By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Deputy Spokesperson of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party, Dodou Jah has said that his candidacy to contest for the top office at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) under his party ticket is yet to be finalised by his leadership but said that the membership wants him to contest.

Two weeks ago, a flyer was seen circulating on social media portraying Jah as a candidate for the KMC mayoral election.

He said that the membership of the party wants him to contest, saying that he cannot decline the demand of the people. He explained that the membership of the party craves him to put his hat in the ring, thus has been designing and circulating flyers.

“That is their intention and I cannot say no to that. It is the people that decide as far as politics is concerned. It’s nothing optional. If the people want it, I am up for the taste”, he told the Fatu Network.

Jah, whose party went into coalition with the ruling National People’s Party in the December 2021 presidential elections and had a tactical alliance in the April Parliamentary elections, said that his candidacy is not yet finalised by the party leadership.  He explained to the Fatu Network that he cannot confirm that he will come as a candidate for APRC. He however didn’t rule out his candidacy as a Mayor.

“There is nothing final yet. I cannot come out and confirm this and said yes I am coming.  I belong to a political party, so I cannot endorse myself”, he insisted.

Speaking to the Fatu Network, the outspoken Deputy Spokesperson for APRC said that he has all that it takes to be a good mayor.  The information technology specialist asserted that his background in digital communication will be an added strength for him as a major.

“It is my belief, not only as a Mayor, but in any position is given, I will be able to do my best. I can do my best at all times.”

Jah explained that his expertise and experience in digital communication and strategies can be well developed to digitalize the Municipality. He said whether his party endorsed his candidacy or not, he is ready to offer support to anyone who needs his expertise.

If the leadership of APRC endorsed Jah, he will likely go against the current Mayor, Talib Bensuda. KMC is a major area and the incumbent NPP will put their hats on for the seat. It remains to be seen if APRC and NPP will continue their tactical alliance in next year’s local council elections.

President Adama Barrow has reaffirmed his government’s stance against the unconstitutional change of governments, saying it undermines peace and sustainable development.

The President was speaking over the weekend during the 16th African Union Extraordinary Summit on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government in Africa, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

President Barrow said his government fully supports ECOWAS’s position against coups and violent means of assuming power. He called for the quick return to constitutional order in all affected countries.

Additionally, he advocated for the need to strengthen democracy, peace, security, and development to counter the undesirable conditions leading to an unconstitutional change in governments. He called on his fellow African leaders to renew their commitment to addressing development challenges and socio-economic inequality on the continent.

Sharing The Gambia’s experience, President Barrow said his government’s policy of enlarged democratic inclusion has enabled diverse participation in the country’s development and reconciliation process.

Speaking on the rise of terrorism and violent extremism, President Barrow called for the mobilisation of national, regional, and continental resources to disengage all groups that use violence to achieve their political ambitions. He called on the AU to deploy its resources within its governance and security structures to support member states.

By: Christian Conteh

The Gambia Bar Association (GBA) has commended the Adama Barrow led Government, applauding its commitment to implementing a majority of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) recommendations, describing it as a significant milestone in the country’s transitional justice process.

“The Government’s commitment to implementing the overwhelming majority of the TRRC recommendations, with the exception of a few, is indeed a significant milestone in the country’s transitional justice process and a critical step towards fulfilling the overarching objectives of the TRRC. Following a very rigorous, thorough and impartial truth-seeking process conducted by the TRRC, the judicious implementation of the recommendations of the Commission is critical to ensuring justice and accountability,” a statement from the association read.

GBA further welcomes the release of the White Paper on the report of the TRRC and commends the Government of The Gambia for issuing a White Paper within the prescribed six-month time limit as stipulated by s. 30 (3) of the TRRC Act.  

“We are pleased to note that Government has committed itself to ensure that those who bear the greatest responsibility for the gross human rights abuses and violations during the period July 1994 – 2017 are held accountable.”

The GBA also welcomes the establishment of the proposed Special Prosecutor’s Office and a special judicial framework within the country’s domestic court system with the requisite capacity as well as the juridical authority to prosecute international crimes such as torture, enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity that are not currently provided for by domestic laws. 

The Bar Association used the opportunity to urge the Ministry of Justice to promptly come up with an implementation strategy or plan with clear deliverables, proposed timelines and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms with regard to the implementation of the TRRC recommendations. 

It went on to acknowledge the efforts of the Government in establishing the TRRC and mobilising the required resources for the TRRC to carry out its mandate, whilst extending its appreciation to the TRRC, including the Commissioners, Secretariat and all the support staff for its work in establishing the truth and presenting an impartial historical record of the violations and abuses of human rights from July 1994 to January 2017.

The Gambia Bar Association statement signed by the association’s President Salieu Taal and dated 30th May 2022 ended by pledging its commitment to supporting the Government of The Gambia, the victims and the Gambian people as a whole to ensure the success of Gambia’s transitional justice process as a key pillar towards the restoration of the respect for the rule of law and good governance in The Gambia.

By: Christian Conteh

The UN Resident Coordinator for The Gambia, Mrs. Seraphine Wakana has in a statement released following the release of The Gambian Government White Paper on the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation & Reparations Commission (TRRC) at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre on the 25th of May 2022 pledged her institutions support to promote justice, reparations, reconciliation and national healing.

The statement from Mrs Wakana said that as the Government and the people of The Gambia prepare to move forward with implementing the TRRC’s recommendations in line with the just-released White paper, the UN will remain a steadfast partner in supporting actions to promote justice, reparations, reconciliation, and national healing, all of which are essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The United Nations Country Team in The Gambia warmly welcomes today’s release by the Government of a White Paper outlining the approach it will take to implement the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation & Reparations Commission (TRRC) with particular attention to addressing SGBV and identifying the whereabouts of enforced disappearances,”

The UN congratulates the Government, the TRRC, Gambian civil society and all other stakeholders and development partners who contributed to reaching this major milestone in The Gambia’s Transitional Justice process.

“We particularly welcome the Government’s intention to create a Peace and Reconciliation Commission with the mandate of promoting peace and reconciliation and fostering social cohesion. Such an institution would provide an invaluable anchor for the country’s national peace infrastructure.”

The release of the Government White Paper coincided with this year’s Africa Day. The UN resident Coordinator said The Gambia, through its commitment to peace, has provided hope to an entire continent, whilst pledging to continue to support the Government and people of The Gambia in the important work that has now begun.

By: Christian Conteh

Legal luminary M. Robertson Roberts has described attacks on Justice Ministry’s Counsel Tar as worrying and absolutely heart wrenching, noting that Tar is one of the most hardworking and astute workers in the Justice Ministry.

“For anyone who has been following me closely, one can tell that am not a big fan of the Ministry of Justice of The Gambia. My reasons will be a topic for another day.

It is deeply worrying and absolutely heart wrenching to see the xenophobic crusade being meted against one of the most hard-working and astute staffers of the Ministry of Justice in the person and name of Counsel Tar,” he said.

Roberts in his opinion piece further noted that Tar has worked diligently for over 10 years at the Ministry of Justice and has through perseverance and hard work climbed through the ranks.

“It is common knowledge that this is a gentleman that has worked under at least 5 different Attorney Generals at the Attorney Generals Chambers and Ministry of Justice and all of whom are Gambians but have unanimously recognized the diligence, brilliance, hard work and professionalism of Counsel Tar.”

He pointed out that the relentless attacks on the person of this gentleman are disgraceful and xenophobic in nature and must not be condoned by any Gambian with a conscience.

“Ironically, Gambians are being promoted and thriving in other countries and are being judged and assessed by the content of their character and or brains and not by their nationality or country of origin. It is disgusting and near disgraceful that Gambians will wage a war against any hardworking and bright young person where they themselves are lazy, incompetent and mediocre in their professional delivery and exhibit very bad work ethics,” he emphasised.

He further opined that someone like Counsel Tar should be celebrated for contributing a whole lot to the Justice delivery system of The Gambia and calls for people like this to be granted citizenship rather than those ‘undeserving near- useless Ambassadors -at -large carrying our diplomatic passports to engage in dark and fraudulent activities of astronomical proportions,’ he said.

“It will not surprise me and am sure many others that Mr. Tar is being fought by the very same colleagues he shares office with. People he may think are his friends because that’s what most Gambians do; engage in wicked and evil attacks against those that outshine them and those they know are more competent than they themselves. We are indeed a pathetic lot.”

He further noted that the Gambian passport, be it regular or diplomatic, is being granted to foreigners who are big ‘sereigns/marabous’ who add absolutely no iota of good to the country’s progress and development.

He revealed that he has come across non- Gambians who have never set foot on Gambian soil showing the Gambian passports at immigration desks in foreign countries. That he said should be the crusade the people should engage in.

“If there is a war to wage and a crusade to fight it should be against unscrupulous individuals within our Justice delivery system who take it upon their selves to falsify and lie when writing legal opinions to state things that are not factual nor backed by evidence. War should be waged on those ill-intentioned officials within our Justice delivery system who use and hide behind the loopholes of our Justice system to suppress and screw the lives of our brothers and sisters because they have no voice. An example would be the prolonged adjournment and continued detention in remand of Bob Keita. Where is the anger and crusade of such seemingly glaringly obvious injustice being carried out before our very eyes?” he asked.

As Africans, speaking about a United Africa Roberts Esq thinks it is preposterous that in 2022 an African brother can be attacked by virtue of his nationality when our collective conversations should be premised on a united and borderless Africa. The Gambia’s jurisprudence he maintained would have been but scanty and extinct if it were not for the huge contribution and sweat of foreign judges.

“They must be applauded and given the due respect deserving of their enormous input into our country’s justice system.”

He ends by imploring ‘What’s on Gambia’, to dig deeper and scrutinize its sources promising them that they may realize that this ill-occasioned crusade against Mr Tar is being driven by lazy, incompetent and jealous colleagues within the legal fraternity in The Gambia.

Disclaimer by M. Robertson Roberts Esq.: Counsel Tar and I have never spoken nor do I have any relationship whatsoever with him. In fact, I may never meet him in this lifetime.

By Sarjo Brito

The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration has recently finalized a framework to promote the marketing of local onions. The framework according to the ministry will see the control of imported onions through an inion import license which will be issued by the Trade Ministry yearly to allow the sales of domestic onions. The move is part of an effort to address the challenges in the marketing of local onions and as well minimizing the post-harvest losses.

‘’The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment wishes to inform the public, particularly the importers and local producers of onions that it has finalized a framework to support the marketing of local onions. Under the framework, importers of onions will be controlled through an onion import license issued by the Ministry every year to enable the sales of domestic onions’’

Licenses according to the Ministry will be issued effective June 1st to December 31st, 2022. Meanwhile, the Trade Ministry says it encourages all farmers of local onions who currently have stocks to inform their Agriculture Regional Directorates or their respective Regional Agriculture Marketing Federation of the quantities of inions they possess. The Ministry further stated that it will facilitate the licensed importers to work closely with the Agriculture Marketing Federation to buy the local onions.

The process is expected to be implemented yearly to assist farmers in swiftly selling their onions to support their livelihoods and promote the production of local onions.

Lack of sufficient storage facilities and poor market systems continues to pose major problems for Gambian farmers, discouraging many from embarking on vegetable production.

Eleven newborn babies have died in a fire at the maternity unit of a hospital in the western city of Tivaouane in Senegal.

The fire was caused by a short circuit, said the city’s mayor, Demba Diop Sy. Three babies were rescued, he added.

Senegal’s Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr has since been fired.

The tragedy has set off a wave of grief and outrage throughout Senegal over the state of disrepair at some of the country’s health-care facilities.

Families rushed to the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital to find out if their babies had survived. Some could be seen sitting outside in tears with their heads in their hands, overcome with the news that their babies were among the dead.

“We are devastated,” one young man, who only gave his name as Abdou, told the BBC.

“My sister-in-law gave birth last month but then she died. The baby was born seven months into the pregnancy, so he had to be treated and he is now one of the victims of this fire,” he said.

Moustapha Cissé told Reuters news agency that his three-week-old nephew, Mohamed, was among the dead.

His mother Ramata Gueye also died after childbirth. She and her husband, El Hadj Gueye, had been trying for a baby for seven years and Mohamed was their only child.

“It is heart-breaking to see him lose his wife and now his child,” said Mr Cissé. “I can’t even look him in the eyes.”

“Is it God’s plan or is it just that Senegal’s hospitals are failing? We need to put this question to the government,” he added.

The hospital had been newly inaugurated, according to AFP, citing local media reports.

President Macky Sall has declared three days of national mourning. “To their mothers and their families, I express my deepest sympathy,” he wrote in a tweet.

“I heard the news of the fire last night, but I did not tell my daughter. I waited until the morning to inform her,” said Ndeye Absa Gueye, who later found out her grandchild was among the dead.

“This hurts all of Senegal,” Tivaouane resident Ousmane Kane told Reuters.

Prior to his dismissal, Health Minister Mr Sarr said: “This situation is very unfortunate and extremely painful.”

He was attending a World Health Organization meeting in Geneva at the time, where he said an investigation was under way and he would be cutting his trip short to return to Senegal immediately.

Many observers say that Senegal’s health system is beset by staffing, infrastructure, equipment, and funding problems.

There are also complaints about the standard of healthcare in urban areas like this, and what people have access to in rural areas.

But those questions are for another day. Relatives arriving here at the hospital wanted to know what happened to their children – and why.

Opposition MP Mamadou Lamine Diallo criticised the government, tweeting: “More babies burned in a public hospital… This is unacceptable”.

Rights group Amnesty International has urged the government to create an “independent commission of inquiry to determine responsibility and punish the culprits, no matter the level they are at in the state apparatus,” country director Seydi Gassama said in a tweet.

Amnesty called for all of Senegal’s neo-natal wards to be inspected after a similar incident occurred in the northern town of Linguère last year.

Four newborn babies were killed there after a fire broke out at a hospital’s maternity ward. At the time, the mayor said there was an electrical fault in the air conditioning unit of the maternity ward.

Earlier this month, the authorities discovered that a baby that had been declared dead by a nurse’s aide was still alive in a morgue. The infant later died.

Wednesday’s tragedy also follows a national outcry over the death of a woman in labour, Astou Sokhna, who died while reportedly begging for a Caesarean during her 20-hour labour ordeal. Her unborn child also died.

For now, the government’s top priority will be finding a way to stop disasters like this happening again.

BBC

By: Christian Conteh

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dawda Jallow has confirmed at Wednesday’s press conference that a lot more evidence is needed if the state is to successfully prosecute certain cases as recommended by the TRRC and upheld by the government.

For some matters, the minister said evidence presented before the TRRC may not be sufficient to prosecute. 

Apart from two recommendations, the government has accepted all 265 TRRC recommendations for prosecution and a ban on holding public office. Non the less the minister has shown the government’s commitment by announcing the establishment of a special prosecution department that will be tasked with the responsibility of looking for substantial evidence to back the state’s cases when they finally take to the courts.

“Our assessment reveals that some of them are completely different from the one to be presented in court,” he said.

From all indications the TRRC has not adequately brought to the fore hard evidence in some cases and that must be addressed by the state before going to court. 

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Human rights activist and political commentator Pa-Samba Jow has frowned at the Gambia government’s decision to reject the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation (TRRC) recommendation to impose a ten-year ban on the current Director-General of the State Intelligence Service, Ousman Sowe, describing it as ‘disconcerting’, adding that no serious country will have Sowe as its director of the intelligence agency.

DG Sowe was alleged to have tampered with the TRRC evidence at the NIA in May 2017. The TRRC recommended that the government ban Sowe from holding any public office for a minimum of ten years.

The government, however, rejected the recommendation pointing out that the said interference happened outside the commission’s mandate which starts from July 1994 to January 2017.

Reacting to the decision Pa Samba argued that the government’s decision to rely on technicalities in the recommendation is disconcerting.

“Even if one were to accept the technicalities, common sense would dictate that Mr Sowe’s actions as alleged by TRRC makes his position as DG of NIA untenable. No serious country will have someone like Mr Sowe lead its national intelligence agency, especially given the serious allegations against him,” he told the Fatu Network.

Pa Samba added that the actions of DG Sowe have already put his office into disrepute. He further argued that DG Sowe is too compromised to oversee an impartial investigation of crimes committed under Jammeh and all that took place at NIA.

On the issue of Dr Tamsir Mboob, Pa Samba explained that it is only in Africa that Dr Mboob will be allowed to practice medicine after his involvement in the former president’s phoney HIV treatments programme where lives were lost. He said he supports the decision of the government to accept the recommendation to TRRC to revoke his medical license.

Pa Samba also praised the government for accepting over 90% of the recommendations despite President Barrow’s recent relationship with former Jammeh enablers.

“To be honest, I am surprised that the government of Adama Barrow accepted almost all the TRRC recommendations, given his hobnobbing with the APRC. I am however elated beyond belief that finally, justice for the victims is on the horizon,” he told the Fatu Network.

In its White Paper, The Gambia Government has accepted the recommendation of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) that the former President Yahya Jammeh, as the then Commander in Chief of The Gambia Armed Forces, be prosecuted for all the atrocities committed against the students of the April 10 and 11 students’ demonstrations – namely: arbitrary arrest,

unlawful detention, torture, assaults causing harm, and killing of the demonstrators by reason of the orders and instructions he had given; and failing to investigate and prosecute members of the security forces who committed the violation, and for seeking to seal them from responsibility via the Indemnity Act.

Aside prosecution, Government also upholds the recommendation that Yahya Jammeh be banned from holding public office for life for his role in the massacre of the students on 10^th and 11^th April 2000.

On the same students massacre, former Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy, Baboucarr Jatta, and Ousman Badjie be prosecuted for the arbitrary arrest, detention,  torture, injuries, and killing of the demonstrators, and be banned from holding public office for a period of ten (10) years.

Abdou Giri Njie is also named for prosecution for his unlawful arrest, detention, torture, and shooting resulting in the deaths and injury of two students: Sainey Nybally and Ousman Sabally.

Government also accepts the prosecution of Gorgui Mboob for the assault and injury of Ousman Sabally and banning him (Gorgui Mboob) from holding public office for five years.

Government has accepted the declaration of 10^th and 11^th April as school holidays to memorialise the sad and historic events that transpired on those two days in 2000; and ensure that they never happen again.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Minister of Transport, Works and Infrastructure Hon. Ebrima Sillah has called on young people to be engaged in skills work, saying that people with quality technical skills will never be jobless in the country. He urged young people in Nuimi and other communities to acquire such skills so that they can benefit from construction projects in the country.

“I can tell you that you will never be jobless in the country if you have quality technical skill,” Hon. Ebrima Sillah said. He said there are so many ongoing construction projects that are paying good money.

He urged the young people in Nuimi to come forward and take part in the ongoing road construction so that they can benefit from their tax monies instead of waiting for people from outside to do the work for them.

“There are so many areas of specialization in construction and if you have the ability to work you can come forward and work with the contractors. We will be very happy to see our young people taking part in the project because the money will remain in the country. The government is building the roads from your tax.”

He said the contractor is travelling all the way to Senegal and Guinea Bissau to get young people to work in the project because many young people in the country don’t have the required skills.

“We want to solicit the support from the chiefs and communities elders to work with the Ministry of transport, NRA and the contractor to help with the recruitment process for young people within the local communities,” he emphasize.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Alpha Mairam Khan, the Chief of Jokadou District has pleaded for Government’s urgent support  through the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure to rehabilitate their roads which he said present them with many challenges, particularly the constraints of pregnant women in accessing health facilities in the district.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, Chief Khan disclosed that their roads are in bad conditions, adding that they were constructed during the colonial days. “It is very difficult for us to access basic services due to the poor road network,” he lamented.

He said they have been calling for help for decades but to no avail. “Poor road network in the district has been our major challenge over the decades. Pregnant women are really suffering as they cannot easily access health facilities.”

“Ambulances plying from other villages cannot access the health facilities in our communities due to the poor roads.” Mr. Khan expressed optimism that the new minister’s visit in the district will bring about positive change. He urged the Minister of Works and Transport to consider rehabilitating some of the roads if they cannot construct new ones before the raining season.

“Our women gardeners do not have storage facilities for their products which is leading to post harvest loses. We want our women to get the proper market where they can sell their garden produces.”

According to him, the district women are cultivating thousands of bags of onions which he said can serve the country’s domestic market.

Momodou Sowe, Alkalo of Bafuloto village also emphasized that government should support them, confirming that such challenges are affecting their daily activities. He equally urged the government to support them particularly with electricity, road, water and health facilities.

Essa Mbye Faal, Lead Counsel of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) has reacted to the recently released Government White Paper on the TRRC report.

He commends the government for taking what he describes as a “correct and courageous decision.”

However, Faal says even though he accepts that Sanna Sabally does not merit an amnesty, the government erred in law when it rejected the recommended amnesty for him ‘on wrong legal grounds.’

Below is Mr. Faal’s reaction published on his Facebook page: “Essa Faal Turn Around”

I am thrilled to learn that the government has issued the long-awaited White Paper on the report of the TRRC in which it accepted 99.2% of the findings and recommendations of the Commission. I am happy to have attained such a lofty achievement not just for myself, but for the Commissioners who made the final decisions and in particularly my legal team members who made the sacrifice to go beyond the call of duty by spending sleepless nights with me at the TRRC as we wrote the reports and the recommendations. The support and encouragement they gave me throughout the process was extraordinary for which I thank them enormously.

I take this opportunity to commend the government for taking a correct and courageous decision to rise above politics and accept the recommendations and of the Commission.

While I accept that Sanna Sabally does not merit an amnesty, I believe that the government erred in law when it rejected the recommended amnesty for him on wrong legal grounds. However, I support the outcome, but unfortunately it cannot be sustained legally as it is anchored on a point that is not based on the TRRC Act.

That said I congratulate the government for a very good decision. Their acceptance of the memorialisation recommendations in particular will permanently keep the never again agenda fresh in our public interactions.

We now wait anxiously to see the next steps the government will take to implement the recommendations. Addressing the impunity gap is key. As such, I eagerly look forward to the justice and accountability mechanisms the government will pursue for the perpetrators.

Long live The Gambia and all its people. Long live justice.

Essa Mbye Faal

By: Christian Conteh

The Gambian Government has made a commitment to ensure reforms in the security sector including effective crowd control mechanisms. This it says will help the security forces control crowds in a professional manner whilst maintaining law and order.

This is in direct response to a TRRC recommendation that was accepted by the government white paper. It notes that security forces should be provided with appropriate equipment and materials needed for demonstrations or protests.

“Proper training should be provided to the security forces on matters relating to crowd control (riot management), and on security and legal issues concerning the management of violent demonstrations and riots.”

This intends to ensure the student demonstration of 10th and 11th that left some Gambians dead and several injured does not occur again.

The Government accepts the recommendation of the Commission and is committed to instituting the necessary reforms for security forces to be able to effectively control crowds in a professional manner whilst maintaining law and order.

The TRRC also called for the 10th and 11th of April to either be declared school holidays or other arrangements be developed to memorialise the sad and historic events that transpired on those two days in 2000 and ensure that they never happen again.

The Government in its white paper states that it accepts this recommendation and will take the necessary steps as part of its national memorialisation plan.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Government of the Gambia, acting on the recommendation from the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC), has given former president Yahya Jammeh a lifetime ban from holding public office in the Gambia and accepted a recommendation for a 10-year ban on the former vice president, Isatou Njie-Saidy from holding public office.

This is as a result of their roles in the April 10 and 11 students’ demonstration in 2000. The TRRC, after its findings on the student’s demonstration on the 10th and 11th April 2000, concluded that 15 people were killed by the state security officers.

Among the fifteen people killed, twelve(12) were students and two (2) were toddlers, one of whom, according to the TRRC report, was a three-year-old shot in the head by security personnel. The other child was trampled open by students running for their lives. The third non-student who died was a red cross volunteer.

The demonstration was spare headed by the Gambia Students’ Union (Gamsu) following the death of Ebrima Barry and the rape case of Binta Manneh by a security officer.
Ebrima Barry was a 10th-grade student at Foster’s Technical High School In Brikama, West Coast Region. He was reported to have been assaulted by a fire officer which led to his demise.

Binta Manneh, on the other hand, was a grade 7 student at Brikamaba Upper Basic School in CRR. According to the TRRC report, she was raped by a security officer at the independence stadium where she was representing her school in the inter-school athletic competition.

When the news of the wounding and killing of students reached students in the rural Gambia on the 11th of April, things went out of control and the state security officers used force. Two were killed in the Brikamaba area and several were wounded, assaulted and detained in Janjanbureh prison.

In their recommendation to the government of the Gambia, the TRRC recommended Yaya Jammeh be prosecuted and be banned for life from holding public office in the Gambia as well as his then deputy, Isatou Njie-Saidy for ten years.

“The commission recommends that Isatou Njie-Saidy be prosecuted and banned from holding public offices for 10 years and that Yahya Jammeh be banned from holding public office for life for their roles in the massacre of the students on the 10th and 11th April 2000.”

The commission further recommends Yahya Jammeh be prosecuted for all the unlawful detentions, tortures, assaults causing harm and killings of demonstrators because of the orders and instructions given to them.

Gorgui Mboob is also recommended to be prosecuted for assault on Ousman Sabally at St. Augustine High School in Banjul and be banned for five years from holding any public office in the Gambia.

These recommendations are accepted by the Gambia government including observing the 10th and 11th of April every year as public holidays in the Gambia after the sad events that happened in April 2000.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Minister of Justice of The Gambia, Honourable Dawda Jallow as assured Gambians of transparent and inclusive implementations of the TRRC recommendations with a clear timeline and measurable outcome.

The Justice Minister uttered this during the unveiling of the Government white paper on the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), recommendations.

“The implementation must therefore be transparent and inclusive with a clear timeline and measurable outcome.”

The minister assured the public of the Gambia government’s commitment to implementing recommendations outlined in the whitepaper including the prosecution of the former President Yaya Jammeh.

According to Hon. Jallow, individuals that were adversely mentioned during the public hearings of the commission will be immediately suspended from public offices pending retirement or termination of their contract.

“The Government shall take steps for their immediate suspension from service while we work on a lawful means to effect their dismissal, termination or compulsory retirement as each class may require,” the minister said.

He ascertained that the suspension of the people mentioned will be done immediately.

The Justice Minister also explained that the government have decided to reject the amnesty granted to the former vice-chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC), Sanna Sabally by the TRRC. He equalled noted that the government stands with TRRC on the rejection of amnesty requested by former Vice President of the Gambia, Isatou Njie-Saidy.

Hon. Jallow also informed the press that the process of taking former president Yaya Jammeh to court so he faces justice is at an advanced stage. He said whether extradited or not, Yaya Jammeh must face justice.

In the whitepaper, the justice Minister outlined that the Gambia government accepted 263 out of the 265 recommendations from the TRRC. The two that are rejected were the labelling of foreign judges in the Gambia as mercenaries and granting of amnesty to Sanna Sabally, who served as the second in command in the Gambia from July 1994 to 1995.

The white paper comprises 173 pages and 600 paragraphs.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Arch 22 is a commemorative structure which makes a distinctive gateway to the capital city of the Gambia, Banjul. It commemorates the 22nd July 1994 military coup by the Armed Forces Provincial Ruling Council led by Yahya Jammeh.

According to Hon. Dawda Jallow, Attorney General and Minister of Justice the massive structure will now be named ‘Never Again’. This is in line with the Gambia government’s white paper on the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission’s (TRRC) recommendations.

Hon. Dawda Jallow further announced that the name change will be done in honour of the victims under former president Yaya Jammeh from July 1994 to January 2017.

“I am pleased to announce his Excellency the President’s decision to rename the July 22^nd Arch to NEVER AGAIN MEMORIAL ARCH in honour of all the victims of gross human rights abuses and violations under the regime of former president Yahya Jammeh.  The Government plans to renovate the Arch and erect a plaque with the names of the victims of the Jammeh regime. It is our hope that this memorial may be repurposed as a fitting reminder that Never Again shall we allow such heinous abuses and violations in our beloved country.”

The minister further said that the government has p Archlans to refurbish the Arch and write the names of the victims of Jammeh there. He said that the memorial agenda will serve as a fitting reminder that never again shall the violations that happened in the Jammeh era be allowed to happen again.

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commissions investigated the crimes and violations of human rights committed in the Gambia from July 1994 – to January 2017 in The Gambia. The volume has 179 pages. According to the Hon Minister of Justice, the government received 265 recommendations from the TRRC but rejected only two.

By: Christian Conteh

Retired veteran politician, Hon Halifa Sallah has suggested that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) be scrapped from the National Assembly Budgetary Allocation and redirected to the development budget of local councils.

This according to Hon. Sallah will enable local councils to embark on more development projects. He called on the media to interrogate all National Assembly Members and ask them how they utilized the funds they have been given over the years.

“The Constituency Development Fund was created during our time in Parliament, there is nothing wrong to take it if it is there. Now the media have the chance to find out how the funds were utilised by the beneficiaries. That is what the media can do, interrogate every National Assembly Member on how they spent the money,” he said.

Hon Sallah was speaking at a press conference at the PDOIS party’s Secretariat in Churchill’s Town, Serekunda, as he shares his party’s position on the recent councillor by-election.

He maintained that during his term as National Assembly Member he refused to take the said funds.

“I refused to take it because if I said anything then they would say this man is very strange but now you see I am free; I am not there at the National Assembly to antagonize anybody. I am now a sovereign Gambian citizen determined to make my mark in the country that is why I am saying that the fund should be scrapped.”

In his view, the former Minority Leader of the National Assembly asserted that the Constituency Development Fund only lays the foundation for creating a self-perpetuating rule for National Assembly Members.

The funds he advocates should be put into the development funds of the councils so that such funds can be accounted for.