State control

Tous deux sont au cœur du débat sur la laïcité qui vire, ces dernières semaines, à la stigmatisation des musulmans. Sihem Habchi, présidente du mouvement Ni putes ni soumises (NPNS), très impliquée dans la loi anti-burqa, et Richard Malka, avocat du journal Charlie hebdo (les caricatures de Mahomet) ou de la crèche Baby Loup (et le licenciement de son employée voilée) ont le sentiment qu'un piège est en train de se mettre en place sur cet « enjeu de civilisation ».

Israeli troops have stormed Awarta village in the northern West Bank, arresting more than 100 women as they hunted the killers of an Israeli family from the illegal settlement of Itamar, officials said. The military also used bulldozers to destroy Palestinian houses in a northern farming village east of Tubas, in an area under Israeli control, according to Palestinian security officials. In Awarta, hundreds of troops entered the village shortly after midnight on Thursday and imposed a curfew after which they began rounding up women, many of whom were elderly, local council head Tayis Awwad told the AFP news agency.

No more witnesses have testified since the testimony of the director of Yolocamba Solidaridad on the allegation of theft case against GAMCOTRAP officials Dr. Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho.  Appearing before Principal Magistrate Alagde at the Banjul Magistrate court on Monday, 28 March 2011, Prosecution Officer Superintendent Sainey Joof announced the presence of only one witness instead of four as announced at the previous seating. Prosecution witness Mariama Sumura, one of the celebrated Ex-Circumcisers trained by GAMCOTRAP, was called to the stand. The court was brought to a standstill when it was realized that the witness could only speak Fula. Joof said he met the witness that morning and realized she could only speak Fula. Magistrate Alagde asked for volunteers from the court room to translate but none was forthcoming. Update to Gambia: Witnesses did not appear in GAMCOTRAP Case hearing

Four witnesses failed to turn up  to testify  in the allegation of theft case against GAMCOTRAP officials, Dr. Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang- Sissoho at the Banjul Magistrate on the 9th March at 2011. Prosecution Officer, Superintendent Sainey Joof applied for an adjournment of the hearing because four Prosecution witnesses (2 from the Upper River Region and 2 from the Central River Region) did not turn up in court.    Prosecution Officer Joof told the court that a fax message has been sent on Friday to the Police in Basse to inform the women that they should report to the Court in Banjul to testify in the GAMCOTRAP case hearing. “We have subpoenaed them to come but they are not here.  The main office here has sent the fax to the Police so that they can use that to inform them.”  Update to Gambia: Yolocamba Director Accused of Rights Violation