Gambia election: Internet and international calls banned

[GordonZombie]

[URL="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/gambia-election-president-yahya-jammeh-shuts-down-internet-phones-polls-open-a7449371.html"]The Independent[/URL]
[URL="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38157127"]BBC News[/URL]

[QUOTE]Gambia has shut down the internet and blocked all international phone calls as the nation goes to the polls for its presidential elections.

Analysts say there is a chance the people of the small west African nation will vote out the dictatorial regime of President Yahya Jammeh, who came to power in a military coup in 1994 and later amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits.

Up against Mr Jammeh is the former London security guard Adama Barrow, who is supported by an alliance of eight opposition parties clamouring for regime chance.

But the sitting government has not made things easy. Phone and internet services to the country’s 1.9 million people were cut in the hours before polling stations opened, int an apparent bid to prevent the unified opposition from mobilising - though officials said it was to reduce the risk of unrest.

In a Human Rights Watch report released last month, activists said Mr Jammeh had used state resources and dominated state media to ensure a political advantage in the election, while authorities “threatened, arbitrarily arrested, jailed, and tortured members of opposition political parties”.

The report said that from April to November, more than 90 opposition activists were arrested for participating in peaceful protests, 30 of whom were sentenced to three-year prison terms. It added that two opposition activists have died in custody.

Such activities had “all but extinguish[ed] hopes for a fair election,” said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch.

As the polls opened on Thursday, voters made their choice by placing marbles into green, silver or purple drums. The third option in the election was former ruling party deputy Mama Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress, the only opposition party not in the coalition.[/QUOTE]

Whilst I hope they manage to vote this asshat out, their method of voting seems woefully inept and open to ballot stuffing.

[Erfly]

I wonder if we have any Gambian facepunchers who can give us a bit more insight into the situation, once internet access is restored of course.

[Godzillan]

[QUOTE=Erfly;51455800]I wonder if we have any Gambian facepunchers who can give us a bit more insight into the situation, once internet access is restored of course.[/QUOTE]

I'm going to say we most definitely do not, especially after this.

[😹 WHO DID THIS]

Do we even have any Central African facepunchers at all?