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The Independent (Banjul)

May 24, 2002
Posted to the web May 24, 2002

Makalo
Banjul

The Gambia Government's has come under strong criticism over the Casamance
conflict after fresh reports that MFDC rebel fighters had found it easy to
beat a retreat into Gambian territory as they avoid an offensive from
Senegalese troops.

Sources claimed that the ease with which MFDC fighters sought refuge in The
Gambia could 'add salt to injury' over allegations that the separatists were
benefiting from covert support from outside their theatre of operations.

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This concern comes against the backdrop of suggestions by a popular
Senegalese newspaper Wal Fajr that The Gambia was giving covert support to
the separatist campaign in Casamance. Jammeh's government had wasted no time
in denying the accusation, describing them as baseless, unfounded and
malicious.

However, sources said recent rebel encroachment on Gambian territory could
provide genuine ground for suspicion. They added that the free movement of
the MFDC rebels in and out of the Gambian side of the border, and rebel
captives found with Gambian documents could be interpreted to mean that
double standard was being played.

A senior official at the Department of Foreign Affairs told The Independent
that the stay in The Gambia of the former MFDCspokesman Alexandra Djibba who
is currently in custody in Guinea Bissau and the presence of the new MFDC
spokesman in The Gambia Ablaye Jarju had never gone down well with the
Senegalese government, who have not hesitated to communicate their
displeasure to the authorities here.

Meanwhile in an interview recently, the Army-Chief-of Staff Colonel
Baboucarr Jatta has pointed out that any encroachment on Gambian territory
by protagonists to the conflict would be interpreted as an incursion of The
Gambia. However, he steered clear of committing himself to saying whether,
this would trigger an outright offensive from the country's defense force.






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