In the News Page 1 1999

Guinea Land Dispute leaves 23 Dead (1-05-00)
Guinea Mediators go to Clash Region (1-06-00) New Peace Corps Director Sworn In (1-07-00)
Peace Corps Volunteer Deaths in Guinea (1-8-00)  Multiple postings.

Guinea Clashes:  Minister appeals for help (1-15-00) Mark Sneider visits Peace Corps Guinea (1-27-00)

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Accord signed to patch up Guinea-Liberia conflict
                        September 16, 1999
                        Web posted at: 10:29 PM EDT
 

ABUJA, Nigeria (Reuters) -- West African leaders reached a deal with the
presidents of Liberia and Guinea on Friday to patch up a row that has
threatened fresh bloodshed in the conflict-scarred region.  Liberia's
President Charles Taylor and Guinean President Lansana Conte both signed
an agreement in the Nigerian capital Abuja aimed at easing tension on their
border and with neighbouring Sierra Leone as it tries to emerge from
civil war.
"
They urged the heads of state of Guinea and Liberia to establish direct
communication lines between them," said a final statement from the group
meeting under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS).
Key points on the document were that the three countries should exchange a
list of known dissidents with a view to their expulsion, set up a joint
security committee and revive their Mano River Union economic group,
which has been mired in years of turmoil.
Guinea had threatened retaliation against Liberia for the killing with guns
and machetes of 28 villagers on Saturday near the town of Macenta. It
said the massacre was carried out by President Charles Taylor's soldiers from
across the nearby border.
Liberia said President Lansana Conte's Guinea supported rebels who last
month crossed into the north of Liberia near Voinjama, just over the
border from Macenta, to take on the Liberian army, before being beaten back.
"The main problem was lack of communication," said ECOWAS information
director Adrienne Diop.
"They were acting on rumors of this and that, so the setting up of a joint
committee will mean they are both there and they can take joint action,"
she told Reuters.

NIGERIA SEEKS QUICK EXIT
Officials said Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo was keen to find a
quick end to the crisis to avoid getting further embroiled in the region
as his country tries to extricate 10,000 intervention troops from Sierra
Leone, where a peace deal was reached in July.
But insiders said the talks dragged on far longer than planned after
cool exchanges between Guinea and Liberia at preliminary sessions designed to
make sure each side accepted some responsibility for the border
incidents -- at least in private.
Relations between Conte and Taylor have been poor since the former
Liberian warlord launched a rebellion in 1989 that eventually brought him to
power through elections in 1997 but spilled into Sierra Leone and more than
once threatened Guinea.
Unlike other French-speaking countries in the region, Guinea joined with
former British colonies in the Nigerian-dominated ECOMOG force which
Taylor blamed for stopping him taking power back in 1990.
The triangle of forest and rivers where Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea
meet has been turned by the interlocking crises from a remote haunt of
diamond and currency smugglers into one of the most dangerous regions of
Africa. The three countries have a complex overlapping mix of ethnic
groups, which has helped create cross-border alliances between different armed
groups.
 

---

Guinea journalist arrested
Saturday, 4 December, 1999, 15:19 GMT
 

Reports from Guinea Conakry say the owner of a group of weekly
newspapers has been detained by the authorities.

Abubakar Silla, who runs the weekly Independent and Independent Plus,
was taken away from his home early today.

No official reason has been given for his arrest.

Mr Silla's publications recently ran stories in which cabinet ministers
were named in connection with an inquiry into corruption and mismanagement.

They had earlier been warned by officials not to publish names of
officials in connection with the investigation.
 

---

From the NY Times

December 29, 1999
 

PUBLIC LIVES
Father of Immigrant Killed by the Police Speaks Through His Grief
 

By JOYCE WADLER
 The father, thick and middle-aged, his English heavily accented, tends
to be the forgotten man. It is his former wife, Kadiadou Diallo, beautiful,
well-spoken, 14 years his junior, who is the media star and spokeswoman.

Still, when the decision came earlier this month that the murder trial
of the four police officers who fired 41 bullets at Saikou Amad Diallo's
unarmed son, Amadou Diallo, would be moved to Albany, the reporters found Mr.
Diallo, a 54-year-old Guinean businessman, quickly enough, at the apartment
where he is living in Queens.

He had been fasting in observance of Ramadan and could not speak for
long when he picked up the phone -- he was in the midst of prayers. Later, he
spoke of being sad and shocked.

"I hope the decision will be reversed and the trial will be moved to the
neighborhood in the Bronx where my son was killed," he said again last
week.

And, with a tinge of personal hurt:

"It is not right that the attorney of the father has not even been
notified. I feel very disappointed."

Amadou Diallo, 22 at the time of his death, has become a cause. In the
spotlight that often compels family members to become activists are his
parents. Divorced for nearly 10 years, living on separate continents,
they battled for control of their son's estate, which, in the wake of a
successful civil suit, could be worth millions.

Kadiadou Diallo, in a petition in Bronx Surrogate's Court, argued that
her former husband had "effectively abandoned his son" and provided "very
little financial assistance." Last month, the two agreed to administer the
estate jointly.

Speaking in the Madison Avenue offices of his lawyer, Omar Mohammedi,
with Mr. Mohammedi intervening often, Mr. Diallo, who speaks English
haltingly, declined to speak about his former wife's charges.

That being the case, it was difficult to establish what sort of
relationship Mr. Diallo had with his son, although it was clear that Mr. Diallo was
often separated from his family as he pursued his business interests. That
career, which has included gem and gold trading, as well as his current plastics
subcontracting company in Vietnam, enabled him to own five homes in
Africa. He began, as a man younger than Amadou, as a street peddler in Senegal.

"He was following in my footsteps; nothing wrong with that," Mr. Diallo
says. "I was selling in a dangerous neighborhood. I have never been killed."

Saikou Amad Diallo was born in the village of Honlade Bourou in Guinea.
His father, an observant Muslim who had four wives, helped run the village
school where Mr. Diallo was educated.

"I had over 50 brothers and sisters from my father," he says. "From my
mother, there are nine children; I am the only one alive. All died from
natural causes, no accidents."

A T 16, Mr. Diallo goes to Senegal with two brothers to make their way
in the world. Their combined stake is $5, with which they buy candy and
cigarettes to peddle in the streets. By age 30, Mr. Diallo is a rich man. Living in
Liberia with his wife, Aissata, whom he met in an an arranged match, Mr.
Diallo has 7 shops, 3 gas stations, a sawmill with 50 employees and, he
says, the only pharmacy in the country. At this age, Mr. Diallo takes his
second wife, Kadiadou, a cousin, who is 14.

Why a second wife?

"My first wife never went to school," Mr. Diallo says. "She was born in
the village. I needed someone with a little education who can help me to
write letters, answer the telephone. . . ." Interruption from the lawyer,
concerned. Mr. Diallo is not saying he married just for help with his
business, he says.

How did they meet? "I wanted her elder sister," Mr. Diallo says
forthrightly, "but it took two, three months to get back to Guinea, and the older
sister was already married. So the family suggested this girl" -- a smile, the
satisfaction of knowing a phrase in an unfamiliar language -- "sort of
like a replacement."

"Not a replacement," the lawyer says.

When Amadou Diallo is 9, in 1985, his father moves alone to Bangkok to
set up a jewelry business. Amadou's mother joins him there briefly to take a
six-month course in gemstones. In Africa, Mr. Diallo's first wife looks
after all the children. (Eventually, there would be eight.)

In 1986, Mr. Diallo takes his third wife, a Thai woman, and sets up
another business in Singapore. Kadiadou Diallo often works with him. They
divorce in 1990, when Amadou is 13. Five years later, Amadou lives with his father
for a year in Singapore while studying computers.

Mr. Diallo's recollections about his son seem sparer than those of his
business, but this may be because of the lawyer's constraints: very
calm, very quiet, never wanted to provoke anybody. Spoke with a stutter, which
his father tried unsuccessfully to have cured by sending Amadou to a
hospital in Singapore. Returned to Africa, Amadou called his father for permission
to go to New York.

Why would a young man from a successful family have to sell in the
street? "Maybe American people don't understand it, but in an African family,
when a boy is above 20 years of age, he is ashamed to open his hand to his
father," Mr. Diallo says. "At that age, they want to take care of the parents. "

His life now? "I feel like a part of my body is missing," Mr. Diallo
says.  "This cannot change. The only thing I can do is to pray for my son and
to pursue justice."

---

BBC--
Wednesday, 5 January, 2000, 12:54 GMT
Guinea land dispute leaves 23 dead
 
 

Reports from the West African republic of Guinea say twenty-three people
have been killed in clashes between two rival groups in the south-west.

Another forty are said to have been injured -- nineteen of them
critically.

A BBC correspondent in Guinea says the clashes broke out on Monday over
a land dispute between the Toma and Manyam peoples in Macenta,
eight-hundred kilometres from the capital, Conakry.

About seventy houses were burnt down.

But our correspondent says life has been returning to normal, following
the deployment of security forces and imposition of a curfew. The dead
include one worker with the Red Cross, which has been helping to look after
hundreds-of-thousands of refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
 

---

 

 Thursday, 6 January, 2000, 01:04 GMT
Guinea mediators go to clash region
 
 
 

A team of Guinean government mediators has gone to a south-western
region following clashes between two rival groups over a land dispute.

Unconfirmed reports now say thirty people have been killed in fighting
in the Macenta area.

Another forty are said to have been injured, many critically.

About seventy houses were burned down.

The security forces have been deployed and a curfew imposed.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service

---

New Peace Corps Director Sworn In

 The Associated Press, 1/07/00

 By DAVID BRISCOE>
WASHINGTON (AP) - The new Peace Corps director, sworn in Friday, says he
wants more volunteers in developing countries to work with computers as a
means of offering high-tech assistance to the world's poor.

Mark L. Schneider said he also wants volunteers to use e-mail to increase
global contacts for communities and classrooms at home.

He took the oath of office at the Peace Corps' downtown Washington
headquarters before a cheering crowd of Peace Corps workers, former volunteers and administration officials.

`I am convinced that today's Peace Corps volunteers are comparative
experts in harnessing information technology to the task of poverty
reduction,'' said Schneider, who was appointed by President Clinton while
Congress was out, eliminating the need for Senate approval.

Schneider and his wife, Susan, served as Peace Corps volunteers in El
Salvador in the late 1960s. He is a former U.S. Agency for International
Development assistant administrator for Latin America. He has also worked
for the Pan American Health Organization and was senior deputy assistant
secretary of state for human rights.

The idea of having volunteers equipped with laptop computers and other
high-tech devices is not new, but Peace Corps administrators have shied
away from equipping them with too much technology because they want
volunteers to live at the same level as the people they serve.

Schneider said computer-equipped volunteers could help develop small
businesses, explore new products that could boost local economies and help
reduce production costs. They also might be used to monitor immunizations,
help the poor acquire title to land and give urban teachers access to the
Internet for their classrooms.

Schneider said he also wants to work to increase the number of Peace Corps
volunteers from the current 7,000 to 10,000 - a goal set by President
Clinton but not yet funded by Congress.

``Volunteers convey a sense of optimism to those around them that what is
attempted can be achieved,'' Schneider said.

Clinton included Schneider among his ``recess appointments'' to avoid a
long nomination process. As it is, Schneider has no guarantee of being able
to serve after Clinton's term ends at the start of 2001.

Schneider, 58, is the 15th director of the corps set up by President
Kennedy in 1961. Peace Corps volunteers now serve in 78 countries,
receiving a living allowance roughly comparable to local salaries. They
include educators, environmentalists, health experts, business advisers and
agriculturists.

Schneider succeeds longtime Clinton aide Mark Gearan, who resigned as
Peace Corps director in August to become president of Hobart and William
Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y.

AP-NY-01-07-00 1418EST

 Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.

---

Peace-Corps Volunteer Deaths in Guinea (Index)

AP News article
Announcement from Peace Corps Guinea,  1-8-00
News from PCV's in Guinea
Danielle
Memorial Walk
Justin's Memorial
Jesse's Memorial
Jesse's Memorial Program Cover
Guinea Memorial in Mamou
Response from Peace Corps Director re: transport

Follow this link for pictures of the memorial service in Mamou

---

AP News Article, 1-8-00

January 8, 2000

Peace Corps Members Killed in Guinea
---

Filed at 8:33 p.m. EST

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteers were killed in
a traffic accident in Guinea, West Africa, the Peace Corps announced
Saturday. The victims were Justin Bhansali of Huntsville, Ala., and Jesse Thyne of
Pasadena, Calif.  ``We are deeply saddened by these tragic deaths in Guinea,'' said Peace
Corps Director Mark Schneider. ``They made enormous differences in the lives
of many people in Guinea. Our thoughts are with their families and friends.
He said Bhansali and Thyne were passengers in the rear seat of a taxi
with a third volunteer then the car was hit by a truck near the town of Pita,
Guinea, at about 5:30 p.m. local time Friday, or 12:30 p.m. EST.
The third volunteer, Danielle Monty, 27, of Washington, Kan., was not
seriously injured, nor were the driver and a woman in the front seat.
Bhansali and Thyne both were math teachers in the Labe region in the
north of Guinea and had served in the West African country since June 1998.
Bhansali was a graduate of the University of Missouri, Thyne of the
University of California-Santa Cruz.

Announcement from Peace Corps Guinea,  1-8-00

Peace Corps Guinea is sad to report the death of two volunteers. On
Friday, January 7, Jesse Thyne and Justin Bhansali were killed in an
automobile accident on the road from Pita to Labe. Both were second-year
math teachers in the Fouta returning from a vacation.

We apologize for being unable to break this news to all of their friends
and colleagues in a better fashion. We, the staff and volunteers in
Guinea, are devastated and find that we cannot adequately express our
own grief and feelings of loss. Their families are now making funeral
arrangements and Peace Corps Guinea is planning a memorial service for
Jesse and Justin in Mamou on January 19, 2000.

Both families have been informed of the tragedy and would welcome your
messages. Addresses for their parents are:

Kirit and Judith Bhansali
152 Manor House Drive
Huntsville, AL 35811

and

Patrick and Rebecca Thyne
366 S. Orange Grove Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105
phone 626-792-0222
email [email protected]

With our deepest condolences to both families,

Peace Corps Guinea volunteers and staff
 

News from Guinean front
 

To all friends and families,
I just got a very long e-mail from our daughter, Tara in Conakry. She and Amy and Peggy just returned from a New Years trip to Ghana.
First and foremost she sends her condolences to the two families and wants them to know that "Justin and Jesse were two really incredible guys", and also to let all the families know that everyone is doing as well as can
be expected. She said the emotions comes in waves and they are still all pretty much in shock.
The girls traveled back from Abidjan (where she reports everyone is going on about their business as before, they were all glad to see the President ousted) with a PC trainer for West Africa. She told the girls the news
once they were in the air and when they landed they were all met at the airport and taken immediately to the PC house so they could be with Danielle. (Peggy is Danielle's site-mate) She reported that Danielle is pretty
well bruised with some fractured ribs and collarbone and a bruised left lung and was on pain killers- they hope to fly her out in the next day or two; maybe even tonight.
To quote Tara, "as for what Peace Corps has done- the administration has been incredible. We have every car in Conakry at our disposal- USAID, the Embassy, Peace Corps- so that all the volunteers are going to be
notified in person. They're also setting up a phone so that I'll hopefully be able to call Monday." (And she did, but we weren't home to take the call!) She goes on to say that, " Peace Corps has been wonderful and have
even flown people in from Washington to deal with all of us as well as staff. So we're all doing really well considering the circumstances and I hope this is comforting to you in some way.
She concludes with concerns the volunteers have for their families and friends here in the states. They seem to be as worried about us as we are for them.
She hopes to return to Labe tomorrow and I will try and reach her there. If I have any more information I will be sure to share it.
Thanks for listening,
Becky McBrien

Regarding Danielle's well-being, 1-30-00

Have an update on Danielle for you after having been with her last week
in Washington D.C.:
She is still extremely sore but all x-rays look good.  She will start
physical therapy next week and they plan to keep her for 3+ more weeks.
The lung is healing but rib is still sore.....and lower back pain is the
main physical complaint/restraint.  Uggh.

The trauma shock is giving way to waves of feelings which flood her
periodically.  There are "reminders" everywhere.......  Just riding in
anything with wheels is a major hurdle!  There is a great counsellor who
is seeing her several times a week and she is beginning to make some
progress in grief, fear, etc.

There are good times too.....  She has been in contact with so many good
friends and the cards are great comfort to her as well.   To watch her
EAT is a thrill in and of itself!!!!  She savours each bite and has been
to some of the "musts" on her list.....Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza
Hut......real Thai food, etc.  And she is allowed to call back to Guinea
from the Peace Corps Headquarters in D.C. to speak with her most
precious new husband!!!  They are making all sorts of plans for Edmond's
trip to the states......and it's been fun listening to all the places
and things Danielle wants to show him once he is here.  She positively
glows with happiness every time Edmond is mentioned!   Danielle is
planning to take some of her vacation time to go to Kansas after she is
released from Medivac.  She is talking about going back to Guinea to
finish her tour of duty there.  She wants the opportunity to see all the
people in her village at Tougue again, "COS" with her group of PCV's in
May(?), and return to the states on her terms....at end of service.

Here is her address (physical and e-mail):
        %Virginian Suites
        1500 Arlington Blvd., Suite 327
        Arlington, VA  22209    phone#: (703)522-9600 ext.#7327

        e-mail:  [email protected]

Due to the recent snow storm in the D.C. area, it is difficult to call.
At times the desk has been left unattended and the "answering machine"
is not completely reliable for actually ANSWERING.  If it does, then you
dial the ext.# 7327 and you are there! Good luck.

That's all I know......and then some.  Thank you for your continued love
and concern.  Danielle loves you so much too and hopes all is going well
for each of you.  She will be glad to hear from you!!

                Best wishes to all,
                Rebecca (Danielle's mother)
 
 

Memorial Walk, 1-27-00

Hi everyone, I've just joined the list and am happy to be here.

Some volunteers are organizing a Memorial Walk for Jesse and Justin. I
have agreed to be their guinea-list/email contact. Their emails are listed
below, but because they are up-country, it will be difficult for them to
receive them regularly. If you have comments or questions you can post them to
the list or to me directly with Ccs. to Jean and Peggy. I will, if possible,
print them off and send them to Labe.

Here is the info:

Public Safety in Guinea Memorial Walk

Peace Corps Guinea Volunteers are organizing a Memorial Walk from Labe
to Pita, March 31 to April 2, 2000, to raise national awareness of the
dangers people face by traveling on Guinean roads.
As a peaceful manifestation of volunteer and Guinean frustrations of
unsafe travel conditions, we can use a tragic situation, with support from
Radio Rurale, local and national officials, and RPCV's to empower local people
to demand their rights to life and safety.
We encourage you to voice your concerns as well.  Any ideas that you may
have to help us make road travel safer in West Africa would be warmly
welcomed.
If you find yourself in Guinea at this time, we invite you to walk with
us.
Please contact either:
Jean Simmons, [email protected] or Peggy Roach,
[email protected]
Thanks for your support.

Bev Roberts <[email protected]>
Education Program Development Associate
USAID Guinea-Conakry
 

--------------------------------------------
 

--- jean simmons <[email protected]> wrote:

The Day of the Memorial walk was here.  April 2, 2000.

As I walked down to the gare I faced the thin slice of
moon cutting through the violet-blue dawn.
I had gotten to the Gare early to make sure that there
would be no problems.  For the next half an hour I sat
there by myself wondering what in the heck was going
on.  We had informend so many people....but in
organizing any event, especially Guinean style, you
never really can know what is going to happen until it
does.
At 6:30 the first group of volunteers trickled into
the gare.  As if some unheard alarm went off, people
slowly started coming out of the shadows of the
gare....and by 6:45 there were over 100 people waiting
for the depart.  We decided to wait until 7:00 to make
sure that we gave commers a fair chance at being
fashionably late.  The last group of them being the
big yellow camion full of more than 60 students from
the Diountou college who had left that morning at
4:00a.m. to make the walk.
Tee-shirts printed up "Wadhu Doy" (Take Caution) were
passed out to the walkers, though the 150 printed up
shirts were not enough for all.
Infront of a sign that read "Respectons les reglegs du
Circulation" the governor of Labe, George Greer and
Mr. Thiam of Peace Corps, and Volunteer Jean Simmons
openend the Memorial Walk on national tevelvison with
small prayers and best wishes.
it was amazing to see the walkers energy as they took
off down the road to Pita!

Hafia - an 11 piece ensemble waited in Hafia, the half
way mark for us.  They played music and sang songs
about the immportance of living a cautious life and
respecting eachother.  Sandwiches, oranges, and
bananas were given to the walkers who rested for a
little break under the Kurra tree.

In Hafia, we were joined by about 30 kids who then
accompanied up to Pita.

The second half of the walk was a bit more difficult
for many of us. The sun was beating down on us,
blisters forming, tendons screaming....push on.  And
we did.
Just outside of Pita all of the walkers gathered again
so that we could go in mass past the site of the
accident and into the town together. And as we, the
200 walkers who had made the journey from Labe to
Pita, turned the Pita corner we were flaberghasted to
see the street lined with clapping, chanting, singing,
smiling children, women, men....more than 1500
citizens of Pita had come in to receive us from our
walk.
The Prefet or Pita had organized a small ceremony at
the site of the accident where they plan on setting up
a memorial to Justin and Jesse.  Future peace Corps
Guinea Director George Greer, Volunteer Jean Simmons
and the Prefet of Pita all started the Memorial by
placing the bricks of the foundation.
Together the near 2000 people walked up the road to
the Prefecture Center where sensiblisations on the
importance of travel safety and the himan right to
life were given by the Prefet of Pita, and Mr. Thiam
of Peace Corps.
The walk was concluded with a ceremonial feast, cold
drinks, live music, and many promises for massage.

I want to personally thank everyone who made this walk
possible from the bottom of my heart.  Some of you
have came up saying thank you for organizing
this...you did great...but honestly, no organization
is possible without those who participate.
My heart goes out to the parents of Justin and Jesse.
My heart goes out to the walkers, who really did tampi
(Pulaar - suffer).
Thank you,
Jean
 

_
 

Justin's Memorial Service

The following is from Bev's grandmother, Helen Jenkins, who attended
Justin's funeral in Alabama.
---
Dear Bev and Herb,

As your Mom or Dad has probably E-mailed you by now, your Dad and I went
to Huntsville on Wednesday, Jan. 13th, for Justin's memorial service. The
weather was cloudy, no sun, and windy but not really cold. His parents
and sister are sweet, friendly people and we exchanged several hugs before
and after the service. They seemed to appreciate our coming. We delivered
your messages.

A cousin of Justin's seemed to be in charge of the services. He started
by reading a statement about him and Justin growing up together; then
Justin's sister read a paper she had prepared, but she was crying so hard I could
understand little of her talk. What I heard was very sweet - how she
could always talk to him about anything; how the older they became, the more
she loved him.

Justin's parents could not speak and they wrote a paper which the cousin
read. They spoke about what a joy and pleasure Justin had been to them
all his life; how he had accomplished so much in his short life, growing up
with a great curiosity about everything; making the decision at age 15 to
serve other people. He had no interest in making money for himself. The
parents and sister gave beautiful tributes to a beloved son and brother.

Mr. George Greer, American Peace corps, Guinea, spoke about what an
asset to the Peace Corps Justin had been, about how he was appreciated and
well-liked by all who knew him. Mr. Greer also talked about the work Justin was
doing in his village and how he would be missed by the people he was serving
and by all the Peace Corps volunteers and friends he had made in the region.
Mr. Schneider, Director, American Peace Corps, spoke in more general terms -
how the Peace Corps is making such an impact all over the World and how
every individual volunteer is doing his or her part in making the World a
better place. He said the sudden deaths of the two young men are a terrible
tragedy to their families, friends, to the Peace Corps and to the World.

The Bhansalis, Mom, dad and sister, greeted everyone while standing on
the platform in the front of the chapel. A library type table was centered
on the platform. The Bhansalis stood to the left of the table while
speaking to each individual; then the visitors passed by the table which had a large
vase of white flowers and another vase of red roses centered on it. In
front of the flowers were an 8 X 10 picture of Justin and two small photo
albums of Justin as a child growing up. Many of the visitors took time to look
through the albums, as did we, your Dad and me. Then each one took a
seat. The receiving line waiting to speak to the Bhansalis stayed backed up
over halfway down the aisle during the entire time scheduled for visitation.
The chapel was almost full. Almost forgot, the music played during the
service was the hymn, "Amazing Grace."
After the service your Dad and I returned to the front and spoke with
Mr. Greer and Mr. Schneider. When we told Mr. Greer we were the Father and
Grandmother of Beverly Roberts, he smiled and said, "Oh, yes. Bev and
Herb. They are fine young people." He seemed to like you both, from his
comments, and, of course, we were pleased that he knew you and spoke so highly of
you. He thanked us for coming and seemed genuinely pleased that we had spoken
to him.

I believe the Bhansalis appreciated our coming. Of course, we were glad
we were able to go and represent both of you. Hope I haven't bored you with
too much detail. Your family is sorry for your grief over the loss of a
friend and always remember -

We love you,

Grandmother Jenkins
 
 

Jesse's Memorial Service, 1-18-00
 

Hi,

We thought you'd like to hear a little about Jesse
Thyne's memorial. Several of us Bay Area RPCVs and one
renegade from Atlanta drove down to Pasedena for the
service this weekend.

When we entered the church, we were struck by the
impressive turnout- several hundred people had joined
to celebrate Jesse's life. As Pink Floyd's "Wish you
were here" played on the piano, we sat down and looked
at the programs. On the front cover was a photo of
Jesse smiling, his arm around a Guinean student,
superimposed over an old style map of Africa. This was
the beginning of many tears for us. Inside the program
was a poem written by Jesse's father after he visited
Guinea last summer. The Thynes very graciously printed
extra copies of the program for all the current
volunteers in Guinea.

The service was very powerful. It began with a choir
singing an African song and then Jesse's father Rick
Thyne took the pulpit. He was an excellent speaker,
and maintained his composure throughout an incredible
and uplifting speech. He told many stories about
Jesse, and we were struck by how well these anecdotes
represented Jesse's kindness and "goofyness". One
story was about Jesse's passion for playing the
harmonica. For a senior project in high school he got
a street performer's liscense, and headed out with his
tunes and his baseball cap to the Santa Monica
Promenade and Uptown- right where, as his Dad ruefully
pointed out, the Thynes' friends often went out to
dinner or the movies.Rick believes in Peace Corps and
its mission, and calls Jesse a hero for choosing such
a challenge.

The Deputy Director of Peace Corps spoke next.He had
met Jesse during his application process, and read
parts of Jesse's motivation statement about wanting to
teach math. An RPCV from Somalia, he became very
emotional when he spoke; it was clear that Jesse's
death had affected him deeply.

Guinea Country Director Kathy Tilford was next. She
expressed the profound grief of PC Guinea volunteers
and staff, and spoke of Jesse as an outstanding
volunteer. She explained how Jesse had met the three
goals of Peace Corps (increasing Guinean's
understanding of Americans, increasing Americans'
understanding of Guineans,and increasing
Guineans'technichal skills and capacity for
development)and talked about how strongly Jesse had
affected his village. The Jesse Thyne Memorial Fund
money will go toward the school renovation project he
had just begun in his village.

Jesse's girlfriend, Michelle Lynar, read a deeply
moving letter to Jesse, and included some lines he had
written to her recently from Guinea. This was truly
heartbeaking and we appreciate her bravery.

Next, the priest, who had known Jesse as he grew up,
gave an excellent and moving homily. He said, as Rick
had, that Jesse was "weird" and "marched to the tune
of a different harmonica". His stories related just
how special Jesse was- such as how he took on the name
Diallo-Bah in his village so as not to side with one
tribe or another. As the priest pointed out, Jesse
created his own tribe of inclusiveness. The priest
stressed the importance of telling stories about Jesse
to preserve his memory and learn from the way he lived
his life.

The service ended with the sweet sounds of a single
harmonica playing Amazing Grace. As the notes drifted
upward, our resolve melted and the tears fell again.

During the reception, we were able to talk to others
in the Peace Corps family who had attended the
service- current PCV Kelly Cannon and her father, RPCV
Guinea 96-98 DeDe Dunevant, Kristen Anthony's mother
and stepfather, Nathan Whiteside's mother and step
father and Gretchen Vogel (current PCV Chris
Furguile's girlfriend). We were happy to see Country
Director Kathy Tilford, and to hear news of our
friends in Guinea. We are all grateful to be part of
such a strong peace corps community during this
difficult time.

We gave our condolences to Jesse's father, and were
blown away by his kindness and the way he reached out
to us,and told of his time in Guinea with Jesse, and
expressed his appreciation for our work as volunteers.
He also told us how happy he was to get a videotape
from volunteers in Guinea talking about Jesse. He was
especially grateful that Danielle spoke and told him
Jesse had not suffered. DeDe told him that Senator
Kennedy had spoken to the department of PEace Corps
where she now works, and said that Jesse and Justin
were fulfilling his brother's dream. Rick Thyne was
deeply touched by this, and hugged DeDe as he told us
that he and his wife are "Kennedy democrats" and gave
Jesse's brother the middle name Kennedy.

Overall, it was heartwarming to be part of the service
and to see such overwhelming support from the RPCV and
parent community. We know we only represented a
fraction of the people who were there in spirit and
who care deeply about Jesse and Justin and believe in
the work they and volunteers across the globe are
involved in. We could feel your presence, and believe
the Thynes could as well.

As Rick Thyne said, "Jesse was only 24 yars old when
he died. That is the only sad part of this story."

Goodbye Jesse. Goodbye Justin. We love you.

RPCVs 97-99: Stephanie Chasteen, Casey Golab, Ann
Grodnik, Eric Lenaeus, Caroline Fichtenberg, Nathan
Whiteside, Nolan Love and Shirley Woodward
 

Memorial Program Cover

Memorial in Mamou, 1-20-00

Peace Corps Guinea held a memorial service in Mamou yesterday for Jesse
Thyne and Justin Bhansali. Almost all of the volunteers in the country
were there, as well as much of the American community in Guinea. The U.S.
Ambassador, the Minister of Education, and the Governor of Lab� were
also there. The ceremony was simple but moving.

I've put some pictures of the service up at
http://ibamba.net/photos/memorial .

Herb Caudill
 
 
 

This is Tony Gemignani here.  I just returned last night to the States
for some med school interviews.  I was at the service in Mamou and would
like to share some thoughts with all of you.

First, we in Guinea know how much we all have been in your thoughts and
are incredibly thankful for all of your care and consideration.  It is a
shame that it takes such a tragedy as this for us to realize just what a close
community we have become over the past eighteen (or six) months.

As I said earlier I attended the memorial service in Mamou on the 19th.
It was held at ENATEF, the forestry school where we were trained and
sworn-in as PCVs.  The service was attended by many members of the American
ex-pat community (that is: the embassy, USAID, people from various NGO's,
etc.), as well as a large delegation from the Guineen government (the prefets
of Labe and Mamou, representitives from Pilimini and Diountou, several
ministers from the government) and, of course, nearly all Guinea PCVs.

On the morning of the service a number of large posterboards were
erected in the foyer of the forestry school.  Posted to the boards were a
collection of photographs of Jesse and Justin that had been collected
from PCVs as well as letters, stories, and poems from: PCVs, Justin and
Jesse's families, their students, members of the Guineen government, and other
people who's lives have been touched by Jesse, Justin and/or Peace
Corps.
The many guests spent the morning reading the boards, sharing stories,
and comforting one another.

The memorial service began around 11:30 AM GMT and was opened by Jessie
Israel (NRM- Sannou, Labe).  The service was held in both French and
English with translations provided by Justin Weiss (TOEFL-Kankan) and
Jessica Long (TOEFL-Dinguiraye).  The first official speaker was the
American Ambassador, Joyce Leader.  She spoke of how Justin and Jesse
were, according to all reports, excellent volunteers and how much the loss of
them has affected all of us here in Guinea.

Kathy and George had attended Jesse and Justin's funerals and had some
really touching things to say.  Kathy attended Jesse's funeral and
talked about what a strong family he had and how she valued the time spent with
them.  Talking with them made ----

George attended Justin's funeral which was held in Huntsville, AL.
Justin was cremated according to the Hindu tradition and his father lit the
flame.
 He read a message about to us about how in their tradition they mourn
for 13 days.  They asked us not to mourn after the 20th of January because
that can prevent Justin's spirit from being free.  George said that this was
the hardest assignment he has ever had.

Next the Minister of Technical Education spoke on behalf of the
government. That was followed by talks from close friends.  Kelly Cannon and Aaron
Sharghi talked about Jesse and Chris Furgluele and Jeremy Gernand talked
about Justin.  They told stories and anecdotes about how funny they both
were.  The stories made us all laugh, adding a taste of sweetness to our
sadness.

Jean Simmons, Jesse's sitemate, read a heartbreaking poem written by
Jesse's father--it was called "River without Easter".  I believe this
poem has already been posted on the list-serve so I won't reproduce it here.

Representatives from Jesse and Justin's towns also spoke.  Our Associate
Peace Corps Director for education, Mohammed Fofana told how he knew
them as both their administrator and friend.  He told one fuuny thing about
how Jesse loved learning Pular and French and how he especially loved the
subjunctive form.  Jesse was a big grammar fan and they always used to
talk about the subjective form.

Needless to say, everyone had a hard time speaking.  When the service
was over we all got together for the photos you saw in Herb Caudill's email
and ate a meal together.

Before the service there was a large meeting re: tranportation and
safety in Guinea,  Unfortunately, I got to Mamou late and was not able to
attend so I can't give you many details about the outcome of that meeting.

If you have any specific questions you could email me.  I will be here
until Wednesday before I head out for my interviews.

Tony Gemignani
 

Response from PC Director regarding Safety
 

THE DIRECTOR OF THE PEACE CORPS
WASHINGTON, D.C.

February 7, 2000

Mr. Eric Regaspi
Security Engineering Officer
Diplomatic Security
Department of State
1400 Wilson Boulevard
Rosslyn, VA 22209

Dear Mr. Regaspi:

Thank you very much for your letter of January 14, expressing yourconcern
over motor vehicle safety for Peace Corps Volunteers in Guinea.  I fully
share with you and other Peace Corps families the tragic loss of PeaceCorps
Volunteers Justin Bhansali and Jesse Tyne.

Please be assured that our staff,in Guinea and here at Headquarters are
already in the process of re-examining our policies and practices in all
areas of Volunteer safety and security, especially transportation safety.
This is part of our continuing effort to identify and put into place measures
that will,reduce the transportation and other safety and security risks that
our Volunteers face in Guinea, and in the other developing countries in which
they serve around the world.

The Country Director and the Regional Director for Africa have assured me
that a number of measures have been in place in Guinea to strengthen
transportation safety for Peace Corps Volunteers.  First, Volunteers now are
authorized to, and provided funding for, travel by air, rather than by road,
when traveling oh official bus;,n--ss in the country.  In'addition, Volunteers are authorized and
provided funding to hire taxis on a private basis for group travel.  This allows them to identify the safest
vehicles and drivers, and to contract them for travel arrangements that reduce
considerably the risks associated with excessive speed, overcrowded vehicles,
and insobriety by drivers.  With a view to avoiding higher-risk situations,
Volunteers also share among themselves and with the staff the first-hand
information they gather on risky drivers, vehicles, and general travel
conditions that they identify in their regions of the country.  As has always
been the case, Peace Corps vehicles are used to transport Volunteers in the
case of health or. other emergencies.

Within the next few weeks, Peace Corps/Guinea will be conducting scheduled
in-service training sessions for most of its Volunteers.  At these sessions,
Volunteers and staff will review together Peace Corps/Guinea's provisions for
enhancing transportation safety, with a view to strengthening those
provisions by whatever means possible.  Peace Corps/Guinea will also be
working with headquarters during this time to review options and identify
practices to enhance transportation safety.

The Peace Corps' Office of Volunteer Safety and Overseas Security is
currently reviewing applications for three Regional Safety and Security
Officers to be posted overseas.  Among the responsibilities of these officers
will be assessing safety and security issues (including transportation
safety) at each post and making recommendations for improving our
ability to reduce risks to Volunteers.

We know that the Congress, along with the Peace Corps, assigns a high
priority to Volunteer safety and security.  We will continue to work with the
Congress to make certain that resource requirements are identified and
fulfilled.  We will also ensure that Peace Corps staff and Volunteers around
the world continue to make the most effective and efficient possible use of
the funding allocated to us to create the safest, most secure, and most
productive working and living environment possible for our Volunteers.

As part of the Peace Corps' ongoing effort to strengthen its safety and
security policies and procedures, last week I directed our three Regional
Directors and all Country Directors to conduct a thorough review and to
undertake new measures to maximize transportation safety for Volunteers in
all of Peace Corps' programs worldwide.  Actions are to be taken as soon as
possible and reports are to be made to me by March 1 on those actions and on
future reforms to be implemented.  I also have reserved additional funds from
the current budget to supplement existing transportation costs where needed.
Finally, I will travel personally to Guinea in late February to review the
measures we have taken and to ensure that all existing lessons learned in
this area are made available to, or are gleaned from, the Peace Corps/Guinea
program.

We will make every effort to see that the excellent work that Emily and
all the other Volunteers are doing in Guinea can be carried out with minimal risk
to their safety and security.  Our aim is make them as safe and secure as
possible-when they are at work or at home in their communities, when they are
at work outside their communities, and when they are in travel status for
official or personal reasons.

I was sworn in as Director of the Peace Corps less than one month ago.  Even
before the tragedy in Guinea, I had stated that our first priority would be
to reduce vulnerability and risk to the health and safety of our Volunteers.
I have two children the age of many Volunteers.  I will do all in my power to
maintain this issue foremost on the agenda of all staff, at headquarters and
abroad.

Thank you again for your very thoughtful letter expressing your heartfelt
concern about the well being of our Peace Corps Volunteers.  I will be
pleased to keep you posted of the progress that we make in the endeavors
that I have referenced in this letter.

Sincerely,

L. Schneider
Director

---

Saturday, 15 January, 2000, 18:56 GMT
Guinea clashes: minister appeals for help
 
 

The security minister in Guinea has called on inhabitants of the Balizia
area, which has been hit by serious clashes between Muslim and
Christians ethnic groups, to help the security forces identify and track
down those responsible for the violence.

He said he would give the guilty three days to surrender themselves,
after which they would be hunted down.

The minister, Sekou Koureissy Conde, was speaking on state radio after
visiting the town of Korneseredou, where officials say at least
thirty-one people died in the clashes.

The disturbances began on January-the-third over a land dispute.
Thirty-three people have been detained, but an opposition member of
parliament from the region has criticised the arrests as arbitrary.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
   Search BBC News Online
 

---

2/24/00
Mark Sneider visits PC Guinea (letter)

Hello to all,

Last night the American Embassy in Guinea celebrated its national day.
This is a celebration that would normally take place on July 4th, but because
of rainy season a number of embassies in this region celebrate it around
President's day. It is an occasion to invite important people in the
Guinean government and other donors to the Ambassador's residence to chat with
the American diplomatic and aid communities.

It so happened that PC director Mark Snyder was here at the same time
and he was made the "Invit� d'Honneur." Almost by default the theme of the
evening became PC-Guinea.

The Ambassador's speech focused on the great loss that the American and
Guinean communities have experienced in the deaths of Jesse and Justin.
She spoke as to how they exemplified what PC represents to Guinea and to
America. She also spoke at length about the economic and social
development contribution that PCVs provide in Guinea and how much PCVs mean to
Guineans by living in their rural villages for two years and by sharing Guinean
culture and history with people back in the US.

The Minister of Youth and Culture gave the Guinean speech and his speech
focused on PC as well and on the contributions that PC makes to Guinea.
Again, he started his speech by saying how much the loss of Jesse and
Justin has affected ordinary Guineans and so many government officials. He
noted that it really made Guineans think about how much PCVs mean to this
country.

After the speeches several of us RPCVs still working here noted that we
really felt the theme of the evening (Guineo-Americano Coopeartion) was
dedicated to how Jesse and Justin embodied the spirit of PC in Guinea.

Just a note on how much the powerful memory of Justin and Jesse has
impacted the higher ups in this country and ordinary Guineans. I still continue
to receive letters from my former students giving me their condolences for
the loss of one of my "parents."

Best wishes to all out there,
Bev
 

Bev Roberts
Education Development Associate
USAID Guinea

---

Officers cleared of Diallo murder
BBC,  2-25-00

Four New York police officers who fired 41 bullets at an unarmed African
immigrant have been cleared of murder.

A jury reached unanimous "not guilty" verdicts after a month-long trial which
has highlighted deep racial divisions in the US.

The four officers, who are white, had told the court that they believed
Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo had a gun.

The officers, Sean Carroll, Edward McMellon, Kenneth Boss and Richard
Murphy, looked visibly relieved as the "not guilty" verdicts were delivered on
charges of murder, manslaughter and all lesser charges.  Cleared: Richard Murphy
The first defendant acquitted, Kenneth Boss, closed his eyes and dropped
his head when the verdicts were read.

'No justice'

There were shouts of anger from demonstrators outside the court, and a
crowd gathered outside Mr Diallo's home in the Bronx.

"We're outraged and very angry at the verdict, but we're not surprised,"
said Vicky Green, a campaigner on Mr Diallo's behalf. Another protester
outside the court, Timothy Ford from Brooklyn, said: "There is no justice for
blacks and Latinos. We might as well not expect it. How can a man be shot 41
times and not get justice?"

Appeal for calm

Police chiefs appealed for calm, and the Mayor of New York, Rudolph
Giuliani, praised what he called a fair trial in difficult circumstances.

The jury - four black women, one white woman and seven white men -
deliberated for more than 20 hours over three days before reaching their
verdicts.

They had asked for clarification on the rules governing self-defence.
The officers, who were working undercover, had told the court they shot
Mr Diallo because he appeared to have a gun in his hand. The "gun" turned
out to be a wallet.

Post mortem examinations supported the prosecutors' contention that
several of the 19 bullets which hit Mr Diallo were fired while he was on the
ground.

The trial focused attention on the issue of excessive use of force by
police against minorities.

There had been outrage across the United States, and protesters staged
demonstrations outside the court, claiming the case was symptomatic of a
wider problem of racism and brutality.  Amadou Diallo: four officers cleared of his murder
The officers, in their evidence to the court, had insisted they believed
they were in danger.

They said it was dark; that Mr Diallo ignored orders to halt for
questioning and that he remained on his feet throughout the gunfire.

Support

They pleaded not guilty to charges of second degree murder and reckless
endangerment. They faced prison terms of 25 years to life if convicted.

Twenty-two-year-old Mr Diallo, from Guinea, had moved to the United
States two years before being killed. His parents were at the trial daily.

A police officer from the Bronx, Anthony Esposito, who also attended the
trial, said he had gone to support the officers.

"These police officers had no support,"he said. "I wanted to be there,
and I'm glad to see that they had their fair day in court."
 

---

Diallo Remembered

Diallo Remembered in Guinea
By ALEXANDRA ZAVIS
.c The Associated Press
3-14-00
 
 

HOLLANDE BOUROU, Guinea (AP) - The delicate scent of orange trees
perfumes the air of this quiet village, deep in the hills of Guinea's central
highlands and half a world away from the Bronx neighborhood where Amadou
Diallo died in a barrage of 41 police bullets.

While in New York thousands clamored for justice in his name, here there is
little to remember the young street peddler - except the grave still waiting
for an inscription and the wooden board used to carry his body, propped up
against a wall in the village mosque.

The acquittal of four New York police officers in Diallo's death is keenly
felt in his West African homeland, but this is a place where anger against
authority often remains unspoken, stifled by decades of brutal
dictatorship and backbreaking poverty.

``Our hearts are full of tears,'' said Mamadou Silla Diallo, the slain man's
eldest uncle and the doyen of the village. ``It is only because we don't have
the means, otherwise we would have been in America to demand justice.''

The death of Diallo, 22, in February 1999 triggered a wave of emotion in
Guinea. Hundreds of people met the plane that returned his body to the
capital, Conakry, including the entire Cabinet. And thousands swarmed to this
village about 300 miles northwest of Conakry to bury him.

The officers' trial was closely followed in Guinea, where news of the verdict
was received with dismay.

The officers all contended they fired in self-defense after Diallo reached
for an object they thought was a gun while standing in the vestibule of his
Bronx apartment building. The object turned out to be a wallet. Diallo was
hit 19 times.

``We thought America was a place where justice could be done,'' said Momo
Sylla, a student in the seaside capital, Conakry.

But while thousands demonstrated in New York, there were no marches in
Conakry, and no pickets in front of the U.S. Embassy.

``What they did in America shocked me, but I can't do anything about it,''
said Sylla's older brother, Abdoulaye. ``We're only the people.''

One of the world's poorest nations, Guinea achieved independence from France
in 1958. The country's first president, Sekou Toure, sowed terror with ethnic
and political witch hunts, hanging dissidents from one of Conakry's bridges
and crippling the economy with nationalizations. Thousands were tortured and
killed during his 26-year rule.

President Lansana Conte, who seized power days after Toure died in 1984, has
a milder regime. The purges have ended, newspapers criticize the government
and two elections have been held.

But while Guinea has signed many international conventions on human rights,
arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings and torture remain common,
activists say.

Entire families sometimes disappear into prisons on islands off the coast -
some never to be seen again, said Thierno Majou Sow, president of the Guinean
Organization for the Defense of Human Rights.

While Diallo's family welcomed the government's show of solidarity at the
time of his death, there was irony in the regime's response.

``Every day, policemen kill Guineans here - there is complete impunity,'' Sow
said.

Unwilling, perhaps, to antagonize a major donor, the government has remained
silent on the verdict. But in Diallo's village, people have plenty to say.

``If it was an American killed like that in Guinea, nobody could have said
the policemen weren't to blame,'' said Diallo's cousin, Mamadou Alpha Diallo.

It was here, a long bumpy ride down a winding dirt road, that relatives who
had gathered for prayers and sacrifices at Diallo's grave learned the verdict over the radio.

``It was as if it was the day of the death all over again,'' said Diallo's
maternal uncle, Alpha Oumar Diallo.

Determined to keep Diallo's memory alive, the family has held onto the wooden
board used to carry his body.

Mamadou Alpha Diallo has painstakingly tiled his cousin's tomb next to the
grave of his revered grandfather, the first man in the village of 200 to make
a pilgrimage to Mecca. Soon, the family will gather to decide on an inscription.

Here, Diallo is remembered not as a symbol of police brutality or racial
stereotyping, but as a shy young man, devoted to his family, his studies and
his village. Friends and relatives describe him as a devout Muslim who loved
Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

``It was his dream to go to America,'' said Diallo's cousin, Hassimo Diallo.
He recalled playing ball and collecting wood with Diallo to build the evening
fire around which they studied the Koran.

``I have gone over this event over and over in my mind. The one question that
keeps coming back is why 41 bullets?'' Alpha Oumar Diallo said, gazing at a
snapshot of a 7- or 8-year-old Amadou peering through his uncle's legs during
a beach holiday. ``Human rights, democracy, it is for whites - or at least
for those with the means to defend themselves.''

AP-NY-03-14-00 1437EST
 

---

Refugee Conference Opens in Guinea
BBC (3-27-00)
 

Monday, 27 March, 2000, 18:57 GMT  Refugee conference opens in Guinea
Senior aid workers and government officials from various African countries
have gathered in Guinea for a conference aimed at improving the plight of
refugees on the continent. The delegates will try and improve conditions for the legal protection of
refugees under the International Refugee Convention.
Officials said they were confident they would be able to persuade national
governments to tighten up their respect for refugee law -- but said there was
little they could do to stop the wars and atrocities which make people flee
their homes in the first place. Guinea, where the meeting is taking place, is
believed to be the home of some half-a-million refugees from conflicts in
Sierra Leone and Liberia.
From the newsroom of the BBC World Service