Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BANJUL90
2009-03-24 11:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Banjul
Cable title:
OPPOSITION POLITICIAN RELEASED UNCONDITIONALLY
how-toR 241145Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8586 INFO MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BANJUL 000090
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GA
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN RELEASED UNCONDITIONALLY
REFTEL: Banjul 79
SUMMARY
-------
UNCLAS BANJUL 000090
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GA
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN RELEASED UNCONDITIONALLY
REFTEL: Banjul 79
SUMMARY
--------------
1. On March 19, 2009, prominent Gambian opposition leader and
former presidential candidate Halifa Sallah was released
unconditionally after 11 days of detention for reporting on and
protesting an ongoing campaign apparently supported by the
government to rid the country of "witches" (reftel). The biggest
surprise was the explicit confirmation in an official court document
that the "witch hunt" which has been going on for two months, was
sanctioned by President Jammeh.
NEW CHARGES
--------------
2. On March 19, Sallah was taken from Mile 2 Central Prison, where
he had been held after failing to meet his stringent bail conditions
(reftel),to Police Headquarters in Banjul where he was informed
that the state was replacing his charge sheet, which included
accusations of "spying" and "acting with seditious intent", with
five new charges. These were namely; "conduct conducive to the
breach of peace", "seditious Act", "unlawful Assembly", "inciting
disobedience of lawful orders" and "obtaining information which may
be useful to an enemy".
3. The particulars in four of the charges refer to Mr. Sallah's
meeting with residents of Makumbaya village at which he allegedly
tried to incite the people to challenge "the government policy of
screening witches" and one count referred to the exercise as "a
lawful order of the President". Mr. Sallah was then moved from
Police Headquarters to Brikama Magistrate's Court where the Director
of Public Prosecution, Mr. Richard N. Chenge, made the surprise
announcement that both the old and new charges were being dropped
"in the interest of peace and justice."
DENIAL OF ACCESS
--------------
4. During most of his time at Mile 2 prison, Sallah was refused
visitors. It was not until March 18, the day before he was released,
that his wife was finally granted access. Following his release, Mr.
Sallah said in an interview with the newspaper he publishes
("Foroyaa") that he would continue to investigate whether the
abduction and maltreatment of ordinary people by the witchdoctors is
continuing. He would also write to the President and the Attorney
General to find out if there is a written government policy
regarding witches as stated in his second charge sheet.
OPPOSITION SOLIDARITY
--------------
5. Although Sallah has said that his crusade against the
witchdoctors is not a partisan affair but rather a matter of social
justice, opposition politicians have rallied behind him on this
issue, perhaps because they may have finally found an issue with
which they can garner public support to attack the Jammeh
government. Shortly before his release, five senior politicians
representing Sallah's National Alliance for Democracy and
Development (NADD),the United Democratic Party and the National
Reconciliation Party met to discuss a common strategy if Sallah
continued to be held. One of the politicians told FSN that they had
agreed that as a first step, they would issue a joint public
condemnation of the trial and the activities of the witchdoctors. He
did not say what they would have done next.
COMMENT
--------------
6. There have been no reports that the Guinean witchdoctors have
continued their exercise since the release of Halifa Sallah. The
negative international publicity of both the trial and the so-called
witchcraft rituals and the unified stand of the political opposition
on this issue may have forced the government to call off the
exercise. END COMMENT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM GA
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN RELEASED UNCONDITIONALLY
REFTEL: Banjul 79
SUMMARY
--------------
1. On March 19, 2009, prominent Gambian opposition leader and
former presidential candidate Halifa Sallah was released
unconditionally after 11 days of detention for reporting on and
protesting an ongoing campaign apparently supported by the
government to rid the country of "witches" (reftel). The biggest
surprise was the explicit confirmation in an official court document
that the "witch hunt" which has been going on for two months, was
sanctioned by President Jammeh.
NEW CHARGES
--------------
2. On March 19, Sallah was taken from Mile 2 Central Prison, where
he had been held after failing to meet his stringent bail conditions
(reftel),to Police Headquarters in Banjul where he was informed
that the state was replacing his charge sheet, which included
accusations of "spying" and "acting with seditious intent", with
five new charges. These were namely; "conduct conducive to the
breach of peace", "seditious Act", "unlawful Assembly", "inciting
disobedience of lawful orders" and "obtaining information which may
be useful to an enemy".
3. The particulars in four of the charges refer to Mr. Sallah's
meeting with residents of Makumbaya village at which he allegedly
tried to incite the people to challenge "the government policy of
screening witches" and one count referred to the exercise as "a
lawful order of the President". Mr. Sallah was then moved from
Police Headquarters to Brikama Magistrate's Court where the Director
of Public Prosecution, Mr. Richard N. Chenge, made the surprise
announcement that both the old and new charges were being dropped
"in the interest of peace and justice."
DENIAL OF ACCESS
--------------
4. During most of his time at Mile 2 prison, Sallah was refused
visitors. It was not until March 18, the day before he was released,
that his wife was finally granted access. Following his release, Mr.
Sallah said in an interview with the newspaper he publishes
("Foroyaa") that he would continue to investigate whether the
abduction and maltreatment of ordinary people by the witchdoctors is
continuing. He would also write to the President and the Attorney
General to find out if there is a written government policy
regarding witches as stated in his second charge sheet.
OPPOSITION SOLIDARITY
--------------
5. Although Sallah has said that his crusade against the
witchdoctors is not a partisan affair but rather a matter of social
justice, opposition politicians have rallied behind him on this
issue, perhaps because they may have finally found an issue with
which they can garner public support to attack the Jammeh
government. Shortly before his release, five senior politicians
representing Sallah's National Alliance for Democracy and
Development (NADD),the United Democratic Party and the National
Reconciliation Party met to discuss a common strategy if Sallah
continued to be held. One of the politicians told FSN that they had
agreed that as a first step, they would issue a joint public
condemnation of the trial and the activities of the witchdoctors. He
did not say what they would have done next.
COMMENT
--------------
6. There have been no reports that the Guinean witchdoctors have
continued their exercise since the release of Halifa Sallah. The
negative international publicity of both the trial and the so-called
witchcraft rituals and the unified stand of the political opposition
on this issue may have forced the government to call off the
exercise. END COMMENT