Dictator Jammeh Arri

Dictator Yahya Jammeh arrived in the United States on Thursday with a high powered delegation, the Freedom Newspaper can report.

The President is in the country to have a meeting with United Nations officials. There is no immediate word about their line of discussions, but a source who reached the Freedom Newspaper said Jammeh’s US trip might have to do with the proposed Commission of inquiry into the murder of Gambian journalist Deyda Hydara spearheaded by the British authorities.

Mr. Henry Bellingham, a  British MP, Minister for Africa, the UN, Overseas,  who recently congratulated President Jammeh for his election victory reached a deal with the Gambian leader to allow a UN constituted Commission that will probe into Hydara’s death, a leaked document from the Jammeh State House hinted. 

 The agreement was reached on November 14, and the Gambian authorities were urged to cooperate with the UN in a bid to facilitate the smooth running of the proposed Commission of Inquiry.

In the said leaked document, which compels dictator Jammeh to heed to the British’s  pressure to find a lasting and credible answers on the death of Hydara, Minister Bellingham also talked about the European Union (EU) suspending financial aid to the Gambia with effect from last April. The Minister said the economic sanctions imposed against the Gambia, is subject to review provided that  Banjul is ready to improve on its governance and human rights record.

The documente detailed a wide range of governance deficit in the Gambia under Jammeh’s rule.  It also lamented about the unexplained whereabouts of disappeared Gambian journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh.

Prior to Jammeh’s trip to the US, Solicitor General Pa Harry Jammeh, and other Government officials were in New York for a meeting. The pressure is intense on Jammeh’s regime to shed light on the murder of Hydara.  

President Jammeh is said to be hosted in New York City contrary to an earlier announcement made by the state controlled media GRTS that Jammeh was on his way to Washington DC. Perhaps, the Jammeh State House is trying to escape from a possible protest marches to be spearheaded by his opponents in the US.

Among Mr. Jammeh’s delegation team according to sources include:  Secretary General Njogu Bah, and Finance Minister Mamburay Njie.  

Mr. Jammeh’s trip will last for two days, according to delegation sources. It’s not clear if he will spend the new year in the US with his family, who  arrived here since last week.