Saul Khan: Thanks for all your good efforts and for sending Representative Ford’s e-mail address. On one hand, I can see the point you are making: on the other hand, I have received private e-mails saying that it would be important to go ahead with a petition, because in America everything is based on the people’s opinions: politicians take opinion polls seriously. I shall forward an e-mail I received from a strong proponent of a petition to Rep Ford. Anyway, below is the Petition letter I have put together, so let the "elders" on the Gambia-L decide whether we should go ahead with this. If there is a consensus, then let George Sarr put it up, with his usual computer wizardry ! Ebrima Ceesay ______________________________________________________________________ Petition to Representative Johnny Ford and the World Conference of Mayors Representative Ford, We, the undersigned, implore you to reconsider and change the venue for the 2001 World Conference of Mayors to a more democratic country. It is regrettable that you have chosen Banjul, The Gambia as the location for this year’s Conference, but it is not too late for you to make other arrangements for your organisation’s conference. 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. Since the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council seized power in a military coup in 1994 and Colonel Jammeh was elected president in controversial elections in September 1996, human rights 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 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, and as recently as last week, Jammeh wrongfully dismissed two Magistrates and the Master of the Supreme Court, leading the Chief Justice to resign in solidarity with his colleagues. 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. The Gambia today is characterised by repression, corruption, poverty, mismanagement of public funds at the highest levels and economic stagnation In the light of the above, we concerned Gambians and friends of The Gambia urge you to: 1. Change your venue for the June 2001 Conference of World Mayors. 2. Sever the links between your organisation and the brutal regime of Yayha Jammeh in The Gambia. 3. Lobby the new US Secretary of State, Colin Powell and key members of the international community, to prevail upon the Gambian government to respect the country’s Constitution, to uphold human rights, to ensure that presidential and parliamentary elections are free and fair, and to release all those who are held illegally, including Lt. Lalo Jaiteh, Dumo Saho, Ebrima Yarboe and many more. 4. Enlighten the African American community in the USA about the true nature of the Gambian regime. 5. Cement ties with Gambians in the Diaspora and at home who are committed to the restoration of genuine democracy in The Gambia. We trust that you will take our concerns seriously, and act accordingly. Yours truly, _________________________________________________________________________ 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 and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------