For Gambia's Yahya Jammeh, the awards just keep coming
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Friday, December 30 2011 Africa Review - Not content with winning the presidential election with a landslide last month, Gambia President Yahya Jammeh has added another accolade to his already bulging collection, winning the inaugural 'Most Outstanding Music Contribution Award' at a recent event. The award is in recognition for his "invaluable contribution" towards the development of young and upcoming artistes in the West African country, organisers of the first ever Gambia Showbiz and Fashion Awards 2011 said. The colourful and well-attended awards at the Choosan night club also saw several other institutions and outstanding personalities recognised for their contribution to the local entertainment industry. President Jammeh, who was re-elected for a fourth five-year term in November, has been the recipient of many awards, both national and external, including his honorary doctorate degree and the Sheikh title from the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council. He was also given another controversial title of honour by the same council but has yet to include it among the titles before his proper name. Strongly protested The 46-year-old President is officially known as Alhaji Dr Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh and often adds "His Excellency Sheikh Professor" before his existing titles. He is also known as the Commander In Chief of The Armed Forces, Secretary of State For Defence and the Chief Custodian of the Constitution of The Gambia. In July 2011 he was said to have been conferred a prestigious international award by the Management School London and BEEC International, who tout themselves as global leaders and pacesetters in human resource development and learning.
AU chief meets Jammeh over Bissau coup bid By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Friday, December 30 2011 Africa Review - Following his trip to Guinea-Bissau in the wake of Monday’s attempted coup there, African Union chief executive Jean Ping made a highly significant one-day detour to neighbouring Gambia for talks with strongman Yahya Jammeh on the Bissau issue. The visit by the AU Commission chairman points to a widely held view that President Jammeh not only knows the restive country very well, but that he has had a hand in the long-running politico-military conflict there. For starters, the Gambian leader has been a close ally of José Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, the head of Guinea-Bissau’s navy who was fingered as the mastermind of the failed coup. In 2008 Jammeh gave sanctuary to the same Bubo Na Tchuto who was being sought for his alleged involvement in a coup that led to the killing of civilian President Joao Vieira. Mr Ping said even though the Bissau situation is now relatively under control, the real problem which he defined as army reform remained. Bubo Na Tchuto and 24 alleged accomplices have been under arrest since the abortive coup. The navy chief is being detained in Mansoa, 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of the capital Bissau, and the 24 others in four cells at a Bissau air base.
Some observers put the mutiny down to a falling out between army chief Gen Antonio Indjai and Bubo Na Tchuto - who the United States at one point designated as a "drug kingpin." Meanwhile, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan and Ecowas have condemned the Bissau coup attempt.
Gambian president calls for honesty in civil service
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Wednesday, December 28 2011 Africa Review - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has warned civil servants he will not tolerate a lackadaisical attitude or networks of clans in his new five-year term. “I don’t know my cousin or tribe or whatever, all what I know is development-oriented Gambians and nothing else,” he told senior civil servants who had gathered for a three-day retreat at the president’s rural home of Kanilai. The retreat provides a platform for officials to take stock of government programmes over the years, and on the newly-launched Program for Accelerated Growth and Employment (PAGE). PAGE is The Gambia’s development strategy and investment program for 2012 to 2015. President Jammeh warned he would show no mercy to anyone undermining the development of the country. He said turning The Gambia into an economic superpower cannot be possible without attitudinal change.
The Gambia: Freedom of expression continued casualty
By ARTICLE 19 Posted December 2, 2011 On the occasion of the seven-year anniversary of the killing of renowned Gambian editor, Deyda Hydara, ARTICLE 19 remains increasingly concerned at the continuous critical situation of freedom of expression in the Gambia. The situation has been particularly critical following the November 2011 general election, confirming the President, Yahya Jammeh remains in power for the fourth term under circumstances that many observers have described as intimidating and falling short of international standards. The electoral process has confirmed the lack of progress in promoting, protecting and fulfilling human rights and basic freedoms in the Gambia, including freedom of expression and freedom of the media. Background On 25 November 2011, the Gambian President Yahya Jammeh extended his 17-year government by an additional five years. Jammeh has won the last three consecutive presidential elections of 1996, 2001 and 2007 as leader of the APRC. President Jammeh initially assumed power in a military coup in 1994. The 2011 election was an opportunity for Gambians to choose their President for the next five years. It was contested by three candidates including: the incumbent, President Yahya Jammeh from APRC; lawyer, Ousainou Darboe from the United Democratic Party (UDP); and Hamat Bah who resigned from his original party the National Reconciliation Party (NPP) to stand as an independent candidate backed by four political parties under the recently created united front. Amid the controversies over the results announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Jammeh has already declared that he will stand for the 2016 presidential elections. The Gambia has been repeatedly criticised for its human rights record by international and regional bodies. Over the past years, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has made series of recommendations and resolutions calling for the Gambian government to respect freedom of expression. These have not had a significant impact. Similarly, during the Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council in 2010, The Gambia government rejected recommendations to address with more determination the critical situation of freedom of expression and the security of journalists and human rights defenders. For similar reasons, the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) officially declined to observe the presidential elections in the country. Freedom of expression and election in the Gambia As a party to a number of international and regional human rights instruments, The Gambia is obliged to uphold the right to freedom of expression and principles of free and fair elections should guide its political life. ARTICLE 19 is concerned about numerous reports indicating that the electoral process in the Gambia was not conducted with due respect to the stated principles and there is fear that the upcoming popular consultations to be held in The Gambia will suffer the same undemocratic environment if no proper action is taken. According to international standards on freedom of expression and elections candidates or political parties should be given equal airtime on public and private media in the campaign period. They should not use their incumbency or other privileged status such as their financial position to influence the campaign period and the overall electoral process. The media should be impartial in the treatment of political parties and candidates during the electoral campaign and should participate in the voters’ education and exercise their duty without fear of reprisal from anybody be it public or private. ARTICLE 19 believes that the electoral process in The Gambia fell short of these benchmarks and was not conducted with due respect to international or regional standards for the following reasons. According to the IEC electoral calendar, the Gambia’s electoral process consists of three separate elections (24 November - Presidential elections; first quarter of 2012 - Parliamentary elections and first quarter of 2013 - local government elections). For the November election, the IEC has only allowed candidates for the concluded presidential elections to campaign for 11 days. The extremely short duration of the campaign for an important election like this was criticised by many observers and the opposition. It is a particular issue in The Gambian context where the opposition candidates have very little opportunity to share their perspective and explain their manifestos to the public outside of the official campaigning period; Observers and the opposition have consistently denounced for several years the inequality of the coverage of the activities of political parties in the public media. The ruling Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) of President Jammeh exercises complete control over the state media so that almost no diverse or opposition views are broadcasted. This problem was particularly acute during the pre-election campaign. The predominantly pro-government nature of public media coverage negatively affected the public’s access to diverse views. Incumbent or ruling party candidates had much greater visibility by the public media and, therefore, held a considerable electoral advantage over their political opponents Many violations of international principles on freedom of expression and election have been noted by independent observers, including the Commonwealth Election Observer Mission. They have noted various problems through which the opposition candidates ability to campaign were hampered. For example, security officers and civil servants openly demonstrated support to the incumbent President. Uniformed military personnel participated in the APRC rally held in Banjul on Saturday 19 November 2011. Three military trucks were also seen transporting youths wearing the party colour and emblem of the APRC in Churchill’s Town on 23 November 2011, Public officials openly campaigned for the APRC ruling party, including governors and their officers. There were attempts to prevent some candidates from holding rallies in some parts of the country. The IEC itself was obliged to denounce the practice in a statement of 17 November 2011 condemning openly these undemocratic behaviours. Many local organisations were blocked from independent, observatory roles. There have been numerous instances of unequal treatment of candidates and political parties in the media. For instance, the private newspaper, the Observer, reported that public institutions, such as the Ministry of Petroleum, were donating campaign T-shirts to the APRC. Crackdown on media prior and after the election As already noted, The Gambia is notorious for being a repressive country that limits freedom of expression and its intolerance of journalists and human rights advocates. Journalists who do not follow the ruling party’s line have faced harassments and intimidation, arbitrary arrest from security agencies, as well as physical violence. Outside of the campaign period, whoever openly challenges or criticises the government is likely to be charged with sedition or treason and jailed. Due to this repressive environment, self-censorship of journalists and media owners is a regular practice. Such threats have escalated since the killing of journalist Deyda Hydara in 2004 and the disappearance of Chief Manneh in 2006. These two major cases have had a significant chilling effect on professional journalism in the Gambia. Despite several years passed since these incidents, there have been no independent investigations and no convictions for these crimes and there has been no political will to bring perpetrators to justice. In November 2011 interview to BBC, the President Jammeh publicly stated that the killing was not a matter of specific concern in the Gambia. Journalists, opposition leaders, media professionals and common citizens are subjected to harsh laws (such as sedition, defamation and offences of giving false information to public officials) that aim at suppressing freedom of speech. For example, In 2009, President Jammeh released a statement that threatened to kill human rights workers. In 2009, several members of the Gambia Press Union were arrested and charged with sedition. Since June 2011, Dr. Scattred Janneh, a former minister of information has been detained and facing prosecution on treason charges for printing and distributing T-shirts reading “Coalition For Change: End Dictatorship now”. Among his co-accused are the free expression advocate and former president of the Gambia Press Union, N’dey Tapha Sosseh[1]. On 5 July 2011, journalist Nanama Keita, a former sports editor of the Daily Observer newspaper, was arrested and charged with giving false information to a public officer on the back of a petition he had made to the Office of the President claiming wrongful dismissal as Deputy Editor-in-Chief and head of the Sports Desk. In the petition, he had also alleged that he Managing Director of The Observer Company had engaged in financial malpractice. Nanama Keita fled the country in September 2011 while the proceedings were still pending. Subsequently in November 2011, Saikou Ceesay, a journalist with the Daily News and an Executive Member of the Gambia Press Union, who paid a surety for Nanama, was arrested and summoned to pay a fine of a hundred thousand dalasi (around 3,500 USD). He was ultimately freed on bail paid by the Gambia Press Union. From July 2011 to October 2011, the key executive members of the Gambia Press Union were arrested, detained and questioned three times by the police without warrant On 16 September 2011, a magistrates’ court in Banjul, convicted and sentenced Dodou Sanneh, a former reporter with The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), to a fine of five hundred dalasi in default to serve six months in jail after he was found guilty on accusation of giving false information to a public officer. The case originated when Sanneh file a petition with the office of the President of The Gambia against his dismissal from the GRTS. In August 2011, the National Intelligence Agency put in place an injunction on Teranga FM – an independent community radio station – prohibiting local language broadcasting. This inhibited many listeners’ access to public information and is a good example of the lack of tolerance of diverse viewpoints and the desire of the authorities to keep citizens uninformed. Following election victory, President Jammeh has continued to threaten journalists and human rights defenders. On 28 November 2011, Gambian Election Day, he declared that he would not reconsider his position on the treatment of the Gambian media because, “journalists are less than 1% of the population … if anybody expects me to allow less than 1% of the population to destroy 99% of the population, you are in the wrong place." Recommendations Based on the foregoing concerns, ARTICLE 19 urges the Gambian Government: Conduct a comprehensive review its legislation, including the Criminal Code, the Newspaper Act, and election related legislation with a view to bring it in line with the international freedom of expression standards and to enable media professionals to freely exercise their rights without fear of undue prosecution; Immediately cease arbitrary arrest, detention and intimidation of journalists and other media professionals; Ensure that all human rights violations committed by the police, the army and the National Intelligence Agency, including those against journalists, human rights defenders and opposition members, are investigated and those responsible are brought to justice; Conduct independent and effective investigation into all cases of ill-treatment, torture and extrajudicial execution against journalists, media professionals and human rights defenders, In particular, independent investigations should be carried out into the death of Deyda Hydara and the disappearance of Chief Ebrima Manneh; Refrain from comments that media practitioners act to the detriment of the well-being and economic development of the country, and prioritise the creation of an environment whereby the media can freely and professionally report; To cooperate with international and regional human rights bodies to improve the situation of freedom of expression and human rights generally in the Gambia. In ARTICLE 19’s view, the situation of freedom of expression in the Gambia is likely to become more critical in the coming years. ARTICLE 19 will therefore continue to monitor the situation in the Gambia and provide support to journalists, human rights advocates and civil society and whose rights are violated and call for the mobilisation of stakeholders to work toward a reform of the repressive environment under which journalists and civil society advocates operate. Young ‘homosexual’ escapes security officers
Mamudou Camara, a young Gambian man who escaped from plain cloth security officers when he was being escorted to a Yundum police station after been allegedly arrested for homosexual activities Mamudou who is in his twenties is reported to have first left The Gambia for Senegal and later proceeded to Mauritania where he stayed for a while and went to Spain. Acquaintances said he has been seen with men of different nationalities, including European tourists to The Gambia, which increased the suspicion about his ‘abnormal’ sexual orientation. There is also fear in the neighborhood that he is capable of introducing many young men of his age to homosexuality. Sources said Camara was aided to get his way out of the country by some officers. But Camara is so worried about the stigmatization he may face for his sexual orientation and the legal implication of being a homosexual in The Gambia. “I never had the intention to travel the way I did through the “back way” to a foreign country, but I had no choice,” he told The Gambia Watchdog. He explained that if not for the stigma and the legal implication of being a homosexual in The Gambia he would have loved to stay in the country with his aged parents who need caring. The Public Relations Officer of the police, Superintendent Yorro Mballow could not be reached for his reaction.
Media lobby demands justice for murdered Gambia journalist
GPU Secretary General Gibairu Janneh
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Friday, December 16 2011 at 16:51 Africa Review - Gambia Press Union (GPU) has called on the government to bring the killers of journalist Deyda Hydara to justice. “The killers of Deyda Hydara must be brought to justice,” stressed a statement issues in connection with the commemoration of the seventh anniversary of the killing of the journalist. The statement, signed by the union Secretary General, Mr Gibairu Janneh, urged the government to spare no efforts in investigating the crime. “December 16th marks seven years after Deyda Hydara, co-proprietor and managing editor of the Point Newspaper was assassinated in a drive-by shooting. Yet the gunmen behind this nefarious act are yet to be arrested and brought to book,” the union emphasised. According to the statement, failure to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book would only entrench a culture of impunity. “It is the responsibility of the government to protect the right to life of all Gambians as enshrined in Section 18 of our constitution,” it stressed. GPU went further to state that the murder of Deyda was a violation of fundamental human rights that went against the very essence of the constitution and all regional and international instruments that the Gambia had ratified.
Sons of murdered Gambian journalist seek justice
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Sunday, December 11 2011 Africa Review - Two sons of murdered Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara have filed a suit before the regional court of Ecowas in Abuja, Nigeria, in an effort to seek justice. Ismaila Hydara and Deyda Hydara Jr called for proper investigation into the death of their father who was killed on December 16, 2004. The African Regional Office of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ-Africa) is also an applicant in the case. The applicants represented by the Open Society Justice Initiative and by Aluko & Oyebode, a leading Nigerian law firm are calling on the court to instruct Gambia to properly investigate the murder, and to compensate Hydara’s family for the lack of a proper response so far. Deyda Hydara, Jr, who was just 14 years old at the time of his father’s killing, said they have given the Gambian government several opportunities to conduct a proper investigation, adding that as they approach the seventh anniversary of my father's death they were still waiting for justice; and we are tired of waiting. “We need the authorities to conduct a diligent investigation with a coherent conclusion as to what really happened on that fateful night,” he said. Physical attacks The Open Society Initiative says The Gambian authorities subsequently failed to bring Hydara's assailants to justice. On the contrary, they conducted an inadequate investigation and suppressed legitimate calls for a proper inquiry into the killing. As editor and co-founder of The Point newspaper, the late Hydara had been tireless defender of freedom of expression and of the press. He refused his media to be gagged by the autocratic President Yahya Jammeh administration.
Yahya Jammeh wins Gambian election with landslide
By Fran Blany Posted Friday, November 25 2011 Africa Review - Gambia's Yahya Jammeh scored a landslide win in presidential polls Friday, securing a fourth term at the helm of the tiny state after a contest condemned both by his main challenger and African observers. The 46-year-old former military officer won 72 per cent of votes cast in mainland Africa's smallest country, a sliver of land which runs east-west into Senegal, the elections commission announced. "I hereby declare President Jammeh the winner of the 2011 presidential election," said electoral commission chief Mustapha Carayol after announcing the final results. The incumbent's main challenger, Mr Ousainou Darboe, 63, won 17 per cent of votes in his fourth shot at the presidency while a third candidate Hamat Bah, 51, had 11 per cent. Voter turnout was 83 per cent of 657,904 votes cast out of 796,929 registered voters. A defiant Jammeh, a devout Muslim, had earlier said his win was a foregone conclusion and neither an election nor a coup could remove him from power - only God. But Mr Darboe promptly rejected the electoral commission's announcement, saying the results were "fraudulent". This is President Jammeh's fourth election win since seizing power of the former British colony in a 1994 military coup aged only 29 and he has increased his majority each time. He won 2006 polls with 67.33 per cent of the votes. Observer boycott "Do I look like a loser? There is no way that I can lose unless you tell me that Gambians are mad," Mr Jammeh told journalists after voting on Thursday.
Gambians vote in polls tipped to return Jammeh to office
By Baboucarr Ceesay and AFP Posted Thursday, November 24 2011 Africa Review - Gambians were voting Thursday in polls tipped to hand incumbent Yahya Jammeh a fourth term at the helm of the tiny state which he is accused of ruling through fear and repression for 17 years. Hundreds of people lined up before polls opened at 0700 GMT to cast their vote by popping a glass marble into a coloured drum representing their candidate, a system used because of the high rates of illiteracy in continental Africa's smallest state. Amie Khan, 27, was one of the first to vote at Kombo North polling station in the capital, sending an audible clang ringing out as her marble hit the bicycle bell inside a dark green drum bearing a picture of the president. "I voted for Jammeh because thanks to him, I was able to attend university here," she told the media. Standing in a line of about 200 people, Musa Manneh said: "I am going to vote against Jammeh because I have been convinced by the opposition that this country needs change." At another polling station in Serrekunda, just outside Banjul, Mr Musa Sanneh, an unemployed man in his 30s said: "17 years of misrule is enough so Jammeh must go". While main opposition candidate 63-year-old lawyer Ousainou Darboe commands considerable support, analysts believe he is unable to unseat Jammeh, who has said his win was a foregone conclusion and only God could remove him from power. The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said Wednesday it would not send observers to the election after concluding there was "an unacceptable level of control of the electronic media by the party in power, the lack of neutrality of state and parastatal institutions, and an opposition and electorate cowed by repression and intimidation". The country's military was at the forefront of campaigning for the former lieutenant who seized power in a coup aged just 29, and has since been accused by rights bodies of crushing dissent and overseeing extra-judicial killings and torture.
Gambia goes to the polls as Ecowas withdraws observers
By Baboucarr Ceesay and BBC Posted Wednesday, November 23 2011 Africa Review - The presidential campaigns for Gambia's November 24 election wound up today with the candidates trooping back to the capital Banjul from the provinces to await the voting. But the legitimacy of the upcoming election was rocked by an announcement from the regional body Ecowas that its observers would boycott the poll because the organisation did not believe the political environment was conducive for free and fair competition. Ecowas said its fact-finding mission found intimidation and an unacceptable level of media control by the ruling APRC party. One of the unusual aspects of Gambian elections is that, unlike most countries, ballot papers are not used. The electorate uses marbles instead. Each candidate has his own ballot drum coloured with their party colour, symbol and picture with name of the candidate attached for identification. Officials defend this electoral pratice on the grounds of high illiteracy in The Gambia. Biscuits Incumbent president Yahya Jammeh returned to the capital under heavy armed escort followed by a crowd estimated at 2,000 people as he continued with his normal campaign practice of throwing biscuits at the crowd. The crowd mostly comprised of military officers, police, immigration and members of the National Intelligence Agency. Gambia election campaign heats up in final week
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Friday, November 18 2011 Africa Review - The leader of Gambia’s main opposition party UDP, Mr Ousainou Darboe, has described next week’s election as a “tussle” between citizens and the government. Mr Darboe said that Gambians had suffered enough. The opposition leader, who is leading an alliance backed by two other parties – PPP and GMC – said at a political rally in the North Bank region that the country’s economy had been made stagnant and Gambians transformed to “beggars”. He said prices of basic commodities were skyrocketing on a daily basis amid meagre salaries for civil servants. Mr Darboe said that a UDP government would bring an end to a situation where people could not afford to feed their families and pay rent. He also reminded his audience of unfortunate incidents of disappearances of journalists, politicians and security officers, and advised the electorate to reject those seeking to buy their votes. The UDP campaign slogan is: “It is time for change”, November 24, 2011. This will be the fourth time Mr Darboe is contesting against President Jammeh. Meanwhile, in a significant change in style, President Jammeh has dropped tough talk and has shift to preaching peace on the campaign trail.
Gambian radio station staff arraigned in court
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Friday, November 18 2011 Africa Review - The managing director of a Gambian radio station that has been in trouble in the past with the authorities has appeared court to answer charges over a wrong report. Mr Ismaila Sisay of Taranga FM was summoned to court with three of his staff in connection with a report on a civil matter involving Mr Sulayman Badjie. The trial magistrate ordered to see Taranga FM’s reports and audio recordings from January 2011 to the present, but was informed only file reports were available. Mr Sisay pointed out to the court that when the story was aired, the plaintiff called him complaining that it was one sided He said the plaintiff accepted their apology and left the matter at that. Taranga FM has been having long-running problems with the government for airing reviews of the news carried in privately-owned newspapers. The station was forced off air for 32 days in January and February this year and the management ordered to desist from reviewing opposition-linked newspapers, which were alleged to be sponsored by “foreign donors”. When the ban was lifted, a letter addressed to the management from President Yahya Jammeh’s office stressed that the Gambian leader had decided to give the station a second chance. On August 10, the Gambian authorities renewed the order against Taranga FM reviewing privately-owned newspapers.
Jammeh a failure, says Gambia's opposition
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Wednesday, November 16 2011 Africa Review - Leaders of Gambia’s opposition United Front (UF) party have promised an equal society, unlike under the “repressive” administration of President Yahya Jammeh. At a political rally, UF presidential candidate Hamat Bah said that President Jammeh’s government had failed Gambians in all the aspects. Mr Bah is running against Jammeh in the November 24 presidential election for a third time after losing in 1996 and 2001. He reminded his supporters about Gambians being jailed while others had fled to exile, saying that a UF government would free all political prisoners. “The United Front has emerged to create a new Gambia. We are all equal and there should be no tribal and religious discrimination,” said the candidate. Other leaders at the rally decried the high indebtedness the Jammeh regime had inflicted on Gambia, which ranks high on the list of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). The Secretary General of the People’s Democratic organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) said: ''The Gambia is on the list of HIPC, which he said to be a by-product of reliance of government on debt for development projects.'' A leader of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism said Gambians were sinking deeper into poverty and at the same time living under a state of fear because of government repression.
President warns against violence as Gambian campaigns open
By Tamba Jean Mathew and Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Saturday, November 12 2011 Africa Review - Gambia’s electoral commission on Saturday launched the presidential campaign amid protest by the opposition over its timing. An opposition statement issued in the country's capital, Banjul said the campaign period which will is only 11 days was “grossly inadequate”. The statement further complained that the limited campaign period was unilaterally decided by the government without consulting the opposition parties. Official campaign period Declaring the campaign open on Saturday, the National Election Commission said the campaign will end 24 hours ahead of the polls billed for 24 November 2011. A total of 796,929 legible voters have been registered for the plebiscite compared to that of 2006 when 760,000 voters were registered. In the polls, President Yahya Jammeh,46, will be seeking a fourth term against two rivals Mr. Ousenou Darboe and Mr. Hamat Bah who is contesting for the second time. Darboe 63, is the main opposition leader and standard bearer of the United Democratic Party while Bah, 51, leader of the National Reconciliation Party was last week elected to head a four-party coalition . The incumbent who came to power through a military coup 17 years ago had earlier decided not campaign but rescinded the decision saying that only God will remove him from power. Over the years, Jammeh has been condemned by the international community for his iron-fisted rule and during which he has expelled several foreign diplomats from his country and trampled on civil liberties including freedom of the press and civil society organisations.
Ex-Gambian powerbroker dies in prison
By Baboucarr Ceesay Posted Monday, October 31 2011 Africa Review - A prominent former member of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s APRC junta and latter-day prison inmate, Baba Kajali Jobe, died over the weekend. Baba Jobe became a member of Yahya’s APRC (Alliance for Patriotism, Re-orientation and Construction) when it took over power after overthrowing President Dawda Jawara in 1994. In another twist he was arrested in October 2003 for his alleged role in the Liberian civil war, and slapped with a UN travel ban. He is said to have been wanted for arms trafficking and dealing with so-called blood diamonds. The following year he was sent to jail by the High Court in Banjul on economic crimes charges. At the time of his death, he was serving a 9-year jail term at the Mile 2 Central prison in Gambia. He was formerly a majority leader of the National Assembly of Gambia. Baba Jobe, 52, died at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital on Saturday morning. His death came amid media reports that he had gone on a prison hunger strike that led to his collapse in his cell, prompting him being rushed to hospital. His family wants an autopsy on his body to clear any doubts before his burial in his native village of Jarra Karantaba, 200km from Banjul.
Gambia justice minister confronted over missing journalist
By Baboucarr Ceesay
Africa Review - The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) has challenged the Gambian Government to speak out on the whereabouts of journalist Ebrima Manneh. FAJ President Omar Faruk Osman and his Vice-President Foster Dongozi took Gambia’s Justice minister Edward Gomez to task over his government’s silence regarding the whereabouts of the journalist who disappeared in 2006. The minister was taken to task when the leadership of FAJ and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) met him in Banjul on October 19 ahead of a conference in the Gambian capital of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR). In an interview on October 10 with The Daily News, a Gambian newspaper, Mr Gomez had said the missing journalist was alive, without disclosing where he was. The minister accused Mr Manneh of "stage-managing his disappearance for mischievous reasons". He further said that his government had evidence from Interpol that the journalist went to the US. But Mr Omar challenged the minister to provide the evidence from Interpol, prompting Mr Gomez to promise to make it available during the ACHPR conference. "Until we receive and verify the alleged Interpol report, we shall maintain our demand to the Gambian Government for the release of Chief Manneh," said Mr Omar.
Jammeh boost as opposition fail to agree on candidate
By Baboucarr Ceesay
Africa Review - Gambia's opposition will go into the November 24 presidential election as fractured parties after talks to field a single candidate to unseat incumbent Yahya Jammeh failed. President Jammeh, the favourite, has been in power since 1994 when he took power in a coup before holding a civilian election two years later. He has won three subsequent elections since then and will be seeking a fourth five-year term. The leaders of seven opposition parties have held several talks this year to agree on a method of nominating a unity candidate but last week issued a statement that the initiative had failed. This followed a series of "frank and sincere" meetings held between September 3 and October 14 at two locations just outside the capital Banjul, the October 14 statement said. According to the statement, a motion to hold a convention to pick a single candidate was backed by five parties but two failed to support it including crucially, the largest United Democratic Party. The UDP had sought to instead lead the alliance by virtue of having a larger following than the rest. Not accepted “Mr Ousainou Darboe, the leader of the UDP, the convener of the talks, expressed his deep appreciation for the response given to the invitation by his party to the talks, and the time, energy and wisdom displayed by all participants to enable us to conclude the talks in a climate of tolerance, respect, and sincerity," read the statement.
Jailed Gambian lawyer released
By Baboucarr Ceesay
Africa Review - Former Gambian High Court Judge Moses Richards has been released from prison following a presidential pardon. Richards was sentenced by the then acting Principal Magistrate Alagbe Taiwo Ade of the Banjul Magistrates’ Court to a two years imprisonment for sedition and six months for giving false information. Both sentences were running concurrently. Before the pardon, lawyers had planned to mount a procession from the Banjul High Court to the Mile II Central Prison where he was imprisoned. But the Inspector-General of Police turned down their application for a permit to hold the procession. Shortly before his release, a broadcast on the official Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) stated that Richards “pleaded” with President Yahya Jammeh for mercy. Another broadcast claimed the lawyer had disassociated himself from the action of the Bar Association. Richards’ incarceration provoked the strongest industrial action ever taken by The Gambia Bar Association under the Jammeh administration. Following his sentencing and conviction, the Bar Association issued a press release that was critical of the verdict delivered by the lower court and in addition moved to boycott of the courts from October 3- 7, 2011.
Jailed Gambian minister protests tough jail conditions |
