Dozens of victims of former President Yahya Jammeh’s regime, including orphans and widows have submitted a petition to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, demanding the released Junglers be re-arrested.
Sirra Ndow, a family member of the late Saul Ndow and the country representative of African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances, told journalists on Friday that the petition conveyed the message from the victims who believe releasing the Junglers fails to address the right to justice of the victims.
The full text of the petition reads:
“On Saturday, 10th August 2019, four members of Yahya Jammeh’s death squad called the Junglers were released from the custody of the Gambia National Army (GNA) on the recommendation of the Minister of Justice, Abubacarr B. Tambadou. The Junglers were arrested by the Military Police in 2017, whilst still serving in the GNA. Those released were Amadou Badjie, Omar A. Jallow, Malick Jatta, and Pa Ousman Sanneh. These men, all of whom appeared before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in July and August 2019, confessed to committing gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity during the Yahya Jammeh regime whilst serving as soldiers in GNA, including the horrendous murders of:
· Deyda Hydara, journalist, co-founder and primary editor of The Point Newspaper, killed on December 16, 2004
· Dawda Nyassi alleged rebel during the war in Liberia, killedin 2006
· Ndongo Mboob, APRC District Youth Mobiliser, killed in 2006
· Ebou Lowe, Lieutenant in the Gambia National Army, killed in 2006
· Alieu Ceesay, Second Lieutenant in the Gambia National Army, killed in 2006
· Manlafi Corr, Lieutenant in the Gambia National Army, killed in 2006
· Masireh Jammeh, sister to the ex-president Yahya Jammeh, killed in 2006
· Julia, unknown woman, killed in 2006
· Daba Marenah, former Director of the Gambia National Intelligence Agency, NIA, killed in 2006
· Alpha Bah, RSM in the Gambia National Army, killed in 2006
· Baba Jobe, former National Assembly majority leader of the APRC, killed in 2011
· Nine death row inmates unlawfully executed in 2012: Lamin B. Darboe Alieu Bah Lamin Jarju Dawda Bojang Malang Sonko 2 Lamin F. Jammeh Abubacarr Yarbo Gibril Bah Tabara Samba (a woman from Senegal reported to have been repeatedly raped before her unlawful execution)
· Ebou Jobe, businessman and American citizen, killed in 2013
· Mamut Ceesay, businessman and American citizen, killed in 2013
· Saul Ndow, businessman and opponent of Yahya Jammeh, forcibly disappeared and reported killed in April of 2013
· Mahawa Cham, former National Assembly Member and opponent of Yahya Jammeh, forcibly disappeared and reported killed in April of 2013
· Toumani Jallow, former Lance Corporal at the Gambia National Army, killed in 2016
· Abdoulie Gaye, businessman, killed in 2016
· 56 West African migrants, including 44 Ghanaians and a pregnant woman killed and forcibly disappeared in 2005. Some of the victims reportedly include: Ben Victor Arkorful, John Fosu, Kwabina Yaoul Mensah, Prince Nkrumah Ampadu, Isaac Kwadwo Addai, Richmond Agyekum, Kwaku Nketia, Eric Kwesi Kissi, Kwabena Beyin, Nana Amo, Adja Kofi Marku Jeanette Yawovi Agbogbo Peter Mensah Kossi Odeyi
· Musa Jammeh, former Commander of the State Guard, killed in 2007
· Tumbul Tamba, former Personal Protection Officer of the ex-president Yahya Jammeh, killed in 2007
· Mustapha Colley, former sergeant of the Gambia National Army, killed in 2012
· Ndure Cham, former Colonel in the Gambia National Army, killed in 2013
· Haruna Jammeh, relative to ex-president Yahya Jammeh, killed in 2005.
Though conditional, we believe the release of these self-confessed killers to be de facto amnesty and fails to address the right to justice of victims. We, the undersigned, hereby request that these officers be re-arrested and returned to custody of the Military to be permanently confined to the barracks to await the recommendations of the TRRC. While we hail the transitional justice mechanisms that have been rolled out by this government, in particular the TRRC, and the progress this country has made as a whole in the area of human rights compared to the previous regime, we believe the Attorney General’s decision was not taken in the 3 interest of us, the victims nor that of Gambians at large and signals a lack of commitment to the victim-centred approach being claimed by the government.
Finally, as our Constitution, which reigns supreme as the highest source of law in this country mandates that people who violate our laws are charged by the Attorney General through the office of Public Prosecutions, we reiterate our request that the Attorney General to the very least re-arrest these self-confessed mass murderers and confine them to the barracks pending recommendations of the TRRC.”
