“There is no greater threat to a free and democratic country than a government that fails to protect its citizens’ freedom and liberty as aggressively as it pursues justice” – Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.
Yesterday, in a press released the TRRC stated that, acting in accordance with Section 15 (1a) and (4) of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission Act, 2017, the TRRC has delivered an urgent request to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to set up a Medical Board to review the cases of victims of the past regime who suffered bodily harm and need urgent medical attention and to advise the Commission as to their present health status and needs.
The release, calls for the assessment of each patient and to review past treatment and report of such treatment available, to indicate what form of current treatment and management should be given to the patient, and to make recommendations for the further treatment and management of the patient. There is also need for recommendation as to facilitate the provision of such treatment and management either in The Gambia or in other countries and submission of a report to the Commission at the earliest possible date”
The TRRC programme is simply to review cases involving human rights violation, so that those who find themselves victims of palpable injustice are made to go through fair retrials.
Those, who have been in custody without trial for many years, also to receive justice under the commission,
In our part of the world, justice is a very costly commodity which the poor and less privileged are unable to purchase.
It is always the rich and those who find themselves in influential positions who subjected the poor and less privileged sons and daughters of this transitory life to bout of injustice.
The release addressed to the Director of Health Services and copied to the Permanent Secretary and the Minister of Health, the letter reads in part: “Taking into consideration the seriousness of the cases and the length of time that some of them have suffered, the TRRC requests that the Medical Board be set up as a matter of urgency to assess and review these cases and give advice on the way forward. . . .
The TRRC requests as a matter of urgency, that this Medical Board, once constituted, should execute the following functions with a view to making recommendations for the further treatment and management of these patients:”
It is in the right direction that the TRRC demands for health status of the victims as starting point of its mandate.
“We are doing everything possible to see to it that victims who need urgent medical attention get treatment at the earliest possible time,” said TRRC Executive Secretary Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow. “We are following up with the Ministry of Health and we are also exploring other avenues to ensure that these victims get the urgent medical attention they deserved.”
Against this sordid background, The Voice highly commends Mr. Jallow, who initiated the programme ‘Justice for All’, and urges the government to solidly back it with relevant inputs to save victims.