Photo Credit: Standard News
By Buba Gagigo
The Truth Commission Chairman said the people in Kanilai have demonstrated respect and a sign of good citizens during the commission’s visit to the settlement.
Lamin Sise informed the public that the Commission’s visit on the 21st May, 2021 targeted places referred to by witnesses in their testimonies.
“At Kanilai, there were no hostile reactions from the people of Kanilai which shows a sign of good Citizens.
“Whatever happened in the past, had not made them act hostile, as some came out on the road, while others were under their verandas, “he said.
Chairman Sise observed that although they did not chant and clapped for the visiting commissioners, their behaviour showed respect to the Commission.
“The Commission is here working for all Gambians. The Citizens of Kanilai demonstrated that, “Sise concluded.
The Lead Counsel, Essa Faal explained the reasons for the commission’s weekend search of disappeared victims in Kanilai and other parts of the Fonis.
“The first is to establish the whereabouts of disappeared persons, and also to understand the trace and locations of places referred to by witnesses. On this basis, the Commission arranged the Legal and Research and Investigations team to visit the places. In areas visited the Commission was guided by the “Junglers” who directly participated in the Killings.
“Readers would recalled that several witnesses [Junglers] made reference to places were people were unlawfully killed and a video from the Communications Unit of the TRRC, would show the places visited but it is not to show human remains but it was just meant for the Commission to see and understand the places referred to,” Counsel Faal concluded
The Chairman and Lead Counsel of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission made the comments in a debriefing, during the commission’s Monday hearings.