The following is culled from:
clari.world.gov.politics,clari.world.africa.western,clari.world.mideast+africa
News groups
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BANJUL, July 17 (AFP) - The Gambian government Tuesday warned
journalists and diplomats against "damaging peace and stability" in
the west African country ahead of presidential elections in
October.
Foreign Minister Sedat Jobe, speaking to reporters, hit out at
the "type of literature we have been reading" and said the
government had the "general sentiment that most of the written press
and radio stations are being sponsored by foreign embassies."
"That doesn't mean that we will muzzle the press, we just want
it to be responsible, to avoid things that will create strife and
articles that are not conducive to peace and stability," he said.
Jobe mentioned in particular weekend reports quoting an
opposition leader, Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party,
as saying the government's plans to count votes cast in the
elections at administrative centres instead of polling stations
could lead to violence.
The foreign minister described Darboe's remarks as
"disappointing and negative", knowing that the government, he said,
"is organising the elections in serenity and peace."
Gambia, one of the poorest countries in the world, is a former
British colony which gained independence within the Commonwealth in
1965 and was ruled by Dawda Kairaba Jawara until overthrown in a
bloodless military coup led by current president Yahya Jammeh in
1994.
A referendum on the new constitution was held in 1996 and
endorsed by 70.4 percent of voters.
Jammeh won presidential elections later that year, and his
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) won
parliamentary elections in 1997.

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