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| Gambian Leader, Facing Ouster by Foreign Troops, Ends Tense Standoff | Gambian Leader, Facing Ouster by Foreign Troops, Ends Tense Standoff |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BANJUL, Gambia — In the early morning hours of Saturday, with foreign troops poised to oust him, Yahya Jammeh announced on state television that he would step down as Gambia’s president, apparently bringing a peaceful end to a situation so tense it had sent tens of thousands of Gambians fleeing across the border. | BANJUL, Gambia — In the early morning hours of Saturday, with foreign troops poised to oust him, Yahya Jammeh announced on state television that he would step down as Gambia’s president, apparently bringing a peaceful end to a situation so tense it had sent tens of thousands of Gambians fleeing across the border. |
| The announcement from Mr. Jammeh, who was defeated in an election last month, appeared to pave the way for the return of the newly elected leader who had fled to Senegal for his safety. | The announcement from Mr. Jammeh, who was defeated in an election last month, appeared to pave the way for the return of the newly elected leader who had fled to Senegal for his safety. |
| “I believe in the importance of dialogue and in the capacity of Africans to resolve among themselves all the challenges on the way toward democracy, economic and social development,” said a subdued Mr. Jammeh in his announcement. “It is as a result of this I have decided to be in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation.” | “I believe in the importance of dialogue and in the capacity of Africans to resolve among themselves all the challenges on the way toward democracy, economic and social development,” said a subdued Mr. Jammeh in his announcement. “It is as a result of this I have decided to be in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation.” |
| But it remained unclear exactly when the leader, known for erratic behavior, would leave and where he would go. | But it remained unclear exactly when the leader, known for erratic behavior, would leave and where he would go. |
| For weeks, Mr. Jammeh, who took power in a 1994 coup and has a long record of human rights abuses, has insisted that results of the December election that ousted him were flawed. He had called for a new vote, even after initially conceding the election to his opponent, Adama Barrow, a real estate agent and opposition party member. Mr. Jammeh vowed to protect his presidency with the help of his military. | For weeks, Mr. Jammeh, who took power in a 1994 coup and has a long record of human rights abuses, has insisted that results of the December election that ousted him were flawed. He had called for a new vote, even after initially conceding the election to his opponent, Adama Barrow, a real estate agent and opposition party member. Mr. Jammeh vowed to protect his presidency with the help of his military. |
| A coalition of West African nations, with the support of the United Nations, had sent troops into Gambia on standby to forcibly remove Mr. Jammeh from office. The military action paused when Mr. Jammeh said he would step down. | A coalition of West African nations, with the support of the United Nations, had sent troops into Gambia on standby to forcibly remove Mr. Jammeh from office. The military action paused when Mr. Jammeh said he would step down. |
| Mr. Barrow was sworn in Thursday in neighboring Senegal, where he took the oath of office inside the Gambian Embassy in Dakar. He was among the 45,000 people, according to United Nations estimates, who fled Gambia in recent days, worried that Mr. Jammeh’s refusal to step down would set off violence. The United Nations was making plans to distribute food and warned of a looming humanitarian crisis. | Mr. Barrow was sworn in Thursday in neighboring Senegal, where he took the oath of office inside the Gambian Embassy in Dakar. He was among the 45,000 people, according to United Nations estimates, who fled Gambia in recent days, worried that Mr. Jammeh’s refusal to step down would set off violence. The United Nations was making plans to distribute food and warned of a looming humanitarian crisis. |
| On Friday, Mr. Barrow addressed the growing members of the Gambian diaspora, many of whom had left the country years ago fearing oppression under Mr. Jammeh, who routinely jailed opponents, some of whom died under questionable circumstances in prison. Finally, Mr. Barrow told them, it was time to return to their country. | On Friday, Mr. Barrow addressed the growing members of the Gambian diaspora, many of whom had left the country years ago fearing oppression under Mr. Jammeh, who routinely jailed opponents, some of whom died under questionable circumstances in prison. Finally, Mr. Barrow told them, it was time to return to their country. |
| “You now have the liberty to return home,” he said. “The rule of fear has been vanished from the government for good.” | “You now have the liberty to return home,” he said. “The rule of fear has been vanished from the government for good.” |
| In Gambia, one anxious citizen, Famara Kamara, said he had already called his family on Saturday and planned to pick them up at the border with Senegal. He had taken his wife and two sons across to Senegal last week as tensions rose. He was relieved that his family would not have to live in a refugee camp in another country — a notion that was foreign and terrifying. | In Gambia, one anxious citizen, Famara Kamara, said he had already called his family on Saturday and planned to pick them up at the border with Senegal. He had taken his wife and two sons across to Senegal last week as tensions rose. He was relieved that his family would not have to live in a refugee camp in another country — a notion that was foreign and terrifying. |
| “I have seen documentaries of people living in refugee camps,” Mr. Kamara said. “It’s a terrible experience. I am so grateful to God and to President Jammeh for putting the interest of the Gambian people first.” | “I have seen documentaries of people living in refugee camps,” Mr. Kamara said. “It’s a terrible experience. I am so grateful to God and to President Jammeh for putting the interest of the Gambian people first.” |
| While Gambians abroad were preparing to come home, talks were continuing about where Mr. Jammeh would live in exile if he actually leaves. | While Gambians abroad were preparing to come home, talks were continuing about where Mr. Jammeh would live in exile if he actually leaves. |
| One likely candidate is Guinea. Negotiators and Mr. Barrow’s team agreed that he could not stay in Gambia, despite Mr. Jammeh’s initial desire to move to the countryside, where he has a farm. | One likely candidate is Guinea. Negotiators and Mr. Barrow’s team agreed that he could not stay in Gambia, despite Mr. Jammeh’s initial desire to move to the countryside, where he has a farm. |
| In recent days, Mr. Jammeh’s base of support crumbled. Many ministers in his cabinet resigned. The African Union said it would refuse to recognize him as president. The presidents of Guinea and Mauritania flew in to persuade him to step down without a fight. | In recent days, Mr. Jammeh’s base of support crumbled. Many ministers in his cabinet resigned. The African Union said it would refuse to recognize him as president. The presidents of Guinea and Mauritania flew in to persuade him to step down without a fight. |
| “The terms of the agreement are difficult to outline,” Mauritania’s president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, told reporters after meetings with Mr. Jammeh. “What is important is that President Jammeh has agreed to hand over power.” | |
| In Banjul, the capital, citizens were relieved to hear that Mr. Jammeh seemed ready to go, but their unease would not fully disappear until he was officially outside the nation’s borders. | In Banjul, the capital, citizens were relieved to hear that Mr. Jammeh seemed ready to go, but their unease would not fully disappear until he was officially outside the nation’s borders. |
| Capt. Momodu Njie of the Gambian Army said he had been in a state of confusion in recent days, unsure which president he was serving. “Both Yahya Jammeh and Adama Barrow said they were constitutional presidents of the republic, and as a soldier, I don’t know much about the clause in the Constitution,” Captain Njie said. “This makes it difficult to take sides, and at the same time, I cannot serve two commanders in chief.” | Capt. Momodu Njie of the Gambian Army said he had been in a state of confusion in recent days, unsure which president he was serving. “Both Yahya Jammeh and Adama Barrow said they were constitutional presidents of the republic, and as a soldier, I don’t know much about the clause in the Constitution,” Captain Njie said. “This makes it difficult to take sides, and at the same time, I cannot serve two commanders in chief.” |
| Gambia, the smallest country in continental Africa, suffers from widespread unemployment. Thousands of people have left the country, not only to escape from Mr. Jammeh but also to look for work, setting out on a dangerous journey by sea to Europe. But many Europeans have flocked to the coastal country known for its beaches and bustling sex trade. The odd equilibrium was thrown off balance in recent days as thousands of tourists jammed the airport in an evacuation organized by tour companies. | Gambia, the smallest country in continental Africa, suffers from widespread unemployment. Thousands of people have left the country, not only to escape from Mr. Jammeh but also to look for work, setting out on a dangerous journey by sea to Europe. But many Europeans have flocked to the coastal country known for its beaches and bustling sex trade. The odd equilibrium was thrown off balance in recent days as thousands of tourists jammed the airport in an evacuation organized by tour companies. |
| The sentiments of the strange twist of events in Gambia were captured with eloquence on local news broadcasts that replayed images of Mr. Jammeh’s speech along with commentary. One anchor called Mr. Jammeh’s announcement an “end to what was a troubling few days for this tiny paradise of happiness.” | The sentiments of the strange twist of events in Gambia were captured with eloquence on local news broadcasts that replayed images of Mr. Jammeh’s speech along with commentary. One anchor called Mr. Jammeh’s announcement an “end to what was a troubling few days for this tiny paradise of happiness.” |
| “It is a day like no other in the history of the Gambia,” the anchor said, “as people waited in bated breath to receive the news of a lifetime, an end to a political impasse, which took this beautiful land of ours to the brink.” | “It is a day like no other in the history of the Gambia,” the anchor said, “as people waited in bated breath to receive the news of a lifetime, an end to a political impasse, which took this beautiful land of ours to the brink.” |