Yahya Jammeh

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Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Incumbent
Assumed office 
22 July 1994
Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy
Preceded by Dawda Jawara
Born 25 May 1965 (1965-05-25) (age 43)
Kanilai, Gambia
Political party APRC
Spouse Zineb Jammeh
Children Mariama and Muhammed

Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung) Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. As chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, he took control of the country in a bloodless[1] military coup in July 1994, and was elected as President two years later, in September 1996.[2]

Contents

[edit] Re-elections

He founded the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction as his political party. Jammeh was re-elected on October 18, 2001 with about 53% of the vote; this election was generally deemed free and fair by observers, despite some shortcomings.[3]

Jammeh ran for a third term in the presidential election held on September 22, 2006; the election was initially planned for October but was moved forward because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He was re-elected with 67.3% of the vote and was declared the winner of the election; opposition candidate Ousainou Darboe finished second, as in 2001.[4] Darboe rejected the results, saying that the election was not free and fair and that there was widespread intimidation.[5] Jammeh was sworn in for his third term on December 15.[6]

[edit] Attempted coup

A coup attempt against Jammeh was reported to have been thwarted on March 21, 2006; Jammeh, who was in Mauritania at the time, quickly returned home. Army chief of staff Ndure Cham, the alleged leader of the plot,[7] reportedly fled to neighboring Senegal, while other alleged conspirators were arrested[8] and were put on trial for treason.[9] In April 2007, ten former officers accused of involvement were convicted and given prison sentences; four of them were sentenced to life in prison.[10]

[edit] Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Gambia

Jammeh traveled to the United States to meet with Prince George's County, Maryland County Executive Jack Johnson in May 2004. While in the Washington, DC metro area, he delivered the commencement address to the St. Mary's College of Maryland graduating class of 2004. The address highlighted his commitment to education since taking power in The Gambia.

In early December 2006, Jammeh made a three-day visit to Iran, where he met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; Ahmadinejad said that Iran would provide aid to assist in the development of The Gambia, and he and Jammeh spoke of deepening ties between the two countries.[11][12]

In December 2007 he travelled to Taiwan with the objective of developing trade relations between the two countries.

[edit] Press freedom

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Jammeh has been accused of restricting freedom of the press. Harsh new press laws were followed by the unsolved killing of a reporter who had been critical of them, Deyda Hydara, in December 2004.[13] Jammeh has denied that security agents were involved in the killing.[5]

In April 2004 he called on journalists to obey his government "or go to hell". In June 2005 he stated on radio and television that he has allowed "too much expression" in the country.[14]

[edit] Alleged human rights abuses

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Jammeh has been linked with the 2004 massacre of 44 Ghanaian migrants and 10 other ECOWAS nationals. [1] [2] [3]

[edit] Genocide for homosexuals

On May 15, 2008, Jammeh announced that his government would introduce legislation that would set rules against homosexuals that would be “stricter than those in Iran”, and that he would "cut off the head" of any gay or lesbian person discovered in the country. News reports indicated his government intended to have all homosexuals in the country killed. In the speech given in Tallinding, Jammeh gave a "final ultimatum" to any gays or lesbians in the Gambia to leave the country.[15][16]

[edit] HIV/AIDS cure and other health claims

In January 2007, Jammeh claimed he could cure HIV/AIDS and asthma with natural herbs. Some patients are said to have improved through his treatment, but he has also been criticized for promoting unscientific treatment that could have dangerous results.[17]. The full text of his speech seems to suggest that the 'cure' may in fact be addressing intestinal parasites ("With regards to HIV/Aids, they should be kept at a place that has adequate toilets facilities because they can be going to toilet every five minutes.").[18].

Fadzai Gwaradzimba, the country representative of the United Nations Development Programme in The Gambia, was told to leave the country after she expressed doubts about the claims and said the remedy might encourage risky behaviour.[19]

In August 2007, Jammeh claimed to have developed a single dose herbal infusion that could treat high blood pressure.[20]

[edit] Family

Jammeh and his wife Zeinab Jammeh have two children as of 2007: a daughter, Miriam Jammeh, and a son, Muhammed Yahya Jammeh. The latter was born in late 2007, at which point the former was eight years old.[21]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Country Profiles Foreign & Commonwealth Office
  2. ^ Background Note: The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 2006.
  3. ^ Country Report on Human Rights Practices for The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 4, 2002.
  4. ^ "Gambian president is re-elected", BBC News, September 23, 2006.
  5. ^ a b "Gambian opposition claims fraud", BBC News, September 25, 2006.
  6. ^ "Gambia's Jammeh takes oath for new term", AFP (IOL), December 15, 2006.
  7. ^ "Attempted coup averted, government says", IRIN, March 22, 2006.
  8. ^ "Arrests over Gambia 'coup plot'", BBC News, March 28, 2006.
  9. ^ "Suspected Gambian coupists before court martial", Afrol News, October 6, 2006.
  10. ^ "Gambia jails army coup plotters", Reuters (IOL), April 20, 2007.
  11. ^ "Pressure has no impact on Iran-Gambia ties: Ahmadinejad", Islamic Republic News Agency, December 4, 2006.
  12. ^ "Gambia Calls for Expansion of Ties with Iran", Fars News Agency, December 4, 2006.
  13. ^ "Thousands protest peacefully at murder of journalist", IRIN, December 22, 2004.
  14. ^ "Reporters Without Borders"
  15. ^ "President Jammeh Gives Ultimatum for Homosexuals to Leave", Gambia News, May 19, 2008.
  16. ^ "President plans to kill off every single homosexual" Panapress/Afrik.com, May 19, 2008.
  17. ^ "President's 'HIV cure' condemned", BBC News, February 2, 2007.
  18. ^ "Jammeh starts curing HIV/AIDS patients today", Daily Observer (Gambia), 18 January 2007.
  19. ^ "Country profile: The Gambia", BBC News, March 4, 2008.
  20. ^ Gambia television, August 20, 2007.
  21. ^ "Christening of Baby Muhammed Yahya Jammeh", Office of The Gambian President website, December 31, 2007.
Political offices
Preceded by
Dawda Jawara		 President of the Gambia
1994 – present		 Incumbent
v • d • e
Presidents and Prime Minister of The Gambia
Presidents, 1970-: Dawda Jawara • Yahya Jammeh
 Flag of The Gambia
Prime Minister, 1965-1970: Dawda Jawara

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Jammeh, Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Jammeh, Yahya Alphonse Jemus Jebulai (former name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION Gambian president
DATE OF BIRTH May 25, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH living
PLACE OF DEATH