The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in The Gambia, which undertook a comprehensive review of its thematic areas of operation, including the killing of an estimated 56 West African migrants (44 Ghanaians inclusive) in 2005, will conclude its public hearings during the first week of May 2021.
The Commission will subsequently prepare the final report, containing its findings and recommendations during the rest of May and June, prior to the submitted to the President in early July.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice has informed the Commission that the President, pursuant to Section (3), (2) of the TRRC Act, 2017, has approved the said recommendation.
According to a statement on November 25, 2020 by chairman of the TRRC, Dr.LaminSise, the Commission, in compliance with the COVID-19 the Commission, on November 18, 2020 recommended to the President of the Republic to extend the time granted to TRRC until June 30, 2021.
The extension of time follows the acceptance of recommendations by the Commission to the President of The Gambia in view of the interruptions in its work programme by the COVID-19 related health regulations for which the Commission’s scaled down its activities.
The Commission concluded that in order to complete its work in a timely manner, it needed more time beyond the two years provided for under the TRRC Act, 2017 to work on its themes which included the killing of an estimated 56 West African migrants in 2005; the enforced disappearances of journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh and others; the creation of instruments of oppression and the debasement of the Gambian constitution, the April 14, 2016 protest leading to the arrest and torture of many persons and the alleged killing of Solo Sandeng; sexual and gender-based violence (part two) and Junglers .
In view of the urgency of finishing its work under the revised schedule, and in a departure from tradition, the Commission will not suspend its public hearings during the month of Ramadan (12 April-11 May 2021).
The extension of time gives the survivors and victims’ families of the 44 Ghanaians massacred in The Gambia in 2005 the hope of being heard at the TRRC before it concludes its work as has been advocated by the Jammeh2Justice Ghana Coalition campaign.
Early this week, Mr. Martin Kyere, a survivor and spokesperson for the victims’ families of the massacre of about 44 Ghanaians in the Gambia in 2005, complained that the TRRC had announced that the Ghanaians qualify to appear before it (TRRC) to have their case heard yet it dragged its feet to provide the rules of procedure to guide them in the participation in the proceedings.
The fear was that the Commission was about wrapping up its activities by December 2020, hence the complaint and urged the TRCC to provide the requested information and prioritize the case of the Ghanaians which constitutes the single highest number of unlawful killings and enforced disappearances in the Gambia and give it the needed attention it deserves.
He also wants the Gambia TRRC to subpoena current and former high ranking Gambian officials who relayed Jammeh’s instructions to the security chief and prosecuted the unlawful killings.
He mentioned UN Ambassador Curtis Ward, who led the UN/ECOWAS fact-finding team to investigate the killings in 2008, as well as Dr. Mohammed IbnChambas as the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS at the time of the killings.
The post Gambian Truth Commission To Submit Report Early July 2021 appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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