---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: WAA JUWARA ACCUSES JAMMEH AND HIS GOVERNMENT OF BEING A "THREAT
           TO NATIONAL SECURITY" From:    [log in to unmask]
Date:    Sun, November 20, 2005 6:02 am
To:      [log in to unmask]
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   By Akaleke,Our Banjul Correspondent

Lamin Waa Juwara leader of the former National Democratic Action Movement
Party (NDAM) and also a senior Executive member of the newly formed
opposition coalition (NADD)has rebuffed  claims made by the Jammeh
government that NADD was  a threat to national security and instead
accuses  the APRC of being a national threat.
Waa was speaking in an exclusive interview at  his Brikama residence
yesterday with The ALLGAMBIAN online Newspaper.

When asked what led to the arrest of Halifa and Others he replied by
saying " the arrest is politically motivated and is a reaction to the
formation of NADD,five political parties,  which came together to file in
one candidate to unseat Jammeh democratically. Jammeh was thinking that we
cannot come together as one, so now he see us coming together as one,  he
is trying to disunite us, but he will not succeed because we are all
matured and experienced politicians, and this is why he is reacting in
this manner."

The outspoken politician went further to say " out of the 10 by elections
held so far, we came out victorious despite being denied  the state media,
and the APRC using it and also using state resources. They even went
further to use commissioners, district chiefs, civil servants, Alkalolus,
after all,  we were the most popular party, so the President is disturbed
by this and now want to intimidate the opposition, but he cannot do that".

Mr Juwara said the President's claims that the opposition is behind the
border problem was  a "false allegation" and the President still owe  them
an apology. Juwara went further to say "Gambians have been subjects and
the executive can do whatever favours them.  This he said, "is impunity
and we don't want impunity"

When asked  what does such  arrest meant for the opposition and Gambia's
fragile democracy, Waa said "Jammeh is playing some political tactics here
because elections are just few months away now, so he want to keep these
people behind bars and thinking that with that he will over come the
opposition.

"As far as, I am concerned,  democracy is never restored in Jammeh's
regime since 1994.  We have seen and witnessed series of human right
abuses, detentions, torture and many more and  I  was even subjected to
all these.  I  was wrongfully detained, and wrongfully charged, I  made an
appeal, but no judgement is made still now".

Mr Juwara sighted examples "of dictatorship in some African countries such
as the then Abacha regime in Nigeria, when he(Abacha) hanged Ken Sara
Wewa,  the apartheid regime in south Africa, which uses the courts to
imprison Mandella."  "We don't want this to be repeated in our country"
Waa hinted.

Further asked whether NADD had evidence to back up it claims that they
don't have hands in The Gambia/Senegal border impasse,  Mr Juwara retorted
by saying that " I think it is the government who should  prove to
Gambians that what they are saying is true and not for NADD to provide any
evidence, because we are accused  and in response we reacted with a letter
that is circulated internationally to ask Jammeh to prove himself right to
the NADD executive."

 Mr Juwara went further to say government fails to sign a memorandum of
understanding between the opposition and the government provided by the
commonwealth and was facilitated by former Nigerian President General
Abdou Salami Abubacarr and that is why the Presidential campaign has
started in a rough way.

Juwara says "the reason why they (the government) did not sign it is
because they are not ready for a free and fair elections in 2006. Juwara
made it clear that "the NADD mission for the 2006 Presidential elections
result should represent the wishes of the Gambians"

When asked his reaction to the arrest, of  NADD officials the  former NDAM
leader said " I totally condemn the arrest and I  said it is not
democratic.  We are  calling on NADD supporters to be calmed and give the
state time to say their own bit of the problem, then we can know what next
step to take" he concluded

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