List members, The president speech on July 22nd and his APRC party administrative secretary Sarja Taal interview on Observer published friday 07/28/00 clearly demonstrate that the Gambia leadership for all its talk of so call democracy is resisting anything that promotes or even faintly resembles,democracy.The leadership has rejected citizens petitions and independent initiatives as ''acts of coercion''it condemn divergent political opinions as anti patriotism and hostile. As one can see now in the Gambia more and more people now have the courage to express their longing for social change publicly.The growth of social activity is thus in waging on collision course with the inflexibility of the dictatorship.Social tensions are on the rise.Non of us wants such crisis. It is high time Yahya Jammeh and his selfish friends, because it is not fit to be call Government, to realize that the time has come for genuine and comprehensive systemic change and,mover over,that such change is possible and can succeed. In speech on july 22nd,he mention that he would buried 6ft all those who oppose him and failed to know that 80% of the population today do not accept him where he is.Then, does that mean that he is going to kill all the 80% of the population?, no he can't, his despotic regime will go and leave the masses. Let me tell Yahya and his boy boy Sarja Taal who is an educated sellout.No one will believe that Sarja Taal once worked for the UN systems with the UNISCO office in Banjul because one who worked up to that level is expected to know the important quality of democratic Government is its emphasis on trying to get people to act on the basis of understanding and agreement instead of force.And to know that democracy emphasize dialogue,negotiation,bargaining,and ultimately,voluntary citizen cooperation. Sarja mentioned that ''Mr..Darboe just wants to use his statement about government trying to create a condition of emergency to propaganda and fool the international community by telling stories that are far from being the truth.''Sarja Taal must again have smoked his 'Jamba'to forget that the international community is watching the totalitarian regime and its totalitarianism behavior on Gambians.The regime lack of favorite maxims of democracy and lack of observance of justice is well noticed.Therefore,to say that Mr.Darboe is drawing the attention of the international community is rubbish and hypocrisy. The question of UDP being denied permits by the police has revealed that democracy is yet to be restored in The Gambia but nothing else.As UDP is a democratic party and believe in the rule of law will seek a declaration that the refusal of the police to issue the party permit to hold political meetings is an infringements of the party rights guaranteed under sections 17[2]25,and 33[3] of the constitution of the republic of The Gambia. The inspector general of police stated that''i regret that your application for a permit is not approve because you always violate the conditions of the permit by insulting people'' These are species on denial of fundamental rights under section 25 which states thus: [1]Every person shall have the right to: [a]freedom of speech and expression,which shall include freedom of the press and other media. [b]freedom of thought conscience and belief which shall include academic freedom. [c]freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practices. [d]freedom to assemble and demonstrate peacefully and without arms. [e]freedom of association,which shall include freedom to form and join association and unions including political parties and trade unions. [f]freedom of petition the executive redress of grievances and to restored to the courts for the protection of his/her rights. [2]Ever person lawfully within The Gambia shall have the right to move freely throughout The Gambia to chose his/her own place of residence within The Gambia and outside The gambia. Considering all the above,there is no justification to why the UDP will be deny permits to hold meetings. [3] Ever citizen of the Gambia shall have the right to return to The Gambia. Saihou ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------