By RFIPosted on 08-10-2019Modified on 08-10-2019 at 00:15

The Gambian government grants 900,000 euros to the aid fund for the victims of the dictatorship. The money comes from the sale of Yahya Jammeh's properties seized by the authorities.

The sale of Yahya Jammeh's property could pay big dividends to Gambia. The former dictator had more than 280 properties, both businesses and forest reserves or islands. He is also accused of stealing nearly $ 360 million in state coffers.

The Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Tambadou, is pleased to redistribute to the victims the money stolen by Yahya Jammeh. " The government believes that using the wealth and assets of Yahya Jammeh to fund the reparation of its victims is the best method and the fairest, " he says.

A good signal

For Sheriff Kijera, president of the victims center, this government allocation is a small victory. He has long been campaigning for Yahya Jammeh's money to be used to compensate the victims. But this is only the beginning.

" Fifty million dalasi [900,000 euros] is not enough to compensate all the victims ," he says. But this initiative is a good signal sent by the government. More money is expected as the work of the Truth Commission progresses . "

The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission must now define the rules for the redistribution of this money according to the victims and their history. This government assistance is a first. It must serve as a basis for the constitution of a much larger fund for victims.

► See also: Gambia: "the great Gambian robbery" under Yahya Jammeh unveiled

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