>From: Beran jeng <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: FWD:President Jammeh Defends Baba Jobe, Accuses Critics of Malicious Propaganda >Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2001 14:50:41 -0400 > >President Jammeh Defends Baba Jobe, Accuses Critics of Malicious >Propaganda > > > >The Independent (Banjul) > >August 6, 2001 >Posted to the web August 6, 2001 > >PK Jarju >Banjul, the Gambia > >Reacting for the first time since Baba Jobe APRC strong man was >banned by UN >Resolution 1343 from travelling outside The Gambia, President Jammeh >has >expressed disappointed over it. The Gambian leader who was speaking >at the >commissioning of a 6-megawatt generator at Kotu, July 28 said the >travel ban >was masterminded by critics of his regime. > >President Jammeh stated that countries that tried but failed since >1994 to >undermine the efforts of his government have now resorted to using >the UN >for propaganda purposes to tarnish the image of the country. > >"Even the crocodiles in the River Gambia know The Gambia is a >peace-loving >nation, which has done everything in its powers to maintain peace >and >stability in Africa and other parts of the world" he remarked. He >argued >that this prompted the accusation by the UN of The Gambia in the >blood >diamond trade. He posited that European countries that benefited >directly >from the cheap and exploitative relations with people of countries >affected >by war and whose economies benefited from the blood diamonds should >have >been accused. > >President Jammeh therefore urged the UN to prove to Gambians that >the >allegations are true. According to him no proof has been forwarded, >connecting The Gambia with the export of blood diamonds. He accused >the UN >of attempts to tarnish his image, which he said was impossible. "It >would >take them a billion years to succeed" he claimed. > >President Jammeh added that they are hypocrites who preach peace and >at the >same time encourage wars. He also accused Western countries of >double >standard for advocating democracy and human rights yet impose >dictatorship >in Africa, which his government would not accept. He added that the >position >Baba Jobe was thought to be holding is not in the New Millennium >Airline, >which he said is not a commercial enterprise. According to him it is >used to >transport pilgrims as well as Cuban medical personnel to and from >Cuba. > >He added that Baba Jobe's accusers did not know that he has never >travelled >with the airline he was thought to be heading. > > >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L >Web interface at: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >You may also send subscription requests to >[log in to unmask] >if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to >write your full name and e-mail address. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------