Reconciliation through Reforms and Democratic Transition in The Gambia
The 22-year dictatorship of former President Yahya Jammeh severely weakened the state institutions and the security apparatus. The regime was characterized by harassment, torture, murder of political figures, journalists, activists, and students, and significant sexual and gender-based violence against women and children.
Isatou, Tombong, and many other Gambians still carry the scars of the abuses of the dictatorship’s witch hunt campaign that started in 2009 and lasted several years. Victims of the brutal campaign struggled to escape the stigma associated with witches.
In 2016, the Gambians voted out President Jammeh, and the new President, Adama Barrow, was sworn into office in February 2017. However, the nation of two million people faced a severe political and social crisis with the absence of independent justice institutions and rampant human rights abuses. The political transition required urgent reforms to overhaul the country's institutions, promote democratic governance, address past human rights abuses and establish respect for the rule of law.
The Peacebuilding Fund, an early supporter of the historic democratic transition in The Gambia, acted quickly and approved funds in May 2017 to help initiate the most critical transition processes, including security sector reform and transitional justice. With $4.7 million approved by the PBF, implementing partners UNDP and OHCHR accompanied the Government on a new reform agenda to help establish credible transitional justice processes and mechanisms promoting reconciliation and sustainable peace in The Gambia. The initiative helped address the truth about the large-scale human rights violations and abuses that occurred during former president Jammeh's regime and restore the confidence and trust of the public in state institutions.
The consultations with the Gambians started at a very early stage and ensured national awareness and ownership of the process. After in-depth consultations, including communities living in remote areas, technical and advisory support was provided for drafting the bills. The National Strategy on Transitional Justice, prepared collaboratively with the government authorities and CSOs and validated by the population, effectively reflected the Gambians' national priorities for justice.
Responding to these priorities, the Fund's support laid the foundation for establishing two major institutions in December 2017: The National Human Rights Commission and the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
The National Human Rights Commission became operational in 2019 with five commissioners and paved the way for increased awareness of human rights. The commission monitors and addresses human rights status and violations, assists victims of human rights violations and contributes to national policies on human rights.
Following nationwide consultations, the TRRC, an 11-member body designed with a composition reflecting ethnic, religious, and gender diversity, commenced its work in January 2019. It helped foster national reconciliation through a participatory and accessible process with the participation of victims and their families, witnesses, and perpetrators in public hearings and investigations.
In January 2019, TRRC began its first public hearing by inviting victims and perpetrators to give their personal testimonies. The Commission's public hearings and outreach activities generated great public interest and broad popular participation, including youth and civil society.
The Commission held over 872 days of public hearings from Jan 2019 – to May 2021. 393 witnesses testified, including 78 women. 22 thematic hearings were held on human rights violations, including torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention/killings, and sexual and gender-based violence. These hearings were broadcast live to people's homes on Television, radio, and online platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
Adelaide Sosseh, Deputy Chairperson, the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
Some 2,000 people benefitted from the Victim Participation Support Fund, which facilitated logistics to engage with the TRRC and provided psychosocial support and essential medical interventions. Specific partnerships with CSOs included the voices of marginalized groups including sex workers and LGBTI. In addition, 30 persons benefitted from comprehensive witness protection.
Beyond the hearings, over 34,000 Gambians have been directly engaged in the context of community-led outreach missions on the transitional justice process. PBF's timely and catalytic support helped strengthen the transitional justice mechanisms. In addition, outreach activities such as workshops held in close partnership with civil society organizations, religious and traditional leaders, and media professionals helped ensure nationwide awareness and inclusive engagement around the transitional justice process.
Advancing reconciliation in a historic moment, the TRRC submitted its Final Report to President Adama Barrow on 25 November 2021, comprising 17 volumes of thematic reports on atrocities and other human rights violations.427 findings and 218 recommendations are included in the Report. The Report addresses unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances, sexual and gender-based violence, inhuman and degrading treatment, "witch-hunting", fake HIV/AIDS treatment, and general and widespread abuse of public office. President Barrow was re-elected President during peaceful elections in December 2021, and he now has the responsibility to respond to the TRRC recommendations with his Government in May 2022.
An on-going PBF project of $3.5 million is currently supporting the implementation and monitoring of the TRRC recommendations.
