Hi Folks, Now that we have a petition draft, those wishing to have their name appended can do so by contacting Yankuba Njie. I have appended mine, as well as kotos Abdoulaye and Buharry's. Thanks Buharry for your efforts. With best regards, Madiba. ------- 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;=20 - 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; =20 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, 1. Momodou Buharry Gassama, Stockhohm, Sweden. 2. Dr. Abdoulaye Saine, Oxford, Ohio, USA. 3. Dr. Madiba Saidy, Vancouver, Canada. 4. 5. 6. 7. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------