Hi folks,
I've cobbled together a draft of a flyer we can distribute both at the CSU
lecture and dinner. I am sending it out for your review and comments before Joe
can print it out. Given that we have barely two days before the lecture, I urge
you to send your comments directly to Joe Sambou ([log in to unmask]) before he
finalizes the flyer. Also, I would appreciate it if the MRDG (Saul Mbenga and
Co.) or Sigga Jagne and others can kindly provide their contact information
(phone numbers) as organizations people can contact for more information. Joe
can the include information in the flyer. By the way, the flyer might have to be
printed on two pages (front and back) of the same paper. Regarding including
pictures, I suggest either Sigga Jagne or Yankuba Njie advice us about how to
proceed.
I'd also appreciate Joe's phone number so I can call him tomorrow evening (I've
already sent him my phone number via a private e-mail, so this is just an
insurance).
I guess that's about it. Have a great weekend, and best wishes.
Katim
---------------- Start of Draft Flyer ------------------------
GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER?
Guess who's coming to attend the first Adulsalami A. Abubakar Distinguished
Lecture this Friday (Feb. 23, 2001) at Chicago State University (CSU)?
President Yahya A.J. J. Jammeh of The Gambia. Given that both the lecture and
dinner are dedicated to furthering democracy in Africa, it is surprising that
President Jammeh, with his awful record of authoritarian rule, corruption, and
killing of innocent Gambians was invited by CSU.
As you can imagine, many Gambians are opposed to the idea of President Jammeh
attending a lecture and dinner. President Jammeh first came to power in 1994,
after a bloodless military coup, and in 1996 was elected as President, after
resigning his military commission and contesting the elections as a civilian.
Since coming to power, Jammeh has had a terrible record of stifling democracy,
rampant corruption, and a string of deaths at the hands of his security forces.
Here are a few examples of the excesses of President Jammeh's rule in The
Gambia:
1. Decree 89, which banned politicians active before the 1994 coup is still in
effect. The Decree was introduced by the military before the transfer of power
to civilian rule, and has been used by the APRC government to prevent their
opponents from contesting elections in the Gambia.
2. In April 2000, demonstrating Gambian students were shot at by Jammeh's
security forces, resulting in the death of about 12 people, including a
journalist who was also a Red Cross/Red Crescent volunteer helping the injured.
To add salt to injury, the government last month rejected recommendations of the
Commission of Inquiry into the student demonstrations and findings of the
Coroner's Inquest into the fatal shootings. Furthermore, some students injured
in the shootings were sent back to The Gambia from Egypt, because the government
did not provide them adequate funding for their medical treatment. You can find
their pictures on the Web at http://www.mygambia.org
3. There are a number of unresolved allegations or murders and illegal
detentions by the Jammeh government. To name a few: the Jammeh government is
yet to fully investigate the death of the former Secretary of State for Finance,
Ousman "Koro" Ceesay. In addition, Dumo Saho, Ebrima Yarbo, and others continue
to languish in jail on trumped-up charges of plotting to overthrow the Jammeh
government.
4. Diverting proceeds from the sale of Nigerian crude oil to a Swiss bank
account. In April, 1999, Chantrils SA, a subsidiary of Swiss-based oil traders
Glencore, successfully sued the Gambian government in London's High Court for
breaching a contract to sell crude oil on behalf of The Gambia. According to
documents made public in the trial, Chantrils SA contracted to sell 20,000
(twenty thousand) barrels of Nigerian crude oil a day on behalf of The Gambia,
and deposit the initial payment, and proceeds in an account at United Overseas
Bank, in Geneva, Switzerland. President Jammeh has steadfastly refused to
divulge information about the ownership of the Swiss bank account.
5. President Jammeh has used the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to harass
and arrest Gambian journalists, and deport non-Gambian journalists.
6. Promulgating Decrees 70 and 71, which increased one hundred-fold the cost of
the bond required for private newspapers, and another ploy by President Jammeh
to cripple them, and/or prevent the sprouting of new media outlets.
7. Closing Citizen FM, a private radio station deemed too critical of the
government was closed on the basis of a 1913 law that the government selectively
applied. Fortunately, the case against Citizen FM was recently thrown out of
court, but after it's proprietor had spent enormous effort, and lost income
because his radio station was closed for over 3 years while he awaited judgment
on the case.
8. Last August, Radio 1 FM, an independent radio station was firebombed in the
early hours of the morning by a gang of people who succeeded in inflicting
damage to part of the station. To date, no one has been brought to justice for
this attack.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Amnesty International Publications and News Releases on The Gambia (1996 -
present)
(http://web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/countries/gambia?OpenView&Start=1&Count=30&Expand
all&ft=S127.htm)
Committee to Protect Journalists. The Gambia - Country Summary
(http://www.cpj.org/attacks96/countries/africa/gambialinks.html)
International Press Institute. 1999 World Press Freedom Review - Gambia.
(http://www.freemedia.at/archive97/gambia.htm)
http://www.mygambia.org - A Web site created to help victims of the April 2000
student demonstrations
Reporters Without Borders. Gambia - State radio journalist dismissed
(http://www.rsf.fr/uk/html/afrique/cplp01/lp01/080101.html)
U. S. Department of State. Human Rights Reports for 1999 - Gambia.
(http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1999_hrp_report/gambia.html)
- END -
------------- End of Draft Flyer ----------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 11:16 PM
Subject: Re: President Jammeh's trip to Chicago State Univ
> Jabou and Katim, thanks a bunch for your efforts at filibustering and
> exposing the scoundrel to the CSU folks. I was unable to follow-up on this
> issue this weekend, as I had to travel to visit a friend in the hospital.
> Jabou, I'm looking forward to the fact sheet as this would really help our
> efforts. Katim, do you have pictures of the massacre or any others that I
> can pass around at the functions? I would also appreciate it if you or
> anyone out there could put them on the net. Thanks for forwarding the
> pictures of Sainey, Yusupha, and Assan. Again, thanks to all for their
> efforts in this worthy cause. Dr. Saine, I'll give you a buzz this evening
> regarding Jammeh's visit.
>
> Chi Jaama
>
> Joe Sambou
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