THE GAMBIA: PRESIDENT'S YEAR-END INTERVIEW

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