By Hassan Kargbo
Anti-FGM campaigner and a staunch critic of government, Ramatu Turay, is stranded in the U.S. as she fears to return home following death threats. Her recent vacation to the U.S. took a dramatic turn after she was named to be one of the suspects fighting to unseat the current SLPP-led government.
While in the U.S., Ramatu claimed she received threats from individuals opposed to her work, including prominent figures within Sierra Leone.
The activist is caught in a web of advocacy and political turmoil. She has been a vocal opponent of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a practice affecting approximately 90% of women and girls in the country and has faced numerous death threats and societal pressure due to her activism.
At the same time, Ramatu is suspected to have played a key role in orchestrating most of the political schemes the country has gone through since the SLPP Government took over in 2018. She is a member of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC), and the party’s Women’s Wing Youth Leader for Kenema District in the East of Sierra Leone, where her father, Pa Turay served as Chairman of the party before his death.
The Turay’s family house was one of the houses destroyed in political violence following the announcement of the just concluded presidential election result in which the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) was declared winner.
As a high-ranking member of the opposition party, Ramatu faces accusations of using her platform not only to advocate for women’s rights but also to destabilize the political establishment through misinformation campaigns and lobbying.
The government has since issued public statements accusing her of being a traitor and a political opportunist disguised as a humanitarian.
Warrants for her arrest were reportedly issued, citing her involvement in “subversive activities” and “acts against national security.”
Caught in a web of advocacy and political turmoil, Ramatu now faces a precarious future.
Speaking to Calabash Newspaper in a phone interview, she vehemently denies the allegations of political manipulation, saying they are politically motivated and emphasized her commitment to ending FGM.
But the dual nature of her situation has polarized public opinion. Some see her as a courageous advocate forced into exile, while others view her as a self-serving politician exploiting human rights issues for political gain.
FGM is deeply embedded in Bondo society, the main secret society for women and girls in Sierra Leone. It’s a secret society where girls are initiated into womanhood through rituals that include genital cutting.
Ramatu herself is a survivor of this practice, having forcefully been initiated into society at a young age. According to her, personal experience of losing her friend after initiation fueled her commitment to eradicating the practice.
“FGM is barbaric and inhuman. It has caused years of pain and continues to affect my personal life, Ramatu told Calabash Newspaper.
“The death of my childhood friend due to excessive bleeding from a forced initiation ceremony fueled my resolve to fight against this harmful practice,” she said. “I saw FGM as a violation of women’s rights, a tradition that demeans women by suggesting they are not good enough for men unless they undergo the procedure.”
Her decision not to return home has also sparked debate about the intersection of activism and politics. Supporters argue her exile underscores the dangers faced by women’s rights advocates in Sierra Leone, while critics claim her involvement in opposition politics undermines her credibility as an advocate.
But despite the several deaths reportedly associated with FGM in the country, the government remains reluctant to criminalize the practice.
This reluctance, coupled with strong societal support for FGM, creates a perilous environment for women like Ramatu advocating for change, particularly as an opposition party figure.
