Joe, This is what Mr.Darboe is saying per The Observer. I don't understand him conceding defeat , praising the IEC for conducting the election in a free and fair manner and then coming out with this press conference. I'm confuse. Will someone help to clarify me! Beran Culled from The Observer Thursday, October 25, 2001 Despite conceding defeat Darboe attacks IEC The UDP/PPP coalition flag bearer, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe despite telephoning president-elect, Yahya Jammeh to concede defeat after last week’s Presidential election has strongly attacked the Independent Electoral Commission and its boss, Gabriel Roberts for what he called “inept and corrupt” handling of voter registration exercise during which he alleged that non-Gambians were issued voters cards. Speaking to journalists at a press conference held at his Pipeline residence Wednesday afternoon, Mr Darboe who also presented a Senegalese ID Card of one Ebou Coli and a Gambian voters card of the same man said “there was an indiscriminate issuing of voters cards to anyone who presented a national identity card” without questioning and investigating qualification of claimants by registering officers. As a result, according to Mr Darboe, many aliens who secured Gambian ID cards before were able to obtain voters cards lamenting that revising courts were in some cases established as a matter of formality. Arguing that some magistrates presiding over the revising courts were corrupt and incompetent, Mr Darboe alleged that APRC’s Baba Jobe and the Youth Action Group effectively controlled the proceedings in the Mansakonko Revising Court and “determined the outcome of any objection.” His party’s protest to the chief justice, he added, produced no results. He said they had material evidence that the IEC had registered non-Gambians and a voters card of a Senegalese national was produced at a meeting held October 16, 2001 at the Kairaba Beach Hotel between the IEC, international observer group, the press and the political parties. He further said it was only after long protest that the IEC chairman distributed the head register two days before election. “Although the ruling APRC,” he said, “had the head register issued to them before the other opposition parties at least in Upper Fuladu West.” He added that the IEC once took a decision of not allowing those whose names did not appear on the register to vote which was reversed before elections “by Gabriel Roberts who appeared to be working under the directives of the APRC. The decision to allow those in possession of voters cards but whose names do not appear on the register of voters was not only a betrayal and reneging on what was agreed to by the IEC and other stakeholders but a flagrant violation of section 66 of the Elections Decree of 1996.” In his own constituency of Niani, Mr Darboe argued that a number of 413 more voters was added to the 7464 people registered by IEC. “This point supports our assertion that the IEC had actually carried out extra registration and these extra registered voters were distributed to various constituencies throughout the country in order to give the APRC an unfair advantage over the opposition parties,” he said. Mr Darboe outlined that despite the irregularities, the UDP led coalition accorded victory to the APRC’s presidential candidate “all in the spirit of peace and stability of The Gambia.” He however drew the attention of all government authorities, the APRC leadership and the diplomatic community of alleged harassment, intimidation and physical assault of supporters of the coalition since the declaration of last week’s Presidential election results. “There were organised attacks by APRC militants on the houses of Lamin Waa Juwara ... Alhaji Dembo Jatta ... OJ, Hon Dembo Bojang for which the police made no arrests,” he revealed. According to Mr Darboe some of his supporters including his election agents were arrested and detained by personnel of the NIA for no reason other than they had been known opponents of the APRC. Contradicting the inspector general media information, Mr Darboe said not less than 60 of his supporters had been arrested within less than 48 hours of the declaration of the election results whom he said were presently in police and NIA detention in Jangjanbureh, Soma, Bakau, Kairaba Police Station, Brikama, Banjul and elsewhere. He said he had made personal attempts at reaching the SoS for interior without success disclosing that he could reach only the army chief of staff and the inspector general of police all of whom, he said, did not appear to know about even one of his detained men, Dr Momodou Lamin Manneh. APRC Government relationship with the West Mr Darboe said his advise to Jammeh and his cabinet for a good relationship with the West is for them to respect the rule of law. He argued that having a well-conducted election did not entail that there is good democracy in The Gambia that could make the West change its perspective of The Gambia. >From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: Break-down of VOTERS / Tombong >Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 15:05:28 +0000 > >Jabou, thanks for your challenge of the last minute changes of the election >procedures and the results. As much as we want answers from the APRC, I am >also interested to hear what the opposition parties have to say regarding >the various concerns raised by many on this list. They were there when the >changes were made, what did they do or say at the time? The leading >contender, Darboe, conceded defeat. Did he concede with or without >reservations of the process and outcome? How about NRP, PDOIS, and NCP? >What is their take of the allegations floating around? It's ok to ask the >APRC, but that is just one side of the coin. Let us also challenge those >whom we supported. They owe us that much, don't you think? Their silence >undermines the validity of our challenges. These are just my humble >thoughts. Let me know what you think. > >Chi Jaama > >Joe Sambou > > >>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >><[log in to unmask]> >>To: [log in to unmask] >>Subject: Re: Break-down of VOTERS / Tombong >>Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2001 09:57:59 EDT >> >>In a message dated 10/25/01 5:17:13 AM Central Daylight Time, >>[log in to unmask] writes: >> >> > >> > I will send you the data, however if you want know the definition of >>"voter >> > eligibility", you should consult the constitution and the IEC. >> > >> > PEACE >> > >> > Tombong >> > >> >>Tombong, >> >>Question, please confirm that eligibility was based on registered voters >>that >>were on the list up to 8 hours before the elections, but that after this >>time, eligibility was changed to include all registered voters who were >>not >>on the list. Is there a rule that is on the books to allow the IEC to make >>the mentioned changes just prior to the start of the elections or is this >>a >>question that can only be answered by the IEC? >>Your asistance is appreciated. >> >>Jabou Joh >> >> > >> > >From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> >> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list >> > ><[log in to unmask]> >> > >To: [log in to unmask] >> > >Subject: Re: Break-down of VOTERS / Tombong >> > >Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 23:13:17 EDT >> > > >> > >Dear Tombong, >> > > >> > >Thank you, and I will wait for the rest of the data. Can you also >>please >> > >define voter eligibility? Anybody with a voter's card? The law up to >>about >> > >8 >> > >hours before the polls opened last thursday was any body with a >>voters >> > >card >> > >and his/her name was on the roll was eligible to vote. Again thanks. >> > > >> > >Jabou Joh >> > > >> > > >> > >In a message dated 10/24/2001 11:08:41 AM Central Daylight Time, >> > >[log in to unmask] writes: >> > > >> > > >> > > > >> > > > Dear Jabou, >> > > > >> > > > The information you want are as follows; >> > > > >> > > > Contituency Regtd. Voters Votes Cast % Turnout >>APRC% >> > > > UDP% >> > > > >> > > > Banjul Admin. Area >> > > > >> > > > Banjul South 4533 3943 >>86.99 >> > > > 60.72 30.00 >> > > > Banjul North 3583 3079 >>85.93 >> > > > 51.93 38.91 >> > > > >> > > > Banjul Central 6819 6175 >>90.56 >> > > > 59.97 31.60 >> > > > >> > > > KMC RV VC % >>T/O >> > > > APRC% UDP% >> > > > >> > > > Bakau 11358 101660 >>89.45 >> > > > 41.37 48.35 >> > > > >> > > > S/K West 21454 18782 >>87.55 >> > > > 53.66 34.99 >> > > > >> > > > S/K East 24981 22009 >>88.10 >> > > > 52.60 36.97 >> > > > >> > > > S/K Central 22978 20130 87.61 >> > > > 48.84 38.57 >> > > > >> > > > Jeshwang 17162 15152 >>88.29 >> > > > 54.07 32.70 >> > > > >> > > > BAC RV VC %T/O >> > > > APRC% UDP% >> > > > >> > > > Foni Jarrol 2898 2587 >>89.27 >> > > > 80.44 11.60 Foni Brefet 4660 >> > > > 4400 94.42 76.14 >>16.07 >> > > > Foni Bintang 6761 6331 >>93.64 >> > > > 86.76 8.96 Foni Bondali 2704 >> > > > 2435 90.05 84.85 >>6.37 >> > > > Foni Kansala 5921 5430 >>91.71 >> > > > 94.42 2.62 Kombo East 11232 >> > > > 10528 93.73 64.09 27.29 >> > > > Kombo South 19697 18199 92.39 >> > > > 58.90 32.01 Kombo Central 26554 >> > >23966 >> > > > 90.25 53.37 38.39 >>Kombo >> > > > North 43636 39858 91.34 >> > >56.90 >> > > > 31.78 >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > I will try to send the rest tomorrow. I am a little busy. >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > PEACE >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > Tombong >> > > > >> > > > >> > > > >> >><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> >> >>To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>