GAMBAN MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT
2153 Valentine Ave, Bronx, NY 10457
Phone: 347-444-6056. Fax: 347-271.9117
Senator Richard Durbin
309 Hart Senate Building
Washington DC 20510
8-23-2010
Dear Senator Durbin,
Gambians based in the United States under the umbrella of the Movement for Democracy and Development (MDD) are hereby writing to thank you and your Senate colleagues namely; Senator Russ Feingold, Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. Casey, Senator Joe Lieberman, Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and Senator Patty Murray for voicing your concern about the deepening human rights abuses in The Gambia, particularly the case of Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh, who was arrested and has been in detention since July 2006, and has since then been kept in incommunicado.
Senator, Gambians are equally concerned about the deepening political and human rights abuses, widespread torture, as well as great number of alleged extrajudicial killing of detainees by both the presidential guards and some agents of the National intelligence Agency (NIA).
Today, it is clear to every Gambian that President Yahya Jammeh has no respect for the country’s Constitution which guarantees freedom of assembly and expression, right to information and privacy protections afforded by the Gambian Constitution against arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of any individual without the benefit of due process.
Senator, The Gambia’s situation is a serious one, and should be considered a challenge by President Obama’s administration, which is regarded as a champion for human rights worldwide. We say this is a challenge for President Obama, because Dictator Yahya Jammeh has repeatedly said he will imprison opposition political figures like Femi Peters, who is a believer in democracy and the rule of law. Sir, President Jammeh’s actions are detrimental, not only to the Gambian people, but also to President Obama efforts to increase freedoms and human rights across the globe.
Finally, once again, we say thank you and your Senate colleagues, and I look forward to your efforts to secure help secure the release of political prisoners, including Journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh, who has not been seen since 2006.
Sincerely,
Saihou Mballow
Chairperson
DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT JUSTICE