Ebrima:
I join other members of the G-L in commending you for the excellent
letter to the ambassador and also wish to express my support for a
petition, as well as James Gomez's suggestion for a meeting.  Mr. Jow's
suggested list will do a good job of briefing the ambassador. Keep up
the good work folks.

Abdoulaye

Pasamba Jow wrote:

>
>
> Ebrima,
>
> You deserve commendation for a job well done. The letter is brilliant.
> In addition to using your letter as a petition, i would suggest that
> efforts be made to take advantage of James' good idea of meeting the
> ambassador. I think dynamic brothers like Saul Khan, Karamba Touray,
> Ous Mbenga, Sister Soffie and the Movement for the Restoration of
> Democracy in the Gambia would take this opportunity to update the new
> ambassador on the APRC's poor record.
>
> Thanks
>
> Pasamba
>  >From: Ebrima Ceesay
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Draft Petition To New US Ambassador
> >Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 21:35:04 -0000
> >
> >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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