Hi folks,

I have reviewed Ebrima's draft petition to the US-ambassador designate, Mr. Jack
McDonald, and have made some modifications.  I am attaching my revised draft to this
e-mail, and I encourage all to send their comments, and suggestions about improving
it.

For your information, here are some of the modifications I made:

1.  Changing the salutation and opening a bit to congratulate Mr. McDonald on his
nomination as US ambassador.

2. Inclusion of the Nigerian crude oil deal, and the UN resolution about Baba Jobe
and Co.

3. Mention of the neglect of injured Gambian students, even though President Jammeh
has squandered about $1 million dollars on public relations

4. Changed reference to Jammeh to "President Jammeh."  Let's give the devil his due;
the guy is, for better, or for worse, our President, and should be addressed as such
in a letter addressed to an ambassador-designate

5. Re-organized the listing of issues of concern to us, and suggestions about how Mr.
McDonald can help

6. A toning down of the manner in which our concerns are expressed.  Rather than
asking him to "ensure" that this and that happens, I thought it more diplomatic to
ask him to help ...

7. Spelling of some names, e.g. Ebrima Yarbo, rather than Yarboe.  Please take a
close look at the names and let's make sure that the spellings are correct.

With regards submitting it, I suggest we liase with James Gomez, Jr. to find out from
the State Dept. where we should address it.  Also, we need to know when Mr. McDonald
will appear before the Senate for his confirmation hearing.  I could not find his
nomination hearing on the schedule of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Web site
(http://foreign.senate.gov/briefing/hearingschedule.html), or on the Senate's Web
site (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/legis_legis_committees.html).  The only
reason we need such information is to make sure that the final petition addresses Mr.
McDonald appropriately (either as Mr. Ambassador, or a "Dear Sir"), and give us an
idea about what kind of time frame we are working with.  By the way, we can even send
the petition after he has been appointed, so I don't think a delay of a few days
would be the end of the world.

I suggest we consider the logistics of collecting signatures for the petition.  In
this regard, I suggest we setup a signature tree (similar to a phone tree) whereby
people responsible for collecting the signatures will be organized in a tree.  Each
collector will vouch for the authenticity of signatures (s)he collects.  In addition,
each collector can identify other collectors who can collect signatures on his or her
behalf.  This way, we will ensure that all signatures are authentic, thus preventing
faked signatures, and/or impersonations.  We can start with a a handful of volunteers
who will serve as the first level of signature collectors.  Ebrima, would you like to
serve as the coordinator of the signature collectors?

I guess that's about it for now.  Following is the revised petition.  Please review
it, and let us know what you think.

Katim

----------------  Start of Draft Petition  --------------------------
DRAFT PETITION

Jackson McDonald

Dear Sir,

Congratulations on your recent nomination by President Bush to serve as the United
States Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia. The nomination is testimony of your
stellar career with the US Foreign Service, and we wish you an expedited confirmation
by the US Senate.

We are writing as Gambians and friends of The Gambia to express our concerns about
the present political atmosphere in the Gambia, and to seek your help in improving
it. Since President Jammeh came to power in a military coup in 1994, he has presided
over governments that have no regards for human rights, democracy, and the rule of
law. Both the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) government (1994 -
1997), and it's successor, the present civilian APRC government have abused their
powers, been corrupt, and incompetent.

The human rights situation in The Gambia continues to be of serious concern to
Gambians and to the international community. President Jammeh has stated publicly
that "anyone bent on disturbing the peace and stability of the nation will be buried
six feet deep." Ordinary citizens, ex-security personnel, journalists and politicians
have all been targeted by the Gambian authorities and remain today subject to human
rights violation, including arbitrary detention, harassment, torture and
ill-treatment. Indeed, annual reports from the US State Department, and Amnesty
International, to name a few, have consistently pointed out gross, and continuing
violations of human rights by the Jammeh government.

It is thus not surprising that political tension in the country is also reported to
be high, and the Jammeh government have become increasingly paranoid about any form
of criticism and opposition. In consequence, the government has resorted to alleging
coup attempts, and used the excuse to arrest people at will, and at random. As of
now, President Jammeh's government has many Gambians detained incommunicado, for long
periods, without charge, and in gross violation of the Constitution.

Another example of this government's disrespect for human rights is the killing of at
least fourteen young students (and a journalist) by Gambian security forces when they
opened on a peaceful student demonstration over the killing of their fellow student,
Ebrima Barry, by agents of the government. While the Jammeh government defaulted on
paying for some of the injured student's medical treatment in Egypt (resulting in
their return to The Gambia), they paid a total of about $1 million for the services
of a public relations firm in Washington, DC.

The judiciary continues to suffer from government interference. Some months ago,
President Jammeh wrongfully dismissed two Magistrates and the Master of the Supreme
Court, leading the Chief Justice to resign in solidarity with his colleagues.
Following diplomatic and local pressures, the sacked magistrates and the Chief
Justice were reinstated.

As the Presidential, and National Assembly elections approach, President Jammeh and
the APRC are using every trick in the book to stay in power. Already, there are press
reports that they are issuing Gambian Identity Cards to non-Gambians, mainly refugees
from neighbouring Senegal, to enable them to get a Gambian voter's card. In December
2000, President Jammeh dismissed the Chairman of the Independent Electoral
Commission, in total violation of the Constitution, and in a bid to make the
Commission more favourable to him, and the APRC.

President Jammeh and his cronies are also corrupt, and blatantly so. In April, 1999,
Chantrils SA successfully sued the Gambian government in London's High Court for
breach of contract. According to court documents, Chantrils 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 a Swiss bank account. The trial in
London concluded with a fine against the Gambia government, even though from all
indications, it never received any proceeds from the sale of the crude oil.

President Jammeh has consistently brushed off questions about the oil deal, and any
talk about where the money went. Furthermore, the Gambian national assembly rejected
a motion to investigate President Jammeh's role in oil deal.  According to newspaper
reports, the Majority Leader and APRC member said that the motion was rejected
because it was inspired by "ulterior political motives", lacked credible supporting
documents, and was not in the national interest.

Just last month, the United Nations included Baba Jobe, Assistant Secretary at the
President's Office was named in their list of persons affected by Resolution 1343
(2001) on Liberia. The UN Resolution called for Mr. Jobe and others in the list to be
banned from entering and/or transiting through UN member states.  Mr. Jobe, an
adviser to President Jammeh, was listed by the UN as an arms trafficker, and Director
of the Gambia NewMillenium Air company. Although the Gambian government has written
to protest Mr. Jobe's inclusion in the UN list, it is obvious that President Jammeh
has, in Mr. Jobe, an international pariah, and criminal as his adviser.

Sir, in the light of the above, we urge you to:

1. Strengthen democracy in The Gambia by:

i) helping ensure that the electoral process in The Gambia is above board and
transparent as we approach the Presidential elections in October, and the National
Assembly elections early next year.

ii) Putting pressure on President Jammeh and his government so they do not interfere
with the activities of the Independent Electoral Commission.

iii) Pressuring President Jammeh and his government to ensure that publicly-owned
media outlets provide equal access to all political parties, and are fair in their
election coverage.

iv) Encouraging your government, other western governments, and non-government
organizations to send observers not only to monitor the campaign, and upcoming
elections.

2. Help restore human rights and the rule of law

i) We urge you to call on President Jammeh and his regime to immediately release or
bring to trial Momodou "Dumo" Saho, Ebrima Yarbo, Lt. Lalo Jaitteh, Lt. Omar Darboe,
Momodou Marenah, Abdoulie Sanyang and Ebrima Barrow, who have been detained illegally
for over one year now, and in total disregard of the provisions of the Gambian
Constitution.

ii) We urge you to help end the persecution of independent media in The Gambia,
arbitrary arrests, and wrongful dismissal of hardworking civil servants (including
members of the Bench and the Judiciary) by the Jammeh government.

Sir, we trust that you will take our concerns into consideration in discharging your
duties as the US ambassador to The Gambia. In this regard, we sincerely hope that
when and if the Jammeh government seeks economic assistance from the US government,
you consider the request in light of the fact that President Jammeh and his cronies
have swindled millions of dollars of Gambian public funds, and continue to deny many
Gambians their basic human rights and freedoms.

We wish you a successful tenure as US ambassador to The Gambia, and a pleasant stay,
for both you and your family, in the country.

Sincerely,

(signed)
---------------- End of Draft Petition  ----------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2001 2:35 PM
Subject: Draft Petition To New US Ambassador


> Katim:
>
> Any posting that I have sent to the L is no longer mine. People can do
> whatever they want with it, without my prior permission. I have no problem
> at all, for the open letter to be reviewed and then used as a petition. In
> fact, next time, just go-ahead! Do not bother to ask for my permission.
> Anyway, below you will find a Draft Petition which you can edit and we can
> then use it, if there is consensus.
>
> Mod Ceesay: Thanks for the correction vis-a-vis the Ambassador's proper
> name. It is appreciated, and needless to say, I am glad that your surname is
> Ceesay and not Camara/Touray!
>
> Lansana: Thanks for your kind sentiments!
>
> Ansumana: Thanks for the kind comments, but I'll appreciate it if you could
> dilute them next time. Some of us find it difficult to deal with explicit
> compliments.
>
> The Movement in New York (Saul Mbenga and Co): Keep it up! The struggle
> continues as my sister would often say.
>
> Ebrima Ceesay
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
>
>
> DRAFT PETITION
>
>
> Dear Ambassador Mcdonald:
>
>
> Since the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) seized power in a
> military coup in 1994 and Colonel Yahya Jammeh was "elected President" in
> controversial elections in September 1996, human rights in The Gambia have
> been violated with impunity.
>
> Ordinary citizens, ex-security personnel, journalists and politicians have
> all been targeted by the Gambian authorities and remain today subject to
> human rights violation, including arbitrary detention, harassment, torture
> and ill-treatment.
>
> Indeed, the human rights situation in The Gambia continues to be of serious
> concern to Gambians and to the international community.
>
> Political tension in the country is also reported to be high.  The
> government claimed to have foiled two alleged coup plots in January and June
> 2000.  Harassment and repression of political opponents continues unabated.
> In July 2000, Colonel Jammeh was quoted in the press  as having said that
> "anyone bent on disturbing the peace and stability of the nation will be
> buried six feet deep".
>
> As of now, citizens are still being held incommunicado for long periods and
> without charge in gross violation of the Constitution.  At least fourteen
> young students (including a three year old child) were killed and dozens
> injured in April 2000 when security forces used excessive and indiscriminate
> force to break up a peaceful student demonstration over the killing of their
> fellow student, Ebrima Barry, by agents of the government.
>
> The judiciary continues to suffer from government interference.  Jammeh some
> months ago, wrongfully dismissed two Magistrates and the Master of the
> Supreme Court, leading the Chief Justice to resign in solidarity with his
> colleagues. Following diplomatic and local pressures, the sacked magistrates
> and the Chief Justice were reinstated. In December 2000, Jammeh also
> dismissed the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Bishop
> Johnson, in total violation of the Constitution.
>
> As the Presidential elections approach, Jammeh is using every trick in the
> book to consolidate himself in power. Already, there are press reports that
> Jammeh and his APRC are issuing Gambian Identity Cards to Non-Gambians,
> mainly refugees from neighbouring Senegal, to enable them to get a Gambian
> voter's card.
>
> The Gambia today, Mr Ambassador, is characterised by repression, corruption,
> poverty, mismanagement of public funds at the highest levels and economic
> stagnation.
>
> We urge you to study the current status of The Gambia by reading the US
> State Department Country Reports from 1995 to the present, and to read the
> reports of Human Rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Article
> 19 and Interrights for the same period. All these reports clearly
> demonstrate the undemocratic nature of the regime in The Gambia and point to
> severe and regular harassment and persecution of the country's citizenry.
>
>
> In the light of the above, Mr Ambassador, we concerned Gambians and friends
> of The Gambia urge you to:
>
>
> 1. Ensure that the electoral process in The Gambia is above board and
> transparent as we approach the Presidential elections in October.
>
> 2. Put pressure on Jammeh and his regime not to interfere with the role and
> activities of the Independent Electoral Commission.
>
> 3. Insist that the national media treats all political parties equally in
> terms of access and reporting.
>
> 4. Encourage your government and other western governments to send observers
> not only to monitor the actual elections, but also to observe and monitor
> the whole process, in particular the current period of voter registration
> (already shrouded with malpractice on the part of the APRC).
>
> 5. Ensure that human rights protection becomes the norm in The Gambia.
>
> 6. In particular, call on Jammeh and his regime to release forthwith Messrs.
> Momodou Dumo Saho, Ebrima Yarboe, Lt. Lalo Jaitteh, Lt. Omar Darboe, Momodou
> Mareneh, Abdoulie Sanyang and Ebrima Barrow.  These men have been detained
> illegally for over one year now, in total disregard of the Gambian
> Constitution.
>
> 7. Put an end to the harassment of the independent media/press in The
> Gambia, arbitrary arrests and the wrongful dismissal of hardworking civil
> servants (including members of the Bench and the Judiciary).
>
>
> We trust that you will take our concerns seriously, and act accordingly.
>
>
> Yours truly,
> CONCERNED GAMBIANS
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
>
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