TRRC DIGEST FINAL EDITION

Facts You should know

Scroll to explore

About

DEDICATION

This is dedicated to:

  • all the victims, including those who never got to tell their story

  • all those who had their rights violated and are still waiting for justice

  • all those who had their rights violated and passed away before getting justice

  • everyone who never stopped striving for justice/accountability; and

  • all the women who took action one way or the other — the women at the frontlines, the women who held the fort when their loved ones were missing/detained/disappeared, the ones who continue to fight for justice. Your stories will not stay untold.

 

All photos from The Duty To Remember ©ANEKED/Bitz

INTRODUCTION

On 7th January 2019, the first public hearing of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, TRRC took place at Dunes Resort in Kololi, a bustling neighbourhood in urban Gambia. Following Yahya Jammeh’s departure, the Commission was set up to investigate and establish an impartial record of human rights violations committed in the country between 1994-2017.

Today: After over 871 days of testimony covering some of the darkest periods in Gambian history, many are still waiting for justice.

Over the course of two and a half years, the Commission heard from 392 witnesses, which included victims, perpetrators and expert witnesses. The TRRC was initially mandated to complete its investigations within two years, and planned to finish public hearings by October 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in multiple suspensions of public hearings and the mandate was extended to June 2021. The TRRC Final Report was set to be released in July 2021, but was delayed twice to the frustration of victims and civil society organisations. On 25th November, the TRRC submitted its much awaited  report to the President, Adama Barrow and on 24th December 2021, it was made public.

Read the TRRC Digest Final Edition in its entirety in either English or French.

Scroll to explore

Timeline

392* WITNESSES TESTIFIED

 

*The number stated includes individuals who testified several times namely Baboucarr Jatta, Demba Njie, Ebrima Drammeh, Lamin Kaba Bajo, Mariatou Jallow, Lamin Sillah and Wassa Camara


Witnesses

 

Out of the 392 witnesses, 74 were women and 16 were protected witnesses.

Out of the 74 women who testified, 63 were victims. Out of the 16 protected witnesses, 5 were women.

Testimonies

 
 

Testimonies given in various languages

  • English

  • Mandinka

  • Jola

  • Wolof

  • Fula

  • Twi (Migrants case)

24 Human rights violations

 

human rights violations/crimes

  1. Arbitrary arrest and detention (including incommunicado)

  2. Enforced disappearance

  3. Torture, including rape, sexual abuse, and ill treatment

  4. Extrajudicial killing

  5. Cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment (leading to death)

  6. Interference in the judiciary (corruption of Justice, obstruction of justice, miscarriage of justice)

  7. Persecution

  8. Forced Marriage

  9. Religious persecution and religious intolerance

  10. Unlawful interrogation + obtaining false statements or confessions

  11. Corruption

  12. Forced labour (including sex trafficking)

  13. Forcible exile

  14. Denial of medical treatment/Fraudulent medical treatment

  15. Forced abortion

  16. Confiscation of private property

  17. Denial of justice

  18. Misappropriation of assets

  19. Ethnic discrimination

  20. Denial of access to food

  21. Deprivation of liberty

  22. Sexual and Gender-Based violence (sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation)

  23. Detention under inhumane and degrading conditions

  24. Inhumane and degrading prison conditions 

14 key institutions

 
 

  1. President of The Gambia + Office of the President

  2. Junglers

  3. Gambia Prison Services

  4. Gambia Armed Forces

  5. National Intelligence Agency

  6. Gambia Police Force (various police stations + headquarters)

  7. Military police

  8. National Assembly

  9. Ministry of Justice/Gambian Judiciary (various magistrate courts + high courts + Supreme Court)

  10. Police Intervention Unit

  11. Navy

  12. The Drug Law Enforcement Agency

  13. Supreme Islamic Council

  14. Counter Terror Unit in Bijilo Police Headquarters

perpetrators

Top 20 Persons Mentioned

Mapping of Human Rights Violations

The Gambia

The numbers listed represent places located in the same town or village

  1. Armitage High School & Janjanbureh Prison (Janjanbureh, Central River Region South)

  2. Bajagar (Foni Bintang Karanai district, West Coast Region)

  3. Bansang Hospital (Bansang, Central River Region South)

  4. Barra Beach, Barra Police Station & Fort Bullen (Barra, North Bank Region)

  5. Basse Police Station (Basse, Upper River Region)

  6. Brikama Police Station, Brikama Mosque, Brikamaba Health Centre, Nyambai Forest & Solo Bojang’s range (Brikama, West Coast Region)

  7. Brikama Ba Police Station (Brikamaba, Central River Region South)

  8. Brufut  (Ghana Town, West Coast Region)

  9. Brusubi Police Station & Turntable (Brusubi, West Coast Region)

  10. Busumbala (West Coast Region)

  11. Bwiam Police Station (Bwiam, West Coast Region) 

  12. Casamance (Senegal)

  13. Cashew Farm, Farafenni Barracks & Farafenni Police Station (Farafenni, North Bank Region)

  14. Counter Terrorism Unit (Bijilo, West Coast Region)

  15. Dobong (Foni Kansala, West Coast Region)

  16. Essau (North Bank Region)

  17. Jambanjelly (West Coast Region)

  18. Jambur (West Coast Region)

  19. Soma Police Station (Soma, Lower River Region)

  20. Yahya Jammeh’s Farm, Kanilai (West Coast Region)

  21. Karantaba Police Station (Sami District, Central River Region North) 

  22. Karrol (Foni Kansala district, West Coast Region)

  23. Kaur Police Station, Kaur (Central River Region North)

  24. Kerr Mot Ali (North Bank Region)

  25. Kiang Kuli Kunda (Lower River Region)

  26. Makumbaya (West Coast Region)

  27. Mansakonko Police Station, Mansakonko CourtHouse (Lower River Region)

  28. Njau Police Station, Njau (Central River Region North)

  29. Sabach Sanjal (Central River Region North)

  30. Sanyang Beach (West Coast Region)

  31. Sibanor Police Station (West Coast Region)

  32. Tanji Bird Reserve (West Coast Region)

  33. Tujereng (West Coast Region)

  34. Wellingara Ba (Lower River Region)

  35. Yundum Barracks & Yundum Police Station (West Coast Region)

Greater Banjul Area

Some of the places listed are located next or very close to one another. For ease of reference, they are therefore listed under the same number

  1.  Abuko Police Station (Abuko)

  2. Army Headquarters, Attorney General Chambers, Banjul Police Headquarters, Banjul Police Station, Banjul Port, Criminal Investigation Department Office, Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital, Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice, Military Police, Marine Unit/Navy Headquarters, Bambadinka + NIA Headquarters, National Assembly,  State House, State Guard Hospital/Military Hospital, Saint Augustine High School (Banjul)

  3. Baba Jobe’s Compound  & Kololi Tavern (Kololi)

  4. Bakau Police Station (Bakau)

  5. Bambadinka, Jeshwang Cemetery, Jeshwang Prison & Special Detention Centre behind Jeshwang Prison (Jeshwang)

  6. Bundung Police Station (Bundung)

  7. Holgam Detention Centre, Independent Newspaper, Kanifing Magistrate Court, Kanifing PIU Camp, Police Investigation Unit PIU Headquarters, Red Cross, Gambia Technical Training Institute GTTI , Supreme Islamic Council Headquarters & Kanifing Police Station (Kanifing)

  8. Denton Bridge

  9. Westfield Junction

  10. Bond road (Banjul)

  11. Kotu Police Station (Kotu)

  12. Tallinding Police Station & London Corner (Serrekunda)

  13. Mile 2 Prison, Mile 2 Prison Investigation Unit

  14. Serrekunda Police Station (Serrekunda)

  15. Sanna Sabally’s residence (Fajara)

  16. Serrekunda General Hospital, Jimpex 

  17. N’demban clinic (Bakau)

*Greater Banjul Area covers Banjul and all cities in the Kanifing Municipality of The Gambia

This work was possible thanks to the generous support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Senegal