Campaign criticizes Senegalese singers for supporting Gambian leader
Posted February 16, 2014 10:57 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
DAKAR, Senegal – Civil society groups have criticized prominent Senegalese musicians for statements supporting Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, whose government is notorious for human rights abuses.
The Democratic Union of Gambian Activists launched a campaign over the weekend to pressure musicians including Grammy-winning Youssou Ndour to avoid further visits with Jammeh, saying they were being used to “polish his image.”
Organizer Pa Samba Jow said recent appearances and statements in support of Jammeh, which have received wide coverage in Gambia’s state-run and pro-government media, amounted to “telling the Gambian people to go to hell.”
Ndour and other artists targeted by the campaign could not be reached for comment Sunday.
The campaign was launched with the support of Senegal’s “Y’en a Marre,” or “Fed Up,” group, a politically active collective of rappers and journalists.
