#Headlines

UDP raises concerns over APRC on TRRC report, White Paper

Oct 25, 2022, 11:06 AM

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is “seriously” concerned that not acknowledging the role of APRC in both the TRRC Report and the Government White Paper is a fundamental omission in the narrative of the repressive government of Jammeh and boggles the minds of all justice loving people.

This was revealed on the party’s position in The Gambia Government White Paper on TRRC. The party continues that the extensive quote from the TRRC Report reveals a pattern of systemic persecution of political opponents and abuse of political party leaders by Jammeh and his AFPRC/APRC throughout his 22 years of reign of terror.

“UDP believes that having established the incontrovertible truth that Jammeh’s responsibility for serious human rights violations, countless crimes by the TRRC, it stands to reason that all the enablers; individuals and institutional should be exposed because they bear significant responsibility for legitimiszing undemocratic rule and for the historical record to be complete.”

The party added that instead of a careful consideration of the role that the APRC dominated National Assembly had played in the past to scupper the legitimate democratic aspirations of Gambians and bolstered the political hegemony of Yaya Jammeh, Gambians were made to witness the unedifying spectacle of President Barrow visiting Jammeh’s village ostensibly to broker an alliance with the APRC.

“Which Jammeh rudely rebuffed and led to the splintering of the APRC into at least two camps: one faction having Jammeh’s support and the other faction becoming an ally of President Barrow’s NPP. As a result, the IEC had to issue a statement recognising the faction that is in alliance with NPP as the official APRC for electoral purposes.”

UDP is concerned about the actions and statements of the Barrow administration since the submission of the final Report of the TRRC and the publication of the White Paper. As a result, The Party doubts the commitment of the Government to ensure a full implementation of the recommendations to usher in genuine reconciliation after all the processes.

The UDP statement added that Minister of Justice is already on record lamenting the lack of resources for the implementation of Recommendations of the TRRC.