Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BANJUL731
2006-12-04 12:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Banjul
Cable title:  

THE GAMBIA: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER'S COMMITMENT

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KDEM KMCA GA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO5327
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0731/01 3381255
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 041255Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7153
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000731 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, RAO, AND DAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KMCA GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER'S COMMITMENT
TO REFORM

REF: A. BANJUL 717


B. BANJUL 653

C. BANJUL 444

BANJUL 00000731 001.2 OF 002


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

SUMMARY
--------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANJUL 000731

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, RAO, AND DAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KMCA GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER'S COMMITMENT
TO REFORM

REF: A. BANJUL 717


B. BANJUL 653

C. BANJUL 444

BANJUL 00000731 001.2 OF 002


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

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


1. (C) In meeting with Ambassador, National Assembly Speaker
Bidwell indicated that she plans to convey to President
Jammeh her concern over the negative human rights trend here;
she cited the ordeal of former parliamentarian Duta Kamaso as
illustrative of that trend. Bidwell stressed her
determination to promote a more assertive National Assembly
vis-a-vis the executive branch and mentioned upcoming special
hearings on the GOTG's budget. Bidwell is a relatively
independent-minded member of The Gambia's mainstream
political establishment; it remains to be seen whether Jammeh
will renew her appointment to the Assembly following the
January contest for elected members. END SUMMARY.

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
--------------


2. (C) In recent meeting with Ambassador, National Assembly
Speaker Belinda Bidwell agreed that The Gambia's human rights
situation was troubling, acknowledging that the negative
trend evident in past months was continuing. She expressed
particular concern over the GOTG's silence amidst ongoing
criticism by the international human rights community over
the restrictive human rights and political environment.
Bidwell said she would request a meeting for National
Assembly leaders with President Yahya Jammeh following the
December legislative session and would take the occasion to
register her human rights concerns. Ambassador applauded her
initiative and urged her to underscore to Jammeh the damage
caused his standing at home and abroad by the negatve human
rights trend. Noting the GOTG's previous nixing of dialog
with us on pursuit of reinstatement of MCA eligibility (ref
a),Ambassador also asked that she urge Jammeh to engage with
us constructively on this issue, given the MCA program's
potential importance in promoting The Gambia's development.
Bidwell took Ambassador's presentation on board.


CASE OF DUTA KAMASO
--------------


3. (C) Bidwell cited the case of former National Assembly
member with the ruling APRC party, Duta Kamaso, as indicative
of the deterioration in the human rights arena. (NOTE: As
previously reported -- e.g., ref b -- authorities detained
Kamaso during June/October; she was released without charge
but nonetheless stripped of her APRC membership and National
Assenmbly seat. END NOTE) Bidwell dismissed speculation that
Kamaso had been guilty of anti-GOTG activities (e.g., support
for the failed coup plot in March, links to a pro-opposition
on-line "journal"),saying she (Bidwell) was not aware of any
such activities by Kamaso. Portraying Kamaso as a
reform-minded activist -- but loyal to the APRC and Jammeh --
the Speaker confided that she thought Kamaso had been the
victim of a feud between her extended family and another.
Elaborating, Bidwell surmised that the opposing family, in an
effort to score points against Kamaso's clan, had simply gone
to the authorities with false accusations of dissident
activity by Kamaso. (COMMENT: We find such a scenario
plausible; following the failed coup plot, the GOTG doubtless
relied on informers in ferreting out suspects, and Kamaso may
well have fallen victim to one without actual evidence agaist
her but seeking to settle a score with her family. END
COMMENT)

PROMOTING A MORE ASSERTIVE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
--------------


4. (C) As in previous meetings (ref c),Bidwell stressed her
determination to promote a more assertive National Assembly
that was conscious of its prerogatives vis-a-vis the
executive branch and better equipped to serve as a check on
the latter. She acknowledged that the Assembly's
transformation was a long-term objective that would require
the requisite commitment and expertise by parliamentarians;
as a step in this direction, Bidwell said she was arranging
for special hearings on the GOTG's budget during the December
legislative session in an effort to assert greater budget
oversight by the Assembly. (NOTE: Emboffs plan to attend
these hearings. END NOTE)

COMMENT

BANJUL 00000731 002.2 OF 002


--------------


5. (C) Bidwell is a relatively independent-minded member of
The Gambia's mainstream political establishment. She is
among the appointed (by Jammeh) members of the Assembly and
is not a member of the APRC, although she makes clear that
she has little sympathy for the opposition parties,
portraying them (with some justification) as too weak and
fragmented to serve as a genuine alternative to Jammeh and
his APRC government. It remains to be seen how much headway
she will be able to make with the volatile and autocratic
Jammeh on the human rights dossier, if the parliamentarians'
meeting with him actually occurs. It also remains to be seen
whether Jammeh will appoint her again to the Assembly
following its January elections. She has indicated a desire
to serve another term, but is aware of rumors that Jammeh
views her as too independent-minded and may well not renew
her appointment. END COMMENT

STAFFORD