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Gambia: Update to GMB24363.E of 20 June 1996 on the situation of members and supporters of the People's Progressive Party

According to The Political Handbook of the World, the People's Progressive Party (PPP) together with two other political parties including the National Convention Party (NCP) were banned from all political activities (1999, 360).

In November 1994 a number of PPP members were arrested for their alleged involvement in a failed coup plot, including a former cabinet minister, Mamadou Cadi Cham, and parliamentary vice president, Dembo Jatta. In June 1995 Jammeh amnestied the alleged conspirators; however, six months later at least 35 PPP activists were jailed and similarly charged. In January 1996 the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (AFPRC) formerly charged Jawara [the former President who now lives in exile in England] with embezzlement, and in March his assets were seized (ibid.).

According to Amnesty International, in 1999,

Restrictions on opposition political activity continued, despite the 1997 lifting of the been on multi-party politics. Under a presidential decree, all individuals who had held the office of the President, Vice-President or government minister prior to the military coup were prohibited from engaging in political activities (2000, 107).

Country Reports 1999 corroborates the above information and adds that Decree 89 though unconstitutional, has not been challenged in courts (2000, 217). "The severe penalties for violating the decree have inhibited challenge, since most cases would have to be brought by a person who violated the Decree" (ibid.). Country Reports further states that in the course of 1999, "the Government thwarted an opposition effort to have the National Assembly repeal Decree 89" (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list of additional sources consulted in researching his Information Request.

References

Amnesty International. 2000. Amnesty International Report 2000.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. February 2000. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

The Political Handbook of the World 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential [London].

Africa News Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford].

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].

Resource Centre. Country File. Gambia.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact oral sources.

Search Engines including:

Google

Mamma

Metacrawler

Internet sites including,

Africa News.