QUESTION OF THE DAY
Human rights defenders have the duty to counsel or demand for the counseling of traumatized victims and not to agitate them to become more traumatized or even pit them against the very institution that enables them to know the perpetration of the torture or death of their loved ones.
An angry nation cannot be a peaceful nation. It is therefore important for each Gambian to allow institutions to guide those who accept the terms of those institutions in order to have the setup for action. The TRRC is a unique institution and it is our duty to find out what really happened in South Africa, where it first emerged to heal the wounds of the Apartheid era. Gambians should show a better example after learning from the South African example.
Foroyaa therefore calls on all human rights defenders to take it as their responsibility to protect victims, provide them with counseling and resources to be able to address their immediate needs and conduct civic awareness programs on radio and television to explain what happened in South Africa, for Gambians to digest their own experience and leave a legacy that others could follow.
Journalists should also know how to interview victims so as not to influence them to be demanding action from the TRRC, based on their own desires rather based on the rules of engagement established by Law.
