Gambia-L:

Reproduced below is the petition we submitted to the Gambia High
Commissioner in London yesterday. Later on, I’ll type the other two
addressed to the Commonwealth Secretary General and British Foreign
Secretary and post them to the L, for your perusal.

Ebrima Ceesay
__________________________________________________________


H. E. the Gambia High Commission
The Gambia High Commission
Kensington Court
London

2 May 2000

Your Excellency,

The resident Gambian community in the United Kingdom have learnt with horror
and dismay, of the senseless murder of scores of demonstrating students by
the Gambian security forces, which took place on the 10 & 11th April 2000.

We register in protest our collective disgust and anger at such an
irresponsible and barbaric act, perpetrated by the very forces, whose
paramount duty should be the protection and preservation of the very lives
they have so callously extinguised.

We convey to you as its representative, and also to the government of the
President Yaya Jammeh, our sense of utter revulsion at this despicable
crime, committed in his name and that of his entire government. We make
known our resolution to place the blame for this outrage squarely at his
doorsteps.

We pour scorn on the president’s feeble and patently hypocritical gestures
at contrition, recalling that it was he himself who, in 1996, having invited
student representatives to State House for discussion, which was broadcast
on national television, made dire threats to crush any student uprisings
without reservation.

We decry his intention and that of his ministers, notably the Secretary of
State for Education, to shift the blame for this carnage on the students who
in the exercise of their Constitutional rights were cut down mercilessly.

We say that even if the “ORDER TO SHOOT” was not given by him (and the jury
is still out on that question) the ultimate responsibility for the loss of
these young and promising lives lies with him.

We take the view that the impending political sacrifices of “lesser” men and
women that will inevitably follow (a la Jammeh style), will not douse the
flames of anger now the raging through the country and around the world, nor
resolve the question of who should ultimately be liable for these acts of
savagery.

Also, whilst we respect and appreciate their guidance in their respective
fields of authority, as a community, we lament the eerie and potentially
dangerous silence of both the religious and civic leadership of the country,
in the face of these foul acts, and regret their conciliatory stance towards
President Jammeh. We believe that their social responsibilities should
involve speaking out against the tyranny of the Jammeh government, something
they have consistently failed to do over the period.

We say that the only solution to the persistent problems of abuse,
harassment and intimidation and of murders, that have characterised Jammeh’s
period in office, is for him to take full responsibility for the crimes
committed in the name of his government and to proceed thus: -

1.Resign immediately along with his entire government and his security
apparatus. We believe that he has become political liability and his
continuation in office will further harm the national interest and divide
the nation.

2.That a government of national unity be installed in the interim, pending a
plebiscite on the way forward to genuine, free and all inclusive democratic
national election. Jammeh’s continuation in office will not help the process
of national healing, which will take a long time to complete.

3.That a credible and competent International Judicial Commission of Enquiry
be established, to investigate the causes leading to and surrounding the
demonstration, and to make a determination on the injuring and murder of the
students, and also, on subsequent acts of detentions and beatings in
custody, of students leaders by the security forces.

4.That all persons responsible for this massacre be brought before a
competent court, and subjected to due process and full rigour of the law,
something Jammeh never granted the deceased. And that adequate punishment is
handed out to the perpetrators of this crime against humanity.

5.We call for an interim package of civil damages to be paid by the
government, to all the victims or to their families, pending a final
determination by the courts. We also call for all legal actions, taken by
the victims and their families against the relevant authorities, to be paid
for out of government funds.

We continue to pledge our undying allegiance to the Gambian nation and its
diverse communities.



Sincerely yours

Gambian Community U.K




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