I was very shocked and troubled about this information. I am not advocating for anybody's death but I think we as humans should live to learn from other peoples mistakes.Who would have dreamed the rebirth of democracy which began blowing all over Nigerian following the untimely demise of Sani Abacha. This was the man who used the military to trample on the rights of its citizens and did all it could to kill hopes of democracy in that country.I think the almighty God saved the people of Nigeria by any means necessary even death to facilitate the rebirth of Democracy in Nigeria. The purpose of this humanistic parable is to show to all readers that the Almighty God did not bring us to the world to brutalize each other and God is the omnipotent power and is the best judge. Let us not live under the falsehood of peace, tranquillity and national development in the country when the citizens are being harassed because of their political views.Every person is entitled to whatever political view they deemed best.We as Gambians must not in any way tolerate for the law enforcement agencies and the July 22nd movement to coerce the people under the dubious and complicit act of the government.We have heard the news reports about what had been going on in the Gambia during the last election about people being detained without charges, political gatherings being denied and obstruction of any genuine political expression. What happened then I think is replaying again with kidnapping people from their homes. Let us all as good Gambians regardless of political affiliation condemn these uncivilized acts.Unless there are very clear and compelling evidence against any body, no one should be detained for the pretext of national security. Any government that cannot ensure security to its citizens should render its resignation to the people it claim to represent. it is not uncommon for the police to exercise absolute muteness when such allegations as this issue are being under concern. If the government has no connections with such acts why is it that they never make any genuine statements or frustrate at best efforts to establish transparency in such findings .We had seen it happened in 1995 when the then Finance minister Ousman Koro Ceesay was mysteriously burnt to death, circumstances of which the govt. and the police owe the Gambian people an explanation. We can't keep on preaching peace progress and national development for we must sow it to grow.We must live together and be tolerant to one anothers views.No Gambian should help sow the seeds of violence and brutality because it always reaps vengeance, retaliation and atrocious acts against one another. Long live The Gambia. Mori Kebba Jammeh ----- Original Message ----- From: ymca <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, May 29, 1999 8:46 PM Subject: UDP PRESS BRIEFING > PRESS RELEASE BY THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY ON THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF > PARTY OFFICIALS AND MILITANTS > The leadership of The United Democratic Party ( The UDP), held a Press > briefing on Wednesday the 26th, May 1999 at the office of their Secretary > General and Leader, Mr Ousainou Darboe. The objective of the press briefing > was to appraise members of the independent media and the International > Community on the Resurgence of Terrorism and the latest tactics of state > sponsored thuggery devised by the tyrannical regime of Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh. > > The regime, which is a direct product of the military junta established by > the Coup D'etat of the 22nd July 1994 has never ceased to abuse Human > Rights, Freedom and Justice. If anything the APRC/AFPRC regime has never > had the respect for the constitution and therefore persistently blocked the > process of restoring full democracy in The Gambia. > > It is on the basis on this lack of commitment to Democracy and > Constitutional Order that the dictatorship is still on Human Rights > violations and continues to trample on the rights of those citizens craving > for Justice greater Freedom and Democracy. The opposition - The United > Democratic Party is the principal target of the oppressor, just as the 22nd > July Movement has been officially designated by The President as the > instrument of criminal aggression against the civilian population. > > Following a political rally at Jarra Darasilami on May 8th, 1999 the party > leader visited some family members in the Niaminas the following day. Upon > his return to Banjul, the police in collaboration with the July 22nd > Movement members arrested and detained party supporters and militants who > were welcoming the party leader in the Niaminas. One Corporal Barrow > carried out the arrests while interrogations were supervised by The July > 22nd Coordinator based in Janjangburah, Mr Omar Mamburay. > > On Friday the 21st May 1999 Tata Camara, The lady Chairperson of The United > Democratic Party (UDP) in Janjangburay was picked up by the police in Lamin > Koto while attending a 40 day charity of The Late Luwanding Keita known to > be a UDP supporter. Tata Camara was picked up on the orders of Mr Omar > Mamburay the July 22nd Movement Coordinator in Janjangburay. She was > brought to NIA headquarter in Banjul and detained. She was not allowed > visits and the UDP could not ascertain her state of health since she was not > allowed clothing and no food could be brought to her. She was the victim of > incarceration and NIA interrogations. > > While the UDP Secretariat and lawyers were making efforts to visit Mrs Tata > Camara, The whole country was shocked after learning that in the early hours > of the morning of the 26thMay 1999, Mr Shyngle Nyassi's house was raided, > his door forcefully opened and the locks broken. > > An unidentified group forcefully entered Mr Nyassi's bedroom and abducted > him after gagging him. The group, suspected to be July 22nd members under > the supervision of Baba Jobe ( An adviser to Yahya Jammeh and a specialist > on terrorism and the principal agent between Libya and the APRC/AFPRC > regime) drove off in a Nissan Patrol bearing the registration Number BJL > 5424A. Gambians have every reason to believe that this vehicle belongs to > either the NIA or the July 22nd militants or the State Guards. According to > Mr Nyassi's wife who identified one or two members of the July 22nd Movement > and in particular Baba Jobe was identified by Mr Nyassi's two sons and one > of the wives. The kidnappers informed Mr Nyassi's family that they were > going to kill Shyngle Nyassi and drop his body into the Sea or Ocean. > > The UDP has made every effort to trace the whereabout of Shyngle Nyassi but > to no avail. The purpose of this release is once again to highlight and > bring to the attention of The Gambian people and The International Community > that what is proclaimed by Yahya Jammeh and his government, that there is > true democracy in this country, civilian authority in this country whose > acts and conducts are regulated by the Constitution is all lies and is a > sham propaganda to the International Community so that the much needed donor > assistance can be readily available to the Government. It is also to > highlight that Yahya Jammeh Government has absolutely no room for any > dissenting view. It is also to highlight that the Jammeh administration > believe not in persuasion but coercion and intimidation. That they have > failed to sell their policies and their programmes to The Gambian people and > have consequently resorted to harassment and intimidation. > > The UDP also wish to highlight the fact that this is an indication of what > is going to happen in The Gambia during local government elections and all > other future elections in this country. > > Finally, The United Democratic Party (UDP) is once again calling on all > democratic governments and organisations of the world to support the Gambian > people in their struggle for greater freedom, democracy and justice against > the most brutal oppressor of the worst type. The tyranny of the present > regime in The Gambia is the worst ever experienced by its people throughout > their history. > > > SECRETARIAT OF THE UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY > > 27TH MAY 1999 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------