By Tabora Bojang
Prominent human rights lawyer, Lamin J Darbo has described the government’s Covid-19 protocols on international travelers as inhumane after he and several others disembarking SN Brussels airline were “effectively arrested, detained, and escorted” in a bus to the Four-Star Metzy Residential Hotel to quarantine.
According to the government travel protocols on Covid-19, all travelers to the country from international destinations must present a Covid-19 negative report valid within 72 hours, as part of plans to stem the spread of the virus.
Darbo, who was among lots of passengers flown into the country on Brussels Airlines on January 15th, said passengers on board the said flight encountered a nightmare situation on arrival at the airport.
“After clearing Immigration, and Customs, we were effectively arrested, detained, and escorted in a bus to the Four Star Metzy Residential Hotel to quarantine. Others were transported to and detained at Badala Hotel.
“Detained because of a lack of choice in the matter, and because no one travels from London, Brussels and airports across the world direct, or on transit, without taking and obtaining a NEGATIVE Covid-19 test result and fit to fly certificate from officially certified private outfits in originating countries within a 72-hour departing window,” Darbo said in a write-up shared with The Standard.
He further alleged that many of the “arrested passengers” quarantined at the Metzy and Badala have spent the night in the cold since they could not afford the D2,300 per night price.
“No food or water was provided to those detained and there were no officers around to explain the detention regime and the next steps before freedom.”
The Gunjur-born lawyer further alleged that while some of the passengers were detained against their will, others were let to go without being subjected to the same measures, “practically endangering the larger public for their Covid-19 condition could not be ascertained on arrival.”
“There were suggestions that Service, and Diplomatic, passport holders are exempt from the testing regime. Covid-19 affects people not passports and clearly therefore a passport holder’s mere official status is not a prophylactic against infection and public endangerment. The larger public must not be endangered in this typically unreasoned manner.
In the spirit of the rule of law, I hope my adviser-friends help engineer a humane Covid-19 detention mechanism with their principals.”
