THE GAMBIA: FURTHER DEMARCHE ON ACCESS TO AMCIT,

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000252 SIPDIS SIPDIS DAKAR PASS RAO, ODC, AND DAO E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS CASC ASEC PHUM KMCA GA SG SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: FURTHER DEMARCHE ON ACCESS TO AMCIT, SENEGAL REF: A. BANJUL 249 AND PREVIOUS ¶B. BANJUL 230 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D) ACCESS TO AMCIT DETAINEE -------------- ¶1. (C) Ambassador met April 24 with Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary William Joof and repeated previous requests for SIPDIS access to Amcit Tamsir Jasseh, detained for suspected involvement in the March 21 aborted coup plot (ref a). Ambassador stressed dismay at the delay in our obtaining access. Joof expressed surprise that we had not yet been granted access, saying he had discussed the matter with "proper authorities" prior to travelling to Mauritania April 21 and had assumed that our request would be promptly granted. Joof undertook to look into the matter and get back to us. ¶2. (C) Ambassador also took the occasion to urge the GOTG to end its silence over the status of its investigation into the failed plot and ensure respect for remaining detainees' rights. He added that the resumption of the negative trend in the GOTG's human rights performance made it difficult to move forward on the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) process, stating that MCC officials had no plans at present to visit and that there was genuine risk of The Gambia's MCA eligibility being suspended. Joof nodded in understanding, but made no substantive comment. STRAINS WITH SENEGAL OVER FAILED COUP PLOT -------------- ¶3. (C) Ambassador asked for an update on ties with Senegal following the GOTG's April 13 convening of the diplomatic corps to protest GOS' alleged failure to cooperate with the Gambians' investigation of the failed plot (ref b). Joof responded that the GOTG still awaited responses from the GOS to allegations of Senegalese complicity that surfaced in confessions by detainees suspected of involvement in the plot. Asked about the status of the plot's ringleader, former Chief of Defense Staff Lt Col Ndure Cham, Joof said that the GOTG believed that he was currently in Dakar and would continue to press the GOS for access to him. In response to query, Joof stated that, at this point, the GOTG was not insisting on Cham's extradition to The Gambia, but would continue to insist that Gambian investigators be allowed to question him, given that "Cham is the one person who can provide full details on the plot." COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) Joof indicated that he well understood the damage caused to President Jammeh's and his government's domestic and foreign standing by the GOTG's failure so far to address concerns over detainees' treatment and respect for their right to due process. It remains to be seen, however, whether he and other like-minded senior officials can persuade Jammeh to be more forthcoming. Ambassador reminded Joof of his request to see Jammeh; Joof indicated that he would try to arrange meeting this week. END COMMENT. STAFFORD