Greetings,
The petition has been modified taking Katim's suggestions into
consideration.
-The first paragraph was changed in accordance with Katim's proposal
with slight modifications (emphasis placed on the fact that children
were murdered while demonstrating against crimes commited against school
children).
-The provisions from the constitution remain unchanged, in order to give
those who may wish to know exactly what the Gambian constitution has to
say on the issues concerned the opportunity to do so; those who may not
so wish will just skip that part, hopefully.
-The names have been sorted alphabetically. Unfortunately, not all names
are accompanied by city and country. Hopefully, everyone will note this
point next time.
The petition should be seen as a product of our collective efforts. If
there are one or two things that you are not totally satisfied with,
just remember that it embodies our collective spirit and that's what
matters most. I think we should now proceed with the distribution.
Please forward any useful addresses and suggestions to that effect.
Also, please check the list once more to confirm whether your name has
been added or not.
Regards
Alpha Robinson.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Recently, our country has been plagued by a spate of abductions of
civilians and security personnel. The abductors usually are masked men
who forcibly take their victims to undisclosed locations, and held
incommunicado. These abductions have occurred in the wake of recent
developments such as a clash between government supporters and those of
the opposition United Democratic Party, allegations of President
Jammeh's involvement in a deal involving Nigerian crude oil, and the
killing, by government security forces last April, of school children
and students demonstrating against the rape and murder of fellow
schoolchildren.
A case in point is the arrest and detention of Momodou Dumo Saho who
went back to The Gambia to start an NGO called "Boka Loho" to help in
the country's development process. Dumo was abducted and held
incommunicado for over four 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 state prosecutor, 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, E-MAIL ADDRESS AND/OR PLACE OF RESIDENCE Of SIGNATORIES
Abdou Touray <[log in to unmask]> Chicago, IL, USA
Abdoulaye Saine <[log in to unmask]> Ohio, U.S.A
Adama Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
Adama S. Njie <[log in to unmask]> Oslo, Norway
Alaji Ndure <[log in to unmask]> Copenhagen, Denmark
Alasana Bah <[log in to unmask]> Seattle, WA
Alfusainey Bah <[log in to unmask]> Seattle, WA
Alh. Bakusa Dukureh <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Alh.Dembo Tunkara <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Alpha Robinson <[log in to unmask]> Hoexter, Germany
Amadu Kabir Njie <[log in to unmask]> Oslo, Norway
Annika Renberg <[log in to unmask]> Kotu East, Gambia
Anthony W. Loum <[log in to unmask]> New York, U.S.A
Asbjørn Nordam <[log in to unmask]> Copenhagen, Denmark
Astrid Christensen <[log in to unmask]> Washington, DC USA
Baboucarr Sillah <[log in to unmask]> Atlanta, Ga
Babucar k Jaata <[log in to unmask]> U.K.
Bamba Laye Jallow <[log in to unmask]> Bellevue, NE
Bangally sankanu <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Basirou Jobe <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Beran Jeng <[log in to unmask]>
Bintou Sonko <[log in to unmask]> Seattle, WA
Caroline Ndiaye <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Ceesay B. Soffie <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Dagmar Christensen <[log in to unmask]> Maryland, USA
Dampha Kebba <[log in to unmask]>
Dave Manneh <[log in to unmask]> Southampton, U.K.
Dr M Mansour Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> U.K
Ebou Secka <[log in to unmask]> Kansas City USA
Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> Birmingham, U.K.
Ebrima Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> San Jose, CA USA
Elhajj Mustapha Fye <[log in to unmask]> Sweden
George Joof <[log in to unmask]> Alluitsup Paa, Greenland
George Sarr <[log in to unmask]> Smyrna,GA. USA
Gibril Bah <[log in to unmask]>
Greensboro, NC USA/Kombo East District
Hagie Jabbi <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Hagie Sillah <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Hamadi Banna <[log in to unmask]>
Hamedou Drammeh <[log in to unmask]> Stockholm, Sweden
Hamjatta Kanteh <[log in to unmask]> U.K
Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]> Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> Chicago, IL
Kalilu Kamara <[log in to unmask]>
Katim S. Touray <[log in to unmask]> Madison, WI, USA.
Kekuta kanda <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Kutubo Manneh <[log in to unmask]> Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Lameen sisawo Barrrow <[log in to unmask]> Nashville, Tennessee
Lamin Camara <[log in to unmask]> London, UK
Lamin Camara <[log in to unmask]> Toronto, Canada
Latir Gheran Downes-Thomas <[log in to unmask]> Smyrna, Georgia USA
M Gai-Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
Madiba K. Saidy <[log in to unmask]> Vancouver, Canada
Malanding S. Jaiteh <[log in to unmask]> Houghton, MI, U.S.A
Matarr M. Jeng <[log in to unmask]> Copenhagen, Denmark
Mbaye B. Sarr <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Michelle Parker <[log in to unmask]> Southampton, U.K.
Modou Sanyang <[log in to unmask]> USA
Momodou Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
Momodou Buharry Gassama <[log in to unmask]> Stockholm Sweden
Momodou Camara <[log in to unmask]> Copenhagen - Denmark
Momodou Jallow <[log in to unmask]> New York, NY
Momodou Olly-Mboge <[log in to unmask]> London, U.K
Muhammad Lamine Jassey-Conteh <[log in to unmask]> Greensboro, NC, USA
Musa Bohum <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Ndembos Singhateh <[log in to unmask]> U.K.
Ndey Jobarteh <[log in to unmask]> London, U.K.
Omar Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> DETROIT MICHIGAN
Omar Drammeh <[log in to unmask]> Oslo, Norway
Ousainou Malick Ngum <[log in to unmask]> Columbus, OH, USA
Ousman Bojang <[log in to unmask]> Maryland, USA
Ousman Ceesay <[log in to unmask]> Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S.A
Pakaramo Mannaboy <[log in to unmask]> Charlotte, N C
Pasamba Jow <[log in to unmask]> MINNESSOTA USA
Peter Sanyang <[log in to unmask]> Helsinki, Finland
Prince Obrien-Coker <[log in to unmask]> Holland
Sahou Omar Saho <[log in to unmask]> Oslo,
Norway
Saihou Mballow <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Saiks Samateh <[log in to unmask]> Oslo, Norway
Saiku Tambajang <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Sal Barry <[log in to unmask]> U.S.A
Salieu M. Sarr <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Sally Bah <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Samba Njie <[log in to unmask]>
Sarian Loum <[log in to unmask]> California, USA
Saul Saidykhan <[log in to unmask]> Washington DC, USA.
Seedy Saidykhan <[log in to unmask]> Maryland, USA
Sekou Jagana <[log in to unmask]> New York,US
Sheriff Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
Sigga Jagne <[log in to unmask]>
Sulayman Gassama <[log in to unmask]> Stockholm, Sweden
Sulayman Jobarteh <[log in to unmask]> Seattle, U.S.A.
Sura Darboe <[log in to unmask]> Sura Darboe, Stockholm
Y. Bala-gaye <[log in to unmask]> Hamilton, Canada
Yamundow K. Sarr <[log in to unmask]> Maryland - USA
Ylva Hernlund <[log in to unmask]> Seattle, U.S.A.
Yujam @aol.com <[log in to unmask]>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
