Hi Momodou!
                    The draft's responsibility at the moment is with Yankuba Njie. Your suggestion is good. Yankuba, please take note. 
    I called you earlier Sidibeh but your number has changed. Please call me or send me your number. I want to take the petition to a Gambian gathering tomorrow and prepare a few fliers. If it is fine with you I can advertise your meeting in the flier. Thanks.
                                                                                                Buharry.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MSSidibeh 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
  Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2000 9:24 AM
  Subject: Re: Petition Draft


  Great  Buharry!

  But  please  kindly  include  the demand  to immediately  make  known  the identity  of all  those who died  in  this senseless   carnage.

  They  should   not   just  remain  figures.  Their  names,  age,  sex, schools  and what grades  they  were,  all  need  to  be immediately  exposed.

  Sidibeh.
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: MOMODOU BUHARRY GASSAMA 
    To: [log in to unmask] 
    Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 11:51 PM
    Subject: Petition Draft


    Hi!
        I have worked on a draft of the petition to be sent to various organisations as requested by Abdoulie Saine. Please feel free to come up with suggestions and critique. 
                                                                                                Buharry.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________
      
    TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

    Dear Sir/Madam,

                            A very tragic chapter in the history of our beloved nation, The Gambia, occurred on the 10th. And 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 organised 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 your organization for your concern.

                                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                                        Concerned Citizens of The Gambia.