By: Adama Makasuba
The Investigation teams of Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC) and The Gambia Police Force have dug where they believed the officers killed on November 11, 1994 were allegedly buried at Yundum Barracks but their search which started on Friday and Saturday has turned up futile for the two days.
A number of Gambian Military Officers and Soldiers were extra judiciary killed by members of the 1994 Junta and their loyalists in separate locations were buried in a mass grave at the Yundum Barracks. The witnesses who were mostly former military officers and serving officers in The Gambia Army told the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission.
This is the part of Gambia’s Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission mandate to probe into the human rights crimes and killings that occurred under the former president Yahya Jammeh.
At least two areas have been so far dug but nothing of the remains of the murdered soldiers was found.
Speaking to journalists at Yundum Barrack, forensic archaeology and lead investigator of Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission, Thomas RS Gomez said: “It is a bit frustrating because we couldn’t found anything for now; we did not discover anything but that is not the end of it. We are going to check over the whole area now and probably we would be able to recover something.”
Mr. Thomas, who doubles as a Police Superintendent, said that they would continue the exhumation until the remains of the soldiers are found. He added that if the ante modem data (ask family members how best they can identify their deceases) fails they would turn to the DNA testing.
“We would be looking at two phases here. We have collected the anti-modem data that means to call the family members and ask them how best they can identify their relatives. If that works for us then we would be able to identify the corpses. If the anti-modem doesn’t work they will turn to the DNA aspect,” he told the journalists.
Meanwhile, he said despite they don’t have the modern equipment such as ground penetration radar. However, he assures the continuation of the exhumation. He then added that the exhumation might be exceeded two weeks if nothing is still found.
“We have said two weeks anyway but let’s see how far it will go, now that we didn’t see anything. We may probably go beyond the two weeks stated,” he pointed out.
Exhumation continues today Monday 8th April, 2019.
