UN ‘Cancels Gambia Army Chief Visit’

Gen Badjie has been seen sporting a badge with a photo of Mr Jammeh/AFP/Getty Image

A diplomatic source has told the BBC that the UN has cancelled the head of the Gambian army’s visit to Gambian peacekeepers serving with the UN mission in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Gambian soldiers this week occupied the Gambian election commission’s headquarters in an apparent show of loyalty to the outgoing president, Yahya Jammeh, who has reneged on his initial promise to accept the result of this month’s election.

BBC World Service Africa editor James Copnall says that by cancelling General Ousman Badjie’s visit to Sudan, the UN is putting pressure on the military to not side with President Jammeh and to allow the man announced as the winner, Adama Barrow, to be sworn in as president.

Mr Jammeh is believed to retain the support of key members of the security forces, apparently including Gen Badjie, who arrived at a meeting with West African leaders on Tuesday wearing a badge bearing Mr Jammeh’s face.

Human Rights Watch has urged the army not to launch a crackdown on the opposition and its supporters, saying the military must put human rights above loyalty to Mr Jammeh.

Culled from BBC

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4 Comments

  1. The so called General Badgie is the head of jammeh’s tribal militia forces within the military. Our Gambian military is infiltrated with such bigotry and ignorant tribal militia forces who has no respect for human rights and rule of law . General Badgie’s fate is equally tied to Dictator Jammeh’s fate . General Saul Badgie,Yankuba Badgie and majority of top leadership in security services are not loyal to Gambian people but they are loyal to Yaya jammeh because of their narrow bigotry , tribal hegemony agenda . The junior soldiers from indigenous tribes like Wolof , mandinkas and Fulani do not have access to weapons and they are all posted in areas far from where Jammeh and his thugs are living. Many of top military leaders are not qualified to be in the positions they occupied.

  2. This is a good move by the UN.There is a saying that CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME; The UN is telling you that if you cannot maintain peace, security, and stability in your country, why somewhere else? General badjie if you are reading this and was wondering why the UN denied you to go to Darfur is because they are telling you to put your house in order first.Thank you

    • Badjie and many others are spellbound with food fed to them by Jammeh. What a shame a country’s military are posed against its armless and harmless citizens who are constitutional subjects to be protected by them. In the ancient rome too, men who have a pathetic desire to dominate and impose themselves on others are commonly suspected of being ‘—– men’. Maybe Ousman Badjie could be such a man for Jammeh’s extra…… I would think so because strange new lifestyles and tastes have prevailed in the Gambia during his ruthless, mad and brutal regime. It is true that Gambia missed to establish a well trained and disciplined army of the purpose. Lots of people in the army are without a skill or proper education. You give guys like these a bit of physical training and and instructions to use gun is a dangerous idea.

  3. bala Kandeh

    Gambian’s economy is being looted by the Badjies and few top security officers. The Jola tribe must note One good turn deserved another. Remember the most of the land you are occupying were given to you, and no one ever disturbed you in the Gambia, not if you are building enmity against because of your few stupid uneducated security officer, go ahead.

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