The Gambia government has accepted the prosecution of former president Yahya Jammeh and former vice president Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy for human rights crimes.
Speaking during the released of the TRRC white paper at the Sir Dawda International Conference Centre in Bijilo, Honorable Dawda A Jallow, minister of justice and attorney general said: “
“The Government accepted ALL the recommendations by the TRRC with regards to Prosecution, notable the prosecution of ex-President Yahya Jammeh, for a myriad of crimes committed between 1994 and 2017.
“The Government accepted the recommendations for the prosecution of ex-vice president Dr. Isatou Njie Saidy for her role in the April 10 and 11 student killings. Government further accepted the recommendation to deny her amnesty,” he said.
“The Whitepaper is 173 pages long and contains 600 paragraphs. It is structured in chapters according to the 17 thematic areas with each chapter setting out a summary of the findings of the commission, then government position on each of the recommendations made by the commission. In addition to the 17 thematic areas there are separate chapters on Reparations, Reconciliation, the National Human Rights Commission and Amnesty.
“The Whitepaper analysed all 265 recommendations made by the TRRC and gave government’s position as well as its plan for implementation. Out of 265 recommendations made by the TRRC and considered by the Government only all but two have been are set for implementation in one shape or form. With the exception of the two rejected recommendations, where the Government does not necessarily agree on the proposed recommendation it sets out an alternative mode if implementation to meet the overall objective of the recommendation,” he explained.
“An implementation rate of over 99.2% of all recommendations is unprecedented in the history of Truth Commissions and I am convinced that we now have a clear road map towards reconciliation, justice, reparations and ensuring non-reoccurrence.”
“We must however admit that the some of the conditions that made it possible for these atrocities to be committed still exist. This truth-seeking process will therefore be futile if we do not put in place long overdue comprehensive legislative and institutional reforms. The implementation of the TRRC’s recommendations is therefore anchored on broad based reforms which are at the centre of the Whitepaper.
