Mr President:
Mr Vice President:

        A very tragic chapter in the history of our beloved nation, The Gambia,
occurred on the 10 th &11th April 2000 when security forces opened fire and
killed 14 and injured at least 28 people including a Red Cross volunteer and
journalist, Omar Barrow, during an unarmed demonstration organized by
students. The students were protesting the torture and murder of a fellow
student Ebrima Barry by Fire Service personnel, and the rape of a 13-year
old school girl, Binta Manneh, by a police officer. Hundreds of students
have since been arrested and distraught parents do not know whether their
children are among the dead or imprisoned.

 We the undersigned, as concerned citizens, respectfully request you and
your organization to keep pressure
  on the Government of The Gambia to immediately:

- instruct the security forces to halt all excessive use of force against
civilians;
- release all the students currently under detention;
-       release the names of those killed and release their bodies to their
relatives for proper burial
- launch an independent enquiry into the shootings and circumstances
surrounding it;
- ensure that all security personnel found to have used excessive force
resulting in human           rights abuses will be fully dealt with
according to the provisions of the law;
- instruct the security forces to exercise maximum restraint during
demonstrations slated for next week;

- ensure that those responsible for the murder of Ebrima Barry and the rape
of Binta Manneh are prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law without
undue delay;

- ensure that all security personnel abide by the Constitution of The
Republic of The Gambia and all international laws and treaties of which The
Gambia is a signatory;

While awaiting your kind co-operation in this most urgent of matter of
matters, we take the opportunity to sincerely thank you and the people of
the United States for your concerns on Human Rights.

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizens of The Gambia.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere---Dr. King





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