By Omar Bah
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) issued a statement yesterday reflecting on the legacy and lessons of the July 1994 military coup.
In a statement shared with The Standard, the Centre said the coup that toppled The Gambia’s first democratically elected government stands as a defining moment in our nation’s history, a moment that derailed constitutional order and ushered in over two decades of authoritarian rule under Yahya Jammeh and the APRC.
It added also that the legacy of that era is marked by repression, human rights violations, corruption, and the systematic dismantling of democratic institutions.
According to the Centre, the Yahya Jammeh dictatorship was characterised by a climate of fear, enforced disappearances, torture, unlawful killings and a breakdown of the rule of law, well documented by The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC).
It added that the dictatorship also crippled institutions, politicised the security forces and the civil service, and fostered a culture of impunity.
“In addition to the TRRC, the Janneh Commission also documented the scale of self-enrichment at the expense of national development. Yahya Jammeh did not only personalised public wealth including the natural resources of this country but also, he was actively and fully aided and abetted by public officials without fear or shame. Under the watchful eyes of the National Assembly and the Judiciary, which failed in their oversight and accountability roles thereby aiding Jammeh to effectively transform the state into his personal fiefdom?”
“Yet, out of this painful legacy emerge important lessons such as the fundamental importance of constitutional rule, democratic governance, and civilian oversight of the armed forces, the need to protect human rights and to ensure that no individual or institution is above the law and the responsibility of citizens to remain vigilant, speak out against injustice, and hold leaders accountable at all times.”
As The Gambia continues its journey toward justice, reconciliation, and democratic consolidation, the Centre added, “these lessons must guide our actions. We owe it to the victims, to future generations, and to the idea of a just and democratic society to ensure that never again will power be seized through force, and never again will a single leader be allowed to govern with unchecked authority.”
The EFSCRJ concluded that the path forward demands collective commitment to truth, to justice, to reform, and to building strong, transparent institutions that serve the people.
