By Lamin Sanyang
Gambia’s Chief Justice, Hassan B. Jallow has launched a national stakeholders conference on justice and human rights at Kairaba Beach Hotel.
The conference was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Minister of Women Affairs, Sierra Leon’s Attorney General, UN Human Rights Commissioner and Gambians of all walks of life particularly the law makers, judiciary, media and civil society groups.
Chief Justice Jallow in his launching remarks said democracy and rule of law are the basic foundation of any developed nation.
“Transitional justice is not an easy task, several steps were taken but there are still more to be taken,” Chief Justice Hassan B Jallow said.
Chief Justice Jallow highlighted on the need to strengthen the independence of the judiciary, ombudsman and constitute a national human rights commission. He called for national reconciliation and strengthening the criminal justice system. He further called on the need to promote access to justice for the victims of of human rights violations.
“We need to take difficult decisions…make sure the measures taken are implemented,” he asserted.
The Chief Justice before declaring the national stakeholders conference open, called on the establishment of non political bodies to further strengthen the reconciliation process for national unity.
“The Gambia has experienced two decades of authoritarian regime,” Abubakarr Tambadou, Attorney General and Minister of Justice said.
The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice described the former regime as authoritarian calling it as the dark years of the country’s political history during which the citizenry were victims of torture, rape and secret burials among other human rights violations. He stated that the national stakeholders conference on justice and human rights was meant to discuss ideas to confront the challenges facing the country. He called on the participation of the government and non governmental organizations to restore the fundamental rights of the citizenry.
Minister Tambadou talked about the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and called for preventive mechanism by strengthening the legal instruments. He also talked about the training packages for the stakeholders particularly the security officers and media practitioners to strengthen transitional justice. He highlighted the government’s willingness to resume the Banjul Charter for Human Rights which was death for the past 22 years of dictatorship.
“Africa is rising and the Gambia cannot fail to take its part in this continental development,” said Joseph Camara, Attorney General and Minister of Justice for Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leonean Justice Minister reiterated the importance of justice and human rights in building a nation, saying the past must be dealt with to move forward as a nation.
“The first step to dictatorship is the death of justice,” Sierra Leone’s Justice Minister Camara pointed out.
Justice Minister Camara told the national stakeholders that the wind of change is blowing in Africa, as a new democratic leadership is emerging. Africans he added want leaders who respect justice, rule of law and human rights. He asserted that the perpetrators of crime must be brought to justice while the victims should be given opportunities to explain their stories, adding that the tools of mediation and dialogue are crucial.
“There is need to track cautiously in the search for justice,” he interjected.
He added:”The Gambia have to draw her own transitional justice base on their own context.”
The Sierra Leonean Justice Minister explained that the Gambia must take ownership of the transitional justice to earnestly work with the international community. He stated that the experience of one country cannot be use in another but lessons could be learn. He recommended the need to build institutions to block the past from repeating itself.
