VZCZCXRO6043
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0193 0881713
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291713Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6524
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP

UNCLAS BANJUL 000193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER CLOSED, 
EDITOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR DETAINED 
 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Gambian security forces closed the offices 
of &The Independent8 newspaper and detained the 
newspaper,s staff for questioning on March 28.  Staff 
members were released after questioning, with the exception 
of Editor-In-Chief, Musa Saidykhan, and General Manager, Madi 
Ceesay, who were still in detention as of March 29. To our 
knowledge, the newspaper,s offices remain closed and under 
guard by the Police Intervention Unit (PIU).  Ambassador 
contacted Interior Minister Babucar Jatta March 29 to 
register concern over this incident.  We will also raise with 
the GOTG officially.  At this point we see no link between 
the GOTG,s move against &The Independent8 and the foiled 
coup attempt of March 21.  Two March 27 articles critical of 
President Jammeh may have prompted the authorities, action. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Embassy sources confirmed press reports that Mr. 
Saidykhan was arrested by security forces that came to his 
house late Monday evening, March 27.  On Tuesday morning, 
when the staff of &The Independent8 reported to work, they 
found the offices secured and under guard by PIU forces.  The 
security officers brought the staff to PIU Headquarters for 
questioning.  Most staff members were released after their 
positions and, if reporters, their articles were reviewed by 
the PIU.  Saidykhan and Ceesay, however, remained in 
detention as of midday Wednesday, March 29.  To our 
knowledge, no charges have been filed and no reason has been 
given for their detention or the closure of the offices. 
Staff members of &The Independent8 confirmed that the two 
are in detention at the Major Crimes Unit at Police 
Headquarters in Banjul, and that they have not been allowed 
access to visitors. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In October 2005, as reported in the Annual Human 
Rights Report, Saidykhan was detained and questioned for 
several hours for security reasons.  &The Independent8 also 
lost its printing press in 2004 in a still-unsolved arson 
attack. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ambassador contacted Interior Minister Baboucar 
Jatta March 29 and expressed deep concern over authorities, 
action against &The Independent.8 Jatta professed ignorance 
of the precise reasons for the GOTG,s move, but took on 
board Ambassador,s urging that authorities permit the 
newspaper,s prompt re-opening and promptly release the 
detainees in the absence of concrete evidence of wrongdoing 
by them.  We will continue to register our concern over this 
incident to the GOTG. 
 
¶5. (SBU)  COMMENT: At this point, we can only speculate as to 
the reasons behind the closure of &The Independent8 office 
and the ongoing detention of the two senior staff members. 
So far we see no link between &The Independent8 and last 
week,s foiled coup.  In fact, editorials have run in the 
paper condemning the coup.  Both Ceesay (who is also the 
President of the Gambian Press Union) and Saidykhan often 
write articles that are critical of the Gambian government 
and President Jammeh.  It is possible that an article which 
ran in &The Independent8 on March 27 entitled &How Wealthy 
is Jammeh?8 may have triggered these events.  The article 
reported statements made by opposition leader Halifa Sallah 
that the President appears to have more personal wealth than 
The Gambia,s national institutions.  Also on March 27, 
Ceesay authored an opinion piece in &The Independent8 
criticizing coups, but focusing mainly on the 1994 coup that 
brought President Jammeh into power (text of both articles 
sent to AF/W). 
STAFFORD