The National Assembly Building In Banjul
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Gambian National Assembly is set to consider the Victims Reparations Bill, 2023 today , November 1, 2023, under a certificate of urgency.
The honorable Minister of Justice will present the bill, which aims to establish a fund for compensating victims of human rights abuses and violations that occurred between July 1994 and January 2017. This bill also proposes the creation of a Commission to oversee the fund and address related matters.
The bill’s key provisions include the establishment of a Reparations Commission responsible for reviewing payouts by the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC), assessing new victims not previously identified by the TRRC, maintaining an updated victims database, and defining guidelines for reparations.
Crucially, the bill aligns with the urgency of addressing recent victim fatalities and aims to establish a Victims Fund, funded in part by the proceeds from the sale of former President Jammeh’s properties. Additionally, it outlines the implementation of a point system to determine the amount of reparations payable to victims.