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RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0011/01 0061821
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 061821Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6291
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUFGNOA/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 000011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DAKAR PASS DAO, ODC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2016 
TAGS: PREL ECON ENRG PGOV PHUM PINS KMCA GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: PRESIDENT'S YEAR-END INTERVIEW 
 
REF: A. 05 BANJUL 858 
     ¶B. 05 BANJUL 749 
     ¶C. BANJUL 4 
     ¶D. 05 BANJUL 767 
 
BANJUL 00000011  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH D. STAFFORD FOR REASON 1.4 (B/D) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) In a year-end television interview, President Jammeh, 
in a vintage, shoot-from-the-hip performance, spoke of 
general economic improvement in 2005, while characterizing 
the dismal state of public utilities as among the country's 
"dramatic failures."  He was optimistic about prospects for 
development of The Gambia's oil deposits, whose actual 
magnitude is unknown.  On the 2006 presidential election, 
Jammeh expressed confidence that his record of achievement 
would ensure his re-election and was dismissive of the 
opposition.  He criticized the "international community" 
including, inter alia, the U.S., for alleged failure to 
intervene in Senegalese/Gambian crisis in August/October. 
 
¶2. (C) Jammeh indicated his readiness to deal firmly with 
anyone threatening The Gambia's security and stability, 
asserting "if I have to kill 20,000 persons so that the 
country's 1.5 million persons survive, I will do so."  He 
warned that those engaging in any violent protest activities 
would "not see the world again."  (Comment: we do not/not see 
the preceding statements as portending executions, but regard 
them as latest examples of worrisome rhetoric calling into 
question the extent of Jammeh's commitment to democratic 
norms. End comment.) On other topics, Jammeh criticized other 
unnamed African leaders for grandstanding in their regional 
mediation efforts (possible reference to Nigerian President 
Obasanjo), gave assurances that his anti-corruption effort 
will continue, and called on Gambians to demonstrate greater 
patriotism. END SUMMARY. 
 
A YEAR OF "DRAMATIC SUCCESSESS AND DRAMATIC FAILURES" 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) In his year-end interview with the national 
television service (GRTS), President Jammeh turned in a 
vintage, shoot-from-hip performance. At the outset of his 
often-rambling remarks, he described 2005 as a year of 
"dramatic successes and dramatic failures" for his government 
and country.  Jammeh went on to characterize general 
improvement of the Gambian economy as a major success story, 
while making clear that the country's woefully inadequate 
public utilities sector was among the "dramatic failures." 
He warned officials of the national utilities company, NAWEC, 
responsible for supplying water and electricity,  that their 
performance had to improve. Alluding to frequent water and 
power outages in the capital, he called for the resignation 
of any (opposition) "politicians" at NAWEC who sought to 
cause hardship to the public in an effort to damage the GOTG 
leadership's image with an eye to the Presidential and 
National Assembly elections scheduled for 2006-7. 
 
OIL SECTOR 
---------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Jammeh was optimistic about prospects for 
development of The Gambia's oil reserves, giving assurances 
that they were sufficient for commercial exploitation. 
(Comment: In fact, we  gather that uncertainty persists among 
U.S. and other foreign firms as to whether the country's oil 
deposits are sufficent to make extraction commercially 
viable. End comment.)  He indicated confidence that, in 
addition to the Canadian firm, Buried Hill Energy Company, 
that recently signed a preliminary agreement with the GOTG 
for exploratory drilling (ref a), other companies would step 
forward to conclude such agreements.   He took the occasion 
to criticize other unnamed African governments at length for 
allegedly shortchanging their own citizens by being overly 
generous in granting oil production concessions to foreign 
firms.  Jammeh pledged to ensure that the Gambian people 
themselves benefitted first and foremost from oil revenues. 
 
2006 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
-------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Asked about his strategy for seeking re-election in 
2006, Jammeh boasted that his record of achievement during 
his eleven years at the country's helm would be sufficient to 
ensure victory.  He remarked, "after all I have done for The 
Gambia, there should be no need for me to campaign, as the 
people are aware and grateful."  He was dismissive of the 
 
BANJUL 00000011  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
opposition parties, characterizing them as making "no 
contribution" to the country's development. He described the 
three opposition politicians in the National Assembly as 
doing nothing but "howling and collecting their salaries" 
(i.e. stipends as parliamentarians). 
 
TIES WITH SENEGAL 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The interviewer complimented Jammeh on his October 
21 trip to Dakar to resolve the August/October crisis with 
Senegal over transport and border issues, but asked why it 
had taken so long to  find a solution (c.f. ref b for 
background on the crisis).  Jammeh responded that he had 
waited for the "international community" (he cited the U.S., 
UN, AU, EU) to help resolve the crisis, but in the end 
decided to mount his own initiative (reference to his Dakar 
trip) when it allegedly failed to act. (Comment: Jammeh 
ignored the various international, including U.S.,and 
regional efforts to promote a solution. End comment.)  He 
repeated previous allegations that the crisis was due to 
misinformation provided to Senegalese authorities by 
unspecified Gambian opposition elements intent on 
destabilizing the Gambian/Senegalese relationship as part of 
a power bid. 
 
NATIONAL SECURITY 
----------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU)  Asked about national security, Jammeh made clear 
that it was his uppermost concern, remarking that "in the 
absence of security, The Gambia's development is not 
possible."   He promised to deal firmly with anyone who 
threatened the country's stability and security and indicated 
his readiness to sacrifice the few to save the many with his 
statement, "if I have to kill 20,000 persons so that the 
country's 1.5 million persons survive, I will do so."  In an 
apparent reference to mass rallies planned by the opposition 
coalition, NADD (ref c), Jammeh warned that those engaging in 
any violent protest activities would "not see the world 
again" and noted, in this regard, deaths resulting from 
violent student protests in 2000. 
 
FOREIGN POLICY 
-------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The interviewer spoke of mediation efforts by Jammeh 
in previous years, citing Guinea Bissau, and asked about his 
plans for new  initiatives.  Jammeh, who claimed credit for 
ending the conflict in Sierra Leone, responded, that he would 
continue to pursue mediation efforts in "low-profile" 
fashion,"  but gave no indication of specific endeavors 
underway.   He contrasted his "low-profile" style with that 
of "some regional leaders,  who act like clowns and seek 
publicity and titles." (Comment: Jammeh may have been 
referring to Nigerian President Obasanjo, in particular, 
given the former's past negative comments about him.  End 
comment.) 
 
ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN, DISMISSALS OF OFFICIALS 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Jammeh gave assurances that his anti-corruption 
effort, the "No  Compromise" campaign, would continue "as 
long as I am President."  He also indicated that his frequent 
dismissals of GOTG officials would continue, saying "heads 
will roll in 2006" because of poor implementation of 
road-building and other public works projects. 
 
A FINAL WORD TO GAMBIANS 
------------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) The interview ended with Jammeh appealing to the 
citizenry to enter the new year with a "drastically changed 
attitude," calling upon Gambians to demonstrate greater 
"honesty and patriotism" so as to promote individual and 
collective well being and development. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶11. (C)  Jammeh's remarks contained familiar ingredients, 
e.g.,focus on national security and stability, derisive 
commentary on the opposition, boasting of supposed personal 
diplomatic and other achievements, criticism of unnamed 
African leaders, and swipes at the international community 
for alleged indifference toward African crises (in this case, 
the Senegalese/Gambian crisis). His lecturing of the 
citizenry on the need for greater  patriotism was also 
 
BANJUL 00000011  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
familiar.   His interview has so far attracted little 
publicity in the media and elsewhere, although the opposition 
and several private journals have criticized his statement 
about "readiness to kill 20,000 persons."  At this point, we 
do not view this statement -- or that about violent 
protestors "not seeing the next day" as portending 
executions, but rather as the kind of clumsy and worrisome 
rhetoric that we have seen before (e.g. his November 3 
statement that the "opposition" would not "be around for the 
next elections" -- see ref d). Such rhetoric calls into 
question the extent of his commitment to democratic norms -- 
and to free and fair elections in 2006-7.  END COMMENT. 
STAFFORD