Members of The Forum:

Below is a letter The members of The Gambian
democratic Forum sent to President Wade. The timing
couldn't be better because a few days ago we learnt
that all the party leaders in the Gambia are scheduled
to meet with President Wade in Senegal end of this
week.
______________________________________________________





3659 Buford highway
Suite G-10
Atlanta, Georgia 30329

August 14, 2000

His Excellency
President Abdoulaye Wade
President of the Republic of Senegal
Palaise
Dakar, Senegal.

His Excellency:

THE DETERIORATING POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE GAMBIA

It is with a deep sense of satisfaction that I write
on behalf of the Gambia Democratic Forum (GDF) to
congratulate you, your party and the other coalition
parties for the landslide victory in the last
Senegalese Presidential Elections.

Your victory and subsequent ascension to power through
a truly democratic process is a clear manifestation of
the maturity and resolve of an enlightened people.
Your victory certainly demonstrates that to pursue
justice, there must be the following prerequisites:
consistency, perseverance, hard work and
determination. The Gambia Democratic Forum therefore,
hereby resolves to extend our sincere best wishes
during your tenure of office. We pray for the
continuous peace, prosperity and progress of your
great nation.

Your Excellency, you are no doubt aware that our dear
country, the Gambia is being held hostage by a group
of professional bandits-cum-thieves masquerading as
revolutionaries since July 1994. You will agree with
me Sir, that the Gambia prior to the fateful day in
July 1994 was one of the most peace loving countries
in Africa. For almost 30 years the country enjoyed
continued peace and tranquility, respect for the rule
of law and human rights. We enjoyed extremely good
neighborliness and friendship unsurpassed anywhere in
Africa. The Gambia and Senegal are inextricably linked
by birth, history and culture to an extent that the
two peoples cannot afford to go different ways.

Your commitment to your country and your stand against
injustice has given us the courage to write and
explain and possibly seek audience with you so that
you will be fully informed about the injustices, abuse
of human rights, the continuous killings, torture,
arbitrary arrests, dismissals, abductions and the
looting of state coffers by Yaya Jammeh and his
cohorts.

The situation in the Gambia has deteriorated so bad
that sooner than later the country will plunge into
unimaginable fratricidal conflicts in which Senegal
will be directly involved. The only last possible hope
for Gambians to effect a peaceful change is through
elections. Yaya’s Libyan trained terrorists who are
terrorizing the citizens by killings, abductions and
intimidations are frustrating these efforts.

Unfortunately, the escalation of the conflict in
Casamance is a direct results of Yaya’s blanket
support for the rebels in Casamance.Unless your
government ignores Yaya’s action in Casamance, there
is ample evidence to show his personal involvement in
fanning that conflict. Some independent journalists
and reputable papers have proven the fact that some
wounded Casamance rebels are being treated at local
Gambian hospitals and clinics. Yaya is training the
MFDC rebels at Dobong and Kanilai, not only for the
Casamance insurgency but also for his personal
protection in the event of an attack. We had furnished
detailed information about Yaya’s arms supply to
Casamance rebels to your predecessor. Unfortunately,
He did not seem to care much, which has actually
prolonged the conflict.

Being an opposition leader in your country for a long
time during which some pundits never believed that
your time will ever come to be president of the
Republic of Senegal through free and fair elections.
Your resounding success in the last election has given
us courage to emulate the Senegalese example both in
the Gambia and other countries in the sub region. It
is our considered opinion that with Yaya at the helm
of affairs in the Gambia, this will be extremely
difficult because we are dealing with someone who
believes that he owns the country that he cannot be
removed from office through the ballot box.

Your Excellency, we urge you to conduct an assessment
of the political situation in the Gambia with a view
to help resolve the unwarranted arrests, abductions,
murders and intimidations of political opponents of
the Jammeh regime.

With the assurances of our highest considerations,
We remain yours sincerely,



Momodou K Ceesay
For:  The Gambian Democratic Forum

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface
----------------------------------------------------------------------------