The event was funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Foundation in Dakar, Senegal. ANEKED is a civil society organisation that campaigns against enforced disappearances and summary executions. It has been working in the transitional justice process in The Gambia since 2019, supporting victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings to ensure they do not suffer alone or in silence. The human rights organisation also helps to hold perpetrators accountable and to stop enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sirra Ndow, country representative for ANEKED, indicated that the nationwide traveling exhibition is specifically designed to reach Gambians, who might not otherwise be able to visit the centre, but are equally important in contributing towards justice, accountability, reconciliation and healing as well as in achieving the #Never Again slogan.
“The travelling exhibition is also designed to discuss the importance of memorialisation and remembering what happened, thus preserving the truth to ensure that no matter which government is in power, it does not try to rewrite our history.” she said.
She explained that the ANEKED team will further visit villages within the outskirts of Brikama and Kombos in expanding the discussions through video documentaries of victims’ stories and other materials.
“In West Coast we will be visiting the communities around Bullock, Jalambang and Kartong,” she noted.
Ndow commended families of people who are featured in the exhibition as portrait and storytelling, saying these families, wholeheartedly shared items of their loved ones who passed away during the dark period.
She thanked the victims for continuing to work with ANEKED and giving it their time despite the trauma and hardship they go through each time, while appreciating the effort of the Victims Center for collaborating and supporting ANEKED on the travelling exhibition.
Omar Bojang, Imam of Jambur village, who was accused of being a wizard and arrested and detained by former President Yahya Jammeh’s security agents, commended ANEKED for coming up with such initiatives.
“Helping us (victims) to have justice and keeping records on the past is very good,” he said, adding “I urged all to visit the memory house in order to see the storytelling of victims.”
The travelling exhibition is expected to continue in all the regions across the country. Several portraits were displayed at the venue indicating stories and photos of victims. However, ANEKED also has Memory House in the Kanifing Municipality that comprise stories of victims of right abuses under the 22 year-rule of former President Jammeh.
