REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR GAMBIAN REFUGEE KHALIFA

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAKAR 002926

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PRM/A, DRL/AE AND AF/W
ACCRA FOR REGIONA REFCOORD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2016
TAGS: PREF PHUM GA SG
SUBJECT: REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR GAMBIAN REFUGEE KHALIFA
BAJINKA

REF: DAKAR 02091 (NOTAL)

Classified By: DCM Robert P. Jackson for reason 1.4 (b).

SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
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1. (C) Embassy Dakar requests authorization for a refugee
referral to the U.S. resettlement program on behalf of
Gambian refugee Major Khalifa Bajinka, his wife and three
children. Bajinka took refuge in Dakar in late July 2006 and
has been living in hiding here since his departure from The
Gambia. Bajinka,s wife and children remain in Banjul and
are reportedly required to report weekly to Gambian
authorities. Bajinka has presented evidence of persecution,
which has been supported by Gambian newspaper articles and
other Gambian refugees (Reftel),based on his position as
former Commander of the Presidential Guard in The Gambia from
March 2004 - June 2005 and his former posting as a staff
officer in the Office of the President from August 2003 )
March 2004. Despite the fact that Bajinka was in Nigeria
from July 2005 ) July 2006, Gambian President Jammeh accused
Bajinka of being complicit in the failed March 2006 coup
attempt and tried to have him extradited from Nigeria. The
Nigerian government refused, and Bajinka completed his
one-year training program. In July 2006, Bajinka returned to
The Gambia after receiving marginal assurances that Jammeh,s
concerns had passed. However, shortly after Bajinka,s
arrival, Jammeh sent armed men to arrest Bajinka at his
residence. Bajinka resisted the arrest attempt and, after
informing Gambian authorities by telephone that he would turn
himself in, fled by foot to the Senegalese border. After
traveling to Dakar via bus, Bajinka has been staying with a
Senegalese friend in Dakar and maintains a low profile to
ensure that his location is not discovered by Senegalese
authorities. Bajinka has unconfirmed information that the
Gambian government has officially asked for his extradition.
Due to his former position, Bajinka has knowledge of
Jammeh,s nefarious activities, which he believes is the
reason that Jammeh wants him imprisoned. Bajinka denies any
complicity in the coup attempt and believes that he would be
tortured, and possibly executed, if returned to The Gambia.
Since arriving in Dakar, Bajinka has learned from various
contacts and friends in The Gambia that Jammeh is still
interested in locating him and bringing him back to The
Gambia. As he is extremely concerned for his well-being and
the safety of his family, post considers his life to be in
immediate danger. END SUMMARY and ACTION REQUEST.

POST,S REFERRAL
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2. (C) Post refers Khalifa Bajinka (DPOB: 04 DEC 1969,
Brikina Town, The Gambia) for refugee status. Bajinka is
currently in refuge in Dakar, and his family is currently in
Banjul. His family members, names and DPOBs are:

-- Spouse: Fatou Dibba Bajinka (DPOB: 06 June 1970, The
Gambia)
-- Daughter: Aminata Tuti Bajinka (DPOB: 15 November 1996,
Banjul, The Gambia)
-- Daughter: Awa Bajinka (DPOB: 07 September 2000, Banjul,
The Gambia)
-- Son: Muhammed Lamin Bajinka (DPOB: 15 September 2003,
Atlanta, GA) Bajinka,s son Muhammed is an American citizen
who was born in Atlanta while Bajinka,s wife was working in
the United States. Bajinka,s wife is an employee of Gambian
Airlines.


3. (C) Bajinka, a Major in the Gambian Army, has a high
school education (GCE ordinary level),but due to a high
aptitude score on a military examination, was placed in the
officer corps upon entering the army in 1993. Since this
time, Bajinka has studied and earned military degrees or
college credit at several universities around the world.
Specifically, Bajinka attended the Fuh Sing Kang College in
Taipei, Taiwan in 1997 and earned a Diploma in
Administration. Additionally, Bajinka attended the Senior
Staff Military Course at Ahmed Bello University in Nigeria in
2005-2006, earning a diploma in management. Finally, Bajinka
completed the Basic Officer Course in Turkey in 1992-1993.
Despite his limited education, Bajinka is well-spoken,
appears intelligent, and has a desire to earn his college
degree. Bajinka speaks English, Turkish, Wolof, level 1
French, and reads Arabic.


4. (C) Bajinka first worked in close association with Jammeh
from July 1994 ) June 1999, when he served as the Aide de
Camp (ADC) to the Head of the State of The Gambia. Bajinka

returned to the Presidential Palace as a Staff Officer in the
Office of the President from August 2003 ) March 2004.
During both of these tenures, Bajinka remained on good terms
with Jammeh, as he was promoted to Commander of the
Presidential Guard in March 2004. It was in this role as
Commander that Bajinka fell out of favor with Jammeh. In
early 2005, Bajinka learned that Jammeh was independently
utilizing members of his Presidential Guard for arrests,
torture, destruction of property, and intimidation of
political rivals. Specifically, Jammeh created a small
four-man team, composed of members of the Presidential Guard
who were frequently ordered to carry-out nefarious tasks.
When Bajinka learned of the unit,s activities, he ordered
his men to stand-down on several Jammeh ordered operations,
which led to his abrupt reassignment to Army Staff
Headquarters in March 2005. When rumors persisted in July
2005 that Jammeh remained unhappy with Bajinka, Bajinka,s
military commanders sent him to the Senior Staff Course in
Nigeria from 2005-2006.


5. (C) During Bajinka,s deployment to Nigeria, in March
2006, there was a failed coup attempt in The Gambia led by
Colonel Nuru Cham. After several officers were arrested,
Bajinka received word from the Nigerian Government that
Jammeh had asked for his extradition from Nigeria. Despite
this request, the Nigerian Government refused, and Bajinka
finished his studies in Nigeria. After the situation in The
Gambia calmed slightly, Bajinka received vague assurances
from military officers that Jammeh had seemingly lost
interest. Despite this, the Nigerian Government and
Bajinka,s close friends all warned him against returning.
However, wishing to see his family and wanting to prove his
innocence, Bajinka returned to The Gambia. Unlike his usual
return from deployments, Bajinka was not officially met at
the airport, and during his first night, two Gambian National
Intelligence Agency officials came to Bajinka,s house
requesting his cooperation in the investigation. When the
officers tried to arrest him, Bajinka resisted and threatened
that he would not go without a fight. When the two men
departed to obtain reinforcements, Bajinka fled by foot to
the Senegalese-Gambian border. After crossing the border,
Bajinka took a bus to Dakar, where he found refuge with a
friend. Bajinka later learned from family members and a
former associate that armed men from Jammeh,s Presidential
Guard returned to Bajinka,s house to arrest and likely
imprison him. After Bajinka,s departure, Bajinka,s wife
and brothers were arrested and placed in prison for several
weeks. Although all were released in mid-August 2006, as of
late November 2006, they are still required to report on a
regular basis to NIA Headquarters in Banjul.


6. (C) Bajinka believes that Jammeh,s attempts to arrest
him are based on his knowledge of Jammeh,s nefarious
activities during his time on the President,s staff and as
Commander of the Presidential Guard. Bajinka knew that
Jammeh ordered the arrest, detention, and torture of numerous
political rivals. Bajinka does not know how or why he was
implicated in the failed coup attempt, but believes that
Jammeh was already contemplating arresting him before his
deployment to Nigeria in July 2005.


7. (C) Since taking refuge in Dakar, Bajinka has maintained
a low profile and has not made his presence known to the
Senegalese government, primarily because he believes that
Jammeh has asked for his extradition. Bajinka is sure that
he would be imprisoned and likely executed if he returns to
The Gambia, particularly because he has been accused of
treason and has received positive press from various foreign
newspapers. (For example, his story was widely distributed
among oppositionist newspapers, which used Bajinka,s plight
as an example of Jammeh,s suppression of individual
freedoms). Bajinka has also heard rumors that Gambian
officials are secretly attempting to locate his whereabouts
in Dakar, and because of this, does not frequently venture
away from his temporary residence in Dakar. Although Bajinka
has received some money from family, he has no steady income
and is being supported primarily by his friend,s family in
Dakar. Bajinka has resisted registering with refugee
agencies in Dakar out of fear for alerting the Senegalese
authorities and ultimately the Gambian Government to his
presence.


8. (C) Bajinka,s family remains in Banjul but is forced to
report weekly to Gambian officials. Bajinka has not moved
his family to Dakar, primarily because he cannot support them
and because he is not sure he could ensure their safety over
a period of several months. Additionally, Bajinka,s wife

has been able to keep her job at Gambian Airways, which
provides a source of income, and his children, who do not
speak French, would be hampered in school due to the language
barrier. If granted refugee status, Bajinka is prepared to
move his family to Dakar, and believes he could do so on two
days notice. He talks regularly, but infrequently with his
family, and they are aware of his request for refugee status.
Bajinka would prefer to wait until receiving assurance that
the process is moving forward before deciding to bring his
family to Dakar.


9. (C) Post has corroborated Bajinka,s story with Embassy
Banjul, which noted that Bajinka has been well and favorably
known to the current and previous U.S. embassy staff for many
years. In addition, other Gambian officials resident in
Dakar, who have not been accused of treason, have also
reported threats against them.

ACTION REQUEST
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10. (C) PRM,s urgent consideration of this request is
greatly appreciated since Bajinka and his family,s lives are
in immediate danger. END ACTION REQUEST.
JACOBS