By Mama A. Touray
In its efforts to create a society where human rights are respected, democratic values upheld and justice served, the Solo Sandeng Foundation on Tuesday at the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) launched Faces of Resilience, a photo exhibition highlighting the multi-dimensional impact of torture in the second republic.
Faces of Resilience is a platform that highlights the experience of torture survivors during Gambia’s 22 years of dictatorship rule, by sharing their stories to promote awareness, foster empathy, and contribute to the transitional justice process.
The exhibition was meant to serve as a platform to showcase the stories and experiences of tortured victims and highlight the importance of seeking justice and accountability for these egregious acts.
Speaking at the launch, Executive Secretary, Muhammed Sandeng said the exhibition is part of the foundation’s initiative to fulfill the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission’s recommendation, memorialization, and educating the next generation.
He added that there is a need to create an exhibition that is going to memorialize things that happened during the twenty-two years of dictatorship.
Highlighting the importance of the exhibition, he said “This is important because the transitional justice process has various pillars and one of its components is to memorialize things by ensuring no reoccurrence and for people to learn from what has happened. By doing this we reach out to victims, seek their consent to display their stories to educate and keep the stories alive”.
Sandeng also stated that the exhibition was initiated in February this year at the Youth Monument, Westfield, and that the exhibition gathered attention as lots of people engaged ranging from students, the National Assembly members, the Ministry of Justice, National Centre for Arts and Culture among other institutions.
Declaring the exhibition open, Lord Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, said: “Though this is not the way we want to see Solo in the museum. But again we are so grateful that the National Center for Arts and Culture has agreed to have this exhibition together with the Solo Sandeng Foundation”.
Mayor Lowe said it is undeniable that Solo Sandeng Foundation has been making a lot of impact on the lives of victims and also enlightening people to know their rights and doing a lot of advocacy.
Mamat Sallah, Assistant Director for Museum and Monuments at the NCAC said the Centre as an institution is mandated to preserve the history of this country.
Mr. Sallah added that looking at the exhibition, the visual aspect of the people who were tortured was exhibited and will also help people to know what has transpired, as it will be in different heritage sites.
For his part, the Chairman of the victim organization on behalf of the victims, Kafu Bayo thanked Solo Sandeng Foundation for portraying what victims encountered during the dictatorship regime and urged the foundation to continue standing for the victims.