By Baba Sillah
Warrant Officer Malang FS Camara yesterday recounted how he believed that some 15 soldiers were massacred by the AFPRC junta on 11 November 1994 after rumours of a coup attempt.
Testifying before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, WO1 Camara, a native of Fatoto, told the commission that based on the information he gathered during the incident, the figure could even be more than 15 officers and soldiers executed by the junta in Siffoe and Brikama Nyambai forests.
Camara stated that executions were carried out by Sana Sabally, Edward Singhatey, Yankuba Touray and Sadibou Haidara.
The witness who was a private soldier at the time, recalled that on the eve of 11 November while he was in the communication room at the army headquarters, he received a telephone call from the then junta chairman, Yahya Jammeh that he should inform his commander that if Lt “Dot” Faal, “Sir Jackal”, Sgt Bah, Lt Bakary Manneh, Lt Binneh Minteh, LF Jammeh and Gibril Sey try to force themselves into the headquarters let them be shot dead.
According to him, after conveying the message to his commander at the time he started calling soldiers to brief them about the information, adding that he also tried to convey the message to Lt Minteh whom he said came from the same village with him [Fatoto] as he was scared and worried about his safety.
Officer Camara also recalled that on the eve of 11 November, all the council members except Jammeh and some senior officers held a meeting at Yundum and Fajara barracks after rumours emerged that some officers were planning to boycott the Remembrance Day celebration which is celebrated every 11 November.
Camara earlier indicated that Lt Basirou Barrow and Dot Faal were almost dead when Edward Singhatey brought them to the barracks in a military truck, adding however that Faal at the time was not completely dead.
He further recalled that it was Edward Singhatey who ordered the shooting of EM Ceesay and asked him to climb up the truck to see for himself what was in the truck.
“I could see the intestines of Fafa Nyang when he was shot dead by Edward Singhatey. I was also reliably informed that Lamin Colley, a soldier, also participated in the killing of Fafa Nyang. I felt very bad to see how my fellow officers and soldiers were massacred on the morning of 11 November 1994. They could have been taken to court to face any crime they were alleged to have committed. Morales were very down after the 11 November execution of officers and soldiers which has affected the army,” he told the commission.
At the end of his evidence, Camara appealed to the commission to exhume the bodies of the executed soldiers for a befitting burial.
