THE GAMBIA: FURTHER STRAINS IN TIES WITH SENEGAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000250

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, DAO, AND RAO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GA SG
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: FURTHER STRAINS IN TIES WITH SENEGAL
OVER CASAMANCE

REF: BANJUL 243 AND PREVIOUS

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

ESCALATING TENSIONS OVER CASAMANCE
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1. (C) In May 15 conversation with Ambassador, knowledgeable
journalistic source spoke of growing strains in
Senegalese/Gambian ties, saying a senior Gambian official,
the National Intelligence Agency's head, had recently
expressed concern to him privately that the GOS might close
Senegal's border with The Gambia "at any time." (NOTE:
During a severe bilateral dispute over transportation issues,
the Senegalese closed their border with The Gambia during
August/October 2005. The closure caused substantial damage
to the Gambian economy, as vitally needed imports from
Senegal halted, as did The Gambia's re-export trade in the
sub-region. END NOTE)


2. (C) According to our source, while the still-pending
verdict in the trial of five Senegalese customs officials was
a factor in the escalating tensions (reftel),the main
reason was the GOTG's meddling in the Casamance conflict. He
said the GOTG's unhelpful posture came through in a recent
"Walfajri" radio interview in Senegal with "moderate" MFDC
figures. They reportedly claimed that the GOTG was
supplying weapons to MFDC hard-liners opposed to peace
efforts and continuing to provide sanctuary in The Gambia to
a leading hard-liner, Salif Sadio, and his supporters.
(NOTE: Our source discounted recent reports of Sadio's
killing, insisting that he had only been wounded and was
likely recovering somewhere in The Gambia. END NOTE) In the
interview, our source continued, the MFDC reps also
complained about Gambian authorities' ongoing detention of
MFDC figures cooperating in GOS peace efforts, putting the
number of detainees at seven. (COMMENT: Per reftel, we had
been aware of three leading MFDC figures in custody here. We
believe the trio and perhaps other MFDC elements have been in
detention for months. To our knowledge, the GOTG has given
no explanation for the detentions, although we note May 14
report by the U.S.-based online "Freedom Journal" claiming
the GOTG's detention of three "MFDC fighters" for alleged
links to anti-GOTG dissidents, e.g. former Chief of Defense
Staff Ndure Cham, presumed mastermind of the failed coup plot
here in March 2006. END COMMENT)

COMMENT
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3. (C) In Ambassador's May 8 conversation with Senegalese
Ambassador Mamadou Fall (reftel),he had pointed to mounting
irritation in Dakar over Gambian "provocations," although he
had ruled out any abrupt GOS retaliatory move, such as a
repetition of the 2005 border closure. That a Gambian
official of the NIA head's stature -- a personal contact of
our source -- would raise the possibility of a renewed border
closure suggests the depth of concern in GOTG circles over
the escalating strains with Senegal. The question now is
whether the erratic Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, just back
from a trip to Venezuela and Cuba (septel),can be persuaded
to ease up on the mischief-making in the Casamance and
otherwise work to reduce tensions -- e.g., having the
detained Senegalese customs officials released without
further prosecution. While Gambian officials are generally
unwilling to discuss the GOTG's Casamance policy in any
detail -- confining themselves to pat assertions of Gambian
support for peace efforts -- Ambassador will raise the
dossier in scheduled meeting May 16 with the Foreign Affairs
Permanent Secretary and urge that the GOTG do its part to
ease tensions. END COMMENT
STAFFORD