Major General Yakuba A. Drammeh, who was speaking during a recent courtesy call at the Victim’s Centre, made it emphatically clear that GAF has zero-tolerance for torture and any forms of human rights violation.
CDS Drammeh also warned that any serving member of the GAF found wanting would be dealt with accordingly in accordance with GAF Act, adding “The individual will be dismissed and prosecuted through civil courts.”
He assured victims at the centre of GAF’s commitment to uphold its constitutional mandate with regard to respect of fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons.
The GAF, he explained further, play an important role in apprehending the infamous “junglers”, a hit squad of former president Jammeh and bringing them before the country’s truth commission to testify about their involvement or otherwise in human rights violations over the last 22 years.
The Gambia Armed Forces, he went on, is committed to turning a new page and become the people’s armed forces, pointing out that the purpose of the visit, like all other visits, is to extend a hand of fellowship to strategic partners for closer collaboration and also to share a message on the need to maintain peace and security by all and sundry.
Sheriff Kijera, chairman of Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Right Violations victim said there is no institution during the former regime which is more victimized then the security sector most especially the national army.
“In fact, some soldiers were turned to butchers, farmers among others due to the fact that they do more slavery work which is not part of their role. Our concern is there are still alleged perpetrators in the system including the civil service and the security sectors. We hear various testimonies at the TRRC like the junglers of which some of them are still in the system” he added.
Therefore, the confidence between the public and the security sector is very low, hence our concern is to bring back the confidence between the public and security,” he emphasized.
