Very interesting development... I hope that Jammeh, in his desperate strive to be seen to be recreating order out of the chaos that he has plunged the country into, also brings to justice ALL those responsible for the Massacre of April 2000 and also accounts for 'his wealth'. Cosmetic, self-serving measures, just won't do.

Regards,

Kabir.

News 

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Alexandre Djiba under arrest

http://www.observer.gm/artman/publish/article_423.shtml

By Sheriff Bojang
Dec 5, 2003, 22:35

Alexandre Djiba, spokesman for the Casamance separatist movement, the MFDC, has been arrested and put under police custody in Banjul since last week. 
Mr Djiba has been resident in Banjul for the past four years.


Police spokesman, Superintendent Pah-Amady Jallow, confirmed Djiba's detention but declined to give details. "All we can say is that he is under police detention and helping with our investigations of some matters," he said. Asked what those "matters" are the police spokesman said he could not go into the details but hinted that Djiba's arrest was not related to speculations that the Government has declared him a persona non grata and served him a deportation order. 

However, Supt Jallow admitted that the presence of the outspoken Alexandre Djiba in The Gambia was a pontential source of friction between The Gambia and Senegal. 
Asked about his opinion on Mr Djiba, Supt Jallow said: "I think he should go. The relationship between the two countries is far more important."

The immediate catalyst that spurned the media-savvy MFDC spokesman's current troubles was an interview he granted to Radio France International correspondent, Sophie Malibeaux in Banjul in late October in which he said the Senegalese government's October 6-12 peace talks in Ziguinchor with some factions of the MFDC was an exercise in futility. 
Malibeaux's story irked the authorities in Dakar who accused her of biased reporting and trying to sabotage the fledgling peace process between the rebels and the government. Despite strong protestation from international press unions and the French government, Ms Malibeaux was expelled from Senegal. 

A few days later on Monday, October 27, the Gambian Foreign secretary, Baboucarr Blaise Jagne told BBC radio that The Gambia was not harbouring anybody from the MFDC. He said The Gambia will not be a base for any group of persons that would carry out subversive activities in a neighbouring country, particularly a brotherly country like Senegal. He reiterated The Gambia Government's commitment to the Casamance peace process. 

"Since that statement," observed a Senegal analyst in Banjul, "Alexandre's situation has become untenable. It was just a matter of time before the government [in Banjul] would do something about him."

The secretary of state and permanent secretary at Foreign Affairs were not available for immediate comment yesterday. However, when the scoop leaked three weeks ago that The Gambia government was on the verge of taking a definitive final decision on the Alexandre Djiba issue, mandarins at the department of state denied any knowledge of the matter. Efforts to glean information from intelligence agencies were rebuffed with a polite suggestion to talk to Foreign Affairs.

When Mr Djiba himself was contacted from his Fajara residence, he interjected: "Where did you hear that I was going to be deported? God forbid that. I am here as you can see."

However, Daily Observer has been informed that Alexandre Djiba came to settle in The Gambia as a refugee and that under UN conventions, refugees cannot be deported or repatriated to countries where they are likely to face persecution as Mr Djiba is wont to meet if he is returned to Senegal.

It has also been intimated to this paper that Mr Djiba may likely opt to resettle in a third country yet to be identified.

The Senegalese High Commissioner in Banjul was not available for comment on the matter yesterday.


© Copyright 2003 by Observer Company

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