By: Kebb Ansu Manneh
Sheriff Kijera, Chairman of Gambia Victims Centre has called on Gambian government to suspend all those security officers adversely mentioned in the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) report, stressing that it is very clear from the findings of the commission that these securities are responsible for serious crimes committed during the reign of former President Yahya Jammeh.
He said this to The Voice Newspaper in an interview saying government should take a bold step to suspend perpetrators holding key positions in the state.
“We are calling on government to suspend all those securities (personnel) adversely mentioned in the TRRC report before the publication of the whitepaper. It is very clear from the TRRC findings that these people are responsible for serious crimes that have been committed during the Jammeh era,” Chairman Victims Centre appealed to Government.
He added: “We are calling the government to take responsibility even before they publish the whitepaper to suspend or interdict some of these perpetrators that are still in the system occupying senior offices and key positions within the government.”
He said this is their expectations as victims and they are expecting nothing more than the full implementation of the report. According to him, the victims community is also expecting to see the prosecution of former President Yahya Jammeh and members of the Military Junta of 1994, because crimes committed by Jammeh and members of the military junta cannot go unpunished.
Adding that, “we don’t want prosecution alone but credible prosecution with credible witnesses that will help to bring all these criminals to book. It will be important, too, to exercise patience in our desire to see the prosecution of the perpetrators.”
He stated that perpetrators who voluntarily admitted to their crimes, feel remorse and apologise should be considered for amnesty, for those who committed gross human rights violations should not be granted amnesty but to face the full force of law.
The Center Chairman summed up by revealing that the Victims Center is working with the Ministry of Justice to establish a hybrid court that will be able to prosecute all the perpetrators, adding that efforts are ongoing to tried some of the perpetrators who are staying outside the country.
