On 1 Jun 2002 at 16:02, malik kah wrote:

> Has this been confirmed?
>
From the BBC website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_2021000/2021045.stm

Saturday, 1 June, 2002, 19:02 GMT 20:02 UK
Gambia's ex-leader returns from exile

The first post-independence leader of Gambia, Dawda Kairaba Jawara, has
flown home from exile for the first time, nearly eight years after being ousted
in a military coup.

On his arrival, security forces escorted Mr Jawara to his private residence in
Banjul, and are reported to have barred family, friends and journalists from
entering.

Captain Yahya Jammeh, who overthrew Mr Jawara, announced an
unconditional amnesty for the exiled former leader in December.

Mr Jawara said he wanted to see family and friends and would return as a
private citizen.

Now in his late 70s, Mr Jawara became Gambia's first prime minister after
independence from Britain in 1965.

'Reconciliation'

"The government is trying to prevent the people from having any contact with
the old man. They are virtually holding him as a prisoner in his home," said
Lamin Waa Jawara, the former president's nephew.


The Gambian Tourism and Culture Minister, Captain Yankuba Touray, denied
access to Mr Jawara was being blocked.

"His return is part of the ongoing reconciliation efforts being promoted by the
government," Mr Touray said.

"We are certainly not preventing anyone from coming into contact with him,
although we will respect his wish to be left alone and not to be hassled by
anyone".

Mr Jammeh has ruled Gambia since the coup and was elected to a second
term in office in October last year.

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