''All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing'' - Edmund Burke

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S I E R R A H E R A L D

Vol XI No 8

The tendency sometimes to protect perpetrators for the sake of peace...doesn't help society. Impunity should not be allowed to stand. - Kofi Annan on Waki report

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FROM THE PAGES OF THE PEACE MUSEUM

Name of amputee: Yeanor Kanu

Chiefdom/District: Lebiesaygahun, Bombali District
Place amputated: Masebra
Date amputated: 1998

Story relating to amputation

We were sleeping when we heard loud knocks on our doors. The rebels ordered us to come out of our houses saying: ‘You bastards come out’. They broke into my room drag me out and amputated my hands.

 

Name of amputee: Ibrahim Wai

Chiefdom/District: Kakua, Bo District
Place amputated: Bo
Date amputated: 23 January 1999
Story relating to amputation

The rebels ordered me and my junior brother to open the door to the house. They threatened that if we fail to do so they will set the house on fire. When we opened the door, they demanded four hundred thousand leones from us. We told them we do not have any money. As a result, we were thoroughly beaten up. One of them said he knew both of us. I was dragged and amputated.

 

Name of amputee: Aruna BahChiefdom/District: Western Area
Place amputated: Freetown
Date amputated: 19 January 1999

Story relating to amputation

The RUF rebels and the AFRC renegade soldiers met us at Sugar Shark, Kissy Dockyard. We were fourteen in number. Thirteen were killed by firing squad one after the other after they were interviewed. I was amputated and given a message for then President Kabbah.

 

Name of amputee: Alimamy Kanu

Chiefdom/District: Biriwa, Bombali District
Place amputated: Madobo
Date amputated: 7 May 1998
Story relating to amputation

On the 7 May 1998, at about half past four in the morning, I was in my village when we saw a group a people attack the village. They set houses on fire. Four of us - including my cousin called Santos - were arrested and amputated. They told us that President Kabbah has ordered a ship load of artificial limbs for us. The others were taken away.

 

 

Name of amputee: Abu Sesay

Chiefdom/District: Port Loko District
Place amputated: Buya Romende
Date amputated: 1999
Story relating to amputation

They asked me for money. I told them I do not have a cent on me. They got furious and raped my wife before my own eyes. After which they shot my left foot and hit my left hand with a machete. It took nearly a month before I was taken to the Connaught hospital in Freetown.

Name of amputee: Sayrah Sesay

Chiefdom/District: Koinadugu District
Place amputated: Kondenbia
Date amputated: 19 May 1998
Story relating to amputation

My hand was amputated on 19 May 1998 at Kondenbia village by the RUF rebels and the AFRC renegade soldiers. They surrounded the village, burnt down houses and showed no mercy for us the civilians. They told us: ‘You say you do not want a soldier government, we are going to teach you a lesson for that’.

 

Name of amputee: Kumba Gbetu

Chiefdom/District: Sowa, Kono District
Place amputated: Wodu, Tankoro
Date amputated: 1996
Story relating to amputation

We were woken at 5 o’clock in the morning by rebels banging our doors. We were ordered out and lined up for amputation.

 

Name of amputee: Mohamed Macauley

Chiefdom/District: Bonthe District
Place amputated: Between Tihun Sogbinie and Kailie Sogbine
Date amputated: 1995
Story relating to amputation

We were in school in Matru Jong when we heard that the rebels had attacked Sierra Rutile. The whole town was gripped by panic and people decided to flee. I decided to flee too, to my village, Tihun Sogbinie. On my way I ran into a rebel ambush. I was caught and amputated.

 

Name of amputee: Kumba Momoh

Chiefdom/District: Kono District
Place amputated: Gbeko, Tankoro
Date amputated: 1998

Story relating to amputation

When we heard that the rebels were planning to attack our area, we decided to hide in the bush but they followed and captured us. We were lined up and amputated

 

Name of war dead: Fatmata Kemoh

Fatmata Kemoh met her untimely death on 6 January 1999 when the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) renegade soldiers and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels invaded the capital Freetown. According to Mrs. Wuyata Bunduka, her junior sister was carrying her son when she was shot dead by a rebel on Pademba Road in the capital Freetown.

Marie Saffa bumped into the scene and saw the child sitting by his dead mum. Knowing that the deceased is the sister of Mrs. Wuyata Bunduka, she picked up the picked the child and took him to Wuyata. The son Saffa is now a student in one of the institutions in the eastern provincial headquarter town of Kenema.

Name of war dead: Titi Kamara

According to Salamatu Kamara of Pademba Road in Freetown her sister Titi Kamra was hit by a shrapnel from a bomb on 6 January 1996 when the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) renegade soldiers and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels invaded the capital Freetown months after they were removed from power by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).

Titi was breastfeeding her son at her residence on Pademba Road in Freetown at the time when she was hit by a shrapnel from a bomb. She died on the spot while her son survived with a fragment lodged in his body. The child has been in the custody of Titi’s sister, Salamatu Kamara since then. To date, he still carries the fragment in his body.

 

Name of war dead: Alusine Koroma

Alusine Koroma was at his residence at O’Neil Street in Freetown when he and Yusifu Fonanah were struck by shrapnel from a bomb. The incident took place on 6 January 1996 when the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) renegade soldiers and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels invaded the capital Freetown months after they were removed from power by the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).

According to Yusifu Fofanah’s mum, Mariama Fofanah of the same address, her son who was a small boy at the time survived while Alusine died on the spot. To date, her son is still carrying the fragment lodged in his back.

Name of war dead: Amadu Sesay

Amadu Sesay was brutally murdered on 26 December 1998 by Civil Defence Force belong to the Kamajor group at the historic cotton tree in the centre of the capital Freetown. According the deceased brother, Saidu Bally Sesay, his was brother was arrested by the Kamajors and his body was chopped off into pieces, tyres were then placed in his body and burnt.

 

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