The White Paper rejected all amnesty given by the TRCC and recommended prosecution of all perpetrators including ex-president Yahya Jammeh.
Reacting on the release of the whitepaper, Essa Mbye Faal, the former lead counsel of the TRRC states:
“I am thrilled to learn that the government has issued the long awaited White Paper on the report of the TRRC in which it accepted 99.2% of the findings and recommendations of the Commission. I am happy to have attained such a lofty achievement not just for myself, but for the Commissioners who made the final decisions and in particularly my legal team members who made the sacrifice to go beyond the call of duty by spending sleepless nights with me at the TRRC as we wrote the reports and the recommendations. The support and encouragement they gave me throughout the process was extraordinary for which I thank them enormously.
I take this opportunity to commend the government for taking a correct and courageous decision to rise above politics and accept the recommendations and of the Commission.
While I accept that Sanna Sabally does not merit an amnesty, I believe that the government erred in law when it rejected the recommended amnesty for him on wrong legal grounds. However, I support the outcome, but unfortunately it cannot be sustained legally as it is anchored on a point that is not based on the TRRC Act.
That said I congratulate the government for a very good decision. Their acceptance of the memorialisation recommendations in particular will permanently keep the never again agenda fresh in our public interactions.
We now wait anxiously to see the next steps the government will take to implement the recommendations. Addressing the impunity gap is key. As such, I eagerly look forward to the justice and accountability mechanisms the government will pursue for the perpetrators.
Long live The Gambia and all its people. Long live justice.”
Salieu Taal, president of The Gambia Bar Association states:
“The decision to prosecute the former President, his junglers, senior members of his government amongst others found to bear the greatest responsibility for the serious human rights violations committed during the 22 year dictatorship sends a very strong message that a culture of impunity has no place in our society. Actual and judicious implementation of the recommendations will ensure Never Again is not merely a slogan but a reality in a New Gambia.”
