lA, Rene Blain Street, Banjul, the Gambia 
  Phone: (220) 4201730/4227442 Fax: (220) 4224601  
   
  16thJune, 2006 
   
  The Chairman 
  Independent Electoral Commission 
  No.7 Kairaba Avenue 
  Latrikunda 
  K.S.M.D 
  The Gambia 
   
  Dear Sir, 
   
  RE: SUPPLEMENTARY REGISTRATION OF VOTERS 
   
  We have received notification from you that a supplementary registration of voters will be conducted throughout The Gambia commencing Monday 19th June 2006. (Vide your letter ref IEC/9/KAC/(108) of 5thJune 2006). The Elections Decree 1996 vests the Commission with the prerogative to determine and declare the period within which it is to carry out a general and supplementary Registration of voters in a constituency. The exercise of this prerogative is however circumscribed by the Decree itself. 
   
  The Commission is not only to determine and declare the period within which registration of voters will be carried out but it must also designate the registration centres as well as publish the notice of the supplementary registration at least 15 days before the date of registration. We notice and observe with regret that you have not designated registration centres in the various constituencies and that the notification issued does not comply with Section 16 of the Elections Decree.
   
  -' Identity Cards. Whilst we do not question the duty of the Department of Immigration to issue Gambian National Identity Cards, the timing of it raises many questions particularly when there is evidence that people involved in issuing attestations to people and ferrying them to the centres where ID Cards are issued are themselves well known supporters of the ruling party. 
   
  A visit to the Bakau New Town Community Centre will easily reveal the identities of these individuals some of whom have held senior positions in the security services of The Gambia. We equally know that 1.D cards are being issued to individuals from private homes of certain individuals in Ebo Town and Tallinding. 
   
  We are concerned at your decision which you communicated to our representative (Mr. Sarr) that the Commission will, regardless of any thing, register any person in possession of an LD card whether such a person is a Gambian or an alien. 
   
  We are very concerned that the commission will accept attestations even if it is written on, (to use your own words) "cement paper". The decision to accept attestations even if written on a cement paper is not demonstrative of the seriousness of the exercise that the Commission wishes to undertake but it rather trivializes the entire electoral process and further indicates the low premium that the Commission places on the need for the compilation of a proper register of voters. Anyone who values democracy, good governance and the concept of a level playing field in the electoral contests will strive to ensure that the registration process is above suspicion. 
   
  The UDPINRPalliance has mandated its agents in the various registration centres (which hopefully will be made known to us by Saturday 1th June 2006) to resist any attempt to register non eligible persons (who rely on any of the documents mentioned in the pamphlet as a basis of their claim for 
  eligibility) as voters. The alliance has also mandated its agents to collaborate and cooperate with Registering Clerks in implementing the procedural rules for investigating claims and determining their validity notwithstanding possession of any document listed in the pamphlet.
   
  We believe that the position adopted by the alliance augurs well for the flourishing of true democratic culture as well as the creation of level playing field and prepares the ground for the holding of credible elections. 
  A 
   
  jS ~ ~~~ A.N.M. OUSAINU DARBOE '--- 
  For the UDPINRP Alliance
   

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