G-L Community, Greetings To You All:
As we prepare for the 2001 Presidential elections, I have been heartened
by many of the initiatives on the Bantaba, including the participation
of Gambians abroad in the voting process, supporting political parties
and candidates, etc. I believe that these initiatives( including
COFFET-GAMBIA's), by Karamba Touray, Matarr Sejaw and others, must be
supported and pursued simultaneously.
Since the founding of COFFET-GAMBIA, I have received numerous calls and
email messages of support and offers of assistance. For all those who
offered, I am grateful for your input. CONSEQUENTLY,
COFFET's current agenda is: A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN to President
Jammeh, international Governmental/non-Governmental Organizations, and
all individuals who may be interested IN FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN THE
GAMBIA. It is recommended that those of us interested in the latter,
write letters to those on the list below. The list is only a beginning
and can be added to. In some cases the information provided is
incomplete. Again, feel free to update the information. In the end, a
comprehensive list can be generated and letters sent to all. A sample
letter is also provided, feel free to modify it, but be sure to send it.
I thank Ebrima Ceesay, my T.A. and many others on the list for providing
me with some of this information.
Our first target(s) in The Gambia are: President Jammeh, the American
Ambassador, British High Commissioner, The Charge d'Affaires of the
European Union, the UNDP Resident Representative and others. Except for
President Jammeh, we should send email messages if available) to the
above, out of fear that regular mail could be intercepted by the NIA.
President Yahya Jammeh, The Quadrangle, Banjul(no email or phone number.
Please provide more details).
Malika Akrouf, UNDP REP., [log in to unmask]
Ambassador Hailey, U.S. Embassy, The Gambia(Provide details).
Goerge-Marc Andre Charge d'Affaires, EU REP. Gambia, Tel.(220)49 51 46;
Fax: 49 78 48 ( No email address available).
British High Commissioner?(Please provide relevant information).
Banjul
INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS
Dr. Moses Anafu, Assistant Director,
Political Affairs Division
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House Pall Mall
London, SW1Y 5HX, UK
The British Government(African Affairs)
No contact name(please provide)
Foreign & Commonwealth Office London
King Charles Street, London SW1 2AH
The World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington D.C. 20433
Richard Uku- [log in to unmask]
Eric Chinje- [log in to unmask]
(Need contact person).
International Monetary Fund
700 19th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20431
External Relations Department,
Email: [log in to unmask]
Dr. Susan Rice, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
U.S. State Department.
Washington D.C. 20520
House International Relations Committee
Africa Subcommittee(Please provide information)
The Black Caucus of the U.S. Congress
(Provide names and addresses).
Mr. Randolph Robinson
TransAfrica Forum
1744 R. Street NW
Washington D.C.20009
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Africa Policy Institute
(Please provide information)
The Carter Center(Please Provide information).
The Reverend Jesse Jackson, President Rainbow Coalition
(Please provide Information).
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Fifth Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
(No contact person, please provide information).
Mr. Pierre Sanne, President
Amnesty International
99-119 Rosebery Avenue
London EC1R 4RE
[log in to unmask]
Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim, Secretary General,
The Organization of African Unity
P.O.Box 3243
Adis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: [log in to unmask]
Mr. Omar Kabbaj, President
Africa Development Bank
Rue Joseph Anoma
01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01
Cote d'Ivoire
Email: [log in to unmask]
Economic Community of West African States
60 Yakibu Gowan Crescent
Asokoro District
Abuja, Nigeria
(Please provide contact person).
LETTER(Draft)
Date:
Ms./Mr./Mrs./Sir,/Dr.
1234 Tatiperreh Road
City, Country, Zip
Dear....
The Coalition for Free and Fair Elections in The Gambia(COFFET), a
non-partisan,and non-profit Organization of Gambians and People
Interested in The Gambia, is committed to the principle of free and fair
Presidential elections in The Gambia in October, 2001. We believe that
Gambians must maintain the right to choose their rulers under conditions
that are free of intimidation, violence, and election engineering as was
the case in the 1996 Presidential election. We solicit your support to
prevent a repeat of this in 2001.
COFFET-GAMBIA also believes that The Gambia's current political
arrangement is not one that is conducive for free and fair elections.
Accordingly, we again solicit your support in:
* lifting the ban on all political parties and politicians;
* Equal access to media outlets such that all political parties
have their platform(s) known to the public;
* That all parties obey the electoral laws and regulations set by
the Electoral Commission so as to ensure a level playing field for
all parties and their candidates;
* Create an atmosphere in which fear of retribution is not a
constraint to the free expression of one's beliefs, in print and /or
verbally; and
* Support International Observers to help determine the fairness of
the 2001 Presidential elections.
We call upon the international community, you, The Gambia's development
partners and all those interested in the restoration of democracy in The
Gambia to support our efforts for 2001. Thank you.
Sincerely,
..............
(signed)
Please take the time to write all those listed, at least three times
before the elections are held. A letter writing mbahal/party, a letter
writing drive at the ADL celebrations in D.C., and July 4th in Atlanta
could be a major boost to this effort.
A letter writing campaign by Gambians at home would be great as well.
Also, please update the list and send in others to the forum or to my
private address. Thanks.
Abdoulaye
No justice, no peace!
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