Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BANJUL5
2007-01-04 15:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Banjul
Cable title:  

THE GAMBIA: ONGOING TENSIONS WITH SENEGAL OVER THE

Tags:  PREL SG GA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8978
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHJL #0005 0041509
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 041509Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7215
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2
C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000005 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2017
TAGS: PREL SG GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ONGOING TENSIONS WITH SENEGAL OVER THE
CASAMANCE

REF: A. 06 BANJUL 722


B. 06 BANJUL 761

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

SENEGALESE AMBASSADOR'S CONCERN
--------------------------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000005

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2017
TAGS: PREL SG GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ONGOING TENSIONS WITH SENEGAL OVER THE
CASAMANCE

REF: A. 06 BANJUL 722


B. 06 BANJUL 761

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

SENEGALESE AMBASSADOR'S CONCERN
--------------


1. (C) On January 3, Senegalese Ambassador Mamadou Fall
called on Ambassador to register concern over what he
portrayed as the GOTG's continued meddling in the Casamance
dossier. Fall claimed that three leading MFDC figures
cooperating in GOS peace efforts -- Alexandre Djibba, Magne
Dieme, and Kamoughe Diatta -- remained in detention here.
Fall said Dieme had already spent several months in the
Gambians' custody, while the other two had been picked up
about a month and a half ago. According to Fall, Gambian
authorities, rebuffing GOS demands for the trio's release,
had so far given no clear explanation for their detention and
had simply asserted that they were "thugs."

DAKAR'S PATIENCE WEARING THIN
--------------


2. (C) Senegalese Ambassador Fall said Dakar's patience over
the detentions was wearing thin and expressed exasperation
over the GOTG's failure to grant his repeated requests of
late to meet with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh so as to
underscore the depth of GOS frustration. Speaking of
Senegal's "far greater power than The Gambia's," Fall warned
of possible GOS "retaliation" if Gambian authorities seemed
intent on keeping the three MFDC figures in detention
indefinitely. He went on to note the substantial damage
caused the Gambian economy by the August/October 2005 closure
of the Sengalese border with The Gambia. (NOTE: Among the
hardships caused by the border closure, it brought to a halt
The Gambia's vital re-export trade in the sub-region and
resulted in a substantial loss of customs revenue to the
GOTG. END NOTE) Fall suggested that the threat of another
closure might be among the options considered by the
Senegalese if the unhelpful Gambian posture on the Casamance
persisted. However, when Ambassador urged GOS restraint and
efforts with the GOTG to overcome the current strains through
peaceful dialog, Fall gave assurances that Dakar at present
was not considering any "drastic moves" such as border
closure.

APPEAL FOR U.S. PRESSURE
--------------


3. (C) Fall stated that Senegal needed the help "of the donor
community" in pressing the GOTG for greater cooperation on
the Casamance and asked specifically for U.S. pressure on the
Gambians. He asked that we not only approach the GOTG
directly on the issue but also work through the International
Monetary Fund by opposing implementation of the new PRGF
currently under consideration for The Gambia (ref a).
Ambassador responded that he could make no commitments on
this score and again urged efforts by the two parties to
reach a peaceful, diplomatic resolution of the current
strains.

COMMENT
--------------


4. (C) As previously reported (ref b),we were reliably told
that Wade had absented himself from Jammeh's December 15
inauguration ceremony because of displeasure over the GOTG's
Casamance posture. Judging from Fall's presentation, the
Senegalese/Gambian strains have, if anything, intensified in
the intervening weeks. While the Senegalese Ambassador
indicated that Dakar remained committed to a diplomatic
solution, he also made clear that Senegalese patience was not
infinite and that rachetting up the pressure on the GOTG
could become necessary at some point. We continue to believe
that Jammeh's apparent mischief-making on the Casamance issue
stems at least in part from ongoing suspicions of a
Senegalese hand in the abortive coup plot in March 2006 and
of harboring its ringleader, former CHOD Ndure Cham. END
COMMENT.
STAFFORD