NEWS Jammeh's Intimidation of Gambians Extended in the US -Says Chairman of Movement For Democracy and Development BY OUR NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 18, 2005 "President Yahya Jammeh's intimidation and persecution of Gambians is now being extended in the United States of America, as I'm a victim of Jammeh's security harassment. I was not only harassed but treated as a common prisoner by Jammeh's security delegation. They applied all measures to place me under close surveillance while at an APRC meeting in New York attended by Jammeh." those were the words of Saihou Mballow Chairman of the New York based Movement For Democracy and Development. Mr. Mballow, a veteran politician accompanied by his colleagues Messrs: Kebba Janneh, Wassa Janneh, Musa Janneh and Lamin Mboge told the ALLGAMBIAN online Newspaper that they were subjected to humiliating reception at the meeting which was held at 780 East, 3RD Avenue, between 48 Street and 49 Street down town New York. Narrating his encounter with Jammeh's security officers, Mr. Mballow said his camera was confiscated at the entrance of the hotel, where he and his colleagues were exposed to intensive security screening by Jammeh's guards. While Mballow insists that it was his constitutional right to witness such a meeting as a Gambian, he further adds "If Jammeh is really here for Gambians and his trip had been sponsored by Gambia's tax payers, I see no reason why I should be denied entry." According to Mballow while awaiting security screening at the door, they were told by Pa Boto Sanneh that no questions or comments will be entertained. "Notwithstanding, I made it clear to him that I had few questions of interest to Gambians, which I will like to ask Jammeh. But my request was still turned down." Mr. Mballow told the ALLGAMBIAN. While at the meeting Mballow went on "I realised that there was a close surveillance mounted on me by Jammeh's guards. They thought that I was there on a different mission. At one point, i went to the rest room, they followed me there, pretending as if they were to use the toilet. They also will not allow me to stand or walk alone. I was treated like a common prisoner in a free country like the United States." Mr. Mballow disclosed. Shortly after Jammeh's speech Mr. Mballow added "I stood up and raised my hand and requested to be heard. I was later confronted by Jammeh's security officers who urged me to sit down. I insisted that I must ask questions to Jammeh. One of the officers told me that they rented the hall and it was time to call off the meeting." Attempts by the security for Mballow to surrender his written questions was greeted with strong resistance as Mballow said he refused to entertain such a request. Among the pertinent questions he wanted to ask Gambia's iron hand President Jammeh he said were "the mysterious killing of former APRC Finance Minister Ousman Koro Ceesay, the killing of journalist Deyda Hydara, the shooting of lawyer Ousman Sillah, the sacking of the IEC Chairman Gabril Roberts, The Gambia/Senegal border impasse and the recent appointment of Yankuba Touray as agriculture minister despite being ordered by the Paul Commission to pay back D2Million dalasis to the state." Mr. Mballow added that also part of the questions he lined up for Jammeh were the pending 2006 presidential elections. "I wanted Jammeh to tell us whether there will be equal access to the radio and the television. I also wanted him to throw light on the pending investigations on the burning of the Independent Newspaper printing press. Despite the hostile reception meted out to them, Mr. Mballow says they are still determined to organise a demonstration, anytime they have access to Jammeh. He said the New York meeting was made known to them at the eleven hour, adding that "he organisers were bent on trying to preempt any planned demonstrations." Go To Top -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2004 AllGambian.Net. All Rights Reserved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now! http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤