THE GAMBIA: ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER PRESIDENT'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000095

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV SOCI GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER PRESIDENT'S
HEALING POWERS

REF: A. BANJUL 70

B. BANJUL 29

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

PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO TREAT HIV/AIDS, ASTHMA PATIENTS
-------------- --------------


1. (SBU) Since mid-January, President Jammeh has maintained
his weekly treatment program for HIV/AIDS and asthma patients
(see refs a and b for background). The treatment program
continues to receive lavish media attention, receiving top
billing in the evening televised news broadcasts and in the
pro-government daily, the "Daily Observer." Jammeh's
self-proclaimed healing powers have also drawn foreign media
attention; the British-based Sky News television network, in
its February 20 news program, featured a story on Jammeh's
treatment program following a visiting Sky journalist's
interview with Jammeh.

THE CONTROVERSY ALSO CONTINUES
--------------


2. (SBU) The Sky news feature, which conveyed a message of
skepticism about Jammeh's self-proclaimed ability to cure
HIV/AIDS, added more fuel to the controversy over his
treatment program. In its lead item February 21, the "Daily
Observer" branded the Sky report as "full of misinformation,
lies, and absurdities," while asserting that "Jammeh's AIDS
cure is real." Subsequently, on February 23, the paper led
with an article attacking a Senegalese physician in Dakar,
Coumba Toure Kane, who reportedly oversaw blood tests of
Jammeh's initial HIV/AIDS patients. The journal accused
Kane of "professional dishonesty" for reportedly asserting
that the test results should not be interpreted as evidence
that the patients had been cured. The "Daily Observer"
article also contained a general anti-Senegalese swipe, as
the author maintained that the physician's perceived
downplaying of the test results' significance represented
Senegalese "jealousy" that a HIV/AIDS cure had been found in
neighboring Gambia.

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL EXPELLED
--------------


3. (C) The controversy has claimed a prominent casualty, the
senior resident UN official, Fadzai Gwaradzimba, head of the
UN Development Program (UNDP) office here. On February 23,
the "Daily Observer" reported that the GOTG had declared the
UN official persona non grata because of her "irresponsible
comments." While the paper did not elaborate, our sources
confirm that she made her "irresponsible comments" in an
interview with the visiting Sky journalist; the UN official
stated, "if people start to believe there is a cure (for
HIV/AIDS),they will start to engage in risky behavior and
that could mean even more of a problem with AIDS on this
continent." In conversation with Ambassador, British High
Commissioner claimed that Jammeh himself, on learning of
Gwaradzimba's reported statement, had flown into a rage and
demanded her immediate expulsion. We are told that the UN
official departed The Gambia February 22.

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


4. (C) Jammeh shows no sign of halting his treatment program,
and, given his iron-fisted control over Gambian officialdom,
it is hard to imagine any official expressing reservations to
him about the wisdom of continuing the treatment program.
The Health Minister, a physician, has been particularly
outspoken in support of Jammeh's initiative, repeatedly
asserting that Jammeh's HIV/AIDS cure is genuine. At the
same time, we do not rule out high-level foreign pressure on
Jammeh to curtail his effort; the Nigerian High Commissioner
told Ambassador that she planned to ask President Obasanjo to
contact Jammeh and urge him to reconsider his HIV/AIDS
treatment program. END COMMENT

UN CONTINGENCY GUIDANCE
--------------


5. (U) The local UNDP office shared with us its
headquarters-approved contingency guidance on Jammeh's
treatment program; we are e-mailing text to AF/W.
STAFFORD