Thousands of Gambians on
Saturday took to the streets marching in solidarity with victims as they called
on authorities to suspend APRC – the party that orchestrated 22 years of
victimisation.
Protesters demanded that the
former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh be brought to justice.
The protest followed a march
past staged by supporters of APRC who were calling for Yahya Jammeh’s
unconditional return – a move that angered his victims across the country.
However, The Gambia’s Justice
minister last week warned that Jammeh would be “immediately arrested” upon his
return and face charges.
“Victims continue to raise concerns that
despite the various testimonies by both victims and perpetrators alike, there
still exists a section of society that is in blatant denial of the atrocities
committed by the former president to the extent of demanding for his return as
an ordinary citizen, which is a mockery and a provocation to victims. This
provocation can incite violence and jeopardise the ongoing investigation of the
TRRC and negatively impact on the reconciliation and healing process, Sheriff
Kijera, the chairman of the Victims Center for Human Rights Violations.
He added that it was against
this background that the victims community and CSOs were demanding for
government to impose a ban or suspend the APRC party until the ongoing TRRC is
concluded. The Gambia government condemns any threat towards the victims and
take appropriate legal measures for remedy…”
Former PPP interim leader
Omar Jallow who took part in the march bashed Jammeh over the campaign for the
former president to return to the country.
Omar Amadou Jallow, who is
widely known as O.J. said: “After all the treacherous and violations of human
rights and people’s rights that had happened here in 22 years of Jammeh’s
regime, all those Gambian sons, daughters who were killed, tortured, raped,
still the APRC wants Yaya Jammeh to come back here in honour.”
He opined that APRC should
have shown remorse, begged for forgiveness and also accepted their faults.
