Narrations from the alleged single survivor of the brutal and heartless mass killing of over 51 foreign nationals in The Gambia by leadership of former president Yahya Jammeh shed more light on what both domestic and global human rights activists called “the most contested human rights violations ever committed in the history of The Gambia and possibly beyond.
Mr Martin Kyere, a Ghana national, whose comment followed a press briefing, held over the weekend on Saturday 27th October 2018 at TANGO, organised by Jammeh to Justice Coalition, which comprises of Human Rights Watch and Trial International and also attended by various human rights and civil society members, including Victim Centre for Human Rights Violations, and TRRC among others.
He took the audience through what started as a perilous journey known as “Backway to Europe” in search of greener pasture, but unfortunately ended up with all his colleagues killed in different parts of The Gambia, including Brufut, Kanilai among others and their bodies dumped either in an abandoned well or in the forest of Kanilai and Cassamance.
According to him, they set on the journey and ended up on Barra Beach, but were later arrested by the police on allegations of attempting to overthrow the government of Yahya Jammeh, hence whisk them to Gambia Ports Authority and later taken into various detention centres in different groups, which wholesomely was later killed by security personnel’s with different crude items as knife, sticks, cutlasses among others, as they were allegedly advised not to use gun with a view to avoid public suspicion as to what might be happening from the gun shots.
For Martin Kyere, only God preserved his life from killers, as he escaped through the Cassamance and was later taken to Dakar by the Senegalese security officers then to Ghana after explaining what happened to him and his colleagues in The Gambia.
Miss Tunkara, widow of late Lamin Tunkara outlined the arrest, detention and disappearance of her beloved husband, whom she used to visit at the police headquarters in Banjul, but was later told that he was no longer in their custody and up date, she has no idea as to where the husband is, except unconfirmed reports of his killing by Jammeh regime. The widow could not proceed with narration of the sad story of her husband, as she was in tears throughout.
Benedict De Moerloose, head of investigations and Criminal Law Division of Trial International, assured audience of his organisation’s commitment and support to have Jammeh held accountable for the alleged crimes committed under his 22 years of brutal rule and dictatorship.
Mr Reed Brody from Human Rights Watch also gave similar assurance and commitment to have Jammeh on trial for the alleged crimes.
Author: Sanna Jawara