and previous visits i have seen many gambians-lebanase 50+ with under age girls. I have not seen any of them with children but the ladies were 15ish. Are there gambians pedophiles? or 2babs are being singled out? |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Formby
United Kingdom
246 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2008 : 04:37:13
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| As a matter of fact, Turk, after the Gary Glitter stuff I was hearted to read that the local accomplice was under arrest too, in this case. It's all too easy to blame the tourist while the 'parents' are pocketing money. Let's hope Gambia doesn't go the hypocritical way of Vietnam. |
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2008 : 17:45:56
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| Indeed TURK "what about gambians?" it would be interesting to get the views of thoes in Gambia. So far through out this thread it appears only 2 people in Gambia have responeded |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2008 : 18:40:56
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| psychological defense mechanism? Denial? Maybe not. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2008 : 19:57:23
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Could be.who can tell though ,maybe someone will answer this. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2008 : 08:20:15
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| one thing i know, there is an institutional racism in gambia towards toubabs just as much as or worse than the west (towards non-whites). the legal-law enforcement process treats toubabs unfairly in my opinion. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2008 : 11:18:29
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Turk said.
"the legal-law enforcement process treats toubabs unfairly in my opinion."
This is the percieved perception in the UK too. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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