Anybody can go to Gambia’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). But he or she has to be consciously antithetical to Lt. Colonel Samsudeen Sarr—at least in the vista of those who decide who to hear from. Below, we briefly explore the synthesis of a prototypical, or perhaps ideal candidate for a perfect TRRC appearance in the eyes of those who think it apt to turn vignettes of our country’s gory past into a reality show just for vainglory.
And such vainglory with its territorial stature, at least for Essa Faal is more important than permitting real witnesses with real stories to tell. Faal and his co-religionists want a witness synthesized, sculptured, or baked from a vicious stereotype. Only that such witness has to make sure the world views one man in a rare painting where both canvas and subject are rotten.
As long as Jammeh is silhouetted on such despicable fabric, the reality show continues and witnesses like Samsudeen Sarr would only be considered spoil-sports. We seriously wonder what is “reconciliatory” in that! Imam Abdoulie Fatty stated he wasn’t told he was being ushered into the TRRC when they called him.
They lied to him and forced him to sign a piece of paper. And as soon as he opened his mouth about things quite different from Faal’s expectations, he was cut off and a completely different subject would be introduced. Such has been the definition of “Truth and reconciliation commission” for the lead counsel Essa Faal whose psychoanalysis is but a tomography of deliberate effort at opinion-molding.
Perhaps Samsudeen would not be a witness Faal could stage and puppeteer! But even if that were the case, what exactly would Faal and his commission-brethren lose if Sarr is permitted an audience? The answer to this quiz is perhaps the very quintessence of a reason to be afraid of Lt. Col. Samsudeen Sarr, a man who was there when Faal or Dr. Ceesay were not—a man whose presentation of the Kartong attackers on GRTS was widely viewed nationwide among others!
We will bring Sarr on forGambia Radio, God-willing and let him speak to both Gambia and TRRC! As always, we remind our readership and listenership of our not-for-profit wont. Journalism isn’t our current profession. But our country is being run by selfish profiteers and special interest vultures in the name of government or even TRRC, a witch-hunting body far from the very essence of its name!
