Joe,
I am terribly sorry for the lateness of my response to you. As you might have gathered from some of my recent mails, i was away in
London when you wrote and since my return I have not settle down yet. It may already be too late, but I thought of acknowledging
receipt of your mail and indeed if you stil find it appropriate, I would like to share the information concerning the Dumo petition.
In case you encounter any problems with my freenet address, try [log in to unmask] In fact I recomend this
address for private mails.
Again, thanks for your mail and hope to hear from you. I promise to get back to you earlier next time. Take care.
Regards
Alpha
joe sambou wrote:
> Alpha, I sent you a message today, using [log in to unmask]
> but it was sent back. Please send me your e-mal address at
> [log in to unmask]
> I have some information to share with you.
>
> Chi Jaama
>
> Joe Sambou
>
> >From: Alpha Robinson <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: Dumo Petition Draft
> >Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 00:33:59 +0200
> >
> >Buharry,
> >
> >I think the petition is very well structured. I think all suggestions
> >have been included. I wasn't able to summarise it much further. A few
> >things have been added and others omitted. The areas underlined are
> >those where changes have been made. Yes, it's a bit long, but I think
> >it's fine as it is. What does everyone think?
> >
> >Annika and others, please check for any specific inconsistencies etc.
> >Next question is, who do we send it to?
> >
> >Alpha
> >
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >PETITION FOR THE RELEASE OF MOMODOU DUMO SAHO, LALO JAITEH, OMAR DARBOE,
> >EBRIMA YARBOE, EBRIMA BARROW AND MODOU MARENA
> >
> > TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
> >
> >
> >
> >Dear Sir/Madam,
> >
> >We the undersigned, as concerned citizens of The Gambia, wish to bring
> >to your attention a frightening trend that has characterised the
> >political and civil landscape of our country and respectfully request
> >your help in ensuring that the civil liberties of Gambians are not
> >violated.
> >
> >BACKGROUND
> >
> >The frightening trend that has plagued our country is the spate of
> >abductions that have been carried out in the recent past against both
> >civilians and security personnel. These abductions usually take place in
> >the form of masked men visiting those abducted in the middle of the
> >night, forcefully taking them away from their families to undisclosed
> >locations where they are held incommunicado. The abductions have
> >occurred in the shadow of government difficulties such as the ambush of
> >the leader and other members of the opposition United Democratic Party,
> >the crude oil affair and the killing in April of unarmed school children
> >and students demonstrating against the rape and murder of fellow school
> >children.
> >
> >A case in point is the arrest and detention of Momodou Dumo Saho who
> >went back to The Ganbia to start an NGO called "Boka Loho" to help in
> >the country's development process. Dumo was abducted and held
> >incommunicado for over two weeks. The state denied holding him in
> >custody and it was only after his family's lawyers filed a suit against
> >the state that he was charged with attempting to overthrow the
> >Government of The Gambia, together with others. The Inspector-General of
> >Police, representing the state, is currently requesting their further
> >detention and denial of bail.
> >
> >These disappearances and abductions undermine the rule of law and
> >stability of the country and clearly violate the civil and human rights
> >of those abducted as provided under the Constitution of The Republic of
> >The Gambia, the UN Charter and the African Charter on Human Rights, to
> >which The Gambia is a signatory. Chapter IV, section 19 (1) of the
> >Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia states: "every person shall
> >have the right to liberty and security of person. No one shall be
> >subjected to arbitrary arrest and detention. No one shall be deprived of
> >his or her liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such
> >procedures as are established by law".
> >
> >(2) "Any person who is arrested or detained shall be informed as soon
> >as is reasonably practicable and in any case within three hours, in a
> >language that he or she understands, of the reasons for his or her
> >arrest or detention and of his or her right to consult a legal
> >practitioner."
> >
> >(3) "Any person who is arrested or detained -
> >
> > (a) for the purpose of bringing him or her before a court in
> >execution of the order of a court; or
> >
> > (b) upon reasonable suspicion of his or her having committed, or
> >being about to commit, a criminal offence under the law of The Gambia,
> >
> >and who is not released, shall be brought without undue delay before a
> >court and, in any event, within seventy-two hours."
> >
> >
> >The manner in which the abductions and detentions take place; the
> >failure of the state to promptly charge those detained within
> >seventy-two hours, to disclose where they are being held, to allow them
> >to contact a legal practitioner, their families and loved ones has now
> >become a familiar pattern which raises concerns and needs to be
> >addressed. Besides, dubious allegations of coup plots have led to the
> >execution of the so-called "coup plotters" without trial in the recent
> >past.
> >
> >
> >PETITION
> >
> >We therefore humbly request that you and your Government/Organization
> >put pressure on the Government of The Gambia to ensure that Momodou Dumo
> >Saho, Lalo Jaiteh, Omar Darboe, Ebrima Yarbo, Ebrima Barrow and Modou
> >Marena are:
> >
> > - Released without charge or;
> >
> >- Accorded a fair, speedy and impartial trial;
> >
> >- Allowed be to be released on bail;
> >
> >- Allowed a trial that is held in public;
> >
> >- Are not subjected to torture and other degrading and inhumane
> >treatment;
> >
> >- Allowed to request the international community and human
> >rights organizations to monitor and gauge the fairness of the trial
> >and evaluate the evidence proffered by the state;
> >
> >- Allowed visits and other forms of contact with their lawyers
> >and Human Rights Organisations, families and friends, in the event of
> >their continued detention;
> >
> >
> >The state should:
> >
> >- Be held responsible for their well-being and decent treatment,
> >as stipulated in all the human rights documents to which The Gambia is a
> >signatory, and should be equally held responsible for any harm that
> >might befall them under detention;
> >
> >- Conform to the provisions of the law in future. People who are
> >reasonably suspected of having committed a crime, or being about to do
> >so, should be arrested in a lawful manner and not abducted. Anyone
> >arrested in future should either be charged within seventy-two hours, as
> >stipulated by the Constitution, or released. They should also be allowed
> >contact with a legal practitioner and their families.
> >
> >
> >We await your kind co-operation in this urgent matter and extend to you
> >and your Government/Organization the warmest of thanks for your interest
> >in our country.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Concerned
> >Gambians and Friends of The Gambia.
> >
> >
> >
> > NAME PLACE OF RESIDENCE
> >
> >----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
> >Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
> >
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