THE GAMBIA: UPDATE ON AFTERMATH OF ABORTED COUP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 000206

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PASS DAO, ODC, AND RAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS CASC ASEC PHUM GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: UPDATE ON AFTERMATH OF ABORTED COUP
PLOT

REF: A) BANJUL 194 B) BANJUL 178 C) BANJUL 190 D)

BANJUL 203

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Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Sources portray President Jammeh as still recovering
from a sense of shock and betrayal following the aborted coup
attempt March 21, although he works to convey the image of a
leader fully in charge in his public appearances. The GOTG
itself has yet to provide much information on the foiled
plot, relying on suspects' televised confessions. Sources
report the release of seventeen (17) detainees cleared of
involvement, including (10) military personnel; among the
civilians released is a National Assembly deputy with the
ruling party, Omar Camara, and prominent lawyer Antouman Gaye
(list of detainees in para 8). To our knowledge, none of the
remaining detainees has as yet been charged, and there are
reports that some of the detainees have been beaten. The
independent-minded National Assembly Speaker, Belinda
Bidwell, spoke of her shock and deep disappointment over the
coup plot, while judging that the Jammeh Government and the
country generally had emerged unscathed and stable from the
incident. She also predicted that the failed coup attempt
would ensure Jammeh's re-election in the October 2006
contest. However, the closing of "The Independent" and the
reported beatings of detainees casts a long shadow over
Bidwell's rosy prediction. (NOTE: See late-breaking news para
seven.) END SUMMARY.

OVERVIEW
--------------


2. (C) Two weeks after the aborted coup plot here March 21
(ref a),an atmosphere of calm and normality prevails in
Banjul, as the jitteriness recedes and enhanced military and
security presence at various checkpoints is no longer in
evidence. Although sources portray President Jammeh as still
recovering from his sense of shock and betrayal over the
incident, in his latest public appearances he has worked to
convey the image of a leader fully in charge. Attending a
military graduation ceremony March 31, he alluded to the
failed overthrow attempt in his address, stating, "there is
no place in The Gambia for an alienated and self-seeking
military and spoke of a "small, bleak cloud" that would
quickly vanish. However, at a subsequent address that same
day to mark the annual opening of the National Assembly's
legislative session, Jammeh made no mention at all of the
overthrow attempt (highlights of address reported septel).
His April 2 visits to several military barracks and a
suburban commercial area near Banjul received heavy media
coverage and featured the predictable cheering onlookers.

THE COUP PLOT
--------------


3. (C) The GOTG itself has yet to provide much information on
the foiled plot, confining itself to its press release that
the plot was at "an advanced stage" (ref b). Instead, it has
left it to detainees to provide details via their televised
confessions (refs a and c). At this point, our sense is that
the plot was haphazardly planned by the ringleader, former
Chief of Defense Staff Lt Col Ndure Cham, that active
involvement was limited to a small minority of the Gambian
military's officer corps along with a handful of civilians,
among them Amcit (dual national) Tamsir Jasseh. A senior
police official and Embassy contact claimed to us that Jasseh
was "the brains" behind the plot and that the latter had far
more to reveal about it than he had disclosed in his
televised confession. In any event, we surmise that Cham's
plot involved a dozen or so officers seizing various key
sites -- e.g. presidential offices, radio and television
stations, etc. -- the evening of March 21. We surmise that
when word of the plot leaked to other senior officers several
hours in advance of the plot's implementation, Cham simply
abandoned the plot and fled out of recognition that he lacked
adequate support within the military.

UPDATE ON DETENTIONS AND RELEASES
--------------


4. (C) Cham remains at large, and, according to our sources,
may well have moved from his original hiding place in the
Casamance to northern Senegal or another neighboring state.
Meanwhile, the list of civilian detainees included, inter
alia, two National Assembly deputies, Omar Camara

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(subsequently released--see para 8) and Demba Dem, both with
the ruling APRC party. Asked about these and other civilian
detainees, a well-informed journalist and Embassy contact,
Pap Saine, editor-in-chief of the daily, "The Point,"
asserted to us that most were picked up because their names
were mentioned in confessions by the initially detained
suspects. We subsequently learned of the release of 17
detainees (see para 8).


5. (C) To our knowledge, none of the remaining detainees,
military or civilian, has been charged as yet. Our sources
indicate that a panel of investigators, composed of senior
military, police, and intelligence officials, continues to
question suspects. Asked about conditions of confinement,
Saine told us April 3 that he had picked up reports that some
of the detainees had been beaten by police officials and
mentioned former National Intelligence Agency Director Daba
Marena as among the victims. Saine also indicated that
authorities have yet to permit any access, including by
family members, to the detainees. (NOTE: On April 4,
Ambassador contacted Interior Minister Baboucarr Jatta to
repeat our request for access to detained Amcit Tamsir Jasseh
and to register concern over the reported abuses of
detainees. Jatta took note of Ambassador's presentation and
undertook to get back with a response. We are not aware, at
this point, of any local or foreign organizations requesting
access to the detainees; Pol/EconOff contacted the Africa
Center for Human Rights and Democracy, which indicated that
it had yet to request access. END NOTE)

ASSESSMENT OF DEPUTY SPEAKER
--------------


6. (C) In April 4 discussion with Ambassador, the National
Assembly's independent-minded Deputy Speaker, Belinda Bidwell
(appointed by Jammeh to the National Assembly, but not an
APRC member) said she had been shocked and deeply
disappointed to learn of the attempted coup. Bidwell
explained that she had thought that The Gambia's political
development had reached a point where such unconstitutional
attempts to change the government were a thing of the past.
She judged, though, that both the Jammeh government and the
country itself had emerged unscathed and stable from the
episode. She perceived the Gambian public to be rallying
around Jammeh following the failed coup attempt and,
referring to this groundswell of popular support for Jammeh,
asserted that "this failed plot has ensured his re-election
in the fall,". When Ambassador expressed concern over
worrisome developments in the coup plot's aftermath, e.g.
closure of the journal, "The Independent" (ref d) and the
reported abuse of detainees, Bidwell said she was also
concerned and would get further details on these developments.

LATE-BREAKING DEVELOPMENT ON DETAINEES
--------------


7. (SBU) As this cable was being drafted in the late
afternoon of April 4, the Embassy received a press release
from the Office of Inspector General of Police alleging that
five suspected coup plotters escaped when their vehicle
almost overturned as they were being transferred from Mile
Two Prison (Banjul) to Janjanbureh Prison (near Georgetown).
Among the alleged escapees was the former Director General of
the National Intelligence Agency, Daba Marena. Additional
details to be provided septel.

COMMENT
--------------


8. (C) We have as yet picked up no signs that a GOTG
crackdown on the opposition parties is underway, and several
opposition leaders have issued statements condemning the
coup. However, if, as the National Assembly Deputy Speaker
suggests, the coup attempt created a groundswell of popular
support for Jammeh, it is possible that the closure of "The
Independent" and the reported abuse of detainees will have
the opposite effect. We will continue to register our
concern about these developments in upcoming meetings
requested with senior GOTG officials. END COMMENT.

LIST OF DETAINEES RELEASED
--------------


9. (SBU) Following is a list of those released to-date
according to our sources:

Major Ebrima Bah - Commander Yundum Barracks
Major Sainey Bayo

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Lt. Commander M. B. Sarr - former Commander, Gambia Navy
Captain Y. N. Jallow
Captain Famara Jammeh - State Guard
Lieutenant M. Savage - State Guard
Sergeant Abdoulie Sanyang - State Guard
Private Sonko - State Guard
Ebrima Camara - former Police Commissioner
Momat Cham - retired army major, former minister in the
military regime of 1994

Mr. Omar Camara - APRC NAM for Kantora
Mrs. Camara - wife of APRC NAM Omar Camara
Lamin Gassama - Security Manager, GCAA
Ebou Waggeh - former GRTS Producer
Antouman Gaye - prominent lawyer
Ousman Sey - Quranic Teacher
Adama Deen - former MD at the Ports Authority




STAFFORD