Two Gambian has reacted to announcement by Essa M. Faal ex- lead counsel Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to contest the December 4 presidential election.
Faal on Friday declared his bid for the coming December 4th presidential election, despite his work at the TRRC is yet to be finalize by handing over the two and half years report of the commission finding.
The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, was setup by the national assembly to investigate ex-President Yahya Jammeh era from 1994 to 2017. The process from the announcement of the commission to its launch lasted from 20 July 2017 to 15 October 2018.
Fatou Jaw-Manneh is a Gambian journalist and activist wrote on her Facebook: “Democracy on the march!!! The more the merrier!! Good luck Mr. Essa Faal. Its unfortunate though, that Barrow still has this scam boutique of the TRRC still open. Shut it down and let’s figure out how to appease the suffering Gambian victims. This “educated” ” kind ” , ” patriotic ” lawyer was nowhere to be found, during the time of terror.”
Manneh , also Honorary Adviser to President Adama Barrow, emphasized that “actually Gambians are still debating as a careerist and opportunist, if he was not part of the hip hop gangster lawyers that legally had Jammeh in place. They are now concerned Gambians after wasting millions and millions on this incomplete bias TRRC structure. Zero and pain continues for the victims.”
She said: “The head counsel we were banking on to bring in sanity, is nothing but an opportunist who have squandered millions in the name of bringing Jammeh to justice. Just like the constitutional review group. The same gangster of legal hustlers distributed and sold of Jammehs looted assets. In Mandinka we called them SUNGSULUUTO.”
Alagi Yorro Jallow, Gambian journalist also founder and former managing editor of the Independent newspaper aslo asked: “Where was Essa Mbye Faal during the Dark 22 years of Jammeh when the Gambia was bleeding?”
He further said: “We remember some Gambian lawyers in the diaspora, journalist activists, and other political opposition party members who gave their support and resources in the service of the Gambia, in the service of freedom and justice. We remember the sacrifice, the valor, and the grace. We recognize the smiles, the loves, the laughter, the essential, vibrant, and transcendent humanity through intrinsic and extrinsic support, particularly those in the private media, since the media became the first casualty and, through pain and anguish, loss, life, limb, shed unending blood and tears.”
“We remember the pride on our faces the day some decent human beings pinned those to our shoulders and raised our hopes with smiles. When state-sponsored thugs torched the Independent printing press, few Gambian lawyers on international appointments and others who valued free press did contribute immensely to a new printing acquisition. They funded all the shipping costs from America to the Gambia. Notable lawyers who supported the shipping cost of the Independent new printing machine were Former ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bom Bebsouda, Abubacarr Baa Tambedou, Alhagie Marong, Magistrate Musa Gassama, Master Ousman Jammeh, and Justice Hassan Jallow. Lawyer Essa Faal was at The Hague as a prosecutor, and he did not contribute like his colleagues. Mr. Joe Sambou and former Adama Barrow, first Attorney General, and Justice Minister Abubacarr Baa Tambedou coordinated the initiative. What has Essa Mbye Faal contributed to the Gambian struggle and supported pro-democracy advocates between 994 and 2016, having worked in all continents?”
