Dr,
It seems you are very much enjoying home,hope that you continue to have a nice
stay.In commenting to your short mail you wrote;

 "Suffice
>to say that Jammeh is genuinely popular here and the police-state atmosphere
>I expected is not the case.  Gambians, despite, economic hardship are still
>very kind and loving.  A lot of private construction is taking place and the
>coastal road network, among others, is impressive.  More on all these later."

In building up your case before coming back can you please find out who is
sponsoring the construction of the road.Secondly we have been reading
disturbing reports from the US state department on the human rights
situation,the following listed below are some of the tings mention in the
report and I have my doubts in some of these things will happen anywhere other
than in a police state or else ,the state department is commiting a serious
crime against the Gambian government and people.





In October the authorities arrested and detained for 10 days Muhammed Lamin
Sillah, the coordinator of the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders and
Secretary General of the domestic chapter of Amnesty International (see
Sections 1.d. and 2.a.).



On May 5, police in Bantanto village, Central River Division (CRD), arres ted
10 UDP supporters for allegedly playing a UDP political rally videocassette on
the Bantanto Community Television. Militants of the ruling APRC reported them
to the police in Bansang (CRD). After 4 hours of interrogation, eight UDP
supporters were released without charge, and two were cha rged with breach of
peace



on March 31, police arrested seven UDP supporters from Badibu Salikeni, North
Bank Division (NDB), and detained them at the Farafine Police Station for 3
days following a by-election victory of the UDP candidate in the Badibu
constituency. UDP supporters were celebrating in the compound of the elected
UDP candidate when APRC supporters asked them to stop. Fighting ensued, and,
according to APRC supporters , UDP supporters beat one ARPC member. Police
charged the seven UDP supporters with assault

 On October 12, while addressing a political rally in Brikama, President J
ammeh threatened that opposition members seen with dangerous weapons woul d be
shot. The threat came after skirmishes between UDP supporters and APRC
supporters that resulted in injuries and property damage


On October 30, soldiers shot and killed Hussein Wasni, a Lebanese visitor, at
a checkpoint on the Kombo Coastal Road fo r failing to stop his vehicle. No
action was taken against the soldiers by year's end.


On October 16, security forces shot and killed United Democratic Party (U DP)
supporter Ousman Ceesay after a clash erupted in Talingding between t he
supporters of the ruling APRC and the opposition UDP on the last day o f
official campaigning for the presidential elections (see Section 3). Ac
cording to eyewitnesses, security forces deployed in the area to disperse the
crowd shot Ceesay at point blank range, killing him instantly.

The Government has not revoked formally military decrees enacted prior to the
1997 Constitution that give the NIA and the Secretary of State for the
Interior broad power to detain individuals indefinitely without charge if "in
the interest of national security."


On April 24, UDP activist Kassa Jatta was arrested in Bakau and detained at
the NIA headquarters in Banjul for 10 days. He was accused of criticizing
President Jammeh's foreign policy in an article he wrote in a local n
ewspaper. The NIA released Jatta on bail of $18,000 (300,000 dalasi). Jatta
claimed that NIA officers tortured him and held him incommunicado. On August
29, police arrested and detained Jatta for the second time at the Police Crime
Unit in Banjul for allegedly trying to disrupt a planned APRC rally in Bakau.
Jatta was detained for 1 day


On February 28, Salieu Mbowe, a freelance journalist, reported that polic e
officers forcibly entered his residence at Latrikunda and woke him at 2
o'clock in the morning. Mbowe said that the police officers were armed with
tear gas and that they claimed they were monitoring his activities and had to
search his home. The police questioned him for many hours but did not seize
anything from him.

In October unknown persons prevented the People's Democratic Organization for
Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) party campaign team from holding meetings
in Sangajor and Kanilai villages in the Foni. Police failed to p rovide for
the security of PDOIS members in the area, and the meetings we re postponed.
The Constitution provides for freedom of association; however


 On July 6, the NIA arrested Imam Baba Leigh of the Kanifing mosque for al
legedly criticizing the Government; Imam Leigh preached against corruptio n
and waste of public funds in unnecessary ceremonies during prayers. Ima m
Leigh was released after several hours without charges on bail of $6,00 0
(100,000 dalasi), and was asked to report to the NIA the next day. No s
ubsequent action was taken. Imam Leigh reported that NIA officers informe d
him that his arrest was connected to a June 5 BBC Focus on Africa progr am, on
which he criticized the Government for spending $179,000 (3 millio n dalasi)
on the June National Youth Conference (see Section 5).


For Freedom
Saiks

>===== Original Message From The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
<[log in to unmask]> =====
>Joe Sambou:
>
>Many thanks for your message.  I am doing well and keeping busy but also
>making time to visit friends and family.  It is very warm and I like it.  I
>will share with the bantaba my impressions about The Gambia later.  Suffice
>to say that Jammeh is genuinely popular here and the police-state atmosphere
>I expected is not the case.  Gambians, despite, economic hardship are still
>very kind and loving.  A lot of private construction is taking place and the
>coastal road network, among others, is impressive.  More on all these later.
>
>Regards,
>Abdoulaye
>
>>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Dr. Abdoulaye Saine
>>Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2002 20:43:35 +0000
>>
>>Abdoulaye, greetings and I hope all is well with your visit to Gambia.
>>Please drop us a line to let us know how you are doing.
>>
>>Chi Jaama
>>
>>Joe Sambou
>>
>>_________________________________________________________________
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