I have fully supported and endorsed such a brilliant petition. MALICK KAH MGKAH >From: "Katim S. Touray" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Petition to Ambassador McDonald >Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 00:45:31 -0700 > >Hi folks, > >Following is the final version of the petition to Amb. McDonald. Please >note that I >am yet to add the address it is to be sent to. I hope to get the mailing >address >tomorrow, and in time to be included in the paper copy of the petition that >will be >delivered in person to Amb. McDonald when he meets a number of us on Fri., >Oct. 12. > >Also, I have gone ahead and setup an online petition collection script for >our use. >The script also includes the petition, and you can sign it at: > > http://www.concernedgambians.org/petitions/ambmcdonald/ > >Please note the following: > >1. You can choose not to have your name shown to the public. I suggest >this, for >the simple reason that it will protect you from people who would want to >collect a >list of names and addresses for purposes such as direct marketing (junk >mail - folks >in the US will know what I'm talking about), and whatever else catches >their fancy. >In order to prevent your name and address not being shown to the public, >you should >make sure that you remove the check mark in the box to the right of the >question: >"Would like your name to be displayed in public?" Just click once on the >box to >remove the check mark. > >2. You need to confirm your "signature" of the petition. For this reason, >the >e-mail address you provide must not only be valid, it must also be yours, >or >accessible to you. You will be sent a confirmation-request e-mail after >you sign the >petition, and provided a link to follow to confirm your signature. > >3. You can also send e-mails to your friends to ask them to sign the >petition. >Information about how to do this is provided after you complete the form, >and is >fairly straightforward. If in doubt, don't worry about it. > >4. I will e-mailing Amb. McDonald a copy of the petition to enable him >review it >prior to meeting our representatives on Fri. Oct. 12. As I indicated >above, a paper >copy, and the list of people who signed the petition will be provided him >at the >meeting. > >5. Please sign this petition as soon as possible. We have only about 2 >days to >collect signatures, before we submit the petition on Fri., Oct. 12. > >I guess that's about it. Have a great week(end), and best wishes. > >Katim >------------------ Start of petition ---------------------- >October 9, 2001 > >Ambassador Jackson McDonald >U. S. State Dept. >(Address to be completed) > >Dear Ambassador McDonald, > >A PETITION FOR YOUR HELP IN BUILDING A BETTER GAMBIA: > >First, congratulations on your recent confirmation by the US Senate as the >US >Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia. Your nomination by President >Bush, and >confirmation by the Senate, is testimony of your notable career with the US >Foreign >Service, and we wish you a successful tenure as US Ambassador to The >Gambia. > >Second, we would like to express our sincere condolences and heartfelt >sympathies to >you, the US government, and American people on the tragic deaths and >injuries caused >by the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11th. Like the tens of >other >countries around the world, The Gambia also lost some of her finest >citizens. For >this reason, we understand the pain and suffering these terrible attacks >have visited >on the American people, and indeed all civilized peoples around the world. > >The terrorist attacks also emphasize the importance of people all over the >world >working toward a better, more peaceful, and equitable world. In this >regard, your >appointment as the US Ambassador to The Gambia is especially timely given >that >Gambians will be going to the polls later this month to elect their >President. It is >our sincere hope that you will be able to use your good offices to >strengthen ties >between the US and The Gambia to the mutual benefit of citizens of both >countries. > >As has been demonstrated in many African countries, the development of >democratic >institutions and values is of paramount importance to economic, social, and >political >progress. For this reason, we are writing as Gambians and friends of The >Gambia to >express our concerns about the present political atmosphere in the Gambia, >and to >seek your help in improving it during your tenure as US Ambassador to The >Gambia. > >Since President Jammeh came to power in a military coup in July 1994, he >has >instituted a government which has little regard for human rights, democracy >and the >rule of law. The human rights situation in The Gambia continues to be an >area of >grave concern to Gambians and to the international community. > >President Jammeh has stated publicly that "anyone bent on disturbing the >peace and >stability of the nation will be buried six feet deep." Ordinary citizens, >ex-security >personnel, journalists and politicians have all been subjected to human >rights >abuses, such as arbitrary detention, and torture by Gambian authorities. > >Indeed, annual reports from the US State Department, and Amnesty >International have >consistently pointed out gross and continuing violations of human rights by >the >Jammeh government. > >One example of the Jammeh government's disrespect for human rights is the >killing of >at least fourteen young students and a journalist (Omar Barrow) by Gambian >security >forces when they opened fire on a peaceful student demonstration in April, >2000. The >students were protesting the death of their fellow student, Ebrima Barry, >from >injuries sustained when he was detained by agents of the government. Not >only did the >Jammeh government refuse to accept responsibility for the deaths of the >students, >they also defaulted on paying for the medical treatment of injured students >sent to >Egypt. Subsequently, the students were repatriated to The Gambia before the >completion of their medical treatment. > >President Jammeh has continued to ignore the plight of women in Gambian >society. He >has indicated publicly that he is not against Female Genital Mutilation, >and the >public official who committed rape on a twelve year old girl from Brikama >Ba, has >never been brought to justice. > >As the presidential, and National Assembly elections approach, President >Jammeh and >the APRC are using every trick in the book to stay in power. Already, there >have >reports that they issued Gambian Identity Cards to non-Gambians to enable >them to get >a Gambian voter's card. > >In December 2000, President Jammeh dismissed the Chairman of the >Independent >Electoral Commission (IEC), in violation of the Constitution, and in a bid >to make >the Commission more favorable to him, and the APRC. It is thus not >surprising that >the IEC has not only refused to count votes on the spot, but also decided >against >allowing Gambians abroad to cast their votes. All in the name of lack of >funds, even >though the Jammeh government paid about one million dollars for the >services of a >public relations firm in Washington, DC. > >Recently, President Jammeh's government expelled Mr. Joshi Bharat, the >British Deputy >High Commissioner, from The Gambia, simply because Mr Bharat attended a >meeting of a >coalition of three opposition parties. In return, the British Government >also >expelled The Gambia's Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Fatou A.K. Njie, from >the United >Kingdom. It is fait to say that Gambian diplomatic relations with Great >Britain are >seriously strained. > >President Jammeh and his cronies are also corrupt, and blatantly so. In >April, 1999, >Chantrils SA successfully sued The Gambia government in London's High Court >for >breach of contract. According to court documents, Chantrils contracted to >sell, for >twenty US cents per barrel, twenty thousand barrels of Nigerian crude oil a >day on >behalf of The Gambia, and deposit the initial payment, and proceeds in a >Swiss bank >account. The trial in London concluded with a fine against the Gambia >government, >even though from all indications, it never received any proceeds from the >sale of the >crude oil. > >During the seven years he has been the Gambian head of state, President >Jammeh has >had dealings with, and been close to many unscrupulous people. For example, >Mr. Baba >Jobe, an adviser to President Jammeh, was last June listed by the United >Nations as >an arms trafficker, and barred by UN Resolution 1343 (2001) on Liberia from >entering >and/or transiting through UN member states. Although the Gambian government >wrote to >protest Mr. Jobe's inclusion in the UN list, it is obvious that President >Jammeh has, >in Mr. Jobe, an international pariah and criminal as his adviser. > >Recently, there have been reports in the Gambian and international press >that the >Jammeh government has been involved with one Clark Enslin, who reportedly >promised to >transfer several millions of dollars to an account in New York to fund >President >Jammeh's election campaign. In return, Mr. Enslin would be appointed as >Gambia's >Ambassador-At-Large and Trade Attaché, and presumably be accorded the >rights to >travel with diplomatic immunity. > >If the allegations are true, this would not be the first time that >President Jammeh >has given Gambian diplomatic passports to rich, unscrupulous people. A few >years ago, >Malian businessman Foutanga Dit Babanding Sissoko, who started Gambia-based >Dabia >airlines was awarded Gambian citizenship, and provided a Gambian diplomatic >passport >by the Jammeh government. Mr. Sissoko's airline has since folded, and >furthermore, he >was charged in 1997 with bribing a US customs officer. He ultimately >pleaded guilty >to a reduced charge of offering a "gratuity" to the customs office, and was >sentenced >to four months in prison. > >Sir, in the light of the dismal record of President Jammeh's government, we >urge you >to, during your tenure as US Ambassador to The Gambia, help ensure the >stability in >the following ways: > >1. Strengthen democracy in The Gambia by: > >i) helping ensure that elections in The Gambia are free, fair, and >peaceful. Even >though the Presidential elections will have been held before you present >your >credentials in The Gambia, there will still be time to help with National >Assembly >elections, which will be held early next year. > >ii) Encouraging and pressuring the Gambia government to let publicly-owned >media >outlets provide non-partisan election coverage, and equal access to all >political >parties. > >iii) Encouraging your government, other governments, and non governmental >organizations to send observers to monitor the elections. > >2. Restore human rights and the rule of law > >i) We urge you to call on President Jammeh and his regime to immediately >release or >bring to trial Momodou "Dumo" Saho, Ebrima Yarbo, Lt. Lalo Jaiteh, Lt. Omar >Darboe, >Momodou Marenah, Abdoulie Sanyang and Ebrima Barrow, who have been detained >illegally >for over one year now, and in total disregard of the provisions of the >Gambian >Constitution. > >ii) We urge you to help end the persecution of independent media in The >Gambia, >arbitrary arrests, and the Jammeh government's interference with the >Gambian >judiciary. > >Sir, we trust that you will give our concerns due consideration in >discharging your >duties as the US ambassador to The Gambia. In this regard, we sincerely >hope that >when and if the Jammeh government seeks economic assistance from the US >government, >you consider the request in light of the fact that President Jammeh and his >cronies >have swindled millions of dollars of Gambian public funds, and continue to >deny many >Gambians their basic human rights and freedoms. > >We wish you a successful tenure as US ambassador to The Gambia, and a >pleasant stay, >for both you and your family, in the country. > >Sincerely, > >(signed) > >cc: >1. Senator Russell D. Feingold > Chairman > Senate Subcommittee on Africa > SH-716 Hart Senate Office Building > Washington, DC 20510 > >2. Senator Bill Frist > Ranking Minority, Senate Subcommittee on Africa > SR-416 Russell Senate Office Building > Washington, DC 20510 > >3. Rep. Ed Royce > Chairman > House Subcommitte on Africa > 1133 Longworth House Office Building > Washington, DC 20515 > >4. Rep. Donald M. Payne > Subcommittee on Africa Ramking Minority > 2209 Rayburn House Office Building > Washington, DC 20515 >------------------ End of petition ----------------------- > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > ><<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>