By Tabora Bojang
A group of Gambians have petitioned the UK Home Secretary calling on her to grant British citizenship to individuals born under British colonial Gambia.
In a statement shared with The Standard, the group, calling itself Gambia Community Care Foundation, stated: “As individuals born in a British colony and holding British issued birth certificates, we believe we have legitimate claims to British citizenship and respectfully seek your government’s intervention in addressing this matter. As you are aware, The Gambia was a British colony until 1965, and many individuals who were born during this period were issued with British birth certificates which we believe grants us the status of British nationals. However, despite the historical context of our births and the documentation issued to us, we have yet to receive formal recognition as British citizens by the British government.”
Sarjo Saine, executive director of the foundation said this lack of recognition of their citizenship by the British government is having “far reaching consequences” both for their generation and that of their children.
“One of our gravest outcomes of this situation is the increasing number of young people from the Gambia and other former colonies who resort to dangerous sea journeys in an effort to reach Europe, seeking better opportunities and escaping economic hardship. Those perilous journeys often taken in unsafe wooden boats, result in tragic losses of life, and we strongly believe that many of those individuals would not feel compelled to take such drastic measures if their families had the right they are entitled to, including citizenship and legal pathway to reside in the UK,” Saine said.
The group said it is appealing to the British government to among others “recognise and confirm British citizenship of individuals born in the Gambia and other former colonies during the colonial rule, extend those citizenship rights to their children, thus providing them with opportunities to pursue legal and safe paths for education, employment and residence in the UK thereby preventing them from risking their lives in dangerous journeys.
The group also urged the UK Government to facilitate applications and naturalisation processes of those affected by this issue and provide clear guidance on the steps they need to take to enable them receive the recognition they “rightfully deserve.”
“We are not seeking undue favors but rather we are asking for justice and acknowledgement of our historical status as Brith nationals. Many of us have maintained strong ties to the UK and contribute positively to our communities yet we find ourselves in limbo, without recognition of our rightful citizenship. We urge the British Government to address this matter with the seriousness and urgency it deserves,” the group said.
