Two
Sides Of Sierra Leone
Passing Real Time
On The Two Sides Of Sierra Leone ~ By Anthony Blackie
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Leone, a former British colony located on the West Coast of Africa is gradually
recovering from a gruesome armed conflict that claimed the lives of thousands
and left thousands more handicapped while a section of the society is left
homeless and forced to live in displaced camps. This diamond rich country
has seen some of the worst atrocities committed against humanity.
It is Sunday
May 26, 1997 the Western area of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone
is awaken by heavy gun fire and military vehicles driving up and down the
streets with terrible speed while the men on board are firing in the air.
The usual Sunday
morning church bells are silent, the civil population is eager to hear
the news from the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) radio. Nothing
is heard but an annoying sound as one tunes in. Voice of the handicapped
(VOH) FM 98.2, a privately run radio station comes on the air but has nothing
to satisfy the information quest of the people.
As shooting
intensifies, civilians are staying in their homes to closely monitor the
situation. But it is about 10:45am and no one has any actual information
on what is happening. Some men are gathering in one of the homes in the
neighborhood to make all kinds speculations about what is going on.
The men are maneuvering to move in small groups to their neighbors’ compound
to gather the rumors so that they can have something to say to their own
people when they come back home. Avoiding every sight of the military men
wandering the streets.
Shortly, a
convoy of about ten military vehicles has just moved up Campbell Street,
a busy street in Freetown heading towards Pa Demba Road the latter houses
the nation’s maximum security prison. Pa Demba Road also leads to the presidential
palace also called the State House. "They are heading for the State House,"
a young man says over his fence. But ten minutes later a group of about
200 people is seen coming down the street, some are half naked with only
pants on. |
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Leone was orginally a colony for newly freed black slaves and for blacks
that had fought with the British againist the Americans in the American
War of Independence. Later it would be amalgamated with Gambia and Gold
Coast (Ghana) and the three states would be called the British West African
Territories. (Above Photo: Aberdeen Road) |
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An ex-prison
officer that lives nearby identifies one of them as an inmate of the Pa
Demba Road prison. He later identifies many in a second group, some of
whom are hard-core criminals condemned to live behind bars for life.
SLBS has just
come on as Capt. Johnny Paul Koroma is on the air. Koroma is one
of the inmates facing trial as he is being accused of plotting to overthrow
the government of President Ahamed Tejan Kabba. If found guilty,
a crime punishable by death. He denounces the Kabba government and introduces
himself as the chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary council (AFRC).
According to
him the main reason of his movement is to "end the civil war" by allowing
the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) forces who have been fighting in the
Southern and Eastern regions of the country to join him to form a unity
government.
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| Sierra
Leone is famous for its beaches on the mainland and on the island of Bonthe,
orginally known as Sherbo island and containing the two chieftancies of
Sitia and Ndema. |
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RUF
accepts Koroma’s invitation and in less than 72 hours every corner of Freetown
is being taken by its fighters many of them visiting the city for the first
time.
Government
officials and their relatives, politicians, members of the National Students
Union (NSU), members of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), Medical
and Dental Association, Bar Association to name a few are going into hiding
or risk losing their lives if seen by the RUF/AFRC fighters and supporters.
Because these organizations are openly condemning the coup and are calling
for the immediate re-instatement of the constitutionally elected government,
the junta is determined to eliminate them.
Banks, schools,
the University of Sierra Leone and many private hospitals, established
businesses and all foreign missions are closed as an expression of dissatisfaction
of the junta's regime.
It is a little
over three months since Koroma’s announcement on state radio. The
democratically elected president and almost all of his cabinet members
are in exile.
Great Britain
and the US refuse to recognize Koroma’s government. The Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS) is also refusing to recognize the junta.
The United Nations passes an economic blockade against the junta's regime.
These actions are having adverse effects on the ordinary Sierra Leonean
people, but they are determined not to have the junta in power.
Everything
seems to be sinking as ECOMOG the regional peace-monitoring group (a military
wing of ECOWAS) based in Sierra Leone to oversee developments in Liberia
intervenes to revert the coup. At this point fighting breaks out between
the two forces (ECOMOG and AFRC).
Life is becoming
very unbearable, as expatriates have begun leaving the country, heading
desperately towards some neighboring countries in search of cheap labor
in order to save themselves from the dreadful situations yet ahead.
For instance rice, being the staple food should be found in all areas of
the country, but comparatively finding a pound of rice at an affordable
price for some families is like finding a pit full of diamonds in the heart
of England for a few pence. |
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In February
1998 the rebels are flushed out of all the major cities. Kabba and his
government are back in power. Normalcy is returning. Nightclubs are beginning
to kick off; the beaches (a special feature of the country) are getting
full. Schools, the University, and other institutions are in session again.
The National Stadium another pride of the country is reopened. But as old
wounds begin to heal, a fresh wave of atrocities appears that sees Kabba
off again, this time on an ECOMOG naval vessel in international waters
as rebels from their hideouts attack the capital in the early hours of
January 6, 1999. Protecting themselves behind human shields that stand
directly in the way of ECOMOG firepower, the rebels march to the center
of the city and a little further.
After a number
of skirmishes, UN peacekeeping forces arrive, but their presence does not
bring an automatic end to the civil conflict that has lasted for a decade.
The situation is improving gradually as a peace deal is met that leads
to the departure of ECOMOG; the disarmament and demobilization of combatants
and elections that gives Kabba a landslide victory in 2002.
Flipside
Rich in natural
resources, Sierra Leone has one of the world’s largest diamond deposits.
Diamonds are no longer found in one section of the country. Though Kono
district and Tongor Fields both in the eastern province remain the main
mining areas. Diamonds seem to be discovered in almost all sections of
the country today. Sierra Leone is known for its quality diamonds in international
market.
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| Majority
of landowners do not have financial means to pay for mining labor. They
therefore find sponsors who provide food, cigarettes and merger stipends
in return these sponsors get a huge share of any discovery made during
the mining process. By so doing, Lebanese business owners who make up one-fourth
of the business community, other nationals and a few Sierra Leoneans who
are financially well off have filled their accounts over night with earnings
from such deals.
The atmosphere
at mining sites is very lively, though at times it becomes very dangerous
especially when one group of miners believes its pile of gravel is being
tampered with by some outsider. The work is tedious and very slow due to
the lack of machinery. About ninety percent (90%) of the total mining process
is done manually, the men that go down those deep pits or dive for diamonds
live by the day’s wealth with little or no regards for tomorrow as they
believe they can always find some precious stones which can subsequently
help them to take care of tomorrow’s affairs. It is party all night, food
and drinks in abundance, money moves from one hand to the next as a show
of goodwill when a gem-quality diamond is discovered.
Seaside hotels
at affordable costs contribute highly to the tourist industry. Mammy-Yoko
Hotel, which is being renovated, gives a spectacular view to one of the
country’s most admired palm fringed beaches with white sand and clear waters
that stretch miles away. Lumley Beach Bar makes relaxation very comfortable
for visitors.
The people,
the atmosphere, the natural resources are all part of the paradise of this
tiny land on the west coast of Africa. |
| Sierra
Leone is still a popular vacation spot for people from the U.K. and Sierra
Leone hopes to slowly build back prosperity and stabilty after years of
civil war. |
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Added to the
beauty and splendor of the beaches of this tiny West African state of Sierra
Leone is Bonthe, on Sherbo Island, the nation’s largest island that can
be rough and dangerous at times to travel to by sea especially during the
rainy season, but this normally leaves tourist the option to travel by
air.
The size of
the island makes it almost impossible to find over-crowded beaches. This
is the place where city dwellers retire to on weekends and public holidays
to cool off from the stress and hassles during workdays in the big cities.
The island’s attractive white sandy beaches contribute greatly to the Sierra
Leone tourist industry. Bonthe houses the nation’s second largest seaport
thus the central avenue for the fishery industry.
| Anthony
Blackie is a librarian living and working in Panama. He met his Panamanian
wife while traveling and studying in India. He can be contacted at the
following e-mail: tonjamblack@hotmail.com |
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