West African countries are reportedly preparing for a military intervention in Gambia if President Yahya Jammeh refuses to step down on Thursday, the day that his successor Adama Barrow was scheduled to take office.
Gambia’s Strongman Seeks Asylum in Nigeria (International Business Times – January 12)
"Many people have wondered whether this might be the sort of arrangement that Jammeh had been seeking all along, and might help explain his sudden refusal to accept defeat. For many reasons, a deal that would land Jammeh in another country, safe and avoiding prosecution for his many brutal crimes, would send the wrong message," said Jeffrey Smith, director of Vanguard Africa.
The Gambia: Political Dispute Roils the Region and Beyond (The Cipher Brief – January 11)
Executive Director of Vanguard Africa Jeffrey Smith tells The Cipher Brief, “The Gambia is undoubtedly a pariah state in West Africa and an extreme outlier in regards to other countries in the region who are performing rather well on a range of issues, including respect for political rights, civil liberties, and economic advancement.”
Why a Political Crisis in this Small African Country May Have Big Global Implications (UN Dispatch – January 11)
"I think Gambians ought to be commended for the peaceful manner in which they have dealt with this increasingly tense situation, and in spite of Jammeh’s many provocations. Overall, Gambians are simply ready to move on. They are ready to move on from the Jammeh dictatorship and begin to heal from the collective trauma that they have suffered since July 1994."
Expert Commentary: A Pariah State in West Africa (The Cipher Brief – January 11)
Gambian Court Delays Election Decision to Next Week (Associated Press – January 10)
"The Supreme Court case faced an issue of credibility from the very outset," said Jeffrey Smith, a human rights activist and founding director of Vanguard Africa, a U.S.-based group that worked with Gambia's opposition coalition. "That Jammeh was appointing the same judges who would hear his own court petition is an absolute mockery of justice."
As Gambians Lose Fear, Jammeh’s Isolation Grows (Reuters – December 16)
The Gambia: Is it on Path To Turmoil? (Al Jazeera Inside Story program – December 11)
He is reputed to be one of the world's most repressive and eccentric leaders who vowed to rule The Gambia for a "billion years".
Following the presidential election 10 days ago, Yahya Jammeh shocked many by accepting defeat to his rival Adama Barrow.
Jammeh's conciliation was seen as the start of a new era of democracy in the smallest nation in mainland Africa.
Now it appears Jammeh won't be relinquishing power at all.
Will his demand for a new election mean chaos and instability? And how can a peaceful transfer of power be achieved?
Presenter: Adrian Finighan
Guests:
Halifa Sallah - Spokesman for Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow
Jeffrey Smith - Executive Director of Vanguard Africa
Murtala Touray - West Africa analyst
The Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh Reverses Course, Rejects Election Results (Africa Times – December 9)
ADVISORY: Yahya Jammeh's rejection of democracy in The Gambia
ADVISORY: YAHYA JAMMEH’S REJECTION OF DEMOCRACY IN THE GAMBIA
Vanguard Africa raises concern about latest developments in The Gambia
On the evening of December 9, exactly one week after the Gambia’s momentous election, which saw long-time ruler Yahya Jammeh concede defeat to opposition challenger Adama Barrow, the country’s democratic trajectory has been thrown into doubt. This evening, sitting President Yahya Jammeh announced live on state television that he “decided to reject the outcome of the recent election.” Citing unspecified “abnormalities,” Jammeh demanded “fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission.”
This turn of events in the Gambia is deeply troubling and opens the lid on long-simmering tensions in the country and deepens concern over pre-election fears of state-led mass killing. Under Yahya Jammeh’s rule, the Gambia became notorious for its rampant human rights abuses and the type of unaccountable leadership that prompted Gambian citizens to vote in droves against him last week. Following the entirely peaceful elections, Yahya Jammeh conceded defeat to President-elect Barrow live on national television. This sudden change of course clearly violates a host of international and regional legal conventions, in addition to the Gambia's own rules that govern presidential transitions, of which this was a historic first.
“On December 1, the Gambian people spoke unequivocally and stood bravely by voting in droves against twenty-two years of tyranny and dictatorship,” said Vanguard Africa’s executive director, Jeffrey Smith. “We encourage all Gambians, regional leaders and the United States government in particular to remain vigilant and to not allow democracy to be hijacked. We also urge Gambian citizens to document attempts at intimidation and violence and report them to Vanguard Africa.”
This week, the people of Gambia spoke resoundingly in favor of democratic governance and in favor of a brighter and more prosperous future. In the lead up to and during the Gambian election, the international community, including major media outlets, answered the call and helped to shed a much-needed spotlight on the country. It is time to do so again.