EFSCRJ and WAVE Demand Urgent Action on Unidentified TRRC Exhumations

WAVE and EFSCRJ

Joint Statement by the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights & Justice and Women’s Association for Women & Victims’ Empowerment

Call for Urgent Updates and Support on the Status of Exhumed Remains from the TRRC Process

Four years ago, the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) undertook the exhumation of bodies from various locations, including the Yundum Army Barracks, believed to be victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during The Gambia’s dark past. As far as is known, these remains have since been stored at the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital mortuary, yet their identification remains pending due to the absence of DNA testing and forensic capacity within the country.

We, the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights & Justice (EFSCRJ) and the Women’s Association for Women & Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia), express deep concern over the prolonged delay in identifying these remains, which continues to inflict profound trauma and uncertainty on the families of the disappeared. The failure to provide answers or return the remains for dignified burial prolongs the suffering of victims’ families and obstructs their right to truth and closure.

In light of the foregoing, we call on the Government of The Gambia, relevant authorities, and international partners to:

• Prioritize and expedite the forensic identification process of the exhumed remains, including securing the necessary expertise, equipment, and funding to conduct DNA testing, even if it requires collaboration with external laboratories.

• Ensure transparent and regular communication with the families of the disappeared, keeping them informed of progress and involving them meaningfully in the process.

• Provide psychosocial and material support to families, recognizing the compounded burden on women who often bear the emotional and economic impact of enforced disappearances.

• Strengthen institutional capacity for forensic investigations and victim support to prevent future delays and uphold the rights of victims and their families.

• Advance accountability efforts by linking the identification and return of remains to ongoing prosecutions and transitional justice mechanisms, ensuring that justice accompanies truth and reparations.

We emphasize that the unresolved status of these remains not only denies families the closure they deserve but also undermines the broader transitional justice process and national healing. The particular hardships faced by women family members who often serve as caretakers, advocates, and survivors must be acknowledged and addressed with urgency and sensitivity.

As organizations committed to human rights, victim empowerment, and gender justice, EFSCRJ and WAVE-Gambia stand ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to support these efforts and call on all actors to act decisively to bring long-overdue answers and dignity to the families of the disappeared.

Signed:

Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ)

Women’s Association for Women & Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE-Gambia)

Date: July 24, 2025

For media inquiries, please contact:

• EFSCRJ: efscrj@proton.me | +220 9995093

• WAVE-Gambia: programs@wave-gambia.org | +220 717 9684