THE GAMBIA: NO CHANGE IN UNHELPFUL POSTURE ON THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000083 SIPDIS SIPDIS DAKAR PLS PASS ODC, DAO, AND RAO E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017 TAGS: PREL PINS SG GA SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: NO CHANGE IN UNHELPFUL POSTURE ON THE CASAMANCE REF: A. DAKAR 275 ¶B. BANJUL 5 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JOSEPH STAFFORD, REASON 1.4 (B AND D) MFDC FIGURES REMAIN IN DETENTION -------------- ¶1. (C) Ambassador raised the GOTG's Casamance posture in separate discussions February 14 with Senegalese Ambassador Mamadou Fall and Pap Saine, the well-connected chief editor of the daily, "The Point." Both asserted that President Jammeh's meddling in the Casamance was continuing, claiming that three leading MFDC figures cooperating in GOS peace efforts -- Alexandre Djibba,Magne Dieme, and Kamoughe Diatta -- remained in detention here. Saine linked the trio's ongoing, months-long detention to Jammeh's conviction that the GOS was harboring the presumed ringleader in the abortive March 2006 coup plot here; Col Ndure Cham; according to Saine, Jammeh insisted on the GOS handing over Cham as a condition for releasing the MFDC detainees. SALIF SADIO'S WHEREABOUTS -------------- ¶2. (C) Ambassador noted persistent rumors of ongoing collusion between Jammeh and MFDC hard-liner Salif Sadio. Both Senegalese Ambassador Fall and journalist Saine indicated that such collusion was probably ongoing, but Fall added that he had no concrete evidence. Saine stated that he was not certain whether Sadio himself was currently in The Gambia, while asserting that "my sources" had recently spotted aides to Sadio at President Jammeh's compound in his native village of Kanilai, located about 90 kilometers to the east of Banjul. JAMMEH AS ARMS SUPPLIER, POTENTIAL MEDIATOR -------------- ¶3. (C) Ambassador mentioned reports that Jammeh was continuing to supply arms to MFDC hard-liners (e.g., ref a); our two interlocutors responded that while the Gambian leader was possibly doing so, they could not corroborate such reports. Asked about rumors that Jammeh sought to serve as mediator among MFDC factions, Fall and Saine asserted that while Jammeh might wish to assume this role, Senegalese President Wade would not agree to it, at least for the time being, given his (Wade's) suspicions of Jammeh's intentions. COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) As in Ambassador's January 3 conversation with Fall (ref b),he was downbeat about prospects for an early improvement in the Gambian posture on the Casamance. Since our earlier discussion, the Senegalese Ambassador has continued, without success, to request a meeting with Jammeh to underscore Dakar's frustration over the unhelpful behavior. Neither Fall nor journalist Saine ruled out the prospect of ever more serious strains in the Senegalese/Gambian due to Jammeh's mischief-making. END COMMENT STAFFORD