Speaking at the ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the alleged killing of 14 soldiers of the Gambia National Army 11 November 1994 by the former AFPRC Military Junta, the national coordinator for Victims Center, Adama Jallow said they would also like the government to fulfill its promise by building a state-of-the-art forensic laboratory for the identification of exhumed bodies.
Mr. Jallow also reminded the government to ensure that the remains of those exhumed and currently lying at the mortuary are identified and returned to their families.
“I think this is very crucial when we talk about the 11th of November, because these are very key issues that we have to take note of. The remains of exhumed bodies that are still lying at the mortuary need to be identified and returned to their families to be properly buried.”
Deputising for the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Ida Pearsson, a special adviser post-TRRC, highlighted the objectives and the purpose of establishing the TRRC, saying the acceptance of the recommendation is a reflection of the government's willingness in implementing the report to ensure ‘never again’.
She explained that the government is working diligently to make sure the best commissioners are set for the reparations commission, adding that the sales of Jammeh's mansion in the US at US$2.5 million has been dedicated to the reparations fund.
Mansour Jobe, head of Legal and Investigations, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), expressed delight to partner with the Victims Center and assured the Commission’s continuous support in ensuring that victims of human rights violations are adequately compensated.
He said that the November 11 incident was one of the foundations for systemic human rights violations in the country, while calling on the government to assist victims of human rights violations to ensure that there is accountability, adequate reparation and to ensure that those who need medical support are provided with the support that is needed.
