We all agree that it is of utmost importance that we act in a swift manner
to help remedy the situation in Gambia in any way we can. So here is a
pamhlet that I made to hand out to Gambians and non Gambians in other to
inform them about the student massacre and how they can help by getting
their names added to the petion, writing letters, or sending donations. I
have included the required E-mail address where they can send their names
for the petition, and the address to send donations to. You can modify it
to suit you. For example, those in other countries other than the US, can
change the address to where donations are to be sent to their designated
person. You can also change my name and phone number to yours, or to that
of the person responsible for collecting donations in your region.
SO PRINT THESE IN THE THOUSANDS PEOPLE, AND LETS MOBILIZE AND ACT. IS TIME
TO PUT OUR ANGER AND FRUSTRATION INTO ACTION.
PAMPHLET:
I am very grateful that you have taken the time to read this. My name is
Sigga Jagne and I am from Gambia/ West Africa. A country that until April
10th, 2000 was peaceful, calm, and full of fun loving and friendly people.
This attitude of its people, made it earn the nickname the "Smiling Coast
of Africa." Gambia is very similar to the Caribbean, full of long, sandy,
white beaches and wonderful sunshine. Actually, it is to most of Europe
what Jamaica is to most Americans. This said and done, below is a petition
written by the Association of Gambian citizens living in Europe and the US)
to the UN (United Nations) and upon reading it, you will gain an
understanding as to why I am sending you this document, and why this
petition was written in the first place. Below the petition, is an E-mail
address to which you can send an E-mail asking that your name be added to
the final petition going to the UN. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO DO SO, FOR THE
LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF A PEACEFUL AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE DEPEND ON IT. The
Gambian Association is trying to mobilize the UN to act, before our
beloved, and peaceful country, a country that has not known any of the
familiar unrest known to most of Africa. Also, a URL for one of the web
sites set up for people to learn more about this incident, is given at the
bottom
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 students 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 paramillitary 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.
MY SIXTEEN YEAR OLD BROTHER WAS ONE OF THOSE SHOT, HE WAS SHOT IN THE
STOMACH AND HAS SUSTAINED CRITICAL INJURIES TO HIS INTERNAL ORGANS.
IMPORTANT! (PLEASE SEE NEXT PAGE)
Send an E-mail to: [log in to unmask] and ask to have your name added to the
petition above to be sent to the UN (United Nations).
We have set up a web site where people can go and talk about the current
situation in Gambia (http://come.to/voiceout), it contains articles and
news excerpts on the incident as well. We will set up another web site
soon, that will give a day to day up date of current situation in the
Gambia and the actions that are being taken by the UN, Amnesty
International and other international organizations, as well as the members
of the Association of Gambian Citizens in Europe & the US in their various
countries of residence. I will send out the URL of that web site as soon
as it is launched. Demonstrations have been held in New York, and
Washington and are being planned in London, Germany, Finland, and Sweden.
We are going to pick a date in the future, when demonstrations will be held
at all the above named places on the same day. I will send out that
information as soon as it is available. These demonstrations are done in
conjunction with any organization that wishes to lend their support. We
are also asking for help from any and every person, add your names to the
petitions, go to the web sites to learn about the days that demonstrations
are being held and go lend your support. Justice must be achieved for
these slain children. We have also set up a Victims fund (See address
below) for the injured, for example, there is a 3 year old child lying in
the hospital, next to my brother's bed, with a bullet in his head and
doctors in the Gambia do not have the facilities to perform the required
operation on him. We will use this fund to help attain medical attention
for the critically injured, launch an investigation team to get the real
facts of the incident (in fear of a cover up by the government), set up a
team of lawyers to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the government,
etc.
Send All Donations to: Fund for the Gambian Student Massacre Victims
13830 Castle BLVD, # 204
Silverspring, Maryland 20910
For further Questions, contact me at ------------
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