PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The Save The Gambia Democracy Project (STGDP), the Movement for Democracy
and Development, the Movement for Restoration of Democracy in The Gambia,
and many other Gambian associations, and well wishers, join the people of
Gambia and the rest of the international community in passionately
condemning, in the strongest sense of the word, the confirmed arrest of
Omar Amadou Jallow (OJ) and Hamat Bah, and the disappearance, under these
circumstances, of Honorable Halifah Sallah of the National Alliance for
Democracy and Development (NADD).
STGDP has confirmed that OJ and Hamat Bah were arrested by security
personnel late Tuesday, November 15, 2005 and are currently held at the
Mile Two prison complex on allegations of engagement in subversive
activity; the whereabouts of Hon. Sallah could not be confirmed at this
time.
We wish to extend to the families of the affected individuals, the people
of Gambia, and the entire international community, our heartfelt support
and intent to do everything we possibly can to ensure that OJ, Hamat, and
Halifah’s fundamental rights and privileges under the law, are not further
trampled upon with impunity. We intend to ensure the maximum exposure of
the brutality, blatant disregard of the fundamental rights of individuals,
abrupt kidnappings, and disappearances perpetuated by the APRC government
to the international community.
We understand that these spurious allegations of engagement in subversive
activity are the threats President Yaya Jammeh promised to deliver in his
end of Ramadan speech to the Muslim Elders, in which he alluded to the
fact that he was going to ensure that most of the opposition leaders will
not be around for the 2006 elections. We can say without a doubt that
being leaders of a political coalition that has the potential to unseat
the APRC
government in the impending general elections in 2006, OJ, Hamat, and
Halifah have other things on their minds other than engaging in subversive
activity against the government.
The NADD leaders, albeit President Jammeh’s massive usurpation of the
judicial powers, have always opted to go through the legal system.  They
have endured countless threats, harassment, abductions, torture, and
various forms of violations of their civil and human rights, and that of
their colleagues and loved ones; but have never resorted to any illegal
means.  Instead, they have continued to refrain from anything that may
plunge the Gambia into civil unrest and brought their complaints to the
attention of the legal and international community.  These are loving
sons, and daughters, of the Gambia, who have made countless sacrifices in
their fight to bring about a democratic Gambia.
Furthermore, every well meaning observer of Gambian politics will attest
to the fact that Hon. Sallah is not the type that will flee arrest
contrary to the press release issued on Gambia Radio and Television.
Hence, this latest series of arrests is but another one of the APRC
government’s endless trampling of the rights of Gambians and of those who
refuse to turn-a-blind-eye to their numerous despotic activities.
With this press release, we herein appeal to all Gambians, in and out of
the country, all Gambian organizations around the world, journalists and
other press groups, all African and international organizations, all
governments, and all believers in democratic jurisprudence to join us in
harnessing all resources in order to maximally expose the tyranny that is
in the APRC government, and to demand for the immediate release of OJ,
Hamat, and Halifah. Join us in sternly warning the security forces that
their well-being must not be compromised in any way, and under any
circumstances. We further demand that the APRC government immediately
confirm to the general public the whereabouts of Hon. Sallah.
We are hereby letting President Jammeh know that we hold very seriously,
his stated threats to the opposition, during his end of Ramadan speech and
these recent arrests of NADD leaders.  We also hereby state that from this
day forward, we are resolved to take all actions necessary to ensure that
President Jammeh and his junta will be held accountable for any, and all,
actions that violate the civil and human rights of individuals or the
constitution, and for all illegal government mandated activities by the
security forces or other agents of the regime. WE WILL NEVER BE SILENCED.

Signed
Save The Gambia Democracy Project.

STGDP can be contacted at:
P.O. Box 48321
Doraville, GA 30362

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www.sunugambia.com

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