The reason the former dictator continues to torment Gambians since he was booted out of office 6 years ago is because the TRRC completely exonerated the political party that gave him legitimacy to contest elections.
As such whenever and wherever his party supporters are gathered he is given the opportunity to make outlandish comments and insulting statements against his victims. Unlike the Janneh Commission, the TRRC focused on “persons who are responsible for human rights violations’ and not on political organisations that enable the brutal dictatorship.
As a result the principal enablers and election deniers and the key members of his party responsible for the political impasse of 2017 have now been elevated to the highest levels of Government! Where is justice and reconciliation now that Gambians know the truth?
The Government White Paper on the TRRC similarly have absolved the political party that provided the platform for one of Africa’s worst dictatorship.
And to further complicate our nation’s journey through the Transitional Justice Process political will is lacking. And those tasked with the implementation of the transitional justice agenda are more interested in pursuing distracting goals, instead of focusing on delivering justice for the victims. The whole TRRC process has become unduly legalistic and NEVER AGAIN is just a slogan.
There’s seemingly endless discussions about hybrid courts to put the dictator and a few individuals on trial in the Gambia. The TRRC implementation workshops, conferences and forums are naval gazing exercises that the Executive indulges in are a distraction and must be called out.
