Gambians flee to Senegal as country's president Yahya Jammeh shows no signs of stepping down

Record ID: 164486

  • Title: Gambians flee to Senegal as country's president Yahya Jammeh shows no signs of stepping down
  • Date: 17th January 2017
  • Summary: BUNDUNG, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BANJUL, GAMBIA (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) MAN CARRYING WOODEN BOARD WALKING INTO BUS STATION VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT BUS STATION BOARDING BUSES WHICH ARE HEADING FROM BANJUL TO TOWNS LIKE BASSE AND BASSANG IN GAMBIA (MORE THAN 300 KM. FROM BANJUL) AND CASAMANCE AREA OF SENEGAL LUGGAGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOADING LUGGAGE ONTO BUS ROOFS PEOPLE BOARDING BUS VARIOUS OF BUNDUNG BUS STATION MANAGER COUNTING (SOUNDBITE) (Wolof) MOMODOU CHOI, BUNDUNG BUS STATION MANAGER, SAYING: "Usually, we have 3 minibuses that leave to Basse and 2 to Soma each day. But since the beginning of the events, the number of buses increased to 6 cars per destination. These last three days we have been overwhelmed. We have 25 minibuses that leave per day, that's not including the number of big buses that are leaving. 25 people fit in the smaller buses and 75 in the bigger buses, and despite that, there are still passengers who are waiting (for a seat)." PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO BUS SEREKUNDA, 13 KM. SOUTHWEST OF CAPITAL BANJUL, GAMBIA (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) DRIVING PAST BUILDING VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC IN URBAN CENTRE ROAD SIGN READING (English): "KAIRABA AVE. / AIRPORT" TRAFFIC IN URBAN CENTRE BAKAU, ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CAPITAL BANJUL, GAMBIA (JANUARY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF INDEPENDENCE STADIUM WHERE PRESIDENT-ELECT ADAMA BARROW IS DUE TO BE INAUGURATED ON JANUARY 19, 2017 / NO PREPARATIONS IN SIGHT STADIUM TOWER EMPTY OPEN AREA OF STADIUM STADIUM
  • Embargoed: 31st January 2017 22:12
  • Keywords: Senegal President Jammeh Barrow election Africa military intervention
  • Location: BUNDUNG, SEREKUNDA AND BAKAU; ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BANJUL, GAMBIA
  • City: BUNDUNG, SEREKUNDA AND BAKAU; ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BANJUL, GAMBIA
  • Country: Gambia
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ZH0P53
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:At a bus station on the outskirts of Gambia's capital Banjul, people were packing onto buses that would take them far from their homes following the country's President Yahya Jammeh refusal to step down despite losing an election on December 1.
    The exodus comes as Jammeh declared a state of emergency on Tuesday (January 17).
    A string of top level government ministers has resigned, while other officials, including the foreign minister, have also left the country.
    In addition to internal domestic turmoil, Nigeria and other West African nations are said to preparing to intervene militarily.
    The buses were headed to towns like Basse and Bassang, more than 300 km. (186 miles) from Banjul, and even to Senegal's Casamance region, south of Gambia.
    "Usually, we have 3 minibuses that leave to Basse and 2 to Soma each day. But since the beginning of the events, the number of buses increased to 6 cars per destination. These last three days we have been overwhelmed. We have 25 minibuses that leave per day, that's not including the number of big buses that are leaving. 25 people fit in the smaller buses and 75 in the bigger buses, and despite that, there are still passengers who are waiting (for a seat)," said Momodou Choi, the bus station's manager.
    The Senegalese town of Diouloulou, 12 km. (7 miles) south of the border point of Seleti, has seen 650 Gambians cross since Christmas and the flow has increased in recent days, the mayor's office said.
    President-elect and opposition leader Adama Barrow was due to be inaugurated at Bakau's Independence Stadium on Thursday (January 19) but ceremony preparations were nowhere in sight.
    Jammeh took power in a coup in 1994 and his government gained a reputation for torturing and killing of perceived opponents.
    Pro-democracy activists across Africa welcomed Jammeh's defeat and his refusal to step down has provoked a test of mettle for regional leaders.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register