Afro – barometer has released a public survey data on the attitudes and perception of Gambian citizens and showed the correlation between security sector and reform program, increase in crime rate and the presence of ECOMIG in the Gambia.
The survey was presented at the faculty of Law, University of the Gambia in Kanifing on 31 October 2018.
Mr Daniel Armah-Attoh AB project manager, said Afrobarometer is a pan-partisan survey research project that measures citizen’s attitudes on democracy and governance, economy, civil society etc.
Meanwhile, the Afro barometer is meant to know the capacity of African research institutions and African researchers to be able to know scientific research in supporting.
He said: “the research is done through face to face interview to collect their data in the language of the respondent’s choice. We started with 12 countries and now with 34 countries, got coverage in 10,000 plus stories in broadcast, print and online media.”
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, a political science lecturer at the UTG, said base on the findings Gambians are split whether the ECOMIG should leave and let the GAF and Police take charge of security matters in the country.
“And the call for the ECOMIG to leave is the highest in west coast and among the youths, and citizens varying expectations from the TRRC is that 51% of Gambians,” he said.
He said that the former president should face prosecution for crimes and human abuses 28% of Gambians said one or more family members suffered from human rights violation during Jammeh’s regime.
He added that 14% arbitrary arrest or detention without trial, torture, rape and other brutalities by agents of the state and 40% of Gambians had being victims of theft last year.
He added, that fewer than half of Gambians say they trust the commission and 12% not at all and that 68% of Gambians say perpetrators of crimes and human-rights abuses during Jammeh’s regime should be tried in court irrespective of the work of the TRRC.
Madam Hannah Forster, Executive Director, ACDHRS said the voice of the people is the voice of all, and how many times did we as Gambians voice out our opinions.
She said: “TRRC reminds of the 22 years of violation of human rights and it spells out that there needs to be some elements of healing but before healing there- needs to be some element of justice, setting out the TRRC without hearing from the people that are affected will not be justified.”
Author: Isatou HE Tamba