The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations (Victims’ Centre) has issued a statement yesterday clarifying its position regarding the coalition-building meeting for “Team Gambia” held on 12th September at the Paradise Suites Hotel.
The centre wrote: “It has come to our attention that some media houses have listed the Victims’ Centre as one of the civil society organisations that endorsed the Team Gambia Coalition at the said meeting on 12th September 2026.
“We wish to inform the victims and the general public that although the Centre was part of the CSO consultations by Team Gambia as staff of the institution met with them where progress made as well as our challenges were shared with the team. We were also invited to participate in the first meeting of Team Gambia on 29th August 2026 at the Paradise Suites Hotel where feedback on the outcome of the consultations was shared. The Centre was represented at this meeting by the national coordinator, Mr Kebba Jome.
“We wish to make it categorically clear that the Victims’ Centre was not represented at the second meeting of Team Gambia held on 12th September 2026 at the Paradise Suites Hotel, where the said endorsements were made by political parties and CSOs. This is evident in the press release of Team Gambia on 18th September 2026 which did not mention the centre as part of the CSOs that endorsed the Team Gambia Coalition.
“The centre remains a non-partisan organisation and therefore will never endorse any political coalition as carried in the media on 12th September 2026. Our mandate is, and has always been, centred exclusively on ensuring justice, redress, and dignity for victims and survivors of human rights violations in The Gambia.
“We urge the public, our partners, and the media to disregard any representation suggesting institutional endorsement by the Victims’ Centre of the referenced coalition, and to treat any such endorsement as misinformation by the media.
“The Victims’ Centre reaffirms its continued commitment to its core mission; standing with victims, advancing accountability, and supporting the broader transitional justice process in The Gambia, free from partisan influence.”