Following the enactment of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission Act 2017, the Ministry of Justice hereby publishes Guidelines for the Selection and Appointment of Commissioners to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia. The appointment process shall be completed by 28 February 2018. All the key actors in this process shall be contacted separately and will be advised on specific timelines for each activity. The publication of these Guidelines is for the information of the public only.
Guidelines for Selection and Appointment of Commissioners to the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia
Preamble
Recalling the nationwide public consultations on the establishment of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC);
Recalling the establishment of the TRRC by an Act of the National Assembly of The Gambia;
Underscoring the importance of public participation in and ownership of the TRRC process;
Desirous of the need to establish a balanced and impartial Commission that is reflective of the geographic, gender, religious and cultural diversity of The Gambia and is capable of delivering results that meet the expectations of the people of The Gambia;
Noting the need for a TRRC composed of Gambians of high moral character and integrity who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of vocation or communities:
The following Guidelines are issued for the selection and appointment of the eleven Commissioners to the TRRC in The Gambia. Selections and Appointment of Commissioners shall be conducted mainly in two separate parallel processes in the following manner:
- A. Regional Nominees
Five commissioners shall be appointed from the following five regions in the country, namely: West Coast Region, North Bank Region, Central River Region, Lower River Region, and Upper River Region. One commissioner shall be selected from each region. Selection of commissioners from these regions shall be coordinated by the Regional Governors.
Regional Selection Panels (RSP) of seven members, which shall include representatives of youth and women’s groups, victims’ groups, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations working in the field of human rights, religious and community leaders of the region, shall be established in each of the said five regions. The Regional Selection Panel from each region shall, after consultations with the inhabitants of all districts in the region, and preferably by consensus, nominate three candidates including at least one female for appointment from amongst the three majority ethnic groups in the region. No more than one candidate from each of the three majority ethnic groups in the region shall be nominated by a region.
Nominations shall be based on the following additional criteria:
- a) integrity
- b) high moral character
- c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
- d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
- e) residency in the region
- f) Gambian nationality
The regional Governors shall transmit the list of nominated candidates to the Ministry of Justice with a report identifying members of the Regional Selection Panel and certifying that the nomination process complied with the aforesaid procedure.
The said list shall contain the following information about each nominated candidate:
- Full name and current address
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Religion
- Educational background
- Occupation
- Employment history
- Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.
- B. Other Nominees
The President of the Republic of The Gambia shall nominate five commissioners in the following manner:
The general public shall be invited to identify suitable candidates for appointment addressed to the Ministry of Justice based on the following criteria:
- a) integrity
- b) high moral character
- c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
- d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
- e) residency in the greater Banjul area (Banjul and KMC) or in the Diaspora
- f) Gambian nationality
Proposals from the general public shall include the following information on the proposed candidate:
- Full name and current address
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Religion
- Educational background
- Occupation
- Employment history
- Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.C. Youth Representation
One commissioner shall be appointed from among youth groups in the country. The National Youth Council (NYC) shall, in consultation with its member youth groups, nominate three candidates including at least one woman and submit their names to the Minister of Justice.
Nominations shall be based on the following criteria:
- a) integrity
- b) high moral character
- c) no criminal record or involvement in past human rights violations
- d) not known to be actively involved in a political party
- f) Gambian nationality
The list of nominees from the NYC shall include the following information on the proposed candidate:
- Full name and current address
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
- Religion
- Educational background
- Occupation
- Employment history
- Short notes of no more than 500 words (type-written; font size 12; 1.5 line spacing) stating the reasons for the person’s suitability for appointment as commissioner to the TRRC in light of its mandate and objectives.
- D. When all the candidates are identified and before appointment by the President in consultation with the various groups identified under section 5 of the TRRC Act 2017, the final list of 11 names shall be published and the general public shall be invited to make objections with justification, if they so desire, to the appointment of any of the candidates on the list.
