Joe, I am terribly sorry for the lateness of my response to you. As you might have gathered from some of my recent mails, i was away in London when you wrote and since my return I have not settle down yet. It may already be too late, but I thought of acknowledging receipt of your mail and indeed if you stil find it appropriate, I would like to share the information concerning the Dumo petition. In case you encounter any problems with my freenet address, try [log in to unmask] In fact I recomend this address for private mails. Again, thanks for your mail and hope to hear from you. I promise to get back to you earlier next time. Take care. Regards Alpha joe sambou wrote: > Alpha, I sent you a message today, using [log in to unmask] > but it was sent back. Please send me your e-mal address at > [log in to unmask] > I have some information to share with you. > > Chi Jaama > > Joe Sambou > > >From: Alpha Robinson <[log in to unmask]> > >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list > ><[log in to unmask]> > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: Re: Dumo Petition Draft > >Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 00:33:59 +0200 > > > >Buharry, > > > >I think the petition is very well structured. I think all suggestions > >have been included. I wasn't able to summarise it much further. A few > >things have been added and others omitted. The areas underlined are > >those where changes have been made. Yes, it's a bit long, but I think > >it's fine as it is. What does everyone think? > > > >Annika and others, please check for any specific inconsistencies etc. > >Next question is, who do we send it to? > > > >Alpha > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > > >PETITION FOR THE RELEASE OF MOMODOU DUMO SAHO, LALO JAITEH, OMAR DARBOE, > >EBRIMA YARBOE, EBRIMA BARROW AND MODOU MARENA > > > > TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN > > > > > > > >Dear Sir/Madam, > > > >We the undersigned, as concerned citizens of The Gambia, wish to bring > >to your attention a frightening trend that has characterised the > >political and civil landscape of our country and respectfully request > >your help in ensuring that the civil liberties of Gambians are not > >violated. > > > >BACKGROUND > > > >The frightening trend that has plagued our country is the spate of > >abductions that have been carried out in the recent past against both > >civilians and security personnel. These abductions usually take place in > >the form of masked men visiting those abducted in the middle of the > >night, forcefully taking them away from their families to undisclosed > >locations where they are held incommunicado. The abductions have > >occurred in the shadow of government difficulties such as the ambush of > >the leader and other members of the opposition United Democratic Party, > >the crude oil affair and the killing in April of unarmed school children > >and students demonstrating against the rape and murder of fellow school > >children. > > > >A case in point is the arrest and detention of Momodou Dumo Saho who > >went back to The Ganbia to start an NGO called "Boka Loho" to help in > >the country's development process. Dumo was abducted and held > >incommunicado for over two weeks. The state denied holding him in > >custody and it was only after his family's lawyers filed a suit against > >the state that he was charged with attempting to overthrow the > >Government of The Gambia, together with others. The Inspector-General of > >Police, representing the state, is currently requesting their further > >detention and denial of bail. > > > >These disappearances and abductions undermine the rule of law and > >stability of the country and clearly violate the civil and human rights > >of those abducted as provided under the Constitution of The Republic of > >The Gambia, the UN Charter and the African Charter on Human Rights, to > >which The Gambia is a signatory. Chapter IV, section 19 (1) of the > >Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia states: "every person shall > >have the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be > >subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention. No one shall be deprived of > >his or her liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such > >procedures as are established by law". > > > >(2) "Any person who is arrested or detained shall be informed as soon > >as is reasonably practicable and in any case within three hours, in a > >language that he or she understands, of the reasons for his or her > >arrest or detention and of his or her right to consult a legal > >practitioner." > > > >(3) "Any person who is arrested or detained - > > > > (a) for the purpose of bringing him or her before a court in > >execution of the order of a court; or > > > > (b) upon reasonable suspicion of his or her having committed, or > >being about to commit, a criminal offence under the law of The Gambia, > > > >and who is not released, shall be brought without undue delay before a > >court and, in any event, within seventy-two hours." > > > > > >The manner in which the abductions and detentions take place; the > >failure of the state to promptly charge those detained within > >seventy-two hours, to disclose where they are being held, to allow them > >to contact a legal practitioner, their families and loved ones has now > >become a familiar pattern which raises concerns and needs to be > >addressed. Besides, dubious allegations of coup plots have led to the > >execution of the so-called "coup plotters" without trial in the recent > >past. > > > > > >PETITION > > > >We therefore humbly request that you and your Government/Organization > >put pressure on the Government of The Gambia to ensure that Momodou Dumo > >Saho, Lalo Jaiteh, Omar Darboe, Ebrima Yarbo, Ebrima Barrow and Modou > >Marena are: > > > > - Released without charge or; > > > >- Accorded a fair, speedy and impartial trial; > > > >- Allowed be to be released on bail; > > > >- Allowed a trial that is held in public; > > > >- Are not subjected to torture and other degrading and inhumane > >treatment; > > > >- Allowed to request the international community and human > >rights organizations to monitor and gauge the fairness of the trial > >and evaluate the evidence proffered by the state; > > > >- Allowed visits and other forms of contact with their lawyers > >and Human Rights Organisations, families and friends, in the event of > >their continued detention; > > > > > >The state should: > > > >- Be held responsible for their well-being and decent treatment, > >as stipulated in all the human rights documents to which The Gambia is a > >signatory, and should be equally held responsible for any harm that > >might befall them under detention; > > > >- Conform to the provisions of the law in future. People who are > >reasonably suspected of having committed a crime, or being about to do > >so, should be arrested in a lawful manner and not abducted. Anyone > >arrested in future should either be charged within seventy-two hours, as > >stipulated by the Constitution, or released. They should also be allowed > >contact with a legal practitioner and their families. > > > > > >We await your kind co-operation in this urgent matter and extend to you > >and your Government/Organization the warmest of thanks for your interest > >in our country. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Concerned > >Gambians and Friends of The Gambia. > > > > > > > > NAME PLACE OF RESIDENCE > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ________________________________________________________________________ > 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 > You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] > if you have problems accessing the web interface > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface ----------------------------------------------------------------------------