Gambia Gov't Takes UN To Task = Nasty little fly rants at Kilimanjaro!! What
the heck can a nobody like jammeh do anything to the UN? It stinks!!

>From: Beran jeng <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Gambia Gov't Takes UN To Task
>Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 14:34:37 -0400
>
>Gambia Gov't Takes UN To Task
>
>Following recent reports of travel ban by the United Nations Security
>Council resolution 1343 (2001) affecting Baba Jobe, assistant secretary,
>Office of the President, the Gambian Government in a strongly worded letter
>to the United Nations Security Council Sanctions Committee protested the
>recommendations of the sanctions committee with regards to The Gambia and
>in
>particular Mr Baba Jobe.
>
>Below we reproduce the full text of the letter of protest signed by the SoS
>foreign affairs, Dr Sedat Jobe. Following the release of the report of the
>Security Council Panel of Experts on Sierra Leone Diamonds and Arms, the
>Government of The Gambia, through its permanent representatives in New
>York,
>addressed a letter referenced GPM/UN/GEN 39 NA/(BIJ-VYA) of the 23 January
>2001 to you inviting the Panel of Experts to visit The Gambia before the
>Security Council considered the report. I am therefore surprised that
>despite the fact that no reaction to my government's request was
>forthcoming
>from you and without any pre-information or request for clarification from
>The Gambia, when the subject of sanctions on Liberia was being discussed, a
>Gambian national Mr Baba Jobe has been included in the list of Liberian
>nationals affected by the Security Council travel ban.
>
>I am even more amazed by the fact that the mention of Mr Jobe's name on the
>list was accompanied neither by an indication of his passport number nor
>his
>date of birth, as is the case with the other persons affected by the
>sanction. Following informal enquiries with the Sanctions Committee, my
>representative at the United Nations was informed that the inclusion of Mr
>Baba Jobe's name on the list, was as a result of a request from the French,
>British and United States governments. Consequently, a formal request was
>sent to you, demanding for the details surrounding such a serious
>allegation
>which the government of The Gambia cannot definitely treat lightly, if it
>is
>corroborated with evidence.
>
>Mr President, having waited for almost four weeks for your response, we
>have
>taken it upon ourselves to inform the Gambian public that we believe that
>the decision to include a Gambian on the list was a well calculated move
>and
>is prejudicial to my country, which despite its size has been playing a
>major role in the quest for peace and stability in the West African
>sub-region and beyond. Furthermore, my department state has decided to
>inform the international community about the very undemocratic, illegal and
>non-transparent manner in which the security council handled this matter.
>The Government of The Gambia is aggrieved by the fact that a decision of
>such magnitude has been taken without any research and consultations with
>the country affected.
>
>It must be noted that situations like this one, will sooner rather than
>later undermine the moral authority of the Sanctions Committee. When I
>consulted with the British, French and American Missions in The Gambia,
>they
>did not seem to know about the origin of the inclusion of The Gambian
>national. This can hardly be an illustration of the high standard of
>justice
>and equity that is expected of the committee in passing judgement on Member
>States and their citizens. It is my belief that the inclusion of The
>Gambian
>national in the list is an error which is of great prejudice to the
>individual and the prestige of The Gambia as a country.
>
>Mr President, let me draw your attention to the fact that The Gambia as a
>signatory to the Ecowas 'Moratorium on the Import, Export and Production of
>Small Arms and Light Weapons', signed in 1998, is the only State that has
>not so far requested for a waiver of the Moratorium in order to import or
>exports arms. The Gambian President Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh has even
>gone
>beyond that and informed Member States to the agreement very clearly that
>if
>they continue to request for waivers, there will be no raison d'etre for
>the
>Moratorium.
>
>Against this background therefore, describing a Gambian Official as an arms
>trafficker is not only a very serious matter but a case that has to be
>followed up, so that The Gambian public can have all the details necessary
>for a better understanding of the matter. It is our belief that this
>accusation is unfounded, because if it was true the matter would have been
>treated more professionally and we would have received a detailed
>communication from the Committee prior to the publication of the list.
>
>If the foregoing is confirmed the sanctions committee must convince the
>whole world that it is fair and respectable and has the courage of
>recognising its mistakes when they do occur, especially when they tarnish
>the international reputation of a member state of the United Nations who
>gave invaluable service to the Security Council during the two years that
>it
>served as one of its Non-Permanent Members.While awaiting your reactions, I
>beg you to accept the assurances of my highest consideration and the
>sincere
>will of the government and people of The Gambia to assist the Security
>Council in its endeavour to create a world of peace, justice and equity.
>
>
>
>
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