By: Kemo Kanyi
The victims and families of the November 11th, 1994, torture and massacre of soldiers and officers under the regime of the former president Yahya Jammeh, have reminded the government of The Gambia to continue thesearch for the remains of their loved ones.
Adama Jallow, the national coordinator for victims’ centre, said the memories attached to the unfortunate circumstance of 30 years down the line highly aroused emotions and that they are traumatizing to affected persons.
He called on the authorities responsible to work on all requirements so that families can provide befitting burial for their “lost heroes”.
‘’The incidents that happened on the 11 November, 1994, have traumatized victims and families of the lost heroes. It is very unfortunate and emotional whenever we remember them. I am reminding the government and other relevant stakeholders to continue searching for the remains of the November 11 massacred soldiers. The government should also establish a laboratory that will help identify the exhumed remains and return them to family members so that their families can provide a befitting burial for them,’’ Mr. Jallow stated at the November 11 commemoration ceremony, honoring the victims and lost heroes held at the National Human Rights Commission’s office on Monday.
He added that the victims are assured by the Ministry of Justice that the medical support is ongoing for the victims and families, and the Special Prosecution Bill has also been proposed for enactment.
Ida Persson, a special adviser to the Ministry of Justice on Transitional Justice program, said the establishment of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) is a reflection of government’s will to find out the truth about what had happened over 22 years of dictatorship to create an impartial record of it and come out with recommendations.
She assured the victims that the government is with them and their worries and cries are not falling on deaf ears.
‘’The TRRC had made 265 recommendations, out of these, 263 recommendations will be implemented. Reparations will be given as quickly as possible. The government is also working on the establishment of Reparation Commission with the mandate, capacity and knowhow about the implementation processes of reparations. Besides reparations, there is a lot of work ongoing to ensure that there is justice, which could pave the way for reconciliation,’’ she told the victims and families at the commemoration ceremony.
She announced that the establishment of a special prosecutors’ office is going on to foster ways for special accountability mechanisms. ‘’Special Criminal Division of the High Court is also established to look into these matters. So, we are in the process of doing things rightly.’’
Mansour Jobe, head of legal and investigative matters at the National Human Rights Commission, called for collaborative efforts in order to achieve what is been yearned.