Resources
Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • Login
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result

Browse by Topic:

  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
  • Home
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Human Rights
  • Elections
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Careers
No Result
View All Result
Journalists for Justice
No Result
View All Result
Home Victim Voices The Gambia

Truth commission deals victims huge blow as it fails to release its report, again

Waceke NjorogebyWaceke Njoroge
September 30, 2021
in The Gambia, Victim Voices
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
0
The Gambia Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission @TRRC_Gambia - TRRC

The Gambia Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission @TRRC_Gambia - TRRC

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Victims of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s dictatorship had their hopes of getting justice any time soon dashed as the truth commission failed to release its much-anticipated report as promised on September 30.

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) later issued a press statement on Twitter explaining that it was still finalising work on the report.

“Work on the sixteen volumes comprising the final report has been completed, except for four volumes. It is the expectation of the commission that work on these remaining volumes should be finished shortly,” the statement said.

The commission said it would not propose another submission date. However, it held out hope that the report might be out soon. “The commission assures that this final phase of its work will not be prolonged,” it added.

It said it had informed the government about the latest development, through the Attorney General and minister of Justice, and that the authorities had been agreeable and had “…reassured the commission that the government will continue to provide the funds required for the completion of the work of the TRRC”.

RelatedStories

After euphoria of state white paper, victims now demand action on Jammeh

Hope at last for Kenyan victims, but is TFV’s planned support enough?

With joy and tears, they welcomed truth commission’s verdict

Earlier, there had been widespread speculation in the absence of an official explanation from the commission on the delayed report.

An unnamed commission official had been quoted as telling AFP that the report would be out at an unspecified later date. “We are not yet ready,” the source had been quoted as saying.

The commission’s website was still announcing an earlier expected release date of July 31, 2021 even though the handing over had been moved to September 30. The document is expected to list the human rights abuses and violations of Jammeh’s 22 years in power and make recommendations on the action to be taken on the perpetrators in order to ensure justice for the victims and their families.

There has been concern about the commitment of Jammeh’s successor, President Adama Barrow, to implement the commission’s recommendations in the face of his rapprochement with Jammeh’s former political party as the December 4 presidential elections approach. He has failed to keep his promises to institute reforms and ensure justice for the victims by implementing the TRRC’s recommendations.

The TRRC was launched on October 5, 2018 with the mandate to look into alleged human rights violations during the rule of Jammeh. It heard testimony from nearly 400 people from January 2019 to May 2021. Witnesses gave evidence about cases of state-sanctioned torture, rape, and murder at the hands of Jammeh’s death squad, the Junglers.

Jammeh came to power after leading a coup in July 1994. Following his defeat by Barrow in the December 2016 elections, there was a six-week standoff that ended with the military intervention of neighbouring countries and Jammeh’s flight into exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Reed Brody, an American human rights lawyer calling for Jammeh to be prosecuted, said on Twitter that the postponement was announced “to the frustration of victims”. His sentiments echoed the victims’ emerging fears that the current administration will downplay or ignore the TRRC recommendations as it seeks to retain power after the elections.

The commission has the mandate to promote healing and reconciliation, respond to the needs of the victims, address impunity, and prevent a repetition of the violations and abuses suffered by making recommendations for the establishment of appropriate preventive mechanisms, including institutional and legal reforms in The Gambia.

Justice Minister Dawda Jallow recently sought to assure victims that justice would prevail after the government received TRRC’s recommendations. “We are preparing for that (post-TRRC prosecutions). We are involved in consultations. We are expecting support in that direction… Those who are recommended for prosecution, of course, we will work towards prosecuting them, unless the government decides otherwise,” said Jallow.

Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, had told Al Jazeera from Accra that the reason behind the delay seemed to be linked to the coalition deal.

“It’s not only about being scared, but also the embarrassment and discomfort of a government that ended a 22-year brutal rule now cutting a very disturbing deal with a previous regime just for electoral success,” said Aning.

“I think it leaves a sense of unease. Knowing the testimonies that people gave to the TRRC, it would be very difficult for the government to justify the 360-degree turn from a government that respected human rights and rule of law and start to make some restitution to those who had suffered.”

 

Previous Post

Court sets Gicheru trial date

Next Post

Fears grow of humanitarian disaster in Tigray as Ethiopia cracks down on aid workers

Waceke Njoroge

Waceke Njoroge

Send me an Email

Related Posts

Former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh. Victims and survivors of his brutal regime have called for his prosecution. Photo Credit: @The Standard Newspaper (The Gambia)

After euphoria of state white paper, victims now demand action on Jammeh

June 14, 2022
Elizabeth Atieno, a survivor of the 2007/2008 post-election violence in Kenya and also an advocate against sexual violence, speaks in Nairobi during a function to mark the seventh International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict in June 2021. Photo Credit: Twitter

Hope at last for Kenyan victims, but is TFV’s planned support enough?

May 11, 2022
Zainab, the sister of Lt Lowe who disappeared after being accused of plotting to overthrow Yahya Jammeh in 2006, speaking during the release of the TRRC report to the public on December 24,2021.

With joy and tears, they welcomed truth commission’s verdict

January 7, 2022
The TRRC recommends the prosecution of Yahya Jammeh and several senior officials in his administration for their role in committing rape and other forms of SGBV.

Human rights groups join growing call for prosecution of Yahya Jammeh

December 10, 2021
The Gambia President Adama Barrow receives the final Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission, TRRC Report handed to him by the the TRRC Chairman, Dr. Lamin J Sise. Photo: TRRC Facebook

TRRC in last-ditch efforts to make its final report public

November 30, 2021
Justice hangs in the balance as Barrow softens stance on TRRC report

Justice hangs in the balance as Barrow softens stance on TRRC report

November 23, 2021
Next Post
Families fetch water from a UNICEF supported well in Kilte Awlalo in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Photo credit: UNICEF/Zerihum Sewunet

Fears grow of humanitarian disaster in Tigray as Ethiopia cracks down on aid workers

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
Please login to comment
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • From Kyiv to Kabul and Darfur: Challenges of reporting justice and human rights
  • Gicheru to attend court session remotely
  • After euphoria of state white paper, victims now demand action on Jammeh
  • Right the Wrongs: Spotlight on the 2020 General Election in Tanzania
  • Selective approach to TRRC recommendations a sure recipe for defeating justice

Recent Comments

  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Kenyan lawyer denies bribery charges at the ICC
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on You did me wrong, Bemba tells ICC as he demands 70 million euros
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Two victims’ lawyers in Kenyatta case in line to become next ICC prosecutor
  • JFJ - Journalists for Justice on Profiles of the four people shortlisted for the job of ICC Prosecutor
  • Write My Essay on Afghanistan case fails to take off at the ICC — pragmatism’ or surrender to the powerful?

Archives

Categories

JFJ – Journalists for Justice

We call out impunity wherever it occurs; we advocate justice for all victims of atrocity crimes; and we work with people of goodwill everywhere who share our values.

Browse by Topics:

Archives by Month:

Never Again
INTAHE
BarometreVerite
The Victims' Bantaba
No Result
View All Result
  • Confronting Impunity
  • Communities of Justice
  • Opinion
  • About US
  • Our Work
  • Login

Copyright © 2019. Journalists for Justice has asserted its right to be recognized as creators and owners of the content here. Reproduction in part or in whole is permitted on condition that JFJ is acknowledged and notified.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
wpDiscuz