Government Reacts to Bissau Allegations, President Yala's Claims Described
As Hypocritical




The Independent (Banjul)

June 17, 2002
Posted to the web June 18, 2002

Banjul

In the first public statement yet by a senior government official since
accusations from Guinea-Bissau's President Kumba Yala that The Gambia
covertly masterminded a foiled coup to oust him, Ousman Badjie the Secretary
of State for the Interior has denied any Gambian connection with the alleged
coup plotters and their intentions, saying it was as impossible as it was
ridiculous.

Using Friday's occasion for the opening of two police posts in Manjai-kunda
and Bakoteh to state the government's position, SoS Badjie described the
Guinean leader's accusations of a Gambian-backed coup in Bissau as
preposterous and hypocritical. The Interior Secretary who in turn accused
President Kumba Yala of masterminding an international campaign to tarnish
what he called the good name of The Gambia, said it was plainly untrue that
the alleged Bissau coupists had come from The Gambia, where according to
Yala's accusations they had received training and the blessing of President
Jammeh's government.

The Secretary of State who did not indicate The Gambia's state of readiness
to defend itself if the Guinean leader should carry out his threat of an
invasion pointed out that it was rather a ludicrous departure from
diplomatic norms and protocol for a leader like Kumba Yala who has benefited
from President Jammeh's goodwill since he was democratically elected to
openly link The Gambia with the irresponsible acts of a band of anarchists
whose actions would not only gravely affect Bissau but may also ricochet to
neighbouring nations.

'How can Bissau's alleged coup plotters come from The Gambia, which just a
couple of years ago gave shelter to many Bissau Guineans during the brutal
war between General Ansumana Mane's soldiers and those backing Nino Vieira's
regime' he inquired. He emphasised that The Gambia has nothing to gain from
a conspiracy to oust the leader of democratic nation like Guinea-Bissau.

According to him there was something tellingly inconsistent with President
Yala's allegations and what he called the pivotal role played by The Gambia
in the restoration of peace, normalcy and order in Guinea-Bissau, which was
being ravaged by a civil war. He said far from conspiring with anarchists
over an unholy enterprise, The Gambia government under Yahya Jammeh had been
genuinely engaged in brotherly rapprochement with Kumba Yala's regime to
banish anarchy not only from their respective countries but also from the
entire sub-region.

SOS Badjie added that apart from facilitating peace in Bissau The Gambia at
the United Nations in New York paid the Chairman of Committee of Friends of
Guinea Bissau and valiantly strove to ensure that the international
community provide much needed development assistance to post-war Bissau.

'So how can a country like ours which has done all that for our neighbours
in Guinea-Bissau connive in the overthrow of a democratically elected
government' he re-inquired.

He added that as the Secretary of State for the Interior, he was merely
echoing the government's total and unreserved condemnation of President
Yala's accusations as unfounded, baseless and lacking in logic.

According to him Kumba Yala's image-battering campaign would not succeed in
that The Gambia has built a formidable reputation as a peace-loving nation
with a warm, gentle and God-fearing people. He said The Gambia's policy
towards its neighbours has been guided by the notion that she cannot enjoy
peace and tranquility when there is instability in other neighbouring
countries, hence President Jammeh's involvement in the process to bring
peace in Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and more notably Casamance.

Meanwhile SoS Badjie also sounded a note of caution to Gambians to be
vigilant and mindful of the type of people who rent their houses, since they
could be unwittingly habouring faceless trouble-makers with an outside
reach.

Ousman Badjie is the first government functionary to apparently reflect the
position of the government over President Kumba Yala's allegations of a
'Gambian hand' in the alleged coup against him. Aside from the allegations
President Yala had also spoken openly of plans to invade The Gambia to
'smash or crush' Yahya Jammeh's government as a punitive measure for its
alleged backing of the alleged plot.

He was announcing a general amnesty offer to 169 alleged coup plotters who
he said were from 'parallel networks' of Bissau Guineans based in
neighbouring countries among them The Gambia.




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