TRRC Report Submitted to MoJ, Next submission to the President

Justice Minister receives the TRRC Final Report © TRRC

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT

The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) has announced that they will be submitting their much-anticipated TRRC Final Report and Recommendations (Final Report) to President Adama Barrow on Thursday, 25th November 2021. Although a civil society advocate believes that the timing is unfortunate, they also note that the submission puts the final report back into “the hands of those who initiated the process.” Who knows who will be the new government? At least the ones who initiated the process get to receive the product”.

The TRRC was enacted by an act of the National Assembly soon after Parliament was voted into office in 2017. Commissioners were sworn in soon after, and the Commission started its work of documenting all human rights violations orchestrated by the former regime of President Yahya Jammeh between the years of 1994 and 2016.

First and Second Postponements

The Final Report was initially scheduled for submission to President Barrow on 12th July 2021; however, a statement by TRRC Chairperson Lamin J Sise noted that “due to the previously arranged engagement, the President was not available to receive the Commission on the 12th of July and therefore proposed the new date of 30th July 2021.”

Most importantly, the TRRC Chair’s statement issued on 28th July 2021 highlighted that “the TRRC expects to complete the preparation of its Final Report and does not expect any further extension”. However, that never materialised, and the report was officially postponed one more time.

No official statement was issued when the Commission failed to submit its Final Report on 30th July 2021 until the end of September. After a two-month delay, many had expected the Final Report to be submitted at the end of September; instead, the Commission postponed the submission of the Final Report indefinitely.

The TRRC statement issued on 30th September 2021 indicated that “work on the sixteen volumes comprising the Final Report has been completed, except for four volumes”. They also noted that “the Commission assures that this final phase of its work will not be prolonged”; however, the assurances did not prevent the Final Report from being delayed for the whole of October and most of November.

TRRC Final Report Submitted to the MoJ

After a couple of months, the Commission released a presser on 23rd November 2021 announcing that “following consultations between the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon Dawda A. Jallow, and the Chairman of the TRRC, Dr Lamin J. Sise, the TRRC Commissioners will submit their Final Report to the President, H.E. Adama Barrow, at State House at 10am on Thursday, 25th November, 2021.”

“The Commissioners will hold a press briefing at TRRC premises in Kotu following the submission of their report,” concluded the short press briefing signed by TRRC Communications Director, Mr Essa Jallow.

Speaking to Mr Jallow on Tuesday morning, he confirmed to Gainako that the Final Report was formally submitted to the MoJ on Tuesday, who were processing the protocol required to meet President Barrow for a formal submission on Thursday, 25th November 2021.

If everything goes as planned, the Final Report will be submitted to the Executive with just nine days to go to the 4th December 2021 presidential election. This means that the Final Report’s submission will be delayed by 135 days.

Ms Priscilla Yagu-Ciesay © Askanwi

The Pregnant Wait is Finally Over

Ms Priscilla Yagu Ciesay, a co-founder of the Women Association for Victim Empowerment (WAVE), branded the planned submission as “wonderful news, definitely long awaited; the pregnant wait is over.” WAVE is a key stakeholder in the advocacy for the empowerment of women victims, especially on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

According to Ms Ciesay, even though “we may not know exactly what the findings and the recommendations are, at least it will be submitted, and I hope when they do have the press briefing on Thursday [25th November 2021] that they will be able to share some of the findings and recommendations. But we’re definitely looking forward to what is contained in the report.”

The delay of the Final Report has held up a few processes, she feels. “It’s like even though I think there have been quite a few processes that could have gone on, out of reverence and respect for the TRRC process, not much has been done,” said the WAVE Technical Director.

Our reporter asked the gender advocate to share her opinions on the timing of the submission being only nine days away from the elections. In response, Ms Ciesay recalled a time when she “had some concerns, but I think if we’re being professional and the other end is being professional [the TRRC and the government], they will do what needs to be done.” The WAVE co-founder believes that the timing is unfortunate because “not much would be done [now until the election] even in between”.

Regardless, Ms Ciesay welcomed the fact that the submission of the Final Report “puts it squarely in the hands of those who initiated the process. Who knows who will be the new government? At least the ones who initiated the process get to receive the product,” said the WAVE Technical Director.

Elaborating on what happens next, she expressed hope for the political will, unlike other transitional processes, which have stalled. “What they do with it, all eyes are open” … “I hope that there is the political will and interest to see it forward, and even if a new government comes in after the elections, I hope the current government makes good handover notes to whoever comes in next to work on implementing the recommendations.”