From The Independent Newspaper, April 25, 2000
Astrid/
Following shooting of student demonstrators Gambians protest in
Europe, America
Gambians and others overseas have been responding to the
events of 10th and 11th April with petitions, demonstrations,
fundraising and a new web site.
At least one demonstration was held last week in the US. In
Sweden, a demonstration will be held on Wednesday 26th
April. Simultaneous demonstrations have been planned for 2nd
May in New York and London, UK. Others are expected to join
the protest day.
Last Sunday a group of Gambians and non-Gambians held a
meeting in New York. One Mr Gibril Bah was at that meeting
and said a cross section of Gambians from New York and
Connecticut, representatives from the Sierra Leonean
Community in New York, the African American Community
and other African nationalities were present.
'It was decided that contacts be made with human rights
organisations and other international organisations like the UN
to sensitise them about the sad developments in The Gambia
and ask for their co-operation in putting them to an end,' he
said.
Mr Bah said the meeting resolved to organise a demonstration
starting from the UN Gambia mission in New York to the
United Nations Building on May 2, 2000.
The group also decided at the meeting to form an organisation
to be named The Movement for the Restoration of Democracy
in The Gambia.
Meanwhile, a web site has been established carrying an
'online' petition condemning the actions of the security forces
and calling for pressure to be applied to the Gambian
government to ensure that human rights are respected.
Another Gambian in the United States, Sigga Jagne, has
begun distributing a pamphlet and petition on behalf of the
Gambian Association. Addressed to the United Nations, the
petition calls for the international body to 'keep pressure on the
Government of The Gambia' to, among other things, 'instruct
the security forces to halt all excessive use of force against
civilians; release all the students currently under detention' and
'launch an independent inquiry into the shootings and
circumstances surrounding it'.
Ms Jagne said her sixteen-year-old brother was one of those
shot and he remains in hospital with 'critical injuries to his
internal organs'.
A 'Fund for the Gambian Student Massacre' has also been
established in the US with the aim of aiding the injured,
investigating the incident and funding legal action, according to
Ms Jagne.
A number of funds have also been established in some European countries.
There has also been efforts on the part of Gambians overseas
to bring the incident to the attention of governments overseas,
in particular the US government, with one Katim S. Touray
organising a meeting with US Senator Russell Feingold to
discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, the European Union last Friday called on Gambian
authorities to ensure a fair trial for all those involved in the
'recent confrontations'.
In a statement from the European Union Presidency, the EU
expressed 'hope that the reasons which caused those
disturbances may be overcome through dialogue and in a
peaceful and orderly manner.'
The EU called on the Gambian authorities 'to use maximum
restraint when maintaining or restoring public order in line with
the need to respect human rights and the rule of law'.
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