Soffie, this is a brilliant piece , representing the Gambian situation. Thanks. Sis. >From: "Ceesay, Soffie" <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list ><[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [>-<] Jammeh's invitation is a travesty. >Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 13:17:52 -0700 > >All indications are that the school is letting stand their invitation of >Yaya. Below is a letter I drafted and will email/fax once I leave work. >You may adopt it or send your own but we have to protest this school's >position. Their web address is WWW.SMCM.EDU Here are a few email >addresses > >president - [log in to unmask] >director of the center for the study of democracy - [log in to unmask] >registrar - [log in to unmask] >office of public and media relations - [log in to unmask] >gazette newspaper - [log in to unmask] >point newspaper - [log in to unmask] > >Beginning of letter - > >May 11th, 2004 > >Ms. Jane Margaret O'Brien >President, St. Mary's College of Maryland >18952 E. Fisher Road >St. Mary's City MD. 20686-3001 > >Dear President O'Brien, > >We've received information, confirmed by the registrar's office, that St. >Mary's College of Maryland has invited Yaya Jammeh, the president of The >Republic of The Gambia, to be the keynote speaker at your school's >commencement celebrations, on May 15th, 2004. As concerned Gambians, many >of us having been at the receiving end of his tyranny, your school's >invitation to him is deeply troubling. > >President O'Brien, a brief visit to the State Department's web site would >have acquainted the school with what obtains in our country, which would >have steered your institution clear away from Jammeh and invite someone >worthy of the honor. It is, however, not too late to do the decent thing, >in the name of all those students whose murder he sanctioned and the >independent press who endure harassment on a daily basis, their properties >burnt to ashes and their reporters detained and tortured. > >Since 1994, repression of the masses in whatever form suits his fancy has >been Jammeh's modus operandi - we have known only terror and intimidation >under his Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council. In his desperate search >for credibility and legitimacy, Yahya Jammeh and his handlers have, >unfortunately, latched on to your school, hoping to derive from you what he >cannot get from citizens of his own country. > >President O'Brien, your invitee has a morbid fear of ideas, which is why, >as recently as this April, the one independent Newspaper in the country had >their offices burnt, again, along with their new printing press. >Thankfully, the staff escaped death. > >Below are just some of the reasons why we ask you to reconsider this >decision and rescind the invitation of president Jammeh as the keynote >speaker at your commencement celebrations. > >1. In April 2004, there was arson attack that destroyed everything in >the building of the Independent Newspaper, including their recently >procured printing press. > >2. On December 26, 2003, the regime attempted to assassinate Ousman >Sillah, a prominent Gambian Human Rights lawyer. He was shot at least three >times. Miraculously, he survived. President Jammeh went on national >television and blurted out the shameless remarks that "my soldiers are >professional soldiers, they will not shoot at anybody three times and >miss." We expect no effort from the state to bring these "terrorists" to >justice. > >3. On September 20, 2003, the office of the Independent Newspaper was >firebombed in the ominous hours of the night inflicting severe eye injuries >on the night watchman. Again, no investigation has been conducted. > > >4. On August 11th, 2001, the FM1 radio station was fire bombed during >which the owner George Christensen almost lost his life. Again no >investigation was conducted and the original. > >5. On April 10 and 11, 2000, the Gambia Student Union (GAMSU) >organized a peaceful demonstration for redress in support of two fellow >students, Binta Manneh, a victim of rape by paramilitary soldiers and >Ebrima Barry, a victim of physical abuse by the Fire and Ambulance >services. During the demonstration protesting the abuse of the students at >the stadium and at the firehouse, 14 children were murdered in cold blood >at his behest and he subsequently offered extra judicial protection to >those who followed orders and pulled trigger. > >6. On June 23, 1995 the regime's first Minister of Finance, Ousman >Koro Ceesay was found burnt to death in his official government car. Until >this day no investigation has been carried out to rule out foul play or >accidental death. > >We have pictures of the burnt remains of the Independent Newspapers' >offices and printing press. We have pictures of those students who are >maimed for life. Not to mention the pictures to evidence the torture of >opposition political parties in prison. These can all be sent to you if you >so desire. > >We sincerely hope that you will lead your institution in doing the right >thing and un-invite president Jammeh. Thank you for taking the time to >read this letter. > >Sincerely, >Soffie Ceesay >Concerned Gambian >Silver Spring, Maryland > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: >http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[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 > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself with cool new emoticons http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/myemo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~