Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
94BANJUL2791
1994-08-17 15:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Banjul
Cable title:  

THE GAMBIA: JAMMEH CLAIMS AN OPEN MANDATE

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR GA 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 171534Z AUG 94
FM AMEMBASSY BANJUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0210
INFO AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 
AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT 
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
AMEMBASSY LAGOS 
AMEMBASSY PARIS 
USDAO DAKAR SG
AMEMBASSY DAKAR 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO 
AMEMBASSY BISSAU 
DIA WASHDC//DH06//
AMEMBASSY PRAIA
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 002791 

DEPT FOR AF/W
LONDON FOR MCKINLEY
PARIS FOR PERLOW

E.0.12356N DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: JAMMEH CLAIMS AN OPEN MANDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 002791

DEPT FOR AF/W
LONDON FOR MCKINLEY
PARIS FOR PERLOW

E.0.12356N DECL:OADR
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR GA
SUBJECT: THE GAMBIA: JAMMEH CLAIMS AN OPEN MANDATE


1. CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT.
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


2. LT JAMMEH, THE PRC, AND THE NEW GOVERNMENT MET
THE PEOPLE OF BANJUL AT A MASS RALLY JULY 13, 1994.
LT JAMMEH AND OTHER SPEAKERS FOCUSED ON THE NEED FOR
CHANGE, THE IMPORTANCE OF ROOTING OUT CORRUPTION, AND
THE NEED FOR NATIONAL UNITY. LT JAMMEH PROMISED THAT
THE PRC WOULD REMAIN IN POWER AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE
OF THE GAMBIA WISHED. A RETURN TO DEMOCRACY WAS NOT
DISCUSSED. LT JAMMEH'S REMARKS INDICATE A LACK OF
ENTHUSIASM FOR WESTERN DEMOCRACY AND AN IMMEDIATE
CONCERN FOR ELIMINATING CORRUPTION. END SUMMARY.
--------------
THE PRC MEETS THE BANJULIANS
--------------


3. THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL (PRC)
CALLED A RALLY AT MCCARTHY SQUARE TO MEET THE PEOPLE
OF THE CITY OF BANJUL SATURDAY AUGUST 13, 1994. ALL
FIVE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE PRC ATTENDED, AS WELL AS
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (CABINET) AND THE
NEWLY-APPOINTED MAYOR OF BANJUL, MAJOR ANTOUMAN
SAHO. THE RALLY WAS RESCHEDULED FROM THE RAINED-OUT
EVENT CALLED FOR MONDAY AUGUST 8, 1994. GRIOTS
(TRADITIONAL PRAISE-SINGERS) AND FOLKLORIC PERFORMING
GROUPS WERE SPECIFICALLY INVITED TO THIS EVENT.


4. ALTHOUGH CALLED FOR 3 PM, MINISTERS WERE NOT
SEATED UNTIL NEARLY 4:30 PM. A LIGHT RAIN FELL FOR
MOST OF THE RALLY, BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO DIMINISH
ATTENDANCE OR THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE CROWD. THE RALLY
ENDED NEAR DUSK, AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 PM.

--------------
WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE IN CHARGE
--------------


5. LT JAMMEH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PRC (LTS
SABALLY, SINGHATEH, HAIDARA, AND TOURAY) ARRIVED ON
FOOT FROM STATE HOUSE (ABOUT 100 YDS),BUT WERE
PRECEDED BY TWO MOTORCYCLE ESCORTS AND TWO TRUCKLOADS
OF BODYGUARDS ARMED WITH MACHINE GUNS AND RPG-7S.
UPON ENTRY INTO MCCARTHY SQUARE, THE PRC MEMBERS
JOINED HANDS WITH THEIR ARMS UPRAISED AND CIRCLED THE
SQUARE, ACCEPTING CHEERS AND HANDSHAKES AS THEY
PASSED. THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY NEARLY 40 GUARDS
ARMED WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. SECURITY AT THE AUGUST
13 RALLY WAS MUCH HEAVIER THAN THE CANCELLED AUGUST 8
EVENT, WITH TWICE AS MANY SOLDIERS AND MUCH HEAVIER
WEAPONRY PRESENT.


6. UPON TAKING SEATS, THE DAIS WAS APPROACHED BY
ALHAJI CONATEH, THE GAMBIA'S MOST PROMINENT GRIOT AND

BALAFON PLAYER (AND A FREQUENT VISITOR AT STATE HOUSE
BEFORE PRESIDENT JAWARA'S OVERTHROW). ON BEHALF OF
ALL THE GRIOTS OF THE GAMBIA, ALHAJI CONATEH THANKED
THE PRC FOR THEIR NEW GOVERNMENT AND NOTED THAT THIS
WAS THE FIRST OCCASION AT WHICH ALL THE GAMBIA'S
GRIOTS HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED TO GREET THE HEAD OF
STATE. ALHAJI CONATEH SPOKE IN ENGLISH, WHICH HE
FOLLOWED BY REMARKS IN WOLLOF. A HALF-DOZEN OTHER
GRIOTS ALSO OFFERED SPEECHES IN WOLLOF ONLY, WHICH IN
GENERAL ADVISED LT JAMMEH THAT A TRADITIONAL CHIEF
MUST BE JUST AND IMPARTIAL, AND NOT SWAYED BY TIES OF
FRIENDSHIP, TRIBE OR FAMILY.

--------------
WE LIKE OLD-FASHIONED ENTERTAINMENT
--------------


7. THE GRIOT'S SPEECHES WERE FOLLOWED BY A MIXED
GROUP OF KORA AND BALAFON PLAYERS AND SINGERS, WHO
PLAYED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. FOLKLORIC ENSEMBLES THEN
PERFORMED IN SEQUENCE, BEGINNING WITH A JOLA TROUP
WHO EXECUTED VERY ACROBATIC DANCES AND SLASHED AT
THEMSELVES WITH SWORDS AND KNIVES, UNDERSCORING THEIR
INVULNERABILITY TO SUCH WEAPONS. AFTER THE JOLA
TROUP, FIVE OTHER FULA AND WOLLOF DANCERS PER
FORMED.

--------------
WE'VE GOT TO WORK HARD . . .
--------------


8. AFTER DANCES AND PERFORMANCES WERE FINISHED, THE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (CABINET) AND THE NEW MAYOR OF
BANJUL WERE INTRODUCED. MAJ SAHO'S SPEECH POINTED
OUT THAT JULY 22 WOULD BE REMEMBERED AS A DAY OF
PROGRESS OF THE GAMBIA. HE STATED THAT HIS GOALS
WERE TO MAKE BANJUL A QUOTE WORLD CLASS CITY UNQUOTE
IN WHICH THE SECURITY OF BANJULIANS WOULD REMAIN HIS
PRIMARY CONCERN. MINISTERS MADE SHORT SPEECHES
FOCUSED ON QUOTE THE CHANGE (OF GOVERNMENT) UNQUOTE
AND THE NEED FOR ALL GAMBIANS TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO
ABANDON THE BAD HABITS OF THE OLD REGIME. NEITHER
INTERIOR MINISTER LT HAIDARA NOR FINANCE MINISTER
DABO SPOKE ON THIS OCCASION.

--------------
STICK TOGETHER . . .
--------------


9. LT JAMMEH RECEIVED A THUNDEROUS CHEER WHEN HE
ROSE TO SPEAK. HE BEGAN BY ASKING THE CROWD IF THEY
WANTED JAWARA BACK. THE CROWD ROARED BACK THAT IT
DID NOT. HE ASKED THE QUESTION A SECOND TIME, WITH
THE SAME ANSWER. LT JAMMEH THEN POINTED OUT THAT
JAWARA HAD QUOTE LED BY DIVIDE AND RULE UNQUOTE, AND
THAT EVERYONE HAD SEEN THE RESULTS OF DIVIDE AND RULE
IN RWANDA AND SOUTH AFRICA. DIVIDE AND RULE HAD BEEN
THE MECHANISM OF COLONIALISM IN AFRICA.


10. LT JAMMEH INSISTED THAT TRIBE HAD HELD SWAY OVER
BROTHERHOOD (AMONG CO-NATIONALS) UNDER JAWARA, AND
THAT EVERYONE COULD SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS
POLICY IN RWANDA. LT JAMMEH PROMISED THAT THE PRC
WOULD NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN IN THE GAMBIA.

--------------
AND REMEMBER WHO WE ARE
--------------


11. THE PRC CHAIRMAN THEN MOVED TO THE ISSUE OF
DEMOCRACY. HE POINTED OUT THAT DEMOCRACY HAD ITS
ROOTS IN GREECE AND ROME, AND HAD BEEN THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM OF AFRICA'S COLONIAL MASTERS. HE REMINDED THE
CROWD THAT GAMBIANS HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA OF
DEMOCRACY, AND ASKED IF GAMBIANS WANTED THE TYPE OF
DEMOCRACY THAT PURCHASED WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
WHILE GAMBIANS WERE POOR.

--------------
WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THINGS . . .
--------------


12. LT JAMMEH PROMISED BANJULIANS THAT THE PRC WOULD
ASSURE THAT JUSTICE IS DONE. HE ASSURED HIS AUDIENCE
THAT WHEN THEIR WORK IS DONE THE GNA WOULD GO BACK TO
BARRACKS.


13. MOVING TO THE QUESTION OF DETAINEES, ESPECIALLY
FORMER POLICE AND ARMY OFFICERS (NOTABLY CPTS CHAM
AND SARR, FORMER SPOKESMAN LT KONTEH, AND FORMER
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE PA SALLAH JAGNE, AS WELL
AS AN ESTIMATED THIRTY OTHERS),LT JAMMEH WARNED THAT
QUOTE THERE ARE ENEMIES OF THE GAMBIA INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE UNQUOTE, AND THAT OUR (GAMBIANS') DUTY WAS TO
UNITE FOR THE GAMBIA.

--------------
AS LONG AS YOU WANT
--------------


14. LT JAMMEH INTERJECTED THAT WE (THE PRC) ARE HERE
(IN POWER) TO RECOVER QUOTE EVERY BUTUT (THE SMALLEST
UNIT OF THE GAMBIAN CURRENCY) PLUNDERED FROM THE
GAMBIAN PEOPLE UNQUOTE, AND THAT WE (THE PRC) ARE
HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF GAMBIANS ARE
SERVED. HE THEN ASSURED THE CROWD THAT THE PRC WOULD
REMAIN IN POWER AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE OF THE GAMBIA
SO WISHED.


15. LT JAMMEH CLOSED HIS REMARKS BY PROMISING THAT
THE PRC WAS FOR AFRICA AND AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT. HE
REMINDED HIS LISTENERS THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE
SECURITY FORCES IN DETENTION WANTED LOOTING AND
VIOLENCE, AND THAT THE PRC WOULD NEVER ALLOW SUCH A
SITUATION IN THE GAMBIA. QUOTE NOW, NO ONE IS AT
RISK OF LOSING EVEN A DOG OR A CHICKEN UNQUOTE.


16. LT JAMMEH'S FINAL COMMENT WAS THAT THE PRC
WANTED A GAMBIA FREE OF PPP CORRUPTION. WITH A FINAL
QUOTE LONG LIVE GAMBIAN UNITY, LONG LIVE AFRICAN
UNITY UNQUOTE, PRC MEMBERS LEFT THE DAIS AND WALKED
BACK TO STATE HOUSE, FOLLOWED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF
CHEERING YOUTH.

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


17. DESPITE ITS RAMBLING, OFF-THE-CUFF DELIVERY, LT
JAMMEH'S ADDRESS WAS HIS FIRST MAJOR DEPARTURE FROM
HIS OFT-DELIVERED EARLIER SET SPEECH ON THE NEED FOR
THE GNA TO ACT OWING TO OFFICIAL CORRUPTION AND THE
PERVERSION OF DEMOCRACY UNDER JAWARA. THIS RALLY
WOULD HAVE BEEN THE APPROPRIATE OCCASION TO ANNOUNCE
THE PRC'S PROGRAM FOR RETURNING DEMOCRACY TO THE
GAMBIA, HAD THE PRC WISHED TO DO SO. THE
ANTI-WESTERN AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC TONE OF LT JAMMEH'S
REMARKS, HIS FOCUS ON THE PRC'S MISSION TO FIND AND
PUNISH CORRUPTION, AND HIS REFUSAL TO BEND ON THE
ISSUE OF DETENTION OF FORMER ARMY AND POLICE (INCL.
TACTICAL SUPPORT GROUP) PERSONNEL, ALL INDICATE THAT
LT JAMMEH'S AND THE PRC'S THOUGHTS ARE NOT FOCUSED ON
AN EARLY RETURN TO BARRACKS OR A QUICK RETURN TO
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY IN THE GAMBIA.


18. THIS RALLY WAS NOTABLY DIRECTED TOWARD
TRADITIONAL AND LOCAL LEGITIMIZATION OF AUTHORITY, IN
CONTRAST TO AN EARLIER RALLY HELD A WEEK EARLIER AT
THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN FAJARA. PART OF THE RALLY'S
MESSAGE SEEMS TO BE THAT TRADITIONAL AFRICAN
STANDARDS -- RATHER THAN INTERNATIONAL AND WESTERN
ONES -- WILL BE THE TESTS BY WHICH THE PRC WILL
MEASURE THEMSELVES AND THEIR GOVERNMENT.


19. LT JAMMEH IS MERCURIAL, AND OFTEN SEEMS TO SPEAK
WITHOUT REFLECTION. HIS PAST MISSTATEMENTS APPEAR
THOUGHTLESS RATHER THAN DELIBERATELY FALSE, AS IN
REGARD TO EARLIER PRC DISSIMULATION ON THE DETAINEE
QUESTION. HE COULD EASILY CHANGE HIS MIND AND CALL
ELECTIONS QUICKLY. NONETHELESS, THE POPULIST
RHETORIC OF THIS RALLY AND HIS IMPLICIT ASSERTION
THAT THE PRC CAN INTUIT THE WILL OF THE GAMBIAN
PEOPLE WITHOUT MEDIATION OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS DO
NOT BODE WELL FOR THE GAMBIA'S POLITICAL EVOLUTION
UNDER PRC TUTELAGE.


20. LT JAMMEH APPEARS TO BE DEVELOPING INTO AN
EFFECTIVE DEMOGOGUE. ALTHOUGH STILL SOMEWHAT STIFF
AND AWKWARD, AT THIS RALLY HE ORCHESTRATED THE
CROWD'S RESPONSES VERY WELL. LT JAMMEH HAS ALREADY
LEARNED TO MOBILIZE HIS PERSONAL POPULARITY AND
PUBLIC ADMIRATION FOR HIS AUDACITY AND SENSE OF
COMMAND INTO AN EASY JUSTIFICATION FOR CONTINUED
POWER. END COMMENT. REGARDS.


WINTER