The Gambia Democratic Action Group (GDAG) has written to Senegalese musician Thione Seck, informing him about the state of affairs in the Gambia where citizens continue to live in tyranny.
Below is the letter signed by GDAG Chairman Mr. Alkali Conteh:
To: The Honorable Thione Seck
From: Gambia Democratic Action Group Raleigh North Carolina
Date: March 17, 2014
Subject: The Senegalo-Gambian Relation
Dear Mr. Seck,
Before the colonialist found their way into our continent and move further into our Senegambia region, Senegal and Gambia were one and the same. Even whereas colonialism took on lucrative turn and the colonialists took the move to divide Senegambia into two separate nations, our people remained steadfast, maintain shared values, with one nation virtually surrounded by another. Despite the artificial demarcation set by business interest driven entities, The Gambia and Senegal remain one people with many claiming citizenship of both nations. These are a few of many of the undeniable historical facts about us and our coming.
For the reasons above and your prominence in the international scene representing Africa and Senegambia; for your commitment to equality, freedom and justice as you had brilliantly and eloquently COMMUNICATED during the South African Apartheid reign, we at the Gambia Democratic Action Group join your eager and exciting fans to welcome you to RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA in the United States of America. Rest assured that we will do our best to make you feel at home, and we have no doubts that you and your entourage will leave this place wanting to come back.
Gambia Democratic Action Group (GDAG) is a civil society organization registered and operating out of Raleigh, NC purposely formed to help propagate the ideals of democracy and the rule of law in The Gambia. The organization also engages the immigrant community in areas of common interest offering help where and when needed. Many in our immigrant community migrated to the United States to escape the malicious heavy-handed persecution that the Gambian people have become victims of for far too long. As a brother who hails from the same region, an icon who had sided with freedom and freedom fighters in the past and continually doing so, we bring to you the plight of the Gambian people in the hope that you can use your resolve to help us. Our organization was privy to the relationship you had developed over the years with the Gambian president Yahya Jammeh and we thought it is prudent to approach and share with you the state of atrocities that are happening to our people under the leadership and presidency of Yahya Jammeh. For far too long the Gambian people are placed under the York of tyranny suffering from daily tortures, unjust imprisonment, murders, arrest without charges and discrimination. For far too long the ideals of democracy, rule of law that Gambian people were once known to have championed and enjoined were trampled on. Since 1994 when Yahya Jammeh took power through the barrel of a gun, Gambians know no peace for the president and his henchmen abhor dissent and wouldn’t hesitate to apply force and brutality on citizens. So many were left displaced, maimed, killed since Jammeh came to power and these are not mere allegations. There are facts to substantiate these assertions. We attached to this letter, a compendium of Yahya Jammeh’s atrocities on the Gambian people since he forcefully took over power. Please accept it for your perusal.
We are urging you as a good citizen of Senegambia and a friend and entertainer to our people to reign in on Yahya Jammeh in any way you can, so that the atrocities against the innocent citizens of The Gambia will stop. We have no doubts in you and we will always look forward to your intervention in this matter to salvage our dear motherland. Again, thank you for coming to Raleigh and good luck with your tour.
Chairman Gambia Democratic Action Group.
ends