At the Place du Souvenir, this Thursday, September 18, the Initiative Committee for the Erection of the "Le Joola" Memorial Museum addressed the press. Twenty-three years after the maritime disaster that plunged Senegal into mourning, the quest for justice and remembrance remains unabated. The committee's spokesperson, Samsidine Aidara, spoke at length to recall the unfulfilled commitments, outline expectations, and unveil the anniversary commemoration program.

"In a week, we will once again celebrate the anniversary of the largest civil maritime disaster in history. On this 23rd anniversary, your friendship and support in our fight against forgetting have not been lacking, and we thank you again most sincerely on behalf of all the families of the victims," he said.

This year again, the judicial issue remains at the heart of the fight. "Last year, we drew attention to issues of justice, as we have always done. 2025 will be no exception. The reason is quite simple. The judicial system can be complex and difficult to understand for ordinary citizens, but they nonetheless possess what we call a sense of justice. The families of the victims are convinced that the faults and failings linked to the sinking of the Joola cannot be attributed to the responsibility of a single person," the spokesperson continued.

As a reminder, on October 1, 2002, in a speech to the Nation, the President of the Republic promised that the whole truth would be revealed. Three reports were then commissioned. These were the one from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, the one from the Ministry of Equipment and Transport, and finally, the one from the Technical Commission chaired by Professor Seydou Madani Sy, then Mediator of the Republic. The first two reports were described as partisan, while the third highlighted failures at several levels of the military and civilian hierarchy.

Despite this, the public prosecutor decided to close the case, on the grounds that the boat's captain, identified as the sole person responsible, had perished in the tragedy. "Moreover, the prosecutor's argument was not convincing. He opposes the conclusions of the various reports. Moreover, his version, which considers the boat's captain to be the only person responsible for the tragedy, is contradicted by his counterpart at the Paris Court of Appeal," said Samsidine Aidara.

The Paris Court of Appeal recognized three levels of criminal responsibility: political authority, military authority, and maritime authority. However, it dismissed the case and invoked the immunity of states and their agents for acts of sovereignty. For the families, reopening the case remains essential: "Justice must be served by the State of Senegal: the Le Joola case must be reopened and all those involved in the shipwreck must be tried, regardless of their rank." This year, the chosen theme is: "Joola year 23: relevance of reopening the case."

The shipwreck, which occurred on September 26, 2002, off the coast of Gambia, claimed nearly two thousand lives. The speed of the tragedy, combined with the complete lack of assistance, made it the deadliest civilian maritime disaster in contemporary history. For the committee, this tragedy cannot be relegated to the past. It reveals, according to its spokesperson, "the laxity, corruption, incompetence, greed, indiscipline, cronyism, nepotism, and other flaws characteristic of Senegal in 2002."

Another point of demand raised was the issue of refloating the ship. Twenty years later, the wreck remains submerged, despite repeated promises from the authorities. "Refloating the ship is also a matter of social justice. Twenty years after the sinking, the ship has still not been refloated despite the State's repeated commitments to do so. Refloating is also an act of respect for human dignity," the committee spokesperson recalled.

Using a religious reference, he highlighted the importance of funeral rites for victims: "In the Quran, the story of Cain and Abel recounts the first murder of humanity. Beyond highlighting the gravity of murder, this story teaches the necessity of burying the dead. All religions emphasize the importance of funeral rites and mourning. It is simply a duty to respect human dignity. Indeed, giving victims a final resting place would be a mark of respect for human dignity."

He adds: "So, is it possible, for a single moment, to think that families would accept, with peace of mind, to leave their loved ones trapped in the wreck of the boat, under the pretext that refloating it would create new traumas or be expensive? No! Refloating the wreck of the Joola is not just a technical and financial issue. It is also and above all a unique opportunity to truly grieve and to know the whole truth about the sinking."

Finally, the committee regretted the lack of any far-reaching reforms following the tragedy. "Of all the causes cited to explain the sinking of the Joola boat, none seem to have been the subject of introspection or to have served as a trigger for the adoption of new behaviors that are the cornerstones of a new citizenship," stated Samsidine Aidara. Last year, the committee expressed its hope following the judicial hearings. Twelve months later, it is still waiting for concrete action.