The Gambia Reparations Commission has started disbursing payments to victims of human rights violations committed under the 22-year rule of former dictator Yahya Jammeh. The commission described the move as a “significant milestone” in its mission to deliver justice and restore dignity to survivors. Payments are being rolled out in phases, beginning with those who suffered abuses during the early years of Jammeh’s regime. The commission emphasized that the process will be transparent and victim-centered, adhering to its mandate for reparative justice.
Jammeh, a military officer who seized power in a 1994 coup, ruled The Gambia until 2017, when he lost the presidential election to Adama Barrow and subsequently went into exile. His presidency was marked by extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and widespread political repression. The Gambia Reparations Commission was established in 2017 to investigate these abuses, gather testimonies from victims and witnesses, and implement reparations as part of a broader transitional justice and national reconciliation effort. Officials say the program aims not only to compensate victims financially but also to acknowledge their suffering and support societal healing after decades of authoritarian rule.
