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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Ministers say political process in The Gambia is flawed

20 August 1996

Zimbabwe Foreign Minister Dr Stan Mudenge, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), today cautioned The Gambia's military regime that the Commonwealth was unlikely to endorse what he described as an obviously flawed election process. He said in a statement on behalf of the eight-member group that the electoral changes recently carried out in The Gambia were likely to lead to the consolidation of military rule in another form. He appealed to the authorities in Banjul to rescind in particular the decree issued last week banning all the major political parties and senior politicians who had held office in former civilian administrations.

Dr Mudenge said:

"The decree issued on Thursday 14 August by the Government of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council of The Gambia banning the country's major political parties and all those who have held ministerial positions in the course of the last 30 years is a matter of grave concern to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. The two-year long ban on political parties and political activity, rigorously enforced, has already created an atmosphere of fear in the political life of the country. The uneven political playing field in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections set for September and December is a further cause for anxiety. The available time for political parties to form and campaign for the elections remains unreasonably short. And there are the onerous registration requirements which all political parties and aspiring presidential candidates are expected to meet.

CMAG remains ready to continue to assist the transitional process but it clearly cannot be expected to endorse a process which is so obviously flawed and which is likely to lead to the consolidation of military rule in another form. I therefore appeal to the authorities in Banjul to rescind this blanket proscription in the interest of a credible and durable democracy in The Gambia."

Note to Editors:
CMAG was set up by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their summit in New Zealand last November to deal with serious and persistent violations of basic Commonwealth principles. Its members are: Britain, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. So far, the group has been concerned with the restoration of democracy in The Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Since the establishment of the Group, Sierra Leone has held successful elections which ended military rule.

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678

96/37 20 August 1996

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int