US embassy cable - 95BANJUL418

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BANJUL 000418 
 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W 
LONDON FOR YOUNG 
 
E.O. 12356:  DECL:OADR 
TAGS:  PREL, GA 
SUBJ:  CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S SPEECH 
 
1.  (U) THIS CABLE TRANSMITS CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S SPEECH 
TO THE GAMBIAN PEOPLE ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF 
THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FOR A TWO YEAR 
TIMETABLE FOR RETURN TO DEMOCRATIC RULE.  HIGHLIGHTS 
OF THE SPEECH INCLUDE: 
 
--  CHAIRMAN JAMMEH REJECTED THE SUGGESTION FOR AN 
INTERIM GOVERNMENT.  QUOTE THERE ALREADY EXISTS AN 
INTERIM GOVERNMENT WITH A LARGE CIVILIAN MAJORITY OF 
TWO TO ONE, AND THERE IS NO LOGICAL REASON FOR 
FORMING A NEW ONE.  END QUOTE. 
 
--  THE NCC RECOMMENDED THAT A REFERENDUM NOT BE HELD 
TO RATIFY THE NEW CONSTITUTION.  CHAIRMAN JAMMEH HAS 
DECIDED TO RETAIN THE REFERENDUM. 
 
--  THE CHAIRMAN CRITICIZED THE DONORS FOR APPLYING 
QUOTE LIMITED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GAMBIA 
UNQUOTE AND APPEALED TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
TO QUOTE RESUME THEIR NORMAL POSITIVE ROLE AS 
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS UNQUOTE. 
 
2.  (U) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
FELLOW GAMBIANS ! 
ON THE 27TH OF JANUARY I FORMALLY RECEIVED THE REPORT OF 
THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. I DESCRIBED THE 
EVENT AS ANOTHER MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING 
COUNCIL'S PROGRAM AND TIMETABLE FOR RETURN TO CIVILIAN 
RULE. TWO FURTHER STEPS OF EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE 
HAVE SINCE BEEN TAKEN. BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE CABINET 
HAVE NOW CONSIDERED THE REPORT. 
 
ON THE OCCASION OF THE LAUNCHING OF THE PROGRAM AND 
TIMETABLE ON THE 24TH OF OCTOBER, 1994, I PROMISED THAT 
THEY WERE SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS. A FEW OF YOU EXPRESSED 
YOUR VIEWS IN THE PAPERS AND IN OTHER WAYS. BUT THE 
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF YOU DID NOT PUBLICLY EXPRESS 
YOUR VIEWS. 
 
ON THE 13TH OF DECEMBER, 1994, THE NOW FAMILIAR NATIONAL 
CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WAS COMMISSIONED TO SOUND YOUR 
OPINION, NATIONWIDE. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY THANKS AND 
APPRECIATION, AND THOSE OF COUNCIL, FOR YOUR WILLING AND 
PATRIOTIC PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPORTANT CONSULTATIONS 
CARRIED OUT BY THE COMMITTEE. I SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY 
TO THANK YOU ONCE MORE. 
 
IN FAIRNESS TO BOTH YOU, THE PEOPLE OF THE GAMBIA, AND 
TO THE ARMED FORCES PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL, THE 
NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE HIGHLIGHTED THE 
ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME YOU ACCORDED TO THE BLOODLESS 
MILITARY TAKEOVER, AND YOUR HAPPINESS THAT THREE DECADES 
OF SELF-PERPETUATING RULE BY ONE POLITICAL PARTY WAS 
OVERTURNED. THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT YOU ACCORDED 
LEGITIMACY AND EVEN BLESSINGS TO THE COUP. 
 
THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO PROTECT YOU, 
THE PEOPLE, AND THE NATION, AGAINST THE EXPLOITATION AND 
MANIPULATION YOU SUFFERED DURING THE PAST THIRTY YEARS. 
THE NEED FOR CIVIC EDUCATION PROVIDED FOR IN COUNCIL'S 
PROGRAM IS ENDORSED IN THE REPORT, AND SO ARE THE 
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AND ELECTORAL REVIEWS. THE 
COMMITTEE WAS ALSO IN ACCORD WITH THE PROPOSED REVIEW OF 
CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES AND THE VOTERS REGISTRATION 
SYSTEM. THE PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT 
ELECTORAL COMMISSION IS STRONGLY ENDORSED IN THE REPORT 
AS LONG OVERDUE. 
 
THE REPORT ALSO REFLECTS THE EMPHASIS YOU PLACE ON THE 
NEED TO COMPLETE THE WORK OF THE FIVE COMMISSIONS OF 
INQUIRY INTO PUBLIC OFFICERS' ASSETS, GOVERNMENT 
DEPARTMENTS, PUBLIC CORPORATIONS, LAND ADMINISTRATION, 
AND DONATED CRUDE AND REFINED OIL. MANY SPEAKERS AT THE 
COMMITTEE'S VILLAGE MEETINGS ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN 
EXTREMELY PASSIONATE, AND OTHERS VIVIDLY AGITATED, WHEN 
ECHOING THE COUNCIL'S DEMAND THAT EVERY BUTUT STOLEN 
FROM GOVERNMENT BE RECOVERED. 
 
AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, YOU HELD DIVERGENT VIEWS AS 
FAR AS THE DURATION OF THE TRANSITION PERIOD WAS 
CONCERNED. THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, 
AND I WILL COME BACK TO IT LATER IN THIS BROADCAST. 
IN THE MEANTIME, I NOW TURN TO WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAD TO 
SAY ABOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. THE REPORT RIGHTLY 
REFLECTS THE FACT THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS HAD 
APPLIED LIMITED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE GAMBIA IN 
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THE MILITARY TAKEOVER. THEY HAD 
ALSO, FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FOUR YEAR 
TIMETABLE, APPLIED FURTHER SANCTIONS IN THE FORM OF A 
TRAVEL ADVICE AGAINST VACATION IN THE GAMBIA, RESULTING 
IN MASSIVE REDUNDANCIES IN THE TOURIST SECTOR, AND 
CONSIDERABLE LOSS OF REVENUE OTHERWISE DUE TO THE 
GOVERNMENT. THIS RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF VIRTUALLY 
ALL THE HOTELS, THEREBY CAUSING CONSIDERABLE HARDSHIP 
FOR MANY OF YOU. IT WAS A MATTER OF GREAT REGRET THAT 
WHILE THE INTRICATE AND TIME CONSUMING ARRANGEMENTS WERE 
BEING MADE TO SET UP THE COMMISSIONS, PREPARE THE 
TRANSITION PROGRAM AND TIMETABLE, AND CARRY OUT THE 
NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS, OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS 
UNILATERALLY DECIDED THAT THE PROPOSED FOUR YEAR 
TRANSITION PERIOD WAS TOO LONG, AND IMPOSED THE SAID 
SANCTIONS WHICH CAUSED SO MUCH HARDSHIP. THE COMMITTEE 
CANNOT BE BLAMED FOR CONCLUDING THAT THIS UNDESERVED 
PUNITIVE MEASURE IS MERELY BECAUSE THE GAMBIA IS DEVOID 
OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE. 
 
IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE TOURIST INDUSTRY, CONSIDERABLE 
EFFORT WAS MADE BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND 
TOURISM TO ATTRACT TOURISTS FROM OTHER EUROPEAN 
COUNTRIES. INTERESTED TOUR OPERATORS VISITED THE GAMBIA, 
AND EXPRESSED THEIR INTENTION TO BRING IN TOURISTS NEXT 
SEASON. IN THE MEANTIME, A SMALL NUMBER OF TOURISTS 
CONTINUED TO COME FROM THE TRADITIONAL CATCHMENT AREA, 
MAINLY IN BRITAIN, THANKS TO THE UNDERSTANDING AND 
COOPERATION OF THE TOUR OPERATORS THE GAMBIA EXPERIENCE, 
WHO DECLINED TO JOIN THE APPARENT BOYCOTT. THIS 
ENCOURAGING GESTURE, AT THE TIME OF THE CRITICAL AND 
UNEXPECTED ECONOMIC SITUATION DESCRIBED EARLIER, WAS, 
AND STILL IS, DEEPLY APPRECIATED. 
 
WHILE DETERMINED EFFORTS WERE BEING MADE TO PROTECT THE 
TOURIST INDUSTRY, THE VARIOUS TRANSITION ACTIVITIES I 
HAVE JUST REFERRED TO WERE GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE 
OUTCOME OF THIS TWO PRONG APPROACH HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL 
ONE. IN ADDITION TO THE PROSPECT OF ADDITIONAL TOUR 
OPERATORS, AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SWEDISH TRAVEL 
ADVICE, THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE CONCLUDED 
ITS WORK AND SUBMITTED ITS REPORT. 
 
MANY OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS TALLY WITH THE 
PROVISIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN COUNCIL'S PROGRAM AND 
TIMETABLE. THE MAIN EXCEPTIONS ARE THE AREA OF FORMING 
AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT AND THE ADVICE TO HOLD NO 
REFERENDUM. 
 
THERE ALREADY EXISTS AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT WITH A LARGE 
CIVILIAN MAJORITY OF TWO TO ONE, AND THERE IS NO LOGICAL 
REASON FOR FORMING A NEW ONE. 
 
AS FOR THE HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM A NUMBER OF CLAUSES 
IN THE GAMBIAN CONSTITUTION, STILL IN FORCE, CALL FOR A 
REFERENDUM BEFORE MAJOR AMENDMENTS ARE MADE. THE 
INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CONSTITUTION WOULD THEREFORE MAKE 
A REFERENDUM EVEN MORE DESIRABLE. FURTHERMORE, NO 
CONSTITUTION OF THIS COUNTRY WAS EVER PUT TO YOU THE 
PEOPLE FOR ADOPTION. THE NEW CONSTITUTION SHOULD 
THEREFORE BE VOTED UPON IN A REFERENDUM. 
 
THE MAIN ISSUE ON WHICH THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE 
COMMITTEE WAS CREATED TO ADVISE WAS THE DURATION OF THE 
TRANSITION PERIOD- IN THIS REGARD THE COMMITTEE 
RECOMMENDED A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS WITH EFFECT FROM THE 
22ND OF JULY, 1994. I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU, THAT 
HAVING CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE COMMITTEE'S OBSERVATIONS 
AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE 
PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND, IN PARTICULAR, YOUR BEST 
INTERESTS, COUNCIL AND THE CABINET HAVE ACCEPTED THIS 
RECOMMENDATION. 
 
 
FELLOW GAMBIANS! 
WITH THE ISSUE OF THE TIMETABLE FINALLY BEHIND US, WE 
SHOULD NOW TURN OUR ATTENTION, WHOLLY, TO NATIONAL 
UNITY, AND TO THE FORMIDABLE TASK OF DEVELOPING THE 
MOTHERLAND. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT 
PROJECTS IN OUR PROGRAM. THE MOST URGENT ONES INCLUDE 
THE AUGMENTATION OF THE GENERATING CAPACITY OF KOTU 
POWER STATION. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW ROAD AND SCHOOL 
BUILDING PROJECTS. SOMETHING SHOULD ALSO BE DONE FOR THE 
EASANT FARMERS AND THE YOUTHS. THE TRANSITION 
ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE COMMISSIONS, THE VARIOUS REVIEWS, 
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS, AND GENERAL AND PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS ARE ALSO THERE. 
 
I APPEAL TO ALL OF YOU TO PLAY YOUR PART IN THE NATIONAL 
EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES. 
 
I ALSO APPEAL AGAIN TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, AS I 
DID AT OUR NEW YEAR MEETING, TO RESUME THEIR NORMAL, 
POSITIVE ROLE AS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. THERE IS A LOT OF 
WORK TO BE DONE DURING THE SHORT TRANSITION PERIOD, AND 
THE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE OF OUR DEVELOPMENT 
PARTNERS WOULD FACILITATE AND ENHANCE RAPID PROGRESS. 
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. 
 
GOD BLESS YOU ! 
LONG LIVE THE SECOND REPUBLIC ! 
 
 
3.  (C)  COMMENT:  AT A RECEPTION ON FEBRUARY 4 
AMBASSADOR SAW JUSTICE MINISTER MBYE, SECRETARY 
GENERAL WADDA, AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NCC PETERS.  IN 
SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS, ALL WERE VERY EUPHORIC OF 
CHAIRMAN JAMMEH'S ACCEPTANCE OF THE NCC'S 
RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH REFLECTED THE WILL OF THE 
PEOPLE.  AMBASSADOR AGREED THAT IT WAS PREFERABLE 
THAT THE CHAIRMAN HAD ACCEPTED RATHER THAN REJECTED 
THE NCC RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT POLITELY AND FIRMLY TOLD 
THEM THAT TWO YEARS WAS TOO LONG AND THAT A 
DEMOCRATIC REFERENDUM ON THE LENGTH OF THE TIMETABLE 
HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE.  THEY SEEMED SURPRISED AT THE 
AMBASSADOR'S NEGATIVE RESPONSE.  THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE 
BEEN.  AS WE WILL REPORT BY SEPTEL, THE EU AND UK 
REPRESENTATIVES WERE ALSO DISAPPOINTED WITH THE TWO 
YEAR TIMETABLE. 
 
 
WINTER