Summary
People in The Gambia are seeking justice for abuses that happened during Yahya Jammeh's rule from 1994 to 2017. The government has started giving money to victims as a form of compensation, but many believe that true justice will only come when those responsible face trial. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission has documented many human rights violations, but Jammeh remains in exile.
Key Facts
- Yusupha Mbye was injured by police fire in 2000 during a protest and remains disabled.
- Mbye's injuries were part of a larger pattern of human rights abuses during Yahya Jammeh's 22-year rule.
- The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) investigated these violations and recommended compensations and trials.
- Some perpetrators have faced prosecution, but Jammeh is in exile in Equatorial Guinea.
- The Gambian government is distributing reparations to victims, starting with early cases, and has set aside around $550,000 for this.
- Victims and their families want legal action against those responsible, not just financial compensation.
- Families like that of Cadet Amadou Sillah, executed in 1994, are still seeking accountability decades later.
