The Jammeh2Justice Ghana Coalition (J2J Ghana) has called on the Government of Ghana to immediately engage the Government of The Gambia to facilitate the payment of compensation to the families and survivors of West African migrants, including more than 44 Ghanaians, who were unlawfully killed in The Gambia in 2005.
In a statement issued on July 18, 2022, the coalition recalled that the Government of The Gambia accepted recommendations by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) to compensate victims of the massacre.
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The TRRC found that former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh and 12 others under his command were responsible for the unlawful killing, torture and enforced disappearance of more than 50 West African migrants.
Following the commission’s findings, the Gambian government announced on May 25, 2022, that it would pay 32.4 million dalasi, equivalent to about US$600,000, in compensation to the victims. The reparations were to be channelled through the respective governments of the victims’ countries of origin.
The coalition said it expected the Government of Ghana to begin engaging the victims’ families and survivors after the publication of the Gambian government’s White Paper, but expressed disappointment that no such action had been taken.
“It is regrettable that no such contact has been made, and no action has been taken,” the statement said.
J2J Ghana urged the government to urgently establish contact with the affected families and survivors and said it was prepared to assist in facilitating that engagement.
The coalition also argued that the compensation approved by the Gambian government was inadequate, noting that approximately US$600,000 for 67 victims did not sufficiently reflect the gravity of the crimes committed.
It called on the Government of Ghana to negotiate with Gambian authorities for additional reparations to ensure that survivors and victims’ families receive adequate financial support.
The Jammeh2Justice Ghana Coalition is led by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and comprises several civil society organisations, including the Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), Amnesty International Ghana, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) and the POS Foundation.
The coalition advocates justice and reparations for the families and survivors of the 2005 killings.
