A young Human rights defender and political activists working with Citizen Rights network in Sierra Leone Santigie Dumbuya, has faced serious political threat, intimidation and harassment. The media continues to receive reports of harassment, and threat against human right activists and social communicators, in many of these cases, the source of the threat is unknown, but may result to failing to keep to manifestos by the running government.
In May 2019, a judge ordered the arrest of Santigie Dumbuya, worker at one of the popular and indigenous human rights organization in Sierra Leone, who was pending trial for charges related to protest against the government for not keeping to their manifestos. The Government warned during the weeks leading up to the protest, which was announced that anyone joined would be punished for inciting violence and attempting to return the Country to civil war, police arrested several demonstrators, including journalist and human rights activists.
Speaking with Santigie Dumbuya, he noted by saying that when he was in custody with some unidentified group of residents at the criminal investigation office, he told the police officers that he will not bow to intimidation by the authorities, and he will continue to fight for the ordinary citizens. In addition, the police said he has insulted the judiciary and encouraging people to go against the government, ‘’I was brutally taken to the prison without any further questioning’’ he says.
This medium is still following up the release of Santigie Dumbuya but since after Wednesday 29 April 2020 when the fire incidence at the Pademba prison, which they stated it was a failed attempt to escape from prison by some of the inmates, we have been searching for Santigie to know how he is doing but to no avail.
Unconfirmed source from one of his relative Isatu Dumbuya revealed to this media that Santigie got missing some months ago, and Santigie Dumbuya is wanted by the government of Sierra Leone to face the law of the Land.
On Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June 2019 Her Worship the Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr unveiled at total of 49 newly constructed Classrooms across three Municipal Schools.
With funding from Make-It-Happen a UK Charity Organisation, 20, 18 and 11 classrooms at Henry Fergusson Municipal School, Fattah Rahman Municipal School and E. B Williams School respectively have been constructed.
The nine months construction of the classrooms blocks aligned with one of Transform Freetown Education Sector Initiative aimed at improving the teaching and learning environment in municipal schools. Previously, the school were deplorable to the extent that E.B Williams was popular called “pan bodi skul”.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremonies Mr Michael Collins Chief Executive Officer of Make-It-Happen explained “What we have provided is planting an apron. From the seeds that we have planted we very much hope that there will be a mighty oak tree, which will be the performance of you students in the years to come. The reward is to look and know that a student sitting here today will be a president of this country tomorrow.”
Also present at the unveiling ceremonies were the British High Commissioner, a representative from the Ministry of Education, members from the schools boards, Henry Fergusson (former Mayor of Freetown) the member of Parliament, Councillor, and FCC’s Education Officers.
Addressing the students before cutting the ribbon Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said, this is about you. This is us actively playing our part to ensure that the quality of your education improves. The ball is now in your court make use of these classrooms! Your success is our ultimate reward”
In addition to the classrooms blocks toilets and office spaces were constructed at the schools.
Director of Corporate Strategy and Planning, Immigration Department of Sierra Leone, Abdul Karim Bangura, has on Wednesday, 26th June, 2019, disclosed that 248 Sierra Leoneans consented to be repatriated from a holding centre in Mali to Sierra Leone.
These Sierra Leoneans, who were leaving the country to seek greener pasture in Europe some years ago, were trapped along the Mediterranean Sea, picked up by security personnel and brought to holding centres in Niger and Mali.
Bangura, who was speaking exclusively in an interview at his Immigration office on Gloucester Street in Freetown, however noted that eight Sierra Leoneans rejected the offer to be repatriated out of 256.
“They faced several challenges while trying to force their way to Europe. Some died as a result of beating, some ran out of money. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) set up holding centres and tried to identify their nationality,” he explained.
He noted that IOM approached the government of Sierra Leone for a possible repatriation, adding that with the approval of the Chief Immigration Officer, Lieutenant (Rtd.) Andrew Jaiah Kaikai, arrangements were quickly put in place and two officials from the Immigration Department departed Sierra Leone to Mali.
He said IOM had already screened and placed the undocumented and irregular immigrants by their countries, adding that they had no travelling documents from Sierra Leone.
“Some of them told us that they sold everything they had in Sierra Leone including parcels of land, houses, etc., to embark on that dangerous journey.
We counsel them severally to see the need to return and reintegrate into the society. We issued emergency travelling documents to them free of cost,” he said.
He disclosed that there were 156 male and 92 female, noting that among the 156 male, there were 33 children below the age of 16, and among the 92 females, there were 31 children below the age of 16.
“There were even five babies between the ages of 6-4 months among the 248 Sierra Leoneans. There were single parents who lost their husbands and wives while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. There was an Imam who had two wives and five children with him at the holding centre,” he disclosed.
On Sunday, 23rd June, 2019, the first batch of 115 repatriated Sierra Leoneans, arrived in Freetown.
He said the remaining Sierra Leoneans are expected to be repatriated this week.
Various courts have already found that such bans violate the rights of women and girls to be treated equally
Sierra Leone’s ban on pregnant school girls attending schools and taking exams is being challenged by Amnesty International and two non-governmental organisations ahead of a hearing at the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice.
Amnesty joined forces with Equality Now and WAVES stating in a Tuesday press release that the ban, which was imposed by Sierra Leone’s former Minister of Education in 2015 following the Ebola crisis, was in conflict to the right to education without discrimination.
“Courts from South Africa, Zimbabwe to Colombia have already found that such bans violate the rights of women and girls to be treated equally and to receive education,” said Lucy Claridge, Director of Strategic Litigation at Amnesty International.
“This case represents the first time that a regional court in Africa has considered the issue. It, therefore, has the potential to impact the situation of pregnant girls outside of Sierra Leone and even beyond the ECOWAS community,” added Claridge.
In May 2018, Sierra Leonean NGO (WAVES) in partnership with Equality Now and the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, filed a case before the ECOWAS Court challenging the ban.
The court, meanwhile, has granted permission for Amnesty International to intervene as amicus curiae (“friend of the court”), to provide it with further information on how other international, regional and national bodies have treated policies that, like those in Sierra Leone, restrict the rights of pregnant girls to education, non-discrimination, bodily integrity and freedom from cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.
Amnesty International has joined a legal case brought by two non-governmental organizations, Equality Now and WAVES, to challenge the Sierra Leonean government’s ban on pregnant girls attending mainstream schools and sitting exams, the organization said today.
The announcement was made ahead of a hearing at the regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice on 27 June 2019, where the case was initially filed in May 2018.
“We at Amnesty International believe this ban clearly conflicts with the right to education without discrimination, according to international and regional standards,” said Lucy Claridge, Director of Strategic Litigation at Amnesty International.
“Courts from South Africa, Zimbabwe to Colombia have already found that such bans violate the rights of women and girls to be treated equally and to receive education. This case represents the first time that a regional court in Africa has considered the issue. It therefore has the potential to impact the situation of pregnant girls outside of Sierra Leone and even beyond the ECOWAS community.”
Amnesty International has documented how the ban, which was imposed after the Ebola crisis in 2015 by Sierra Leone’s then Minister of Education, put the rights of thousands of girls under threat.
The Government of Japan has approved a supplementary budget of $1.5million to improve the coverage of critical Severe and Acute Malnutrition treatment services and thereby reduce child mortality in Sierra Leone.
This agreement was formally announced at a project launch officiated by the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alpha T. Wurie, His Excellency Tsutomu Himeno, Ambassador of Japan and Dr. Hamid El Bashir Ibrahim, UNICEF Representative.
With this grant, UNICEF and the Government of Sierra Leone will implement the project “Addressing critical gaps in the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in four high burden districts,” which will see the uninterrupted delivery of critical SAM treatment services in 237 health facilities of Bo, Bombali, Port Loko and Western Urban.
“The Government of Sierra Leone acknowledges the long history of cooperation we have had with the Government of Japan towards meeting our development targets,” said the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Alpha T. Wurie. “This new grant is timely as it will help ensure that the country remains on track to achieve global development goals, including the Sustainable Development Goal 3 to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.”
Sierra Leone’s child mortality rates remain high and these impacts on the progress made to achieve targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030. According to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of 2017, Under-five mortality is 114 per 1,000 live births. Most of these deaths are a result of undernutrition, which is triggered by household food insecurity, poor infant and young child feeding practices, and poor sanitation and hygiene practices amongst others.
Under this one-year grant, therapeutic supplies, including Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Therapeutic Milk will be procured for the treatment of severely acute malnourished children in the target districts. Another important aspect of the project will be the training, monitoring and supervision of health workers assigned in nutrition treatment sites from the four districts, who will be equipped with new knowledge and skills based on the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) national protocol.
“As the Government of Japan, we are aware that any investment in improving children’s nutritional status is a foundation for good health, and to the ultimate development of the country,” said H.E. Tsutomu Himeno, Ambassador of Japan. “This new grant is an indication of our confidence in the efforts of the Government of Japan and UNICEF to support the wellbeing of every child in Sierra Leone and a show of our commitment to be part of the development process of the country. At the TICAD7 which Japan hosts in August this year, health and nutrition will be one of the important issues to be discussed.”
Within Sierra Leone, UNICEF has collaborated with the Government of Japan in support of Sierra Leone’s efforts to improve the lives of children in the areas of water and sanitation, education, child protection and nutrition.
“UNICEF views nutrition as a basic human right which is articulated in key international treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Any partnership aimed at the delivery of quality and lasting nutrition results for all children in Sierra Leone is therefore very dear to us,” said UNICEF Representative, Dr. Hamid El Bashir Ibrahim.
The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) on Wednesday 26th June, 2019 met with the Executive Management Board (EMB) of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) at their headquarters on George Street in Freetown.
The meeting is a continuation of the HRCSL’s strategic engagement with partners, institutions and communities. The SLP is one of the key partners of the HRCSL.
The meeting was chaired by the Inspector General of Police Dr. Richard Miogbe.
During the dialogue, the HRCSL Commissioners were formally introduced to the Police EMB and a further dialogue on general human rights issues across the country.
The IGP welcomed the Commissioners and congratulated them on their appointment. He registered his institution’s commitment to ensure that the life and property of everyone are protected thereby protecting human rights. IG Moigbe highlighted some of the challenges faced by the SLP more so in addressing public order matters.
He noted that officers of the Sierra Leone Police were most times injured in the process of quelling down violent protest but this goes unnoticed by the general public. He stated that officers of the SLP are human beings and therefore have rights too.
In her response, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Patricia Narsu N’danema, noted the critical role of the SLP in the Commission’s Referral Partnership Committee which meets quarterly to discuss actions taken on matters referred by the Commission to its partners.
Commissioner N’danema further underscored the need for strong collaboration between the SLP and HRCSL in areas such as data collection on sexual and gender based violence and capacity building on human rights.
In contributing to the dialogue, the Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, Commissioner Victor Lansana called for the relocation of the police cell at the Central Police station in Freetown as it was observed to be appalling and below the minimum standards.
Also in attendance at the meeting from the Human Rights Commission were:
Commissioners Hassan Yarjah and Simiti Lavaly, and the Executive Secretary Mr. Joseph Kamara and the Director of Education, Communication and Training, Mr. Frederick Kamara.
Dr. Charles Senessie, a Sierra Leone Diaspora Medical Doctor has been awarded at this year’s top 100 Health Care Leaders in the world Awards at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas in the United States of America.
Dr. Senessie was nominated and awarded for his dedication and hard work in delivering outstanding health care services in several low and middle-income countries around the world including Sierra Leone. Among the chosen top 100 Health Care Leaders, Dr. Senessie was given the special badge of honour for providing exceptional health care services in hard to reach communities.
The top 100 Health Care Leaders in the World Awards was organized by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare – IFAH (formerly Smart Health Conference) USA. The event brought together hundreds of healthcare professionals from across the world on a common platform, from the 18-20 June 2019.
According to the awards nomination committee, they received a lot of incredible nominations this year, and in choosing the top 100 awardees was a very tough job for their judging committee. “All nominees were adjudged on 5 parameters, namely: overall reach, industry impact, spirit of innovation, future readiness, market demand” The committee further stated that after careful consideration and extensive research their awards committee rated each applicant on every parameter to reach the final list of awardees.
Dr. Charles Senessie is a Sierra Leone Diaspora Medical Professional based in Switzerland. He is the founder and President of the Afro- European Medical and Research Network (AEMRN) and also CEO of Senessie Low-Income Countries Healthcare Services. Dr. Senessie was team lead for diaspora medics during the implementation of the IOM/Japan diaspora medical project in Koinadugu district Northern Sierra Leone and Kailahun district, Eastern Sierra Leone respectively. Recently, he led a team of experienced diaspora health care professionals to deliver free healthcare services in Moyamba District. He also lectured Dermato-Venereology at the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) in the University of Sierra Leone. He has served in the capacity of Deputy Head of COMAHS Medical team at the Connaught University Teaching Hospital in Freetown. In Switzerland, he worked as a Research Assistant at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Physician at the University Children’s Hospital in Beider Basel (UKBB) and part time Private Practitioner in Zollikofen. He has also worked as a Consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva on several projects.
First Lady Mrs. Fatima Bio has on 26th June, 2019 honoured the invitation from Initiative for Creative Women to give a motivational speech.
This organization is set towards empowering and encouraging women in the country to make themselves relevant in society.
In her opening remarks, the Executive Director of Initiative for Creative Women said they want to be an agent of change in their various communities. She added that their investment in transformational leadership is to inspire and equip the next generation of young women leaders in the country. “The building blocks of this organization consist of identifying Sierra Leone’s most promising emerging women leaders, enhancing their capacities and feasibilities through training, mentoring, media exposure, networking and facilitating their access to opportunities to serve humanity,” she said. She also stated that in Sierra Leone, young women are faced with several challenges while trying to exhibit their talents and little or no effort is being made to encourage these young ladies to showcase their talents.
In an outstanding presentation, Mrs. Fatima Bio clearly stated that being determined helps you to go a long way in life. She said this initiative is a welcoming one and she is pleased with the organizers. “We want to make sure that women occupy top offices and be decision makers, we can only achieve these if we speak with one and a loud voice,” the First Lady said. She also added that women who have opened initiatives for advocate for their fellow women should not relent even if there come challenges along the way
“Don’t limit your dream, dream big and don’t allow anyone to kill your dream,” Madam Bio continued by saying that when women allow people to be controlling them that’s where their dreams start to die. She said women should be able to detect what is right for them at all time.
The First Lady continued saying that women are also in the habit of pulling down their fellow women and until such unity is achieved, no progress would be gained. “As a woman, when I present myself, I present women and I believe irrespective of the fact that I’m the First Lady, people respect me because I stand for the right things and I defend it everywhere,”. she added.
She said that if women really want to stop the way people think about themselves they must first change the way they think about themselves. “When you start to see positivity in yourself, people would see it too in you,” she maintained.
The First Lady ended by saying that women should believe in themselves and must follow their dreams.
Mrs. Fatu Yumkella, Managing Director of Danam Development Consultants said that women are equal in society depending on how they treat themselves. She said that women have opportunities for making the world a better place with business ideas, creativity etc. She added that women who are place in society should create opportunities for their fellow women to be good people in society. “Women too can contribute to job creation, neighbouring Ghana have women who are placed highly in business and innovation, which are very successful for a country,” she ended.
UNFPA representative said that women are their institution’s target and they will always ensure they prioritise women. “We want to encourage women and girls to empower themselves with any little opportunity they get so as to make them self- reliant in society. She ended that they have always been against gender based violence and teenage pregnancy not only in Sierra Leone but the world at large.
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare said he has enjoyed working with a woman boss in the Ministry and their Ministry is making sure women and girls are granted opportunities as men do. He added that the New Direction has already paid attention to women and girls and it will maintain that as a way to develop human capital development in the country.
He ended by saying that effectiveness and efficiency must be part of every woman who wants to develop herself and the country.
At the Orange headquarter, Hill Station, in Freetown on Wednesday 26th June 2019, the company handed over one year worth of food items and five million Leones cheques to each of the five lucky winners in the just-concluded Orange Special Ramadan Sunakati Promotion.
In his welcome remarks Annie Wonnie Katta, Public Relations Manager, congratulated all four hundred and five (405) winners nationwide, She said Orange officially started operating in Sierra Leone in 2016 and within the shortest period of time it became the most reliable and affordable network not only in Sierra Leone but within the 20 countries that they operate. She said their aim is to provide qualitative and affordable services as well as give back to society.
She encouraged them to spread the message of reality when it comes to Orange activities.
Speaking during the presentation Sheikh Omaru Jalloh, Mass Marketing and Bundle Executive Officer for Orange-SL said the company is a Premium and Global brand which is why they do things within the context of international standards. The Orange Special Ramadan Sunakati promotion was launched on Thursday 2nd May 2019 at the Calaba Town round-about, eastern part of Freetown.
The daily draws were conducted within 6 weeks while the weekly draw ended within 5 weeks during the draws’ final grand draw at the SLBC 5 lucky subscribers won one year food supply for their families with cash for each of them.
“We included the Orange Money agents and retailers in the draw because they are always there to serve the customers and they have been doing well in that direction, which makes orange a family,” he disclosed adding how Orange also offers voice and data promotion as Ramadan Special Sunakati,
Subscribers can enjoys 48 hours interrupted Orange to Orange calls, through the Sunday Cola by dialling *400# for Le8,500 or buy via Orange money #144# for just Le7,500.
Instant 50% bonus on every data bundle a subscriber using Orange Money #144# on Wednesday will receive 100% bonus via Orange money through the short code #144#, 20 Minutes talk time +30MB + 30 sms for just Le3,990 by dialling *888# to subscribe. These are all special offers granted through Orange Ramadan Special Offers.
CEO Orange Money, David Mansaeay, congratulated the five lucky winners and said orange money has dominated the electronic finance transaction in the country. He said it now makes transaction easy and reduces the risk of robbery and theft, and this is one aspect of development.
He maintained that Orange money is being operated in all the four corners of Sierra Leone.
Haffic Hafner, General Secretary Orangs EC’s said Orange sees its customers as part of the Orange family. He stated that Sierra Leone is a religious tolerant nation which is why their offers cut across from Christmas to the month of Ramadan and it has been working well.
“This is the first time a GSM company is providing one year food items and cash of five million Leones for its customers,” he said underscoring that they are passionate to give customers’ stratification and also change the lives of Sierra Leoneans through their Corporate Social Responsibility.
Mammie Yamah a Primary School Teacher from Kenema said everything was like a dream to her maintaining that being a teacher she never thought of saving one year food items for his family, but Orange has made it possible for her disclosing that they are very much delighted and short of words.
Another winner, Musab Mbaly, an Egyptian Mechanical Engineer working for Ataa Organization based in Makeni said as foreigner he was disturbed when Orange kept calling his as he can’t speak Krio, so he thought it was a scam “ I have to call my friend who explained to me saying at first he did not take it serious but today they are present to collect one year food items and cash,” he expressed delight saying to give to Muslims in the month of Ramadan is a great thing and as a Muslim he commended them for the great job they are doing.
Rtd. Major Dr. Kamara, Lecturer University of Makeni, another winner, said that now he knows everything is relayed, he and other winners will serve as ambassadors of Orange SL.
Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer
Her Worship, the Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer on the 26th June, 2019 launched the Sustainable Waste Management Project which encompasses local micro enterprise development.
The launching ceremony took place at the Mayor’s Parlour of the Freetown City Council.
During the occasion, the representative of the European Union donated to the Council vehicles, training tools, uniforms as the Project package geared towards investing in to the lives of young people who are willing to run a sustainable business, grow a business and at the same time service a business.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer disclosed that as a Council they are excited for the support offered by the European Union which is a manifestation of a true partnership. She disclosed that in the Transform Freetown drive there are four clusters and eleven priority sectors in which two stands above the rest which are sanitation and the environment because they have far reaching impact than everything else that goes on in the city.
She said the Council deliberately choose to launch the project alongside the registration of all waste providers in the city as the Council thought it vital for the EU to get the assurance of the Council in building and strengthening systems in the waste management sector of Freetown.
The Mayor noted that there are one hundred and thirty registered waste providers in Freetown amongst them seventy six have tricycles, eleven are doing so manually, thirty two have ‘Omolankays’ or push carts and the other eleven are using trucks or lorries.
She stressed that all those that would be collecting waste in the different wards in Freetown will be registered with the Council and awarded certificates and approval stickers.
The representative of the European Union, Mats Liliefalt, in his submission said the project seeks to address some of the waste management sanitation and health challenges of Freetown. He congratulated the Freetown City Council for supporting the project disclosing how the EU is providing Twenty Thousand Euros which is approximately 2.2 Billion Leones to the Freetown City Council for the implementation of the project to be implemented in twenty months.
He furthered that the launch of the project should be seen within the context of a wider partnership between the EU and the Sierra Leone Government to encourage and support national Civil Society Organizations and local authorities to gain strengthen in order to roll out effective local service delivery and development highlighting that other projects similar to this project are ongoing and will be launched in other parts of the country.
Mr. Andrew Tucker, Head of Rural Development and Governance, National Authorising Office of the Union emphasized that the Council needs to use the right procedures to implement the Project especially in the area of Procurement so that the project will achieve its intended outcomes.
