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By Desmond Davies, RNG
Office Manager in London
London,
12 June, GNA – The experience of the media as an institution under the
government of former president Yahya Jammeh in The Gambia is at the center of the
fifth session of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC),
which began Monday in Banjul.
the
The three-week hearing focuses on the various laws that would have been used to remove
the media and violate journalists' rights and freedom of expression.
he
would also hear testimonials about public institutions and people who
helped to create these laws and enforce them.
the
TRRC will hear the experiences of individual media houses and the violations
the rights of journalists through arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture,
murder and exile.
A
representative of the Gambia Press Union will testify, and each
journalists will talk about their personal encounters with human rights
violations.
"As
we plan to hold institutional hearings on the Department of Justice and
the intelligence services of the state [formerly National Intelligence Agency]Baba
Galleh Jallow, executive secretary of the CRRT, told the Ghana News Agency (Ghana News Agency, GNA).
"More precisely,
we are interested in how these two public institutions have aided and abetted or
otherwise participated in the violation of the rights of Gambian citizens and others
affected during the reporting period. "
By
By the end of the fourth session of the TRRC at the end of April, 57 witnesses had
have testified, including eight women.
More
among them, there are widows of 14 soldiers summarily executed and buried in mbad graves
during an incident in a military barracks on November 11, 1994.
during
At the break, TRRC investigators exhumed the remains of seven of the victims.
the
investigators continue their search to find more bodies.
AT
At the opening of the fifth session, TRRC Chair Lamin J. Sise said:
"Confronting the truth as a people allows us to raise the difficult
questions that need to be raised and brainstorming about the difficult answers
suggest themselves to us.
"And
this makes the Gambian society more and more determined to ensure, both morally and
and legally, that a future Gambia will be a Gambia where it is impossible to
to violate the rights and dignities of our fellow men with impunity.
"We
hope and pray that we all remain engaged in this national conversation with the
confidence and belief that we can indeed create and bequeath to our
children, a better Gambia, "added Dr. Sise.
TRCC
Executive Secretary Jallow is also optimistic about the progress of hearings.
"Experiences
other jurisdictions suggest that many truth commissions find this extremely difficult.
difficult if not impossible to persuade alleged perpetrators to come voluntarily
transmit to make their statements, testify about their alleged acts and pay
light on crimes and human rights violations committed in the past, "he said.
in a report.
"The
TRRC turns out to be an exception to this rule.
"So
Up to now, at least nine alleged perpetrators have voluntarily introduced themselves and
testified about their alleged involvement in the commission of crimes. "
Among
all this, the CRRT continues to counter rumors about its activities and
Staff.
For
For example, Mr. Jallow had to publicly announce rumors that the head of TRCC
The Essa Faal board had resigned or had been fired from the TRRC.
"Also
false are rumors that the Christian community is engaged in a fight with the
TRRC or its president, "he said.
"The
TRRC remains intact and at peace with himself and with the Gambian public.
"While
welcome and embrace the enthusiastic commitment of the general public to the
TRRC process, our stewards and our staff remain a great family of friendly
colleagues dedicated to fulfilling our mandate.
"We
are confident that the crippling fights between the commissioners and the staff of
some truth commissions around the world will never happen at the CRRT.
"We
continue to seek the general's understanding, support and blessings
public, "added Jallow.
GNA
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