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OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0212/01 0961734
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 061734Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6550
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUFGAID/USEUCOM AIDES VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DAKAR PASS RAO, DAO, AND ODC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS CASC ASEC PHUM KMCA GA SG
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ON AFTERMATH OF 
COUP ATTEMPT, MCA, SENEGAL 
 
REF: A. BANJUL 206 AND PREVIOUS 
     ¶B. BANJUL 209 
     ¶C. BANJUL 190 
 
BANJUL 00000212  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D) 
 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (C) In April 6 meeting with senior presidential  adviser, 
Secretary General Njie, Ambassador reiterated our concern 
 
SIPDIS 
over reports of detainees' mistreatment, detention of 
National Assembly Speaker and others, and private newspaper's 
closure in connection with the recent aborted coup attempt. 
He repeated our request for consular access to Amcit detainee 
Tamsir Jasseh.  Njie took note of our concerns, denied any 
GOTG intention to crack down on opposition parties, and 
undertook to work to get us access to Jasseh.  Ambassador 
also registered concern over GOTG's slippage in performance 
on criteria for MCA eligibility.  On Senegal, Njie said the 
GOTG awaited a full explanation from the GOS as to its 
knowledge and actions prior to the coup plot's discovery; 
when Ambassador stressed need for restraint so as to avoid 
escalation of tensions with GOS, Njie said the GOTG 
recognized this and would act accordingly.  The  reported 
detention of the Speaker, the country's number-three 
official, is particularly noteworthy.   END SUMMARY. 
 
AFTERMATH OF COUP 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) Ambassador met April 6 with senior presidential 
advisor, Secretary General Mambury Njie, reiterating U.S. 
opposition to any attempt to change governments via 
unconstitutional means such as the aborted coup attempt here 
March 21 (ref a).    At the same time, Ambassador noted our 
concern over reports of beatings of detainees suspected of 
involvement in the plot and repeated our request for access 
to Amcit detainee Tamsir Jasseh.  He also noted reports of 
authorities continuing to pick up suspects, saying we were 
informed of the April 5-6 detention of the National Assembly 
Speaker, Sherif Dibba, and detained Amcit Tamsir Jasseh's 
lawyer, Mary Ann Denton, who is affiliated with the 
opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). (NOTE: We 
subsequently learned of the detention of several officials 
with the National Intelligence Agency, including newly 
appointed Deputy Director General Ngor Secka.  END NOTE) 
Referring to the recent closure of the private journal, "The 
Independent," and detention of its general manager and its 
editor-in-chief,  Ambassador added that we would also be 
concerned were the GOTG to use the failed coup plot as a 
pretext to crack down on the opposition parties or critics 
generally.  With The Gambia scheduled to host the AU Summit 
within a few months, he added, the GOTG could hardly afford 
to isolate itself with such a crackdown. 
 
¶3. (C) In response, Njie denied any plan by the GOTG for a 
crackdown on the opposition parties or others.  He said he 
would work on getting us access to Jasseh and stated that the 
GOTG's objective was to investigate suspects as promptly as 
possibly and release those cleared of involvement, noting the 
release of 17 persons so far (ref a).  Asserting GOTG's 
recognition of need for proper treatment of detainees, Njie 
said he had not been aware of cases of beatings and undertook 
to raise the matter with the Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Col 
Lang Tombong Tamba, who, according to Njie, was in charge of 
the ongoing investigation into the failed plot.   Njie stated 
that he would also raise with Tamba the reported detentions 
of the National Assembly Speaker and others. He undertook to 
look into the closure of "The Independent." 
 
MILLENIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Ambassador mentioned GOTG officials' participation in 
the recent "MCC University" program in Washington and meeting 
with AF DAS Linda Thomas-Greenfield.   He shared his 
impression that the discussions had been open and frank and 
that U.S. officials had pointed to worrisome signs of 
slippage in the GOTG's performance on the criteria, 
particularly in the areas of "ruling justly" and "economic 
freedom," used to determine MCA eligibility.  Pointing out 
that MCA eligibilty had to be renewed annually, Ambassador 
stated that the GOTG needed to be prepared to discuss its 
performance during the upcoming MCC visit here and that the 
Embassy also wished to stay in close touch with the GOTG on 
this dossier.  Njie responded that he had yet to receive a 
detailed readout from the GOTG's participants in the MCC 
 
BANJUL 00000212  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
program, but stated that they as well as the Gambian 
Ambassador in Washington had informed him of our concern over 
the slippage in the GOTG's performance. 
 
SENEGAL 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) Referring to President Jammeh's message to President 
Bush on Dakar's alleged involvement in the failed coup plot 
(ref b), Ambassador asked Njie if the GOTG had concrete 
evidence of such involvement;  Njie replied that the evidence 
consisted of references in the televised confessions of 
suspects here to a Senegalese  hand (ref c) and Dakar's 
initial silence when the coup plot was uncovered. When 
Ambassador noted the GOS statement condemning the coup,  Njie 
stated that the GOS had made the statement only after 
prodding by the GOTG envoys sent to Dakar.  Following the 
envoys' visit, Njie continued, the GOTG still awaited a full 
explanation by the GOS as to its knowledge and actions in 
advance of the coup plot's discovery.  Ambassador stressed 
need for restraint as the GOTG pursued the matter with the 
GOS, noting that an escalation of tensions would not serve 
the interest of either side; Njie responded that the GOTG 
recognized this and would do its part to keep the issue from 
degenerating into a new crisis with its neighbor. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶6. (C) The detention of so senior an official as the National 
Assembly Speaker -- affiliated with a political party in 
alliance with the ruling APRC party -- is particularly 
noteworthy; the reasons for his and the other April 5-6 
detentions are as yet unknown. Despite Mary Ann Denton's 
opposition UDP party affiliation, at this point we see her 
detention as linked to her status as Amcit Jasseh's lawyer 
rather than to her opposition party membership; according to 
a knowledgeable source, authorities took her into custody to 
question her about Jasseh's comments to her about the coup 
plot prior to his being picked up. Regarding possible 
Senegalese implication in the failed plot, Njie indicated 
GOTG's awareness that it remained fully occupied with its 
investigation of domestic involvement and hence could ill 
afford also to become enmeshed in a crisis with Dakar by 
pushing its far more powerful neighbor too hard on its 
alleged role. END COMMENT. 
 
 
 
STAFFORD