Drame du "Joola" : 24 ans après, les familles des victimes réclament justice et dignité
Twenty-four years after the sinking of the "Joola," the pain remains raw for the families of the victims and survivors. Gathered at the Muslim memorial in Ziguinchor, they reaffirmed their unity and their determination to transform this place into a sanctuary of memory and truth. Between calls for justice, demands for free access to the memorial, and a desire to involve children in its management, the commemoration has taken on the character of a fight against oblivion.
During the preparatory general assembly for the 24th anniversary of the ship's sinking, Boubacar Ba, former president of the National Association of Families of Victims and Survivors of the "Joola" (ANFVR/J), now a key contact person, emphasized the new momentum that has been initiated. "We are taking possession of our place of worship, the memorial-museum, thanks to the instructions of the President of the Republic. This place must become a mandatory stop for any prominent figure arriving in Ziguinchor."

For him, the memorial must be a living space, capable of accommodating the demands of the families: justice, truth, recovery of the bones, but also prayers and contemplation.
In the same vein, Angèle Boissy, former interim president and also a resource person, denounced the fee imposed on families to enter the memorial. "We weep, we suffer, we die because of this tragedy. The shipwreck continues." She called for a strong decision from the head of state to guarantee free and dignified access, and emphasized the involvement of children in the management of the memorial site, as they now carry the torch for their deceased parents.

The activities planned for this 24th anniversary reflect this desire to mobilize: a blood drive, a hike, a symposium, cemetery cleanups, and ecumenical prayers with imams and bishops. The families hope that the President of the Republic will preside over the ceremony, thus marking a powerful gesture of national recognition.
Twenty-four years later, the demands remain: free access to the memorial, justice and truth, recovery of the remains, and psychological support for families who continue to carry a deep trauma.
This 24th anniversary is not just a commemoration: it is a fight against forgetting, a demand for dignity and a call for national unity around one of the world's greatest maritime tragedies.
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