|
Momodou
Denmark
11513 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Jun 2021 : 17:33:40
|
GAMBIA-L Digest 20
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) New Constituency boundries
by momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
2) Re: constitution
by binta@iuj.ac.jp
3) Re: constitution
by L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
4) LIBERIA/REFUGEES
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
5) Re: My View
by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
6) Re: constitution
by ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu>
7) Re: constitution
by "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
8) Re: constitution
by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
9) Re: constitution
by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
10) Fwd: West Africa-Economy
by momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
11) Fwd: The murder of Abiola's wife
by momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
12) Re: constitution
by ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu>
13) Re: constitution
by "YaYa Jallow" <yaya.jallow@qm.sprintcorp.com>
14) Re: constitution
by L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
15) Re: constitution
by "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
16) Re: Nigeria and Abiola's Wif
by mostafa jersey marong <mbmarong@students.wisc.edu>
17) Re: constitution
by mostafa jersey marong <mbmarong@students.wisc.edu>
18) pan-africanism.html
by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
19) Re: constitution
by SANKUNG SAWO <101573.1703@CompuServe.COM>
20) Re: constitution
by L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
21) 96F11055.html
by Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
22) NIGERIA/PROTEST
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
23) NIGERIA / PROTEST
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
24) Fwd:
by momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
25) Study project
by Oumar Ndongo <ondongo@benfranklin.hnet.uci.edu>
26) Re: constitution
by Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
27) new members
by Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
28) VOA NEWS
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
29) VOA NEWS
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
30) VOA NEWS
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
31) VOA NEWS
by "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
32) new member
by Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
33) Fwd: Images of Africa
by momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
34) Fwd: Re: SUBSCRIBE GAMBIA-L B...
by SillahB@aol.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 09 Jun 1996 10:07:04 GMT
From: momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: New Constituency boundries
Message-ID: <2034561022.1569266@inform-bbs.dk>
Hi Gambia-l!
********************************************************
1.
The chieftaincy districts have been transformed into constituency
boundries and has brought inequalities in represantation among inhabitants
of various chieftaincy districts.
Below is a list of the constituencies, the projected inhibitants of each
constituency and a possible voter roll acording to the 1993 census.
Constituency Projected inhabitants Posible voter
roll
_______________ ____________________ ___________________
Banjul North 20,552 8,210
Banjul Central 11,029 4,718
Banjul South 10,745 4,336
Serrekunda East 108,421 44,765
Serrekunda West 82,431 31,783
Bakau 37,362 14,591
Kombo North 80,478 32,651
Kombo South 39,694 14,623
Kombo Central 56,094 21,521
Kombo East 21,028 8,618
Foni Brefet 8,529 3,286
Foni Bintang 11,397 4,611
Foni Kansala 7,748 3,364
Foni Bondali 4,594 1,582
Foni Jarol 5,355 2,056
Kiang West 13,479 5,283
Kiang Central 7,282 2,540
Jarra West 20,673 7,551
Jarra Central 6,084 2,414
Jarra East 11,272 4,497
Lower Nuimi 35,147 12,505
Upper Nuimi 21,552 6,983
Jokadou 14,874 5,226
Lower Badibou 14,391 5,479
Central Badibou 15,060 5,579
Upper Badibou 55,438 20,473
Lower Saloum 14,179 5,584
Upper Saloum 12,552 4,973
Nianija 6,439 2,737
Niani 18,831 7,571
Sami 16,073 6,501
Jangjangbureh 2,813 1,199
Niamina Dangkunku 6,089 2,373
Niamina West 5,948 2,689
Niamina East 15,402 6,017
Fuladou West 57,995 24,575
Fuladou East 84,327 33,990
Kantora 26,502 10,726
Sandou 14,689 6,310
Wuli 29,541 12,340
One could see that Fuladou East with its 33,990 eligible votes being given
one seat in parliment where five Foni districts with a combined voting
strenght of 14,099 are given five seats. Jangjangbureh constituency has a
population of 2,813 while Fuladou east has a population of 84,327.
It was best to retain the previous constituencies and further devide the
growth
centers into more constituencies.
*****************************************************************
2. A number of promninant Gambians most of them former politicians have
addressed an open letter to the AFPRC and the Provisional Independent
Electoral Commission calling on the military regime to `honourably give way
to
a government of national unity to carry on the transitional process. The
remind government that the two year transition programme is scheduled to come
to an end by July 1996 in acordance with the National consultative
Committee's
report.
*****************************************************************
3. It is reported that on Sunday, 19 May at around 5 p.m, two soldiers by
the names of Ebrima Badji and Michael Dacosta who were armed with bayonets
murdered a civilian Ebrima Jallow in Latrikunda Yiringanya, Kotu silo.
Acording to a woman, the two soldiers found Ebrima and his family drinking
green tea or "attaya". He was asked to produce his documents insisting that
he was a foriegner, they also asked him to produce D300 which he did not
have.
He was stabbed to death in the presence of several by standers and his
wife.
The commander of the GNA in a press release gave assurance that "justice
will be done and seen to done". The two soldiers are now at mile 2.
****************************************************************
May Allah (God) save our country!
--- OffRoad 1.9o registered to Momodou Camara
**************************************
Sent via Inform-BBS
-Denmark's leading alternative network
Information: info@inform-bbs.dk
**************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 1996 20:29:03 JST +900
From: binta@iuj.ac.jp
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <199606091127.UAA21669@mlsv.iuj.ac.jp>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Hi Gambia-l,
I am also in Tony's situation. Could someone kindly post the draft
constitution on the List for our sake?
Lamin Drammeh (Japan)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 96 18:27:27 BST
From: L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <9606091727.AA15949@hpl.lut.ac.uk>
Hi Tony,
I have a copy of the new constitution, but i don't know how to go about posting it
it on the list. Can someone help?
Yours sincerely.
A computer novice.
Lang
Ps: I could make a copy and send it to a postal address in US, but that may
be a bit expensive. Any Suggestions?
>
>
> Does anybody have a copy of the constitution and be willing to post it on
> Gambia-l ? I have not yet seen or read it.
> Thanks
> Tony
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 09:18:45 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: LIBERIA/REFUGEES
Message-ID: <10JUN96.10057702.0051.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/9/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-198428
TITLE=LIBERIA / REFUGEES (S&L)
BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
// OPTS OUT FOR LONG CR //
INTRO: GHANA HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT A RUSSIAN CARGO VESSEL
CARRYING LIBERIAN AND OTHER AFRICANS FLEEING FACTIONAL FIGHTING
IN LIBERIA. THE SHIP, THE "ZOLOTITSA," HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A
PORT IN WEST AFRICA SINCE LEAVING THE BESIEGED LIBERIAN CAPITAL
IN LATE MAY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM
OUR WEST AFRICA BUREAU.
TEXT: NEWS REPORTS QUOTE GHANAIAN PORT OFFICIALS AS SAYING THE
"ZOLOTITSA" WAS TOWED INTO INTERNATIONAL WATERS AFTER ANCHORING
OFF THE COAST OF GHANA LATE FRIDAY.
THEY SAID GHANAIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMED IBN CHAMBAS
HAD WARNED ANY VESSEL THAT DOCKED AT ANY GHANAIAN PORT WITHOUT
PERMISSION WOULD BE SEIZED AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP ARRESTED
AND PROSECUTED.
IN GENEVA, THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES SAID
THE RUSSIAN VESSEL HAD BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO DROP ANCHOR OFF
THE GHANAIAN PORT OF TAKORADI, WHERE LAST MONTH A NIGERIAN
FREIGHTER WAS ALLOWED TO OFF LOAD ABOUT TWO THOUSAND LIBERIAN
REFUGEES.
HOWEVER, GHANA STATE RADIO QUOTED THE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AS
SAYING GHANA HAD NOT BEEN APPROACHED BY THE U-N-H-C-R.
GHANA AND SEVERAL OTHER WEST AFRICAN NATIONS HAVE BEEN UNDER
PRESSURE TO TAKE IN REFUGEES FLEEING FACTIONAL FIGHTING IN THE
LIBERIAN CAPITAL, MONROVIA. HOWEVER LIBERIA'S NEIGHBORS HAVE
EXPRESSED RELUCTANCE SAYING THEY FEARED REBEL SOLDIERS MIGHT
INFILTRATE THEIR COUNTRIES POSING AS REFUGEES.
// REST OPT. //
THE "ZOLOTITSA" LEFT MONROVIA WITH LIBERIAN, GHANAIAN AND OTHER
WEST AFRICAN PASSENGERS ON MAY 26TH. IT TRIED DOCKING AT THE
GHANAIAN PORT OF TEMA FOUR DAYS LATER BUT WAS TURNED AWAY. IT
LATER TRIED ENTERING NEIGHBORING TOGO, BUT WAS TOWED OUT TO SEA
AFTER TAKING ON FUEL AND FOOD SUPPLIES.
IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHERE THE RUSSIAN VESSEL WOULD GO
NEXT.
THOUSANDS OF LIBERIANS HAVE PAID LARGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR THE
CHANCE TO BOARD SHIPS BOUND FOR NEIGHBORING WEST AFRICAN NATIONS.
IT HAS BEEN THE ONLY RELATIVELY SAFE WAY FOR LIBERIANS TO ESCAPE
THE LATEST VIOLENCE.
THOSE WHO CAN NOT AFFORD THE PRICE FOR PASSAGE ON THE SHIPS HAVE
BEEN SEEKING SHELTER AT A MAKESHIFT DISPLACEMENT CAMP IN MONROVIA
THAT WAS FORMERLY THE HOUSING COMPLEX FOR AMERICAN DIPLOMATS
STATIONED IN LIBERIA.
LIBERIA'S NEIGHBORS HAVE STEPPED UP SECURITY ALONG THEIR BORDERS
TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF REFUGEES INTO THEIR COUNTRIES. THROUGHOUT
LIBERIA'S SIX-YEAR CIVIL WAR THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS
CROSS-BORDER INCIDENTS INVOLVING FACTIONAL FIGHTERS. SIERRA
LEONE'S CIVIL WAR WAS FUELED, IN PART, BY REBEL INCURSIONS FROM
NEIGHBORING LIBERIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/WPM/BD/LWM
09-Jun-96 8:19 PM EDT (0019 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
..
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 10:30:18 -0500 (EST)
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: My View
Message-ID: <01I5QO2IL8CC000MXZ@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Mostafa:
I agree! I must have misinterpreted or misread your statement!
"Yangfa nyeh!"
Amadou
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 12:53:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu>
To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.93L.960610123426.11852A-100000@vanakam.cc.columbia.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hey Folks,
First some house business. Dr. Sallah is not available right now
to answer email messages. He has a vacation program on. What this
means is that all of his messages will be accumulating waiting for his
return. He has made his telephone number available; you can ask me
for it.
Secondly, Lang, what you will have to do is to scan the
constitution. The cost varies from place to place. If I remember
correctly, someone had volunteered to that for free. But I think the
quicker solution is to go to your comp. sci. dept. and scan it in. I am
willing to pay a percentage of the cost in relation to any other voluteers
in the list. When you scan it in, ask to scan it in ASCII and then in
your attachment field, include the file and then you can send it to the
list directly. Another solution is to send it to me so that I can correct
any kinks in the formatting and then send it to the list.
Heidi, welcome to the list. I think Lang said all that I wanted
to say. In addition, I think this debate points to the lawless nature of
military "governments" . Ordinarily, such questions are the purview of
the judiciary. But the irony, as Lang pointed out, is that the very
changes being debated are themselves illegal. It is a classical case of
no one being willing to say that the Emperor has no clothes. Maybe Jammeh
will just pass one of decrees and settle the question. The whole exercise
is a joke and only Jammeh will come out the winner.
I also think that it is interesting that Jammeh and his cohorts
are resorting to blatant tribalism. By gerrymandering the districts to
give Foni an ethnic advantage, he announces to the world what kind of
politics people should expect henceforth. I hope the Gambian people will
reject such ugly and destructive politics.
-Abdou.
*******************************************************************************
A. TOURAY.
(212) 749-7971
MY URL ON THE WWW= http://www.cc.columbia.edu/~at137
A FINITE IN A LAND OF INFINITY.
SEEKING BUT THE REACHABLE.
I WANDER AND I WONDER.
ALL RESPITE IS FINAL.
*******************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 11:15:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.92a.960610111154.21312A-100000@saul2.u.washington.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
My sister Sarian in California has volunteered to scan the document and
make it available to Gambia-l at no cost, if she can get hold of the
document.
Thanks
Tony
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 14:24:15 -0500 (EST)
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <01I5QW8L5TEY000R03@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Abdou,
I have only read excerpts of the draft constitution published by
local Gambian papers, but I share most of your concerns.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 14:26:29 -0500 (EST)
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <01I5QWBCAPZ8000R03@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Compatriots:
I have only read excerpts of the draft constitution published by local
Gambian papers, and I believe Jammeh and his group may be setting the
stage for their own overthrow.
My concerns:
(1) The Constitution was written with Jammeh in mind. It is designed
to suit his political aspirations.
(2) The document includes measures to effectively prevent Gambians abroad
from effectively participating in the political process through the use of
irrelevant and extended residency requirements.
(3) Limiting the term of the chief executive has had overwhelming support
in the country. Why is it left out?
(4) The preamble makes veiled references to three decades of misrule
under the PPP and the sacrifices of the AFPRC. That is not the place
for political propaganda. Such a preamble is likely to shorten the
life of the entire document.
(5) Why hold presidential elections well ahead of legislative polls?
Jammeh loses; Swiss bank accounts for AFPRC officials fatten in the
meantime; the president-elect faces constant harassment; or even the
legislative elections are postponed, further delaying the transition.
Jammeh wins; opportunists effectively rally to create a one-party
legislature--candidates compete for Jammeh's party's nominations.
(6) Who says that overthrowing Jammeh or whoever comes to power would
be a treasonable offense? If a coup succeeds, a new constitution comes
to force; also making it a treasonable offense to seize power. The AFPRC
could have launched an effective democratization process, but that
opportunity, I am afraid, has already been lost. It would not now be
difficult to justify the overthrow of the current regime or whatever it
transforms itself into.
(7) The tribal/ethnic gerrymandering (as already explained) should be a
matter of grave concern to all Gambians.
I have said enough!
Salaam!
Amadou Scattred-Janneh
------------------------------
Date: 10 Jun 1996 19:19:36 GMT
From: momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: West Africa-Economy
Message-ID: <1989214174.560561@inform-bbs.dk>
---forwarded mail START---
Date: 10/06/96 19:57
Subject: Fwd: WEST AFRICA-ECONOMY: Ready To Do Business
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Copyright 1996 Inter Press Service.
All rights reserved. Distribution via MISANET.
*** 07-Jun-96 ***
WEST AFRICA-ECONOMY: Ready To Do Business
by Melvis Dzisah
ABIDJAN, Jun 7 (IPS) - Agriculture has been the backbone of most
African economies, but what lies below the ground is a
whole new area of opportunity that governments are eagerly
inviting foreign investors to come in and exploit.
By and large, so far, the investors have been leery.
Mineral extraction is capital intensive, long term, and
mining companies need to be assured of the political and econ
omic stability of the countries in which they sink their money.
Cote d'Ivoire, in laying out its stall of an array of under-
exploited minerals to potential investors, is pointing to
its economic liberalisation programme -- which has won plaudits
from the Bretton Woods institutions -- as well as its r
ecord as one of the few trouble-free spots in West Africa.
''We have the mineral resources and political goodwill,
coupled with investment climates now, which should merit the
attentions of any serious investor,'' declared Ivoirian Prime
Minister, Daniel Kablan Duncan.
He was addressing potential partners attending a mining
sector investment forum in Abidjan this week and assured the
participants that Cote d'Ivoire meant business in creating an
enabling environment for investment to flourish.
The truth of the matter is though, despite some of the best
returns on investments in the world, out of 60 billion do
llars invested by the private sector in developing countries in
1993, only 700 million dollars (1.2 percent) came to Afr
ica, according to the World Bank.
''As private investors, we look out for four things before
putting our monies in; resources, political and economic s
tability and infrastructure,'' points out Turner Garven of
GENCOR, the South African-based mining giant.
GENCOR, which is exploring for gold and diamonds in Cote
d'Ivoire, is one of a number of South African mining compani
es who are however sampling West Africa's potential.
Anglo American and Randgold also have a strong presence in
the sub-region, buying mineral rights in Ghana, Guinea and
Mali.
Cash-crop dependent Cote d'Ivoire experienced years of
economic recession due in part to the over-valuation of the CF
A franc which discouraged foreign investment. A 50 percent
devaluation in 1994 of the CFA, the common currency of the se
ven sub-regional francophone countries, has boosted
competitiveness.
According to the African Development Bank's (AfDB) 1996
development report, the CFA zone registered the best economic
performance last year among all the regions of the continent
growing at 4.7 percent.
''The devaluation and economic liberalisation of early 1994
were clearly having a positive impact,'' noted the Abidja
n-based multinational development and financial institution.
Cote d'Ivoire's economy experienced the single highest growth
rate in the region in 1995 according to the AfDB at 6.8
percent of gross domestic product.
The government regards the minerals sector -- gold, diamonds,
manganese -- as a potentially lucrative area to cement
that growth and points out it is currently exploiting less than
one percent of its mineral reserves.
But it is not the only country in the sub-region blessed with
hidden wealth and an investor-friendly economic liberal
isation programme.
Invited to the investor forum this week were delegations from
the seven member West African Economic and Monetary Uni
on, which along with Cote d'Ivoire, includes Benin, Burkina
Faso, Mali and Niger. Each country, painfully aware of the l
ow levels of investment flows, was lobbying hard for prospective
partners to examine their particular list of goodies an
d incentives.
Ghana, the only anglophone country present at the meeting, is
a keen competitor with an established gold mining indus
try in addition to diamonds, manganese and bauxite. Its
delegation announced that apart from hard minerals, it had ide
ntified more than 850 million barrels of exploitable crude oil
reserves.
''As at now only one U.S. firm, Houston Oil Company, is
exploring for oil in the country. But we need more investment
to tap all these potentials,'' said a member of the delegation.
Mali, which has an abundance of gold pointed to its new
mineral laws in place offering rewards to foreign investors.
''We want our partners to study these laws, which are very
attractive,'' said Amadou Sanoussy Dafe, president of Mali
's mining firms.
''Africa is endowed with similar geological landmarks in
which exploitable minerals are found elsewhere. What is need
ed is the investment capital especially from the private
sector,'' notes Adrien Reynolds of Randgold.
The World Bank's Vice-President for Africa, Jean-Louis
Sarbib, attributed investor shyness to Africa's lingering imag
e of a continent in perpetual turmoil rather than a land of
opportunity.
''Investors have long memories and short visions, and the
image they have of Africa is children brandishing machine g
uns in conflict zones on the continent,'' he reminded
government officials at the forum.
What is overlooked is that governments have instituted
painful reform programmes, thrown their doors open to foreign
capital, and are still waiting for the returns.
(end/ips/md/oa/96)
*************************************************************
[c] 1996, Inter Press Third World News Agency (IPS)
All rights reserved
May not be reproduced, reprinted or posted to any system
or service outside of the MISANET without permission from
IPS or MISA. For more information, send a message to
<cohen@wmail.misanet.org> or <dlush@ingrid.misa.org.na>.
For information about print or broadcast reproduction, or
about IPS, send a message to <ipspdc@gn.apc.org>.
*************************************************************
---forwarded mail END---
Momodou Camara
--- OffRoad 1.9o registered to Momodou Camara
**************************************
Sent via Inform-BBS
-Denmark's leading alternative network
Information: info@inform-bbs.dk
**************************************
------------------------------
Date: 10 Jun 1996 20:49:26 GMT
From: momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: The murder of Abiola's wife
Message-ID: <613740510.884255@inform-bbs.dk>
---forwarded mail START---
From: Amnesty_International@io.org,Internet
To: Amnesty International
Date: 10/06/96 19:32
Subject:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This News Service is posted by the
International Secretariat of Amnesty International,
1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ
(Tel +44-71-413-5500, Fax +44-71-956-1157)
Sender: Amnesty_International@post.io.org
Precedence: bulk
AMNESTY-L:
********************
News
Service 104/96
AI INDEX: AFR 44/10/96
7 JUNE 1996
NIGERIA: THE MURDER OF KUDIRAT ABIOLA - A POLITICAL KILLING?
This week~s assassination of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, senior
wife of prisoner of conscience Moshood Abiola, may have been
a political killing carried out by government agents acting
with or without the knowledge of the authorities, Amnesty
International said today.
~It is imperative that the Nigerian government carries
out a thorough, prompt and impartial investigation with the
aim of bringing to justice those found to be responsible,~
the human rights organization said.
~Otherwise Kudirat Abiola~s death will reinforce
suspicions that the government has been involved in killing
its opponents unlawfully, whether or not there is ever
conclusive evidence.~
Amnesty International is demanding that any inquiry
into the killing satisfies the United Nations~ (UN) 1989
Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of
Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions
Kudirat Abiola and her driver were shot at point-blank
range by unknown assailants near her home in Lagos on 4 June
1996. She died later in hospital; the driver was reportedly
wounded. Police have denied reports that they detained a
personal assistant, Michael Adesina, who was unhurt in the
incident. The military head of state, General Sani Abacha,
expressed his condolences to the family, describing the
killing as the work of armed bandits. However, other reports
suggested that the killing was not motivated by robbery. The
police have announced an inquiry by a senior officer and
offered a reward for information.
Amnesty International fears that other government
critics may become victims of political killings by
government agents, under the cover of growing violent crime
in Nigeria. Many opposition leaders have had their homes
and property attacked since 1994, and some recent killings
also appear to have been politically-motivated
They include the murder by gunmen of Chief Alfred
Rewane, 79, a financial backer of the opposition National
Democratic Coalition, at his home in October 1995. In
February 1996 Alex Ibru, a former minister in General
Abacha~s government and publisher of the liberal Guardian
newspaper -- under government proscription in 1994 and 1995 -
- was shot and wounded; an unknown group later claimed they
carried out the shooting to protect the interests of the
predominantly northern military government
Kudirat Abiola was a persistent and courageous critic,
continuing to call for her husband's release despite constant
and vindictive harassment of her family and supporters by the
government. Moshood Abiola was the winner of the 1993
presidential elections whose annulment by the military
government has generated Nigeria~s most serious political and
human rights crisis in decades. He has been imprisoned since
June 1994 on treason charges.
Since October 1994 Kudirat Abiola had been refused all
access to Moshood Abiola; he has been held virtually
incommunicado and in poor health. No lawyer has been allowed
access to him since October 1995. The government has also
interfered in his case, ignoring court rulings in his favour.
Kudirat Abiola gave interviews on several occasions to
the foreign and Nigerian press in which she called for his
release and accused the government of destroying her family
financially. On 8 May 1996 the Lagos High Court acquitted
her of charges of conspiracy and making false statements.
She was charged again with these offences on 28 May 1996 and
the Lagos High Court ordered her release on bail to await
trial on 17 July.
Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian
government to demonstrate its willingness to implement the
human rights reforms which it promised the UN Secretary-
General in May 1996 by immediately and unconditionally
releasing Moshood Abiola.
~The political crisis in Nigeria cannot be resolved
while Moshood Abiola remains imprisoned and his release would
be a positive step towards restoring respect for human rights
in Nigeria,~ Amnesty International said.
ENDS/
**********
You may re-post this message onto other sources but if you do
then please tell us at AINS@GN.APC.ORG so that we can keep
track of what is happening to these items.
If you want more information concerning this item then please
contact the Amnesty International section office in your own
country. You may also send email to amnesty-info@igc.apc.org,
an automatic reply service. A list of section contact
details is posted on the APC <ai.news> conference. If there
is not a section of Amnesty International in your country
then you should contact the International Secretariat in
London.END
**********
---forwarded mail END---
--- OffRoad 1.9o registered to Momodou Camara
**************************************
Sent via Inform-BBS
-Denmark's leading alternative network
Information: info@inform-bbs.dk
**************************************
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 17:23:12 -0400 (EDT)
From: ABDOU <at137@columbia.edu>
To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.93L.960610165754.19339A-100000@ahnnyong.cc.columbia.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Hey Folks,
I just finised reading about three weeks' worth of Gambian
newspapers (the Observer and The Point). I also share Amadou's concerns.
The greatest concern I have is that the so-called draft
constitution does not allow people to run as presidential candidates if
they were "terminated or retired" from previous government service.
This, I believe, prevents all the viable politicians in The Gambia from
running.
This, coupled with other things I have read, indicates to me that
Jammeh will be around, elections or no elections, for a long time to come.
The "Jammeh forever" crowd seems to be getting their wish.
The observer also talked about the spate of armed robberies in the
country. The paper thought that the robberies were either the work of
soldiers or rebels from neighbouring countries. It urged the military to
stop the harrassment of foreigners; i.e the deportation foreigners
irrespective of their legal status.
The Point talked about a new Gambian phenomenon called "fural"
where young people gather in its words, "to partake in night-long feasting
and dancing" and to engage in sex. This appears to be very common in the
Greater Banjul area. Can anyone enlighten me on this ?
Bye for now,
-Abdou.
*******************************************************************************
A. TOURAY.
(212) 749-7971
MY URL ON THE WWW= http://www.cc.columbia.edu/~at137
A FINITE IN A LAND OF INFINITY.
SEEKING BUT THE REACHABLE.
I WANDER AND I WONDER.
ALL RESPITE IS FINAL.
*******************************************************************************
------------------------------
Date: 10 Jun 1996 16:21:40 -0500
From: "YaYa Jallow" <yaya.jallow@qm.sprintcorp.com>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <n1377698444.93757@qm.sprintcorp.com>
6/10/96
4:04 PM
RE>>constitution
Fellas,
It appears that the debate on the constitution is already picking up on the
list. Great except for those of us who have not seen the document yet are at
bay. So Tony I submit that you coordinate with your sister and have it scanned
on the list at earliest convenience.
Meanwhile, just reading some of the postings, I am particularly disturbed
with the ethnic meddling. Since I have not read the actual print yet, I will
pause till then. However, I am suggesting that Gambian members on this list
take a position on the constitution. I other words, once all of us have read
and vigorously debated on it, we should have an ad hoc voting on it and adopt
a statement that we may wish to communicate. Remember guys, we have got to
weigh in on this.
Adios and look forward to your feedback.
Yaya
------------------------------
Date: 6/10/96 1:59 PM
To: Jallow, YaYa
From: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Compatriots:
I have only read excerpts of the draft constitution published by local
Gambian papers, and I believe Jammeh and his group may be setting the
stage for their own overthrow.
My concerns:
(1) The Constitution was written with Jammeh in mind. It is designed
to suit his political aspirations.
(2) The document includes measures to effectively prevent Gambians abroad
from effectively participating in the political process through the use of
irrelevant and extended residency requirements.
(3) Limiting the term of the chief executive has had overwhelming support
in the country. Why is it left out?
(4) The preamble makes veiled references to three decades of misrule
under the PPP and the sacrifices of the AFPRC. That is not the place
for political propaganda. Such a preamble is likely to shorten the
life of the entire document.
(5) Why hold presidential elections well ahead of legislative polls?
Jammeh loses; Swiss bank accounts for AFPRC officials fatten in the
meantime; the president-elect faces constant harassment; or even the
legislative elections are postponed, further delaying the transition.
Jammeh wins; opportunists effectively rally to create a one-party
legislature--candidates compete for Jammeh's party's nominations.
(6) Who says that overthrowing Jammeh or whoever comes to power would
be a treasonable offense? If a coup succeeds, a new constitution comes
to force; also making it a treasonable offense to seize power. The AFPRC
could have launched an effective democratization process, but that
opportunity, I am afraid, has already been lost. It would not now be
difficult to justify the overthrow of the current regime or whatever it
transforms itself into.
(7) The tribal/ethnic gerrymandering (as already explained) should be a
matter of grave concern to all Gambians.
I have said enough!
Salaam!
Amadou Scattred-Janneh
------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------
Received: by qm.sprintcorp.com with SMTP;10 Jun 1996 13:55:30 -0500
Received: from lists3.u.washington.edu by dns.sprintcorp.com
(5.4R3.10/200.2.1.5)
id AA10247; Mon, 10 Jun 1996 13:57:13 -0500
Received: from lists.u.washington.edu by lists3.u.washington.edu
(5.65+UW96.04/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA27265;
Mon, 10 Jun 96 11:51:51 -0700
Received: from mx5.u.washington.edu by lists.u.washington.edu
(5.65+UW96.04/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA14326;
Mon, 10 Jun 96 11:51:34 -0700
Received: from PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US by mx5.u.washington.edu
(5.65+UW96.04/UW-NDC Revision: 2.33 ) id AA16590;
Mon, 10 Jun 96 11:51:32 -0700
Received: from PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US by PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US
(PMDF V5.0-4 #11457) id <01I5QW5OB81C000R03@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US> for
gambia-l@u.washington.edu; Mon, 10 Jun 1996 14:51:29 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <01I5QWBCAPZ8000R03@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 14:26:29 -0500 (EST)
Reply-To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Sender: GAMBIA-L-owner@u.washington.edu
Precedence: bulk
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: GAMBIA-L: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List
<gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: constitution
In-Reply-To: "Your message dated Mon, 10 Jun 1996 12:53:43 -0400 (EDT)"
<Pine.SUN.3.93L.960610123426.11852A-100000@vanakam.cc.columbia.edu>
References: <9606091727.AA15949@hpl.lut.ac.uk>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.0 -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 96 22:44:59 BST
From: L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <9606102145.AA15417@hpl.lut.ac.uk>
Hi Abdou,
Consider it done. Tommorrow i will try my best to do what you suggested.
Photocopying the document and posting it by ordinary mail would have cost me a
lot. But this brilliant suggestion of yours could work out cheap and maybe
very little cost involved which i could afford with my meagre stipend.
Amadou,
Your points are well put.Here is an addendum to your second point on residential
qualification. This will actually show you the absurdity of the document.
Chapter 7, Part 1, clause 89c: is refferred here. All aspirant MPs should have
resided in their respective constituencies for a length of time prior to the
elections. My view here is for most cases (outside of the few urban areas) it
will rule out good materials leaving the field open for only the lowest in
calibre, mainly school drop-outs, forced by circumstances to remain in the
local areas. The result will be a much lower calibre of MPs and a much lower
calibre parliament. Without being regionalist here, it will leave we provincial
chaps worst-off if you understand what i mean.
Or by the way, the new constitution has provided immunity for the soldiers.
Please refer to Schedule 2 clause 13 and 14. Read it together with Chapter 4,
part 1, clause 69.
It makes me wonder, did a real judge actually presided over the drafting of
this constitution?
As Ronald Reagan would have said, 'You'aint seen nothing yet'
Remember rejecting the new constitution could easily be interpreted by the
soldiers that Gambians don't want civilian rule. Think about the No Election
campaign from certain quarters then you will make sense of this scenario.
Peace.
Lang
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 15:00:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: "A. Loum" <tloum@u.washington.edu>
To: The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.92a.960610144635.7913C-100000@saul6.u.washington.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Similar to Yaya, it will be difficult to comment and take a position on
the constitution, not having read it yet. The comments seemed to have
justified my suspicions and fears that the entire process would be skewed
and
manipulated to benefit Jammeh and The AFPRC, which should come as no
susprise to anyone. Unfortunately, this has been the norm in our
continent where leaders in power would go to all means to consolidate
their positions while crushing opponents.
Regarding the scanning of the actual document to Gambia-l, my
address is listed after this message for anybody interested in sending me
the document and I will deliver it to my sister.
Thanks
Tony
========================================================================
Anthony W Loum tloum@u.washington.edu
Supervisor, Business Administration Library 206-543-4360 voice
100 Balmer Hall 206-685-9392 fax
University of Washington
Box 353200
Seattle, Wa.98195-3200
=========================================================================
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 18:26:20 -0500
From: mostafa jersey marong <mbmarong@students.wisc.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Nigeria and Abiola's Wif
Message-ID: <199606102326.SAA11402@audumla.students.wisc.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
DR Sallah, Thank you very very much. I adore the responsible, professional
manner you treated this issue.I am vindicated.MY GOOD FRIENDS TONY AND ABDOU
PLEASE TAKE NOTE.I NOW REST MY CASE.
Now let us all be aware that this list is composed of intelligent, educated
people only (Amadou, no I am not one of them).When we are 'saying'
anything, let us try as much as possible to put sentiments and emotions
away. Fact, just plain facts. When we do not know we should ask. Like the
way I asked TONY and ABDOU to help me learn my first steps in cyberspace.
They took me by the hand until I was able to 'walk' (and now even dared to
exchange 'punches' with them). LAUGH!(ain't life good)! ( again in the
spirit of a friendly,informed discourse).
Mostafa
Kaira Ning Haira
At 10:45 PM 6/7/96 +0000, you wrote:
>
> Compatriots,
>
> In response to the request by Mostafa, I wish to shed some
> light on the issue he raised concerning the Gambia government
> revenue situation.
>
> 80 percent of the Gambia's revenue coming from international
> aid appears to me quite high, and would mean almost universally a
> near totally aid dependent country. Based on the available time
> series data at this end, we have a different picture.
> International aid as a percentage of total revenues is high but
> not nearly as high as 80 percent. The historical trend of the
> share of international aid in total revenue is around 20%. It
> was highest in 1991/92 at about 24% and lowest in 1982/83 around
> 13%. Some clarification needs to be made, however, that
> international aid here means only grants to the government and
> does not include loans (bilateral and/or multilateral) to the
> government.
>
> I hope this answers your question. But if there is better
> data from someone on the ground in the Ministry of Finance in the
> Gambia, I shall welcome any correction.
>
> Best Wishes,
>
> Tijan M. Sallah
>
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996 19:02:45 -0500
From: mostafa jersey marong <mbmarong@students.wisc.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <199606110002.TAA40816@audumla.students.wisc.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Amadou, It cannot be put any better but I want to add a few things;
3) term limitations:Mr G. J. Roberts of the CRC revealed in the DAILY
OBSERVER (i dont know how to underline the name of the paper) issue of May
10 or May 17 (i do not have the paper with me right now so pardon me) that
the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) wrote a limit of two terms for any
future president in the draft.The AFPRC refused to accept that and no
mention of it is even made. Really this thing now looks like it is tailored
to suit Jammeh.
4) preamble: indeed that is not the place to talk about AFPRC sacrifices.
Jawara with all his 'crookedness' never insist that we mention the
sacrifices he made in the Independence Talks.
At 02:26 PM 6/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Compatriots:
>I have only read excerpts of the draft constitution published by local
>Gambian papers, and I believe Jammeh and his group may be setting the
>stage for their own overthrow.
>
>My concerns:
>(1) The Constitution was written with Jammeh in mind. It is designed
>to suit his political aspirations.
>(2) The document includes measures to effectively prevent Gambians abroad
>from effectively participating in the political process through the use of
>irrelevant and extended residency requirements.
>(3) Limiting the term of the chief executive has had overwhelming support
>in the country. Why is it left out?
>(4) The preamble makes veiled references to three decades of misrule
>under the PPP and the sacrifices of the AFPRC. That is not the place
>for political propaganda. Such a preamble is likely to shorten the
>life of the entire document.
>(5) Why hold presidential elections well ahead of legislative polls?
>Jammeh loses; Swiss bank accounts for AFPRC officials fatten in the
>meantime; the president-elect faces constant harassment; or even the
>legislative elections are postponed, further delaying the transition.
>Jammeh wins; opportunists effectively rally to create a one-party
>legislature--candidates compete for Jammeh's party's nominations.
>(6) Who says that overthrowing Jammeh or whoever comes to power would
>be a treasonable offense? If a coup succeeds, a new constitution comes
>to force; also making it a treasonable offense to seize power. The AFPRC
>could have launched an effective democratization process, but that
>opportunity, I am afraid, has already been lost. It would not now be
>difficult to justify the overthrow of the current regime or whatever it
>transforms itself into.
>(7) The tribal/ethnic gerrymandering (as already explained) should be a
>matter of grave concern to all Gambians.
>
>I have said enough!
>
>Salaam!
>Amadou Scattred-Janneh
>
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 15:12:39 -0500 (EST)
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: pan-africanism.html
Message-ID: <01I5SC7XGY4I000KQ9@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]
Peace and Reconciliation in Africa
A Preliminary Survey of Ecumenical Perspectives and Initiatives
PAN AFRICANISM: CONTINENTAL POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
It is now nearly one century since Henry Silvester Williams laid the
intellectual foundations of what later came to be known as the Pan
Africanist Movement. As an ideology, it took shape, initially, amongst
the African diaspora in the Caribbean region of the Americas and
eventually attracted a train of articulate intellectuals and
ideologues. Names such as Du Bois, Garvey, Padmore, James, and later
in Africa, Kenyatta of Kenya, Nkrumah of Ghana, Sobukwe of South
Africa, Makonnen of Ethiopia and Nyerere of Tanzania were associated
with the movement. Beginning in l900, the Pan Africanist Movement
organized a series of Congresses which effectively led the way toward
the political independence of Africa in the l960s and beyond. While
only the last of these conferences was held on African soil, the
founding in l963 of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) gave
embryonic institutional form to the original Pan Africanist vision.
Pan-Africanism was premised on the understanding that the
emancipation, development and prosperity of African peoples everywhere
could only be achieved by an appeal to the African sense of
"wholeness". Latter day Pan Africanists note that Africa's potential
for unity is even today frustrated by the colonial legacy. Examples
are myriad and pronounced; since the l960s, the Somali people have
been living in five different nation states; the Bari-speaking people
of Sudan spill over into several neighboring states while the Herero
people of southern Africa are found in multiple countries--across the
continent, the list could be extended indefinitely. Moreover,
advocates of Pan Africanism insist that African cohesion could
successfully be premised upon an embrace of the Africa's language
aggregates. How, they ask, can Africa move forward on the basis of
adopted imperial languages?[3]
If the Pan-Africanist vision left troubling questions in its wake, it
must nevertheless be conceded that the whole of the political
independence saga is to a significant extent a fulfillment of that
original vision, however partial or truncated. Indeed, the
Pan-Africanist project has unfolded in dramatic sequence with the
largest number of African countries achieving their political
independence in the l960s; in the mid-l970s it was the turn of the
former Portuguese colonies; Zimbabwe's statehood in l980; Namibian
independence in l990 and today it is South Africa undergoing radical
change toward more equitable forms of governance.
By any comparison, the Pan Africanist Movement proffered a remarkable
vision. No other continental vision has been so carefully planned and
so successfully executed. Both the AACC and the Organization of
African Unity are in some sense heirs to the Pan Africanist vision;
but both are now challenged by events in the world and in Africa to
imagine continental visions commensurate with the demands of the
times.
_________________________________________________________________
[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]
_________________________________________________________________
Return to the top of this document.
Return to the Table of Contents.
Return to the Occasional Papers index.
Return to the Mennonite Central Committee home page.
_________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
Date: 12 Jun 96 09:51:54 EDT
From: SANKUNG SAWO <101573.1703@CompuServe.COM>
To: L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
Cc: "\"GAMBIA-L: The Gambia an" <GAMBIA-L@U.WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <960612135154_101573.1703_IHK94-2@CompuServe.COM>
Boyo,
do you mean that you have an electronic copy of the constitution? Otherwise you
have to scan the book and convert it into text using an OCR software. Then to
post it on G-L you must compress it, say with pkzip or use Unix zipping tool in
your system, and then send as an attachment; please do not forget to include a
description of the file so that recepients would know how to process it.
If you have it as an html page then you may consult your local experts.
Thanks
sankung
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 96 15:07:26 BST
From: L Konteh <L.Konteh-95@student.lut.ac.uk>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <9606121407.AA21353@hpl.lut.ac.uk>
Boyo,
No, i don't have an electronic copy of the constitution. I tried to scan it
here but i ran into a small difficulty. I was asked whether it was my original
work or have permission for copyright. In the end they came up with a stupid excuse and
refuse. You know a University with caution . What i did was to post a copy
to Seedy NY, Abdou can get a copy from him and scan it so
that we all can have it on G-L.
Lang
> Boyo,
>
> do you mean that you have an electronic copy of the constitution? Otherwise you
> have to scan the book and convert it into text using an OCR software. Then to
> post it on G-L you must compress it, say with pkzip or use Unix zipping tool in
> your system, and then send as an attachment; please do not forget to include a
> description of the file so that recepients would know how to process it.
>
> If you have it as an html page then you may consult your local experts.
>
> Thanks
> sankung
>
>
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 11:38:28 -0500 (EST)
From: Amadou Scattred Janneh <AJANNEH@pstcc.cc.tn.us>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: 96F11055.html
Message-ID: <01I5TJ0QF9AA000QHU@PSTCC6.PSTCC.CC.TN.US>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/html
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
Panafrican News Agency
News Stories | Environment | Economics | Science and Health | Sports |
Africa Press Review
Copyright 1996 Panafrican News Agency and Africa News Service. All rights
reserved.
Material may not be redistributed, posted to any other location,
published or used for broadcast without written authorization from the
Panafrican News Agency. B.P. 4056, Dakar, Senegal.
Tel: (221) 24-13-95 | Fax: (221) 24-13-90 | E-mail:
quoiset@sonatel.senet.net
11 JUN 96 - AFRICA-LIBERIA
Gambians, Malians and Senegalese Flee Liberia
DAKAR, Senegal (PANA) - Ninety Senegalese nationals, 77 Malians and 43
Gambians arrived at the port of Dakar Tuesday after fleeing
strife-torn Liberia.
They returned on board Le Joola, a Senegalese government vessel which
usually operates a coastal service between Dakar and the largest town
in southern Senegal, Ziguinchor.
A government official on board the ship said some 50 Senegalese
nationals had opted to remain in Liberia, in spite of continued
fighting in Monrovia, the Liberian capital. He said others had left
the country before the repatriation.
Some men had sent back their families while staying on to continue
with their businesses.
A few cases of malaria were diagnosed during the trip although they
were quickly treated by the medical team of two doctors and three
nurses on board.
The Malians are to return to their country by train and the Gambians
on two buses.
_________________________________________________________________
AFRICA NEWS Home Page | AFRICA NEWS CENTRAL | The Nando Times
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 13:38:06 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: NIGERIA/PROTEST
Message-ID: <12JUN96.14726120.0017.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/12/96
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 14:17:47 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: NIGERIA / PROTEST
Message-ID: <12JUN96.15440315.0061.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/12/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-198589
TITLE=NIGERIA / PROTEST (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: HEAVY RAINS AND HEIGHTENED SECURITY IN NIGERIA'S LARGEST
CITY, LAGOS, APPEAR TO HAVE DETERRED OPPOSITION PLANS TO HOLD
PROTESTS MARKING THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANNULLED
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THAT WOULD HAVE RESTORED CIVILIAN RULE IN
THE COUNTRY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM
OUR WEST AFRICA BUREAU.
TEXT: BY MID-AFTERNOON, RESIDENTS IN LAGOS SAID THEY HAD SEEN NO
SIGNS OF DEMONSTRATIONS PROMISED BY THE OPPOSITION "CAMPAIGN FOR
DEMOCRACY". SCHOOLS, BANKS, AND OTHER BUSINESSES WERE OPEN
DESPITE OPPOSITION CALLS TO REMAIN CLOSED.
TRAFFIC, NORMALLY CONGESTED IN THE HEAVILY-POPULATED CITY, WAS
WORSENED BY FLOODING FROM DAYS OF TORRENTIAL RAINS. RESIDENTS
SAID ANY KIND OF STREET DEMONSTRATIONS WOULD BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE
OF THE FLOODING.
MEANWHILE, POLICE IN ARMORED VEHICLES DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT LAGOS
TO PREVENT ANY PROTESTS. RESIDENTS SAID THE POLICE AND MILITARY
PRESENCE WAS ESPECIALLY HEAVY IN STRONGHOLDS OF OPPOSITION LEADER
MOSHOOD ABIOLA.
MR. ABIOLA WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE WON THE JUNE 12TH, 1993
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AND HAS BEEN JAILED FOR TWO-YEARS AFTER
PROCLAIMING HIMSELF PRESIDENT IN DEFIANCE OF THE MILITARY.
MR. ABIOLA'S SUPPORTERS AND OPPOSITION GROUPS HAD PLANNED TO USE
WEDNESDAY TO PROTEST THE ABORTED ELECTION AND ALSO TO CONDEMN THE
SLAYING JUNE FOURTH OF THE JAILED OPPOSITION LEADER'S WIFE,
KUDIRAT ABIOLA. HER MURDER HAS BEEN WIDELY SEEN AS POLITICALLY
MOTIVATED BECAUSE OF HER OUTSPOKEN CAMPAIGN FOR THE RELEASE OF
HER HUSBAND.
BUT, POLICE TUESDAY ANNOUNCED A BAN ON ALL DEMONSTRATIONS, AND
STATE-RUN RADIO WEDNESDAY BROADCAST APPEALS FOR NIGERIANS TO
IGNORE PROTEST CALLS.
MEANWHILE, THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC COALITION LAUNCHED
CLANDESTINE RADIO BROADCASTS WEDNESDAY TO KEEP ITS STRUGGLE WITH
THE MILITARY ALIVE. SPEAKING ON "RADIO DEMOCRAT INTERNATIONAL
NIGERIA", EXILED OPPOSITION-LEADER ANTHONY ENAHORO CALLED FOR AN
INTERNATIONAL OIL EMBARGO AGAINST NIGERIA TO FORCE THE MILITARY
TO HAND OVER POWER TO AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT.
NIGERIA HAS BEEN IN CRISIS SINCE THE ARMY ANNULLED THE ELECTIONS
IN 1993 THAT WOULD HAVE RESTORED CIVILIAN RULE TO THE COUNTRY.
MILITARY-RULER GENERAL SANI ABACHA HAS PROMISED TO HOLD NEW
ELECTIONS BY 1998, ACCORDING TO A TIMETABLE HE ANNOUNCED LAST
OCTOBER. SO FAR, HIS GOVERNMENT HAS STUCK TO ITS TIMETABLE. BUT
CRITICS SAY THE CLIMATE OF POLITICAL OPPRESSION HAS CONTINUED.
/// REST OPT ///
NEWS PUBLICATIONS CONTINUE TO FACE POSSIBLE CENSURE BY THE
MILITARY GOVERNMENT. OPPOSITION GROUPS HAVE BEEN OUTLAWED AND
THEIR LEADERS FORCED INTO EXILE. LAST NOVEMBER, THE GOVERNMENT
SANCTIONED THE EXECUTION OF NINE MINORITY-RIGHTS ACTIVISTS,
INCLUDED RENOWNED AUTHOR KEN SARO-WIWA, ACCUSED OF ORDERING THE
MURDER IN 1994 OF FOUR PRO-GOVERNMENT POLITICIANS. THE
EXECUTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT DESPITE INTERNATIONAL APPEALS FOR
AMNESTY.
GENERAL ABACHA HAS REJECTED INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO FREE
POLITICAL PRISONERS AND RETURN NIGERIA TO CIVILIAN RULE, SAYING
HE WILL STAY IN POWER UNTIL OCTOBER 1998.
TWO-YEARS AGO, OPPOSITION GROUPS LAUNCHED A CRIPPLING OIL AND GAS
STRIKE AROUND THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANNULLED ELECTION TO DEMAND
MR. ABIOLA'S RELEASE AND THE IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION OF THE
ELECTION RESULTS.
OPPOSITION LEADERS CALLED FOR NIGERIANS TO PROTEST DURING LAST
YEAR'S ANNIVERSARY, BUT THE DEMONSTRATIONS WERE STIFLED, IN PART,
BECAUSE OF HEIGHTENED SECURITY AND RAINS. (SIGNED)
NEB/WPM/JWH/RAE
12-Jun-96 9:40 AM EDT (1340 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
..
------------------------------
Date: 13 Jun 1996 15:00:00 GMT
From: momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd:
Message-ID: <7358.447755@inform-bbs.dk>
Forwarded by Momodou Camara.
---forwarded mail START---
From: Amnesty_International@io.org,Internet
To: Amnesty International
Date: 12/06/96 19:58
Subject:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This News Service is posted by the
International Secretariat of Amnesty International,
1 Easton Street, London WC1X 8DJ
(Tel +44-71-413-5500, Fax +44-71-956-1157)
Sender: Amnesty_International@post.io.org
Precedence: bulk
AMNESTY-L:
********************
News Service 105
FOR RELEASE 1400 HRS GMT 12 JUNE 1996
AI INDEX: AMR 51/48/06
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: ELECTRO-SHOCK STUN BELTS -- TORTURE
AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON
The introduction of a remote controlled electro-shock stun
belt for use on prisoners in the United States of America
(USA) appears designed to degrade and could be used to
torture detainees, Amnesty International said today as it
called on the US government to ban the use and export of the
belt.
~This belt could allow prisoners to be tortured at the
push of a button,~ Amnesty International said. ~Not only has
this belt been activated accidentally as many times as on
purpose, but there is a real possibility that it can be
misused by officials to deliberately inflict pain,
intimidate, humiliate and degrade prisoners.~
The Remote Electronically Activated Control Technology
(REACT) belt inflicts a powerful electric current through the
wearer~s left kidney which then passes through the victim~s
blood and entire nervous system. The shock causes severe pain
rising during the eight seconds and instant incapacitation in
the first few seconds.
The REACT belt has been proposed for use on prisoners
working in chain gangs in Wisconsin, and is now increasingly
being used on prisoners during judicial hearings. Both of
these uses are in direct contravention of international
standards on the treatment of prisoners, the human rights
organization said.
~Given the willingness of US companies and the US
government to approve the sale of electro-shock technology to
other states where there is clear evidence of the use of this
type of equipment to torture prisoners, we are also extremely
concerned that these belts will now fall into the hands of
torturers,~ the organization added.
Literature distributed by the belt~s manufacturers
clearly indicates how using the belt can result in cruel,
inhumane and degrading treatment: ~After all, if you were
wearing a contraption around your waist that by the mere push
of a button in someone else's hand, could make you defecate
or urinate yourself, what would you do from the psychological
standpoint?~
Wearers are warned that the belt could be activated,
from a distance of up to 300 metres, after ~any outburst or
quick movement ... any tampering with the belt ... failure to
comply with a verbal command for movement of your person ...
[and] any loss of visual contact by the officer in charge~.
So far, neither the manufacturers nor the users of the
belts have conducted strictly independent medical studies of
effects on humans of the belts. In fact, the company cites a
doctor in Nebraska who stated that he tested the company~s
devices on anaesthetized pigs and they are therefore safe to
use on people ~under circumstances of proper usage~.
Data from other electro-shock weapons indicate that the
high pulse 50,000 volt shocks lasting eight seconds at a time
could result in longer term physical and mental injuries.
Although the belt is described as non-lethal, other similar
electro-shock weapons used by law enforcement officers in the
USA, such as the ~taser~ gun have contributed to deaths.
Despite this, it is reported that the US Bureau of
Prisons, as well as the US Marshals~ service and more than
100 county agencies have obtained belts, as well as sixteen
state correctional agencies including Alaska, California,
Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Ohio and
Washington.
Amnesty International~s report cites examples of
prisoners appearing in US courts wearing such belts which
have been activated, including:
~ November 1993: Edward Valdez was incapacitated in front
of waiting jurors after he left the courtroom -- ~he
screamed and crashed into the wall and fell down, and
was out for about a minute...~ -- said the California
prosecutor.
~ November 1994: it was reported that a police officer
had activated a belt worn by a defendant charged with
murder, from outside a courtroom in Florida.
~ December 1994: defendant Bruce Sons was accidentally
incapacitated by the belt while talking to his defence
attorney during a break in a pre-trial hearing in
California.
~ April 1995: James Oswald, a defendant in Wisconsin, was
made to wear a stunbelt and shackles despite appearing
in court in a wheelchair. Oswald claimed he was stunned
twice and his attorney claimed that the belt was part
of an attempt by police to torture his client.
Amnesty International is calling on the US government to
immediately establish a full, independent and impartial
inquiry into the use of stun belts other electro-shock
weapons, and to immediately suspend their use until
independent medical evidence can clearly demonstrate that
their use will not contribute to deaths in custody, torture
or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The organization is also calling on the US government
to halt the transfer of electro-shock stun technology to
governments where there is clear evidence of electro-shock
torture -- such as China, the Lebanon, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Venezuela and Zaire. It is reported that in the Netherlands,
Scandinavian countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
electro-shock weapons other than cattle prods are treated as
prohibited weapons.
ENDS.../
**********
You may re-post this message onto other sources but if you do
then please tell us at AINS@GN.APC.ORG so that we can keep
track of what is happening to these items.
If you want more information concerning this item then please
contact the Amnesty International section office in your own
country. You may also send email to amnesty-info@igc.apc.org,
an automatic reply service. A list of section contact
details is posted on the APC <ai.news> conference. If there
is not a section of Amnesty International in your country
then you should contact the International Secretariat in
London.END
**********
---forwarded mail END---
--- OffRoad 1.9o registered to Momodou Camara
**************************************
Sent via Inform-BBS
-Denmark's leading alternative network
Information: info@inform-bbs.dk
**************************************
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 11:49:47 -0700 (PDT)
From: Oumar Ndongo <ondongo@benfranklin.hnet.uci.edu>
To: Gambia-L@u.washington.edu
Subject: Study project
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.960613110448.2692A-100000@benfranklin.hnet.uci.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Dear friends,
I am informing those who may be interested that a group of
Senegalese scholars is initiating a projet to make an in-depth
examination of "the Military and Politics in Democratic Regimes".The
Group is open to other nationalities and expect to overcome language
barriers to integrate different inputs and experiences across the African
continent or the West African sub-region.As probably the assigned
coordinator of this Group called "Progres et Democratie", I am interested
in finding resource persons or anybody interested in joining the group,to
help set orientations and basic bibliography.
The project seeks to go beyond the nuts and bolts of militarism
by mapping up the "military coup "phenomenon in the region and the
context of our democratic institutions.The Group will try not only to
explain but also to define a political and judicial space within which,our
Armies should be confined to best accomplish their fundamental missions
as well as their contributions to strengthening democratic values.The
reflection will be publicized to influence positively current
trends.Outreach methodologies will be examined to ensure practical
implementation of measures taken.Close contacts with military
institutions will be favored to foster understanding the issues from
within without compromise with regard to democratic imperatives.
I will be pleased to receive remarks ,support and bibliographical
references.I would appreciate documents found on the topic to be sent to
me to the following address:
Dr Oumar Ndongo
43, Smokestone( Woodbridge)
Irvine,CA 92714(USA)
My expected date of return is the first week of September, with God's Grace.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 15:41:04 -0400
From: Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: constitution
Message-ID: <199606131941.PAA24650@auc.edu>
Greetings:
I am back. To say that I have been busy would be an understatement. The Gambian
July Reunion, the Conference, Celebrate Africa Festival, along with my
teaching load for the summer are just some of the reasons. However, I take full
responsibility for not posting the Draft Constitution (Please take note of the`
word "Draft") as promised. I still do not have the time to scan more than 100
pages ASAP, so I will mail Tony a copy (priority mail) first thing tomorrow
morning for her sister to put on the net.
I will put the July Reunion Program on the net tomorrow too. The Conference is still on. As for the ALD one, (which incidentally was a successful one and lasted for six and a half hours!), I would appreciate it if Siga, Tijan, Sulayman,
Mbaye or Soffie could give their impressions of the conference to the group. I
gather that Ous Mbenga is back in the country (he recorded the entire
conference), perhaps those in D.C. could work on a transcript of the proceedings...
I must leave now to pick up the "Reunion" Program.
LatJor
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 15:56:42 -0400
From: Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: new members
Message-ID: <199606131956.PAA24691@auc.edu>
Before I leave, I have just added three more names to the list: Baboucarr
Sillah (Atlanta), Francis Njie (Chicago) and Nyang Daddy Njie (who is back
with us. Now from New York). The intros from the first two will be coming
shortly.
Welcome guys.
Latjor
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 17:00:29 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: VOA NEWS
Message-ID: <13JUN96.18368892.0188.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/13/96
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-33552
TITLE=AFRICA DEVELOPMENT
BYLINE=GIL WEINREICH
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ACADEMICS, POLICYMAKERS AND POLITICIANS CAME TOGETHER
THIS WEEK IN WASHINGTON TO EXCHANGE MANY THEORIES ABOUT HOW TO
FOSTER ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA. AFTER A
TWO-DAY CONFERENCE V-O-A'S GIL WEINREICH REPORTS NO EASY
SOLUTIONS WERE UNVEILED.
TEXT: THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN DEALING
WITH THE CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORM. BENIN'S
FORMER PRESIDENT, NICEPHORE SOGLO, LED HIS COUNTRY FOR FIVE YEARS
AS ITS FIRST DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT AFTER 17 YEARS OF
MARXIST DICTATORSHIP.
AN ECONOMIST BY TRAINING, MR. SOGLO REVERSED HIS COUNTRY'S SEVERE
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND BY THE TIME HE LEFT OFFICE THE COUNTRY
HAD A SIX PERCENT ANNUAL GROWTH RATE -- UP FROM NEGATIVE THREE
PERCENT WHEN HE TOOK POWER IN 1989. DESPITE WHAT SOME MIGHT
CONSIDER TO BE AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD IN OFFICE, MR. SOGLO WAS
DEFEATED IN APRIL ELECTIONS. HIS SUCCESSOR IS MATHIEU KEREKOU --
THE FORMER MARXIST DICTATOR HE OUSTED AT THE POLLS IN 1989.
BENIN WAS ONCE THE DARLING OF INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AS AN
EXAMPLE OF DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT SOME FEAR THE COUNTRY
RISKS TURNING BACK TOWARD AUTOCRATIC RULE AND ECONOMIC
STAGNATION.
HOWEVER, FORMER PRESIDENT SOGLO SAYS HIS COUNTRY'S PEACEFUL
TRANSFER OF POWER SHOWS DEMOCRACY IS WORKING:
// SOGLO ACT //
WE MAY NOT ALWAYS LIKE THE RESULTS, BUT WE MUST
RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT ELECTIONS ARE BEING HELD AND
POWER IS BEING PEACEFULLY TRANSFERRED.
// END ACT //
MR. SOGLO SEES HIS NEW ROLE AS LEADER OF HIS COUNTRY'S LOYAL
OPPOSITION AS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE STRENGTHENING OF
DEMOCRATIC RULE IN BENIN. NEVERTHELESS, THE FORMER PRESIDENT
CITED AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES WITH SUCCESSFUL ECONOMIES IN ASIA AND
LATIN AMERICA AS EVIDENCE THAT DEMOCRACY IS NOT NECESSARY TO
BRING ABOUT SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH. STILL, HE BELIEVES THAT
HAVING A POPULARLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IS HELPFUL TO LEADERS WHO
MUST ASK CITIZENS TO ENDURE SACRIFICES.
IF DEMOCRACY IS NOT AN IMPEDIMENT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOME
WOULD SAY REGIONAL INSTABILITY IS. ANOTHER CONFERENCE
PARTICIPANT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE MOOSE, SAYS
CONFLICT IN AFRICA HAS BEEN A REAL OBSTACLE TO DEVELOPMENT.
// MOOSE ACT //
AS PRESIDENT SOGLO WELL KNOWS, YOU CAN BE DOING GREAT AT
HOME, BUT IF YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE IS ON FIRE, IT'S
GOING TO BE AWFULLY HARD TO ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY TO COME
IN AND INVEST IN YOUR ECONOMY.
// END ACT //
THE U-S DIPLOMAT CITED LIBERIA AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FIRE THAT
WEST AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE HAVE TRIED HARD TO PUT OUT FEARING
FACTIONAL VIOLENCE WILL SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS ALSO DISCUSSED THE ROLE OF OUTSIDE FORCES
IN SHAPING AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS. THERE WAS MUCH TALK
ABOUT AID, AND HOW ITS DELIVERY COULD BE IMPROVED; AND TRADE, AND
HOW IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED.
U-S CONGRESSMAN JIM MCDERMOTT HAS SPEARHEADED AN INITIATIVE TO
OPEN UP U-S-AFRICA TRADE. HIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION CALLS FOR
LIFTING QUOTAS ON AFRICAN-MADE TEXTILES AND APPAREL AND THE START
OF NEGOTIATIONS TO FORM A U-S AFRICA FREE TRADE AREA. MR.
MCDERMOTT SAYS SIMILAR APPROACHES WERE HELPFUL IN ACCELERATING
GROWTH IN ASIA IN THE 1950'S. BESIDES BEING BENEFICIAL TO
AFRICA, HE ALSO BELIEVES AN APPROACH FOCUSSED ON TRADE IS
REALISTIC.
// MCDERMOTT ACT //
THE MONEY FOR AID TO AFRICA IS NOT GOING TO INCREASE.
IT IS ONLY GOING TO GO DOWN. NOBODY IN HIS RIGHT MIND
LOOKING AT THE CONGRESS THINKS IT'S GOING TO GO UP. SO,
IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW DO WE MOST EFFECTIVELY USE THE
MONEY AND OUR EFFORT AND HOW DO WE SEND A MESSAGE ABOUT
OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD AFRICA.
// END ACT //
CONGRESSMAN MCDERMOTT'S MESSAGE IS THAT REAL, LASTING CHANGE WILL
COME WHEN AFRICA MAKES THE NECESSARY ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL
REFORMS THAT SUPPORT PRIVATE SECTOR GROWTH. HE SAYS THE UNITED
STATES CAN HELP BY EXPANDING AFRICA'S ACCESS TO U-S MARKETS,
TECHNOLOGY, MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE AND CAPITAL. (SIGNED)
NEB/GW/CF
13-Jun-96 10:40 AM EDT (1440 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
..
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 17:00:37 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: VOA NEWS
Message-ID: <13JUN96.18371355.0188.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/13/96
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 17:00:45 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: VOA NEWS
Message-ID: <13JUN96.18373598.0188.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
TYPE=ON THE LINE
NUMBER=1-00435
TITLE=THE UNITED STATES AND NIGERIA
EDITOR=OFFICE OF POLICY - 619-0037
CONTENT=
THEME: UP, HOLD UNDER AND FADE
ANNCR: ON THE LINE -- A DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES
POLICIES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.
THIS WEEK, "THE UNITED STATES AND NIGERIA."
HERE IS YOUR HOST, ROBERT REILLY.
HOST: HELLO AND WELCOME TO ON THE LINE.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN NIGERIA CONTINUES
TO DETERIORATE. OPPOSITION LEADERS HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED. JOURNALISTS AND PUBLISHERS HAVE BEEN
HARASSED. HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN
DETAINED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS. CHIEF MOSHOOD
ABIOLA, THE PRESUMED WINNER OF THE 1993
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, REMAINS IN PRISON, AS
DOES FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO. AND
EARLIER THIS MONTH, CHIEF ABIOLA'S WIFE WAS
MURDERED BY UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN IN THE STREETS
OF LAGOS. AS U.S. UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE
PETER TARNOFF SAID, "THE SITUATION IN NIGERIA IS
BECOMING INCREASINGLY SERIOUS."
JOINING ME TODAY TO DISCUSS NIGERIA AND U.S.
POLICY IS JOHN SHATTUCK, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR.
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.
YOU WERE RECENTLY IN NIGERIA, MR. SHATTUCK.
WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER DURING THIS TRIP THAT
CONFIRMED WHAT YOU PUT IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS
REPORT ABOUT THE DETERIORATING SITUATION?
SHATTUCK: NIGERIA IS A COUNTRY IN SERIOUS CRISIS IN TERMS
OF BOTH DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THREE YEARS
AGO, THERE WAS AN ELECTION AND IT WAS GENERALLY
REGARDED AS FREE AND FAIR. AND IT WAS THOUGHT
THAT MR. ABIOLA, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, HAD WON
THE ELECTION. BUT SOON THEREAFTER, A MILITARY
GROUP CAME AND INVALIDATED THE ELECTION AND,
BASICALLY, TOOK CHARGE OF THE GOVERNMENT, SAYING
THAT NIGERIA WAS NOT READY FOR DEMOCRACY. AND
THE RESULT IS THAT OVER THREE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN
A STEADY DETERIORATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. WE'VE
SEEN SECRET TRIALS. WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE ARRESTED,
DETAINED WITHOUT CHARGE. WE'VE SEEN GROUPS IN
OPPOSITION WHO HAVE BEEN BASICALLY DECAPITATED,
IN TERMS OF HAVING THEIR LEADERS THROWN IN JAIL.
WE'VE SEEN JOURNALISTS CONSTANTLY HARASSED AND,
IN MANY CASES, PUT IN JAIL FOR WRITING THINGS
ABOUT DEMOCRACY. BUT, MOST TRAGICALLY, WE'VE
SEEN THAT DEMOCRACY ITSELF, IN THE FORM OF AN
ELECTION WHICH WAS WIDELY REGARDED AS FREE AND
FAIR, WAS TRAMPLED UPON.
HOST: WHAT ABOUT THE CONTENTION OF THE MILITARY JUNTA
THAT NIGERIA IS NOT READY FOR DEMOCRACY, IN
TERMS OF THE HISTORY OF NIGERIA. FROM A
HORRIBLE CIVIL WAR THIRTY YEARS AGO TO A
SUCCESSION OF FIVE MILITARY DICTATORSHIPS, ARE
THE SEEDS OF DEMOCRACY FIRMLY ENOUGH ROOTED IN
NIGERIA THAT YOU THINK IT'S AT THE STAGE WHERE
DEMOCRACY CAN TAKE ROOT?
SHATTUCK: WELL, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, THE '93 ELECTION
SPEAKS FOR ITSELF: THE FACT THAT IT WAS WIDELY
REGARDED AS FREE AND FAIR AND THE PEOPLE
PARTICIPATED IN IT. BUT, BEYOND THAT, NIGERIA
IS SUCH A WONDERFUL COUNTRY IN TERMS OF THE
VIBRANCY OF ITS CIVIL SOCIETY, THE VERY STRONG
HISTORY THAT IT HAS OF A RELATIVELY FREE PRESS,
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, DEMOCRACY-HUMAN
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS. YES, IT'S ETHNICALLY VERY
DIVERSE AND VERY LARGE. AND POTENTIALLY A
TREMENDOUS PLAYER ON THE WORLD STAGE, IN TERMS
OF ITS REGIONAL AND EVEN INTERNATIONAL
IMPORTANCE. BUT TO HAVE MILITARY LEADERS COME
IN AND BASICALLY MAKE A DECISION CONTRARY TO THE
POPULAR WILL IS JUST A FUNDAMENTAL DENIAL OF
EVERYTHING THAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD STAND FOR.
HOST: WELL, THE MILITARY RULERS ARE CALLING THEMSELVES
THE "PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL." HOW
PROVISIONAL ARE THEY?
SHATTUCK: WELL, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THEY ARE THE
RULING COUNCIL. AND, INDEED, THEY'VE ISSUED
DECREES WHICH ARE NOT CHALLENGEABLE IN ANY
CIVILIAN COURT, WHICH IS ANOTHER WAY IN WHICH, I
THINK, THE MILITARY IS TRYING TO IMPOSE ITS WILL
ON BASIC CIVILIAN SOCIETY IN NIGERIA. I THINK
THERE IS A TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY THAT THE
MILITARY CLAIMS IS UNDERWAY. IT IS VERY SLOW,
AND IT IS ALSO MUCH TOO LONG A SCHEDULE. AND,
IN OUR VIEW, DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE REESTABLISHED
VERY, VERY SOON. ELECTIONS SHOULD BE HELD. AND
THE MILITARY SHOULD MAKE WAY FOR THE WILL OF THE
PEOPLE.
HOST: I BELIEVE THAT THE TARGET DATE THAT THE JUNTA
HAS SET FOR THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY IS
OCTOBER 1ST, 1998. AND, PURPORTEDLY, THEY HAVE
A SERIES OF ACTIONS THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE TO
REACH THAT GOAL. ARE THEY TAKING THOSE ACTIONS?
ARE YOU TAKING THEM SERIOUSLY?
SHATTUCK: WELL, THEY'VE TAKEN SEVERAL ACTIONS, BUT I'M
AFRAID THE ACTIONS SPEAK IN TWO DIRECTIONS AT
ONCE. THERE WERE ELECTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE,
NON-PARTY ELECTIONS -- THAT IS, NO POLITICAL
ACTIVITY AROUND THOSE ELECTIONS -- IN MARCH FOR
LOCAL OFFICES. BUT, MANY OF THE CANDIDATES WERE
INVALIDATED BY THE MILITARY, IN THAT THEY WERE
SEEN NOT TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE MILITARY
REGIME. AND SOME OF THE CANDIDATES WHO WERE
ELECTED, WHO HAD BEEN SELECTED AS ACCEPTABLE,
WERE LATER DETERMINED NOT TO BE APPROPRIATE TO
TAKE OFFICE. THAT DOES NOT SEND A VERY GOOD
SIGNAL.
HOST: WHY WOULD THIS MILITARY JUNTA OVERRULE A
GENERALLY DEMOCRATIC ELECTION, AND THEN TURN
AROUND AND SAY, "WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF
RESTORING DEMOCRACY." THREE YEARS LATER?
SHATTUCK: WELL, I THINK THE CONCERN ABOUT STABILITY IS
CERTAINLY THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN ASSERTED BY THE
MILITARY -- AND THE NEED TO STABILIZE THE
COUNTRY. BUT, THE TRAGEDY IS THAT, BY
REPRESSING THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE, AND THROWING
MANY IN JAIL WHO WERE ENGAGED IN LEGITIMATE
POLITICAL ACTIVITY, THERE IS EVEN GREATER
INSTABILITY, I THINK, AS A RESULT. THERE HAS
ALSO BEEN SOME VERY HIGH-PROFILE HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSES. THE WORLD KNOWS OF THE EXECUTION OF KEN
SARO-WIWA AND THE OGONI EIGHT WHO WERE EXECUTED
FOR ENGAGING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY, IN A TRIAL
THAT WAS WIDELY REGARDED AS FUNDAMENTALLY
LACKING IN DUE PROCESS, BEFORE A MILITARY
TRIBUNAL WITH NO LAWYERS AND NO RIGHTS TO
APPEAL. SO, THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW THE TRUTH
IN THE SARO-WIWA CASE. BUT, THIS IS EXACTLY THE
EARMARK OF THIS MILITARY JUNTA, I'M AFRAID.
HOST: IT MAY SPEAK TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF
INDIGENOUS INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA THAT THE
JUNTA HAS HAD TO GO AROUND THE NORMAL COURT
STRUCTURE IN NIGERIA TO PROSECUTE THESE PEOPLE
WITH THESE SPECIAL TRIBUNALS, WHERE, OF COURSE,
THERE IS NO RECOURSE TO DUE PROCESS. WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN TERMS OF OTHER BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL
FREEDOMS, LIKE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS? AS YOU
MENTIONED, THEY HAVE A VIBRANT PRESS IN NIGERIA.
IS IT ABLE TO OPERATE?
SHATTUCK: WELL, THERE IS A HISTORY OF A VIBRANT PRESS, AND
THERE ARE SOME BRAVE PEOPLE CONTINUING TO TRY TO
FUNCTION IN THAT CAPACITY. BUT, AGAIN, IT IS A
HIGHLY RISKY ENTERPRISE. REPORTERS HAVE BEEN
THROWN IN JAIL. I MET WITH THE FAMILIES OF A
NUMBER OF PRISONERS WHILE I WAS THERE.
REPORTERS THROWN IN JAIL FOR WRITING ARTICLES
ABOUT A COUP PLOT THAT WAS ALLEGED BY THE
GOVERNMENT, WHERE SOME GOVERNMENT SOURCES HAD
SAID THERE WAS NO COUP PLOT. AS A RESULT OF
WRITING AN ARTICLE THAT THERE WAS NO COUP PLOT,
THE REPORTERS WERE IMPRISONED FIRST FOR LIFE
IMPRISONMENT, AND THEN THEIR SENTENCES HAVE BEEN
REDUCED. ANOTHER CASE INVOLVED SOMEONE WHO WAS
ARRESTED FOR FAXING INFORMATION OUT OF THE
COUNTRY ABOUT THE PRISON CONDITIONS OF POLITICAL
PRISONERS AND HERE ON THE GROUND THAT THEY WERE
TRYING TO UNDERMINE THE TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A TRAGIC AND ORWELLIAN KIND OF
JUSTIFICATION TO A LOT OF THESE HUMAN RIGHTS
ABUSES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT THE
MILITARY CLAIMS ARE TO STABILIZE THE COUNTRY,
BUT IN FACT, HAVE EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE IMPACT.
HOST: YOU SPOKE A MOMENT AGO ABOUT THE VITAL
IMPORTANCE OF NIGERIA FOR THE FUTURE OF AFRICA,
AFTER ALL IT IS THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN TERMS OF
POPULATION -- OVER A HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE --
AND HAS TREMENDOUS RESOURCES IN OIL AND GAS.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO THE FUTURE OF AFRICA IN
TERMS OF THE KINDS OF DEMOCRATIC TRENDS YOU
WOULD LIKE TO SEE?
SHATTUCK: NIGERIA IS ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT AS A LARGE
COUNTRY, A DIVERSE COUNTRY, A COUNTRY WITH
TREMENDOUS NATURAL RESOURCES AND A COUNTRY THAT
CAN PLAY AND HAS PLAYED A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN
PEACEKEEPING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION
AND INDEED, AROUND THE WORLD. FOR THAT REASON
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT THE TRANSITION TO
DEMOCRACY BE ACCELERATED AND THAT THE HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSES THAT I HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING BE
ELIMINATED AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF NIGERIA BE
ALLOWED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN CIVIL SOCIETY IN
PEACE AND TRANQUILITY.
HOST: IN RESPONSE TO THE EXECUTION OF KEN SARO-WIWA
AND THE OTHER OGONI ACTIVISTS, NIGERIA WAS PUT
ON PROBATION OR DISMISSED FROM THE COMMONWEALTH
FOR TWO YEARS. THE EUROPEAN UNION CALLED FOR AN
ARMS EMBARGO. WHAT OTHER ACTIONS WERE TAKEN IN
RESPONSE TO THAT FLAGRANT ABUSE AND HAS IT HAD
AN EFFECT ON THE RULERS OF NIGERIA?
SHATTUCK: THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASINGLY TOUGH SET OF
SANCTIONS OF THE KIND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBING THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED. THE UNITED
STATES HAS JOINED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN
PREVENTING LEADERS OF THE NIGERIAN PROVISIONAL
RULING COUNCIL FROM COMING INTO THE UNITED
STATES AND FROM GETTING VISAS HERE. WE'VE ALSO
APPLIED AN ARMS EMBARGO OURSELVES AS WELL AS
MANY OTHER COUNTRIES. IT'S NOW VERY MUCH ON THE
AGENDA OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
STRENGTHEN THOSE SANCTIONS TO SEND A VERY STRONG
MESSAGE TO THIS RULING REGIME THAT IT MUST FULLY
TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY. THIS WILL BE ON THE
AGENDA OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHEN IT MEETS IN
THE UNITED STATES WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON IN THE
COMING WEEK AND ALSO AT THE G-7 SUMMIT IN LYONS,
FRANCE.
HOST: AND OF COURSE, AT THE TIME THE U-N GENERAL
ASSEMBLY, I BELIEVE, PASSED A RESOLUTION
CONDEMNING THOSE EXECUTIONS. ECONOMICALLY,
ASIDE FROM AN ARMS EMBARGO, IS ANYTHING BEING
CONTEMPLATED?
SHATTUCK: WE HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE ARE RULING
NOTHING OUT, WE THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT'S
ALSO BEEN MADE CLEAR BY OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE
COMMONWEALTH GROUP, ETC. ALL ECONOMIC MEASURES
WILL BE CONSIDERED, BUT I THINK IT'S MOST LIKELY
THAT ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT ARE AIMED
PRECISELY AT THOSE IN THE REGIME THEMSELVES SO
THAT IT WILL NOT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE
NIGERIAN PEOPLE, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF MEASURES
THAT THE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF
INCREASED SANCTIONS.
HOST: THE UNITED STATES, I BELIEVE, IS THE LARGEST
PURCHASER OF NIGERIAN OIL. HAVE WE CONSIDERED A
BOYCOTT OF NIGERIAN OIL?
SHATTUCK: WE HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT NO ISSUE IS
BEING RULED OUT, AND WE'RE CONSULTING WITH OUR
ALLIES AND OTHER VERY CONCERNED COUNTRIES ABOUT
THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO TAKE.
HOST: WHAT IS THE NEXT THING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE
NIGERIAN REGIME DO?
SHATTUCK: I THINK RELEASING POLITICAL PRISONERS IS OF
PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. THERE IS WHAT EFFECTIVELY
AMOUNTS TO A NIGERIAN GULAG RIGHT NOW.
POLITICAL PRISONERS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE
NORTHERN PART OF NIGERIA, MANY OF THEM VERY FAR
FROM THEIR FAMILIES, BEING HELD WITH NO CHARGES
IN SOME CASES, AND IN OTHER CASES WITH VERY
LIMITED AND FALSE CHARGES. THESE PEOPLE SHOULD
BE RELEASED AS AN INDICATION THAT THERE IS A
REAL POSSIBILITY OF ENGAGING IN POLITICAL
ACTIVITY AND THEN POLITICAL PARTIES BE ALLOWED
TO BEGIN TO FORM.
HOST: ASIDE FROM THE HIGH PROFILE PRISONERS WE'VE
MENTIONED, SUCH AS CHIEF ABIOLA, HOW MANY
POLITICAL PRISONERS ARE THERE? DO WE HAVE ANY
IDEA?
SHATTUCK: WE KNOW OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT THERE
HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN DETAINED WITHOUT CHARGE UNDER SO-CALLED
DECREE NUMBER TWO AND WE OFTEN DON'T KNOW HOW
LONG THEY'RE HELD, BUT THEY'RE HELD FOR
SOMETIMES PERIODS OF MORE THAN A YEAR. SO THERE
ARE CERTAINLY THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS IN NIGERIA
WHO ARE CAUGHT UP IN THIS POLITICAL REPRESSION
THAT WE'VE BEEN DESCRIBING.
HOST: I HAVE A RATHER STARTLING STATEMENT FROM THE
NIGERIAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR, WOLE
SOYINKA. LET ME READ IT TO YOU. HE SAID,
"NIGERIA HAS BECOME A REGIONAL MENACE, A
CONTINENTAL MENACE." DO YOU AGREE WITH THA,T
THAT THIS IS NOT JUST AN INTERNAL PROBLEM THAT
THERE COULD BE A SPILLOVER?
SHATTUCK: THERE ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH NIGERIA THAT COULD
SPILL OVER. I MEAN THERE IS NOT ONLY THE HUMAN
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT. BUT NIGERIA WAS RECENTLY NAMED
BY A GROUP, AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION CALLED
TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL, AS THE MOST CORRUPT
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF DOING BUSINESS.
IT'S ALSO THE SOURCE OF A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
DRUG TRAFFICKING, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING AND
CRIME. THE TRAGEDY IS THAT THE PEOPLE OF
NIGERIA ALL WANT TO BE FREED FROM THESE SCOURGES
AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO ALLOW
DEMOCRACY TO TAKE ROOT.
HOST: THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HIGH-PROFILE AMERICAN
BUSINESSES OPERATING INSIDE NIGERIA, MAINLY IN
THE ENERGY SECTOR. HOW ARE THEY BEHAVING IN
THIS SITUATION?
SHATTUCK: I THINK THEY'RE CERTAINLY CONCERNED AND THEY, I
THINK, HAVE A STRONG INTEREST IN THE TRANSITION
TO DEMOCRACY THAT MUST BE ACCELERATED AND
THEY'VE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR THEMSELVES.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY ARE THERE FOR ECONOMIC REASONS.
HOST: HOW DID THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT RESPOND TO
YOUR CONCERNS WHEN YOU MET WITH THEM DIRECTLY IN
NIGERIA? DID YOU MEET WITH GENERAL ABACHA?
SHATTUCK: I DID NOT MEET WITH GENERAL ABACHA. HE HAS NOT
MET WITH FOREIGN VISITORS FOR SOME TIME NOW. I
MET WITH MANY OTHER HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS AND I
THINK THE MEETINGS WERE VERY POSITIVE IN THE
SENSE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME AT
A VERY HIGH LEVEL FROM THE UNITED STATES HOW
SERIOUS WE VIEW THE CRISIS IN NIGERIA OF HUMAN
RIGHTS. I MET WITH ONE OFFICIAL WHO FOR THE
FIRST TIME CHARACTERIZED NIGERIA AS HAVING
POLITICAL PRISONERS. I THINK IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO HAVE MADE THAT POINT
PUBLICLY.
HOST: MOVING TO ANOTHER AREA OF THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
WHERE I KNOW YOU VISITED PRIOR TO GOING TO
NIGERIA WHERE, OF COURSE, THERE IS A LOT CONCERN
AND FOCUS ABOUT NOW, IS BURUNDI AND THE
POTENTIAL FOR ETHNIC STRIFE TO EXPLODE AND HAVE
A REPLICATION OF THE HORROR IN RWANDA FROM
SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT OF
THAT SITUATION?
SHATTUCK: BURUNDI IS A COUNTRY WRACKED BY VIOLENCE AND
TRAGICALLY BEING PRESSED BY POLITICAL EXTREMES
ON BOTH SIDES, PEOPLE WHO ARE MANIPULATING
ETHNIC DIFFERENCES FOR THEIR OWN ADVANTAGE.
WE'VE SEEN SPIRALING VIOLENCE IN RECENT MONTHS.
I VISITED A REFUGEE CAMP OUTSIDE OF BUJUMBURA
WHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT A MACHINEGUN
HAD BEEN SET UP BY A PRESUMED MILITIA
ORGANIZATION AND THEY HAD FIRED POINT-BLANK
DIRECTLY INTO THE REFUGEE HOUSING, KILLING EIGHT
PEOPLE AND WOUNDING THIRTY-TWO. AND THIS WAS
APPARENTLY IN RETALIATION FOR AN ATTACK BY
EXTREMISTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A HOSPITAL IN
BUJUMBURA WHERE TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN A
MATERNITY WARD. THESE ARE THE HORRORS OF
CIVILIAN VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS.
HOST: I KNOW THE RED CROSS WORKERS HAVE NOW FLED
BURUNDI BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING KILLED; U-N AGENCY
PEOPLE ARE PULLING OUT. IS THERE ANYTHING THE
U.S. CAN DO TO STOP THIS SPIRAL OF VIOLENCE?
SHATTUCK: THE UNITED STATES IS VERY DEEPLY ENGAGED IN
SEEKING TO DO SO. MOST IMPORTANTLY BY
SUPPORTING THE PEACE PROCESS THAT FORMER
PRESIDENT JULIUS NYERERE OF TANZANIA IS HEADING
UP BUT ALSO BY STRENGTHENING THE U-N HUMAN
RIGHTS MONITORING ACTIVITIES IN BURUNDI AND ALSO
PLANNING, DOING CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF A MISSION THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED
TO END THE VIOLENCE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE
ARE THROUGH VERY HIGH-LEVEL DIPLOMATIC MEANS
MOST RECENTLY TONY LAKE, THE PRESIDENT'S
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO
BURUNDIAN LEADERS ABOUT THE NEED TO PULL BACK
FROM THIS TERRIBLE SCOURGE OF VIOLENCE THAT IS
GRIPPING THEIR COUNTRY.
HOST: I'M AFRAID THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS
WEEK. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR GUEST -- JOHN
SHATTUCK, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR -- FOR JOINING
ME TO DISCUSS NIGERIA AND U.S. POLICY. THIS IS
ROBERT REILLY FOR ON THE LINE.
13-Jun-96 3:37 PM EDT (1937 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
..
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 1996 17:00:53 EDT
From: "BOJANG,MAMBUNA" <MBOJANG@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
To: <gambia-l@u.washington.edu>
Subject: VOA NEWS
Message-ID: <13JUN96.18376224.0188.MUSIC@MUSIC.TRANSY.EDU>
DATE=6/13/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-198687
TITLE=NIGERIA/ABIOLA
BYLINE=PURNELL MURDOCK
DATELINE=ABIDJAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
*INTRO: NIGERIAN POLICE HAVE DETAINED THE ELDEST SON OF JAILED
OPPOSITION LEADER MOSHOOD ABIOLA. THE SON IS BEING QUESTIONED IN
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE MURDER LAST WEEK OF MR. ABIOLA'S WIFE,
KUDIRAT. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM OUR
WEST AFRICA BUREAU.
TEXT: ARCHIBONG NKANA, DEPUTY INSPECTOR-GENERAL FOR NIGERIA'S
FEDERAL INTELLIGENCE AND INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU, SAYS KOLA ABIOLA
HAS BEEN HELD SINCE TUESDAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
INVESTIGATORS HAVE NOT CHARGED THE 33-YEAR-OLD SON OF MOSHOOD
ABIOLA WITH ANY CRIME, BUT SAY HE WILL REMAIN IN CUSTODY FOR AS
LONG AS HE IS NEEDED. THEY SAY THE INFORMATION HE CAN PROVIDE
ABOUT THE FAMILY IS USEFUL TO THE INVESTIGATION.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ABIOLA FAMILY ARE ALSO BEING QUESTIONED.
INVESTIGATORS SAY IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO QUESTION FAMILY MEMBERS IN
A MURDER INVESTIGATION.
POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE MURDER LAST WEEK OF KUDIRAT ABIOLA,
THE SENIOR WIFE OF DETAINED OPPOSITION LEADER MOSHOOD ABIOLA.
MRS. ABIOLA WAS SHOT DEAD BY UNKNOWN GUNMEN WHILE RIDING IN HER
CAR. THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED A THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION INTO THE CASE.
MR. ABIOLA, A MUSLIM, HAS SEVERAL WIVES AND MANY CHILDREN. KOLA
ABIOLA'S MOTHER WAS THE OPPOSITION LEADER'S FIRST WIFE. BUT AFTER
HER DEATH IN 1992, KUDIRAT BECAME THE SENIOR WIFE.
OBSERVERS SAY ATTENTION MAY HAVE FOCUSED ON THE ABIOLA FAMILY
BECAUSE OF THEIR OFTEN PUBLIC DISAGREEMENTS REGARDING THE
HANDLING OF MR. ABIOLA'S LEGAL AFFAIRS. EARLIER THIS YEAR, KOLA
ABIOLA, THE ELDEST STEPSON, ASKED THE COURT TO DISMISS THE LAWYER
CHOSEN BY HIS STEPMOTHER. BUT KUDIRAT ABIOLA'S REFUSAL TO ACCEPT
THE DISMISSAL CAUSED SQUABBLES. AMONG THE FAMILY MEMBERS.
BEFORE HER DEATH LAST WEEK, MRS. ABIOLA HAD CHAMPIONED THE
CAMPAIGN TO FREE HER HUSBAND AND TO INSTALL HIM AS PRESIDENT
BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE 1993 ELECTION.
MOSHOOD ABIOLA IS WIDELY BELIEVED TO HAVE WON THE POLL, WHICH
WOULD HAVE RESTORED CIVILIAN RULE IN NIGERIA. HOWEVER THE
MILITARY GOVERNMENT ANNULLED THE ELECTION, CHARGING WIDESPREAD
FRAUD IN THE POLLING. MR. ABIOLA, A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE
BUSINESSMAN, HAS BEEN IN DETENTION FOR TWO YEARS FACING TREASON
CHARGES FOR PROCLAIMING HIMSELF PRESIDENT IN DEFIANCE OF THE
MILITARY. (SIGNED)
NEB/WPM/KL
13-Jun-96 3:55 PM EDT (1955 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
..
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 1996 15:25:04 -0400
From: Gabriel Ndow <gndow@auc.edu>
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: new member
Message-ID: <199606141925.PAA27264@auc.edu>
Greetings:
I would like to introduce our newest member, Moe Jallow who lives in Atlanta.
He will be introducing himself shortly to the group.
LatJor
------------------------------
Date: 14 Jun 1996 20:14:02 GMT
From: momodou@inform-bbs.dk (Momodou Camara)
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: Images of Africa
Message-ID: <1261961215.677176@inform-bbs.dk>
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dansk version: (English version below)
* * * * NB: You are welcome to forward this announcement: * * * *
Images of Africa
Danmarks stoerste festival, Images of Africa, starter fredag den 14. juni kl
12.00.
Festivalen er verdens stoerste afrikanske kulturfestival i 1996.
Bor du i Koebenhavn eller omegn, saa kom til Images of Africa festivalens
markedstelt pa Frue Plads. Her har Djembe og Dapamda en stand med tre
computere, hvor du kan surfe gratis pa World Wide Web.
Markedsteltet er aabent i tre uger - fra den 14. juni til den 6. juli.
I Aarhus stiller Kulturambulancen ligeledes tre computere op i markedsteltet
ved Musikhuset, i ugen fra den 20. juni-31. juni
Hvis du selv har en web-forbindelse, saa besoeg os paa
http://www.djembe.dk/ioa/ - hvor du ogsa finder det fulde program for
festivalens mange arrangementer og aktiviteter - eller "Surf Afrika" paa
http://www.djembe.dk/afrika/
Bedste hilsner,
Djembe-redaktionen
* * * * * * * * * *
Images of Africa -
the largest African cultural festival in the world - is opened on Friday the
14th of June in Denmarks capital, Copenhagen. Prominent guests and artists
from all over the African continent has arrived to the international airport
in hundreds, and during the next three weeks, several hundred concerts,
conferences and events are going to take place all over the country.
If you live near Copenhagen, then come to the Images of Africa market tent at
Frue Plads. Here, Djembe and Dapamda has opened an "online service" with
three
computers where you can surf on the World Wide Web for free.
The market-tent is opened for three weeks - from the 14th of June to the 6th
of July. We expect app. 200.000 visitors in this period.
In Aarhus, Kulturambulancen also places three computers in the market tent at
Musikhuset, in the week from the 20th of June til the 30th of June.
If you have a connection to the Web, please come and visit us at
http://www.djembe.dk/ioa/ - where you will also find the full programme for
concerts, performances, lectures, etc. - or visit our springboard to Africa
on
the net, "Surf Afrika", at URL: http://www.djembe.dk/afrika/
With regards,
Djembe Magazine, editorial staff
---forwarded mail END---
--- OffRoad 1.9o registered to Momodou Camara
**************************************
Sent via Inform-BBS
-Denmark's leading alternative network
Information: info@inform-bbs.dk
**************************************
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 1996 00:31:08 -0400
From: SillahB@aol.com
To: gambia-l@u.washington.edu
Subject: Fwd: Re: SUBSCRIBE GAMBIA-L B...
Message-ID: <960616003107_415089632@emout18.mail.aol.com>
---------------------
Forwarded message:
Subj: Re: SUBSCRIBE GAMBIA-L Babouc...
Date: 96-06-15 02:09:39 EDT
From: SillahB
To: listproc@u.washington.edu
I am finally glad to come on board...procrastinated for too long because of
lack of time. I am on my 11th year in the States, living in the Olympic city
for most it....degreed about six years ago, stopped about midway to graduate
degree completion to pursue a goal of opening a grocerey store...achieved
that goal about ten days ago in East Point, Ga$$$$JAMAAH GROCERIES$$$$ I am
married to a wonderful lady Absa, we have a four year old boy called Musa,
and we are expecting our second in Nov., hopefully a girl. Currently, I am
the Secretary of the Gambian Organization in Atlanta, and with the upcoming
July 4th festivities in addition to the store you can imagine how busy I
gotta be. I love soccer with a passion, as I also co-ordinate the Dodou Mbye
Memorial Tournament during the July 4th weekend. I will give you the results
later. Feel free to drop a mail at any time...I am not embarassed to discuss
anything and I'm very open minded....Nice to meet you all!
------------------------------
End of GAMBIA-L Digest 20
*************************
|
|
gambia-l: LOG9606D - Digest 20
