Officials From The Victim’s Center At The Commemoration Event At The National Human Rights Commission’s Building In Kotu
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The families of soldiers who lost their lives on November 11, 1994, gathered on Monday at the National Human Rights Commission’s building in Kotu to honor and remember their loved ones. This commemorative event provided a solemn space for reflection on the tragedy and its lasting impact on affected families and communities.
The gathering drew together representatives from victim-led organizations, members of the National Human Rights Commission, and officials from the Ministry of Justice. The event underscored ongoing appeals to locate and honorably bury the remains of fallen soldiers.
The National Coordinator of the Victims Centre, Adama Jallow, highlighted that the center, along with other victim-led organizations, has called on the government, through the Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders, to continue efforts to locate the remains of soldiers who were improperly buried.
He urged the government and key stakeholders to honor the promises made to the families.
“We urge the government to locate the remains of soldiers improperly buried at Yundum Barracks and return them to their families for dignified burials,” Jallow stated.
He also advocated for the completion of a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory dedicated to identifying remains and stressed the importance of properly identifying those currently held at the mortuary.
Acknowledging the government’s progress, he expressed gratitude for efforts to establish a reparations commission and a medical board to address the needs of victims. He underscored the urgency of providing long-awaited closure to the affected families.
The Program Officer of the Victims Center, Sirra Ndow, gave an overview of the key event from November 11th, noting that the date in 1994 has left many families in a deeply vulnerable situation.
“We know that this event really has put so many families—so many Gambians; push them down to even being more vulnerable in our society. And abandoned pretty much, for the most part, for those 22 years of the former president and left to fend for themselves, particularly the women, the wives, and the Mothers who were left behind to take care of the young without much support,” she said.
She highlighted the impact of former President Jammeh’s rule on Gambian families, particularly the women and the mothers.
“I think looking at Abdul Aziz always reminds me of how long this has been. Abdul Aziz was less than one year old at the time. We cannot imagine how the families survived during the period up to now,” she stressed
Ida Pearson, the Special Adviser on Post-TRRC matters at the Ministry of Justice, emphasized that establishing the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission reflects the government’s dedication to uncovering the truth about the past 22 years. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the commission’s recommendations and shared that proceeds from the sale of former President Jammeh’s U.S. mansion have been allocated to fund reparations.
“The TRRC’s work reflects the government’s commitment to uncovering the truth of the 22-year regime. Justice is a priority, and steps are being taken to establish a reparations commission and a special prosecutor’s office,” she assured the families.
One of the Victims who spoke at the event stressed that the victims have fought very hard for assistance, yet most of them continued to suffer.
“When you are helping someone, you should make it at the time they need it the most. To be honest, they are trying, but we have been pushing for so many years, and the victims are suffering because many of the victims are sick, and they do not have the money to cure themselves. And some of their children are at home; they do not have money to pay their school fees.”
Both victims and officials present called on the Ministry of Justice, the National Human Rights Commission, and other stakeholders to prioritize implementing the TRRC recommendations fully. They urged continued efforts to locate all improperly buried remains at Yundum Barracks and the mortuary, allowing families to give their loved ones a dignified burial.