PRESS RELEASE BY THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY ON THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF
PARTY OFFICIALS AND MILITANTS
The leadership of The United Democratic Party ( The UDP), held a Press
briefing on Wednesday the 26th, May 1999 at the office of their Secretary
General and Leader, Mr Ousainou Darboe.  The objective of the press briefing
was to appraise members of the independent media and the International
Community on the Resurgence of Terrorism and the latest tactics of state
sponsored thuggery devised by the tyrannical regime of Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh.

The regime, which is a direct product of the military junta established by
the Coup D'etat of the 22nd July 1994 has never ceased to abuse Human
Rights, Freedom and Justice.  If anything the APRC/AFPRC regime has never
had the respect for the constitution and therefore persistently blocked the
process of restoring full democracy in The Gambia.

It is on the basis on this lack of commitment to Democracy and
Constitutional Order that the dictatorship is still on Human Rights
violations and continues to trample on the rights of those citizens craving
for Justice greater Freedom and Democracy.  The opposition - The United
Democratic Party is the principal target of the oppressor, just as the 22nd
July Movement has been officially designated by The President as the
instrument of criminal aggression against the civilian population.

Following a political rally at Jarra Darasilami on May 8th, 1999 the party
leader visited some family members in the Niaminas the following day.  Upon
his return to Banjul, the police in collaboration with the July 22nd
Movement members arrested and detained party supporters and militants who
were welcoming the party leader in the Niaminas.  One Corporal Barrow
carried out the arrests while interrogations were supervised by The July
22nd Coordinator based in Janjangburah, Mr Omar Mamburay.

On Friday the 21st May 1999 Tata Camara, The lady Chairperson of The United
Democratic Party (UDP) in Janjangburay was picked up by the police in Lamin
Koto while attending a 40 day charity of The Late Luwanding Keita known to
be a UDP supporter.  Tata Camara was picked up on the orders of Mr Omar
Mamburay the July 22nd Movement Coordinator in Janjangburay.  She was
brought to NIA headquarter in Banjul and detained.  She was not allowed
visits and the UDP could not ascertain her state of health since she was not
allowed clothing and no food could be brought to her.  She was the victim of
incarceration and NIA interrogations.

While the UDP Secretariat and lawyers were making efforts to visit Mrs Tata
Camara, The whole country was shocked after learning that in the early hours
of the morning of the 26thMay 1999, Mr Shyngle Nyassi's house was raided,
his door forcefully opened and the locks broken.

An unidentified group forcefully entered Mr Nyassi's bedroom and abducted
him after gagging him.  The group, suspected to be July 22nd members under
the supervision of Baba Jobe ( An adviser to Yahya Jammeh and a specialist
on terrorism and the principal agent between Libya and the APRC/AFPRC
regime) drove off in a Nissan Patrol bearing the registration Number BJL
5424A.  Gambians have every reason to believe that this vehicle belongs to
either the NIA or the July 22nd militants or the State Guards.  According to
Mr Nyassi's wife who identified one or two members of the July 22nd Movement
and in particular Baba Jobe was identified by Mr Nyassi's two sons and one
of the wives.  The kidnappers informed Mr Nyassi's family that they were
going to kill Shyngle Nyassi and drop his body into the Sea or Ocean.

The UDP has made every effort to trace the whereabout of Shyngle Nyassi but
to no avail.  The purpose of this release is once again to highlight and
bring to the attention of The Gambian people and The International Community
that what is proclaimed by Yahya Jammeh and his government, that there is
true democracy in this country, civilian authority in this country whose
acts and conducts are regulated by the Constitution is all lies and is a
sham propaganda to the International Community so that the much needed donor
assistance can be readily available to the Government.  It is also to
highlight that  Yahya Jammeh Government has absolutely no room for any
dissenting view.  It is also to highlight that the Jammeh administration
believe not in persuasion but coercion and intimidation.  That they have
failed to sell their policies and their programmes to The Gambian people and
have consequently resorted to harassment and intimidation.

The UDP also wish to highlight the fact that this is an indication of what
is going to happen in The Gambia during local government elections and all
other future elections in this country.

Finally, The United Democratic Party (UDP) is once again calling on all
democratic governments and organisations of the world to support the Gambian
people in their struggle for greater freedom, democracy and justice against
the most brutal oppressor of the worst type.  The tyranny of the present
regime in The Gambia is the worst ever experienced by its people throughout
their history.


SECRETARIAT OF THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY

27TH MAY 1999

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