TRRC Report: Deputy Chair Says Government Never Interfered In Their Work

By Landing Ceesay 

The Deputy Chairperson of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) Adelaide Sosseh, has said that the Gambia Government never interfered in their work, despite giving them the support they needed. 

She made the remarks earlier today shortly after the commission submitted its final report to the head of state at the State House.

“On behalf of the Truth Commission, we would like to extend our profound thanks to you President Barrow and the Ministry of Justice, the past Minister and the Present Minister, the present Solicitor General who was then the adviser. For giving us all the support that we needed in a very professional manner. Because the support was there but there was no interference in the work that we did. We got the financial, the moral, and the physical support that we needed. When others were critical of us, and throwing stones, we always got the assurance to leave them to do their work. That was very encouraging because when our spirits were down the government always assured us their support,” Madam Sosseh said. 

The TRRC was established by an act of parliament to investigate and establish an impartial historical record of human rights violations, but to also consider reparations for the victims of abuses, promote reconciliation and promote non-recurrence. The Commission’s main task is to establish an impartial historical record of human rights abuses such as killings, disappearances, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, false HIV treatment program, witchcraft accusation and persecutions against some communities from July 1994 to January 2017. 

The Truth Commission earlier today (26^th November) headed by its Chairman Dr. Lamin J. Sise submitted its reports to President Barrow at the State House in Banjul.

The TRRC Act , 2017, provides in section 29  that the commission shall submit a report of its work to the President at the end of its operations, the report shall state the findings of the commission and shall make recommendations concerning the reforms and other measures needed to achieve the object of the commission.