Scores of Victims of human right abuses during past two decades in The Gambia who spoke to The Voice newspaper says there could not be any forgiveness without truth and justice.
Many believe that these victims could be potential witnesses in the coming Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
Many Gambians are mourning the carnages endured during the reign of Yahya Jammeh but never have the opportunity to be accorded fair trials nor justice.
Many other victims have been traumatized by the despicable atrocities of 22 years rule of the former tyrant and are now demanding for truth, justice and possible reparations.
Gambia government has established the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to bring justice to the victims of the misrule as well as possible prosecution of alleged perpetrators some of whom are occupying key government institutions.
“The TRRC is the best concept Barrow government has done for us (Victims) so that Gambian people would understand what some of us have gone through. For 18 years we have been demanding justice for our colleagues (April 10, 2000 student demonstrators) to no avail. Some of our colleagues are currently going through some complex medical and health challenges, they need help even before they could be able to get to the commission because some of them can’t stand on their feet even for more than ten minutes,” said Abdou Karim Jammeh, a victim of the April 2000 student demonstration organised by the Gambia Students Union.
The Gambia Students Union fondly known as Gamsu was later banned as an outlaw organisation. Some of its ring leaders including its president Omar Joof are still in exile.
“We have strong confidence in the integrity of the caliber of Gambians leading the TRRC and we hope they will do their job to the expectation of Gambians especially the victims. We want to know who did what and why they do such, we want them (perpetrators) to answer our questions at least to clear the air and from there we can forgive each other,” Abdou Karim told The Voice.
Abdou who was shot on the ankle is now using walking stick to move from place to place. He also said that he does not bother about his condition but many others who are on wheel chairs and others who could not do anything for themselves without support from family members and friends. He noted that what they prefer first is medical treatments overseas.
“What we want as a matter of urgency is medical attention and declaring April 10th as a national school holiday. April is the month that we attained Republican status but also April is the month that dictatorship was born in The Gambia,” Abdou Karim disclosed to this medium what April means to Gambians.
He said it was April when Yahya Jammeh and thugs butchered 14 unarmed students whose only crime was demanding justice from the state.
Marie Theresa, a sixty three year old mother lamented that on her way home from attending prayers at the Church, she got the sudden news that her 18 years old son Califso Perriara was shot during student demonstrations. According to her, the Coroners Inquest says he died as a result of gunshots.
She emotionally recalls her trauma to Gambia times. “My son was gunned down around Westfield on April 10th, 2000. He told me he was going to School and all of a sudden one of his friends rushed to inform me that Califso was shot down and was in a critical condition. He was of great help to me, I knew he would have been of great asset to me and the family but Jammeh’s regime end his life,” it was not fair, Marie Therese reveals.
She then said she will never forgive Jammeh or people who have had hands in ending his son’s life and ask for nothing more, nothing less from TRRC than truth and Justice.
“We , the victims will not forgive Yahya Jammeh nor the perpetrators for all the sufferings that, we have been going through for 22years we have been keeping in the suspense, no one dares to tell us who is responsible for our sufferings, imagine if it was your son, daughter or love ones,” She rhetorically asked
Marie Therese has already filed her case with The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violence (GCVHRV) a non-governmental organisation working with victims ahead of the truth commission.
“I have been waiting for this long for justice to prevail and remain hopeful that my case will be treated with diligence and utmost sincerity in establishing the truth then we can talk of forgiveness and reconciliation,” she disclosed.
“It’s insulting to say the commission is unnecessary, it is necessary for truth to be told by the very people who committed it, why they do it and how they do it, without which forget about reconciliation,” said Mamudu Jobarteh a nephew to the late Daaba Marenah.
He told this reporter that, all the family members want to know is who are those responsible for the death of their loved ones and why they have to do such and on whose order?.
“We are expecting truth to be delivered and affected families to be compensated before talking of any possible forgiveness. Jammeh arbitrarily killed our loved ones without thinking that today will come and it is now our interest to ensure that truth is said to serve on behalf of our deceases, those who were not privilege to witness this day,” Jobarteh postulated.
He describes people opposing the commission as perpetrators, stating that it is people who committed crimes who are against the establishment of the TRRC.
“The sufferings our families endure due to barbarism of Jammeh and his thugs is severe and imagine if it was one member of your family,” Jobarteh submitted.
He calls on the commissioners to provide securities to key witnesses amidst the fact that many perpetrators are still living free in the society and can harm any potential witness who may testify against them.
Author: Kebba Ansu Manneh