Gbagbo has friends in Africa.

By Barry Malone

ADDIS ABABA .South Africa, Togo and Angola are possible safe havens for Ivory Coast's besieged Laurent Gbagbo should he negotiate an exit from his West African country, African Union sources said Wednesday.

Mauritania and Gambia were also being touted as forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo's rival, Alassane Ouattara, launched what was billed as a final assault on the presidential compound in Abidjan, where Mr. Gbagbo was hunkered down.

"South Africa has offered several times before and Togo is now indicating to us that it could be willing to take him in," a senior AU official in the Ethiopian capital said of Mr. Gbagbo's asylum choices.

"Togo is not a great option, though, as there will obviously be fears that he could cause problems and spoil peace from there -it's so close to Ivory Coast. I'm betting strongly on South Africa," added the official, who declined to be named.

Two other diplomats in Addis Ababa also said they had heard South Africa and Togo had made asylum offers, while reports circulating at AU headquarters suggested Angola as another possibility.

"Angola has always been pro-Gbagbo," said one Western diplomat.

"I think there's a good likelihood of Angola taking him in if there's a settlement. You only have to look at their history."

The United Nations said in March it was investigating suspected arms transfers to Ivory Coast in breach of an embargo, including a cargo delivery from Angola.

There were also regular reports in 2002 that Angola supplied arms including armoured vehicles to Ivory Coast when rebels tried to oust Mr. Gbagbo from the presidency.

Angola has denied that mercenaries from the country have fought for Mr. Gbagbo.

AU diplomats said Uganda was an outside bet to shelter the Ivorian strongman. This year, Yoweri Museveni, its long-serving President, attacked the United Nations for recognizing Mr. Ouattara as the election winner.

Mr. Museveni, who won his own disputed presidential poll in February and faced possible opposition protests, said there should be an investigation into the Ivory Coast poll.

Meanwhile, forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara launched a heavy and sustained attack on the bunker where Mr. Gbagbo was defying efforts to force him to surrender and leave the country. By lunchtime, the troops were inside the compound.

The former colonial power, France has taken a lead role in talks to persuade Mr. Gbagbo to hand over power to his rival Mr. Ouattara and end a four-month standoff over a November election that UNcertified results say Mr. Ouattara won.

Alain Juppé, the French Foreign Minister, who was involved in the mediation between the warring groups, said Mr. Gbagbo had "no future" and it was "absurd" for him to hang on.

"The negotiations that were carried out for hours yesterday between the entourage of Laurent Gbagbo and Ivorian authorities have failed because of Gbagbo's intransigence," he told parliament in Paris.

Mr. Gbagbo refused to sign a UN document acknowledging Mr. Ouattara had won the election.

"I do not recognize the victory of Ouattara. Why would you want me to sign this?" he told France's LCI news channel. "We are not at the negotiating stage. And my departure from where? To go where? For peace to return to Ivory Coast, I and Ouattara, the two of us, have to talk."

Mr. Gbagbo's spokesman said the assault on his residence, where he was thought to be accompanied by his wife Simone and some of his seven children and stepchildren, was an attempt by France to "assassinate" him.

But a spokesman for proOuattara forces said Mr. Gbagbo would be handed over to Mr. Ouattara.

"We are going to his residence to fetch him and put an end to this comedy. This charade must end because the country is collapsing," he said.

Source: National Post

Gambia News:Gambia's opposition Leader SIDIA takes on President Jammeh

WHO IS FOR OR AGAINST THE 1997 CONSTITUTION? SIDIA takes on President Jammeh
I want to begin by saying that the 1997 Constitution is the Constitution for the Republic and those who care to know what was happening during the period, knew that there were people who were opposed to the 1997 Constitution and were calling it a military Constitution and asked people to vote against it. But there were other people who worked day and night to make sure that people voted for it and I have evidence of what I am trying to say here.
When the draft constitution was being drafted, those who cared to defend the Republic contributed to the drafting of that Constitution, some as individuals and some as institutions; and this document entitled The Judicial Foundation Of The Second Republic contributed to the drafting of the Constitution, and when it eventually came out Mr Speaker, we took it upon ourselves to explain what exactly it meant. We serialized it chapter by chapter and simplified it for people to understand so that when they come to vote, they would know what they are voting for. These are the series of booklets we published from book one to book twelve.
All that was done because in our view, a referendum will not be a referendum if people don’t know what they are voting for. That is why we prepared the ground for the referendum and when the referendum was about to be held, Mr Speaker, the first two weeks, the slogan was ‘vote no’. Some were told that they should vote no because that’s the only way they could dispense with the military and that was their understanding of the issue. We took the ground in two weeks and in two weeks, we changed the situation from ‘no’ to a ‘yes’ slogan and indeed the referendum succeeded. Those who care to know what was happening and who was doing what in that period, will understand what i am saying.
So the 1997 constitution was indeed the work of the Gambian people. All those who cared to live in a republic and all those who cared to defend fundamental rights and freedoms, which is contained in book four of our series will understand what I am saying.
So if anybody wants to know who contributed what to the draft Constitution, please read this document, Views On The Judicial Foundation Of The Second Republic and then you will understand the struggle that was waged to make sure that the 1997 constitution was voted for because we wanted a republic.
It is different from the 1970 Constitution and the president looked at me and said you should have retained the 1970 Constitution and of course we were opposed to the 1970 Constitution because it has monarchical provisions and some of these have now been transferred into 1997 Constitution. But I will not go into that because some of you know them and that maybe it could be taken again at another time. Mr Speaker, I thought it is important for me to say this because what the president was saying the other day was misleading.
The Constitution is not an AFPRC or APRC Constitution. It is the Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia. Some of us had sleepless night. He explained how he left Basse and was in Tallinding to gather all the materials he needed to sensitise people the same day. “So it was not easy for us to have the 1997 Constitution. I know how it came about,” he continued.
At this stage, the Speaker interrupted and asked whether Sidia was part of the AFPRC? In response Sidia said he wasn’t because they the AFPRC were opposed to the Constitution. That’s the reality for anybody who cares to know the objective situation, please go back to the archives and read newspapers at that time. You will know who was for and who was against. They were against it! Circumstances forced them to accept it but their slogan was ‘no election’.
At this stage National Assembly member Sulayman Joof, Member for Serre Kunda West rose to question who he was referring to when he mentioned “they.”Sidia asked him whether he was asking him a question? In response, AM Joof said he need to know whom Sidia is referring to when he said we were for and they were against. Who were they? I cannot keep on saying AFPRC and that is why the pronouncement ‘they’ came into being. They is referring to AFPRC finish! You want repetition. So that’s it. This is our Constitution. It is not owned by anybody. Anybody who was interested in having a Republic in the Gambia worked for it. This is our proof… if you go to records of newspapers at the time from 1994 to pre 1996. Please read newspapers of that period and then if you see the opposite of what I am saying, come to me, I will accept what you have. 


Source:Foroyaa.gm

Gambia News:Gambia and Libya, what Yahya Jammeh is hiding! Must read.

By Essa Bokarr Sy

The axis of three countries revolving around conflict of interet: Senegal, Gambia and Libya, what  Yahya Jammeh is hiding!

We have just heard about a Yahya Jammeh  transporting Senegalese in to Dakar from Libya but there is never a gesture by Yahya without any strings or price attached!  Never will that happen in  life. In that case I will dismantle  everything he tries to push. Why block this aspect from the sub-critical regime in Banjul? Because it feeds on the  diet of snakes! The approach that was taken by Yahya and his disciples on this case, covers another portion that serves as a trap! He may not succeed as long as I’m here watching his hypocritical  actions in earnest.
To better understand the thinking of President Jammeh  we will address this issue by asking the following questions. … Therefore provide answers with references through professional judgments. Our sources are worthy some of them are  coming from Libya, America and England.

First: Who is Musa Kusa for the regime for  Yahya Jammeh?

Musa Kasa is the former Director of Intelligence  Services of the regime of Al Muamar Qadaffi. He is now the minister of Foreign Affairs of Libya. This guy has very close links with the Jammeh regime through the contacts  which were established Baba Jobe. Baba is currently jailed in  Mile Two because Jammeh does not want him to reveal the secrets between Banjul and Tripoli. As soon as Jammeh took power assistance from the Western world was cut off. So it is Baba Jobe, who pledged his allegiance to the despot therefore connected some dots between Jammeh and Qadaffi through his close confidant  Musa Kasa.  Baba Jobe grew up in Libya therefore was a good friend of Kasa for obvious reasons.  To start with, Jammeh  received

$300,000.00 in cash which was handed to Captain Jallow and Baba Jobe at Musa Kusa’s residence in Libya(1995). Jammeh who was afraid of the regime of Dakar suddenly took the opportunity thus  was eager to be armed  by Libya. First he had received catalogs from Kasa so that he  could determine what he wanted as weapons. That is how he began  receiving heavy arms from Tripoli. It was well before Tehran’s side of the story came in along these same lines.  During the first meeting  Kasa expressed deep concerns regarding the future of the Jammeh regime. Libya was just not comfortable vis-à-vis the regime’s survival because in their minds Jammeh looked more like the Sierra Leonean rebels than a serious head of state. Haven’t they proven right? Of course yes! Lest we forget about the drugs and other scandalous issues which have been surrounding Jammeh’s image for the past 17 years!

 Who is Mukhataar Ghanass for Jammeh?

Mukhtaar was the director of MATABA training center, being a place where  the mercenaries who were fighting in Liberia and other countries like Cote D’Ivoire now were trained. This gentleman is the person who had established links between Jammeh and Charles Taylor in Liberia during the war. Then President Jammeh and Captain Jallow used international satelite  cellular sets when communicating to other parties outside of The Gambia especially when him(Jammeh) wanted to escape being heard(eaves dropping and the like). Jallow can reconfirm this. There was a direct line between Jammeh and Charles Taylor. Taylor was at the time in the bush as he did not prefer  being located or traced localized by wiretapping that was underway. That is  exactly why Taylor was a guest of honor of President Jammeh in 1995. I was personally attached to the delegation of Charles Taylor by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a protocol. During this visit Taylor offered Jammeh to use his own aircraft to effect a short visit to Guinea Bissau. Well, these comings and goings of Yaya Jammeh were simply meant  to fortify his regime against Dakar during the era of President Diouf. On the other side he got closer to General Ansumana Manneh and Sadio adding these two and their loyalists to  mercenaries from Liberia. Much of these mercenaries were from Gambia. Charles Taylor’s Ambassador to Tripoli was a Gambian.

The latter made a lot of things easier for President Jammeh within the circle of Qadaffi ‘s regime in Libya. President Jammeh therefore  was doing everything he could imagine  to  fortify himself against the Senegalese army. That is, in case the latter wanted to  destabilize his regime. President Jammeh will never defend the contrary or say he did not  benefit from  Libyan aid  thus help him  deal with a possible attack on his regime from Dakar. In the same vein he organized himself to nourish the rebellion in Casamance.

Yahya Jammeh with the help of Libya also created a movement referred to as ‘July 22nd movement’, this movement is the Achilles heel of the NIA. (National Intelligence Agency).

And some agents of this organization OPERATE at the  Dakar International airport while at the same time the others are found within the circle of the MFDC.

President Jammeh has lied about the issue of the “LOKERBIE-PANAM AIRLINE ”
In a  very bitter speech  against the regime of  Qadaffi  President Yahya Jammeh lied,saying  that it was him who convinced Qadaffi to reimburse the victims of Pan Am Airlines. The President of Gambia  is a liar at higher level! He never organized a meeting on this fact nor did he begin to solve this problem. The case was settled by  Musa Kusa himself during a trip in  England in collaboration with officials or elements of security services from one  western country (I will not divulge the names for security reasons that are against Yahya in person). Yahya Jammeh on his part said that  Libya’s Ambassador to the UN should have been insulting what he calls the “whites” His Excellency  Dhorda was in New York (between 1997-1999) as the  emissary of Libya while the Gambia was a non-permanent member at security council. Today it is the same person who returns around telling us lies about this. I have been at the united nations for that matter I am more informed than Jammeh on this dossier so I will not let people likeYahya Jammeh,  mislead Gambian and Senegalese on a subject so important and delicate like this one!
Before ending this message I will ask the Senegalese GOVERNMENT  the following questions.
Yahya Jammeh insulted  Qadaffi two weeks ago, when Dakar did not do the same thing. However in all that he sneaked into Libya then  loaded a plane with Senegalese and Gambians without any incident? While Qadaffi is still angry with him? How can he do that without enjoying the special relations which exists  between him and his former friend Musa Kusa? We must dig into this thing! We are there in the event that you want to know more about the above points referenced here above! Never ever avoid verifying anything being done or said by Yahya Jammeh because he fabricates stories and he can be manipulative for very dangerous reasons!
Even if the whole world was to support him on anything I would still re-verify before jumping into his bandwagon. Dakar will one day see why I never support Yahya’s actions.

Source:Hellogambia.com

Gambia News: Press Release :Gambia Pro-Democracy Group Launched

PRESS RELEASE

                                                                          

The Coalition for Change -The Gambia (CCG), a civil, human and political rights organization, which brings together a cross-section of the Gambian community at home and abroad, has been launched.  The group is a non-partisan organization established to challenge the dictatorship and restore basic freedoms in TheGambia through nonviolent action.

The Coalition's formation is necessitated by the repressive political environment in which Gambians find themselves. Virtually all avenues of orderly political change have been shut by a despot determined to cling on to power by any means necessary.

Under normal circumstances, the CCG would have been registered with authority to engage in peaceful protests, submit grievances to the authorities, and hope that they would act to redress them.  But The Gambia’s story the past sixteen years has been all but conducive to the free expression of ideas. The political atmosphere in the country is extremely toxic for media practitioners, and journalists who dare criticize President Yahya Jammeh face risks ranging from arrest and prolonged detention to death.  To add insult to injury, political parties are routinely denied permission to hold public meetings and leaders who dare defy Yahya Jammeh's orders face arrest and jail.

Despite the repression, corruption and economic hardship Gambians are faced with, no one dares organize peaceful political protests against the regime. The last time peaceful protests were organized in April 2000, at least 14 innocent young students were gunned down by security agents. Additionally, opposition leaders have been rounded up only to be released after languishing in detention for exercising their democratic rights.  No institution or interest group is safe from the regime’s overreach. As a result, Gambians have by and large succumbed to fear as a result of the regime's ruthlessness.

CCG is calling on all groups and individuals from every sector of the community, in The Gambia and abroad, to join us in the struggle to dislodge the dictator from the helm in order to restore democracy and the rule of law. It is a challenge we must overcome. Members of the security services are particularly encouraged to join the struggle to save the dignity and honour of their profession.

And with the regime's total control of the media, CCG will employ a combination of social media and setting up of an FM station, Radio Free Gambia.  These mediums will be used to spread CCG’s messages before embarking on peaceful marches designed to end Jammeh's reign of terror.  Information about specific venues and actions to be taken will be provided as the situation warrants. 

CCG members are bound together by a common objective of ending TheGambia’s dictatorship and as well as the climate of fear that has so consumed Gambian society. 

The CCG calls on the regime to immediately:

·        Repeal laws that unduly restrict freedom of expression

·        Ensure equal access to public media for all political establishments

·        Organize a referendum to institute Presidential term limits

·        Free all political prisoners

·        End the arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture and murders

·        Investigate all mysterious deaths and disappearances

·        Respect freedom of assembly

We pray for success and look forward with hope for the support and participation of all Gambians in this noble and daunting task.

CONTACTS:

(1)   CoalitionForChangeGambia@gmail.com

(2)   TWITTER: @ChangeGambia, @KomboMansa, @theGambiaVoice

(3)   Face-book group: Coalition for Change – The Gambia

Issued in Banjul, The Gambia, April 2^nd, 2011. (CCG).

Gambia News:Detention without Trial, Disappearances without Trace

FOROYAA -The Gambia -Foroyaa continues to monitor the long detention without trial and the disappearances without trace of Gambian citizens. Many of these family heads were said to have been picked up by men in plain clothes. According to some families, they are yet to establish the whereabouts of their loved ones since they were whisked away some years ago.
Mrs. Masireh (Marcie) Jammeh, Mr. Harunah Jammeh, Corporal Alfusainey Jammeh, a Prison warden, all natives of Kanilai in Foni in the Western Region of the Gambia and Mr. Jasarja (Sarja) Kujabi, a native of Foni Dobong, went missing since 14 July 2005.
The family of Masireh and Haruna Jammeh said their family heads were taken away in their presence and since then they have not set their eyes on them or heard of their whereabouts. Jasarja Kujabie’s family said he was arrested on his farm and was escorted to his home to change his farming clothes and was later taken away. The family said they have done all what they could do to get information about him but to no avail.
The family of Prison warden, Corporal Alfusainey Jammeh said he was stationed as guard at the compound of the Director General of The Gambia Prisons Service, Mr. David Colley for some time. They said he was called to report to Police Headquarters in Banjul, but he never returned home. The family said he later called to inform them that he was being detained, but did not give any reason for his detention.
The ex- District Chief of Foni Kansala, Alhagie Momodou Lamin Nyassi and his two close friends, Alhagie Buba Sanyang (alias Bubai Sanyang) and Ndongo Mboob, all natives of Foni Bwiam, went missing on the same day. Their families said the three friends were picked up by men in plain clothes on board a numberless white pickup vehicle on the evening of 4 April 2006, as the trio was seeing each other off after a visit from the house of Sanyang. The families said since then they have never heard or traced their whereabouts, even though they tried all avenues accessible to them.
Journalist Ebrima Manneh (alias Chief Manneh), a State House reporter for the Daily Observer Newspaper went missing since 7th July 2006. His family said he left for work on that day and never returned home. The father said he approached all the concerned authorities and influential personalities within the country for them to intervene to help in the search of his son, but his efforts did not yield any fruits. He said he had visited all the known prisons and numerous police stations across the country in search of his lost son but the authorities never allowed him access to the installations.
His colleagues at work said he was picked up by a man in plain clothes. They said he was later seen on board a white car heading towards Banjul and never returned to work.
The Media Foundation of West Africa (MFWA) took the matter to the Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja for The Gambia government to release him. The Gambian authorities never appeared before the Court even though the Court made it known that they were served with summon of the suit against them. After a long legal debate without Gambian government appearing in any sitting, the ECOWAS Court delivered judgment and asked the Banjul authorities to release him and to also compensate him an amount of US 100,000. Eight months after the Court’s order the Government made an official comment that Journalist Manneh had never been in their custody. Since then the matter was left like that.
Mr. Kanyiba Kanyi, an employee of the Christian Children Fund (CCF) said to be an opposition sympathizer, went missing since 18th September 2006. His family said he was arrested by men in plain clothes on board a cab at his house in Bonto village in Kombo East, while they looked on. They said his junior brother was later arrested on the same evening and detained over night at the Serious Crime Unit at Police Headquarters in Banjul.
His family said they took Lawyer Ousainou Darboe who filed a “Habeas Corpus” at the High Court for the state to produce him but to no avail. They said the matter has been in court for almost four years and no progress is forthcoming. They added that they do not even know where the case stands as at now. The family said they are completely devastated.
Major Wally Nyang of The Gambia Armed Forces is said to be in detention at the Mile II Central Prison since early March 2010. His family said he was arrested at his house at the Yundum Barracks shortly after he closed from work.
Mr. Abdoulie Njie and Alieu Lowe, both residents of Fagi Kunda are being detained at the Mile II prison since 27 March 2006. The duo were arrested in connection with the 21 March 2006 abortive coup plot. Their families said they have never heard charges preferred against them since their arrest. The family said they are allowed to visit them some times, but not at all times.
Mr. Ebou Jarju, a former Steward at State House, who was first arrested on 20 March 2008, in the presence of his family and held at Banjul Police station up to 11 January 2009, when he was released without any charges, only to be re-arrested a week later is still in custody. His family said he is currently being held at the Mile II Central Prison. They said they could not have access to him since then. The family said he was last seen two weeks ago at the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital under the escort of Prison officers. They said he appeared drained.