PROMINENT GAMBIAN JOURNALIST RELEASED FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000542

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL GA
SUBJECT: PROMINENT GAMBIAN JOURNALIST RELEASED FROM
DETENTION

REF: BANJUL 536

Classified By: PolOff M.M. Nayyar, Reason 14. (b and d)


1. (U) Following her arrest by the National Intelligence
Agency (NIA) on August 29 (reftel),Amie Sillah, a
journalist, campaigner for gender equality, and executive
member of a Gambian opposition party, the National Alliance
for Democracy and Development (NADD),was released later on
the same day. No arrest warrant was presented at the time
she was taken into custody and no official reason has been
given for her detention.


2. (U) Mrs. Sillah's detention coincided with the
publication of several newspaper articles broadcasting her
support for NADD presidential candidate, Halifa Sallah. In
the August 29-30 "Daily Express" newspaper, she was quoted as
likening The Gambia to the Titanic, saying that no one
escapes the bars of prison in the current political climate.
Another piece in the same edition of the "Daily Express"
cited Mrs. Sillah's speech at a political rally in the town
of Serrekunda, a NADD stronghold. There she reportedly
stated that The Gambia is not for sale, referencing an August
28 editorial in the paper "Foroyaa" ("Freedom") that urged
civil servants to remain vigilant against pressure from the
ruling party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and
Construction (APRC). Mrs. Sillah is a contributor to
"Foroyaa," which also ran an article discussing her criticism
of the APRC government's failure to solve problems for women
as promised.


3. (C) COMMENT: Although she was held for only a few hours
before being released, Mrs. Sillah's detention seems to be
developing into a cause celebre for the opposition. It is
not likely that Mrs. Sillah will be silenced by her arrest.
In fact, if the arrest was intended to silence or send a
warning to critics of President Jammeh and his government,
the arrest of this well-respected activist may backfire and
actually embolden the opposition. END COMMENT.


ALSUP