CHILDREN-SIERRA LEONE: Years of War Leave Many Scars

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, May 29 1998 (IPS) - When a high-powered United Nations delegation came to Sierra Leone this week to collect first-hand information on the socio-economic situation, their first port of call was a series of interviews with children.

During a visit to the eastern part of the country, the team led by the United Nations Under-Secretary General responsible for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, met over 800 displaced and unaccompanied children in the eastern towns of Daru, Segbwema and Kenema, about 320 kilometres from Freetown.

“It’s a very grave situation,” Otunnu says, adding,”I saw children as young as five who are on their own with no parents. They’ve just come out of the bush and I am told that many more are in the bush.”

In Malema village, eight kilometres from Daru, about 200 unaccompanied children are reported to be dying of disease and hunger. Medical facilities in the war-torn Kailahun district are few and far between and there are fears that an epidemic may break out if aid agencies do not step in to alleviate the children’s plight.

“Most of the children suffer from chronic malnutrition as one could see their extended bellies. There is need for massive medical help for the children before their situation gets worse,” Otunnu adds.

The seven-year old civil war (1991-1996) between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, the ouster of the civilian government and rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (May 1997-February 1998), and the current insecurity in the east where remnants of the AFRC continue to attack villagers, have taken a heavy toll on the West African nation’s children.

Eleven-year-old Michael Johnny, who emerged from the bush with over 40 other children a week ago, has lost both of his parents.

“The rebels killed my mother and father and took me along with them to be carrying their looted items on my head,” Johnny says.

“They (the rebels) raped a number of little girls right in our presence. Although I am sick and hungry, I thank God I’m out of the bush.”

Massa Vangahun (15), says she and other children spent a month in the bush and that she has buried at least a dozen of her colleagues.

“We lived on wild fruits, roots and bush yam. And, because of hunger and the hazards of life in the bush, a number of my friends died,” the young girl says.

According to Sallicu Jalloh, the field officer of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Daru, the unaccompanied children have survived one ordeal, but many are vulnerable to abuse by people in the villages who take them in under the guise of foster care.

“These adults who profess to care for the children subject them to domestic slavery, doing household chores and going into the bush with adults to fetch fuelwood,” Jalloh says.

According to the UNICEF official, there is no organised feeding programme for the children and the fragile security situation in the east has jeopardised the activities of the aid agencies.

The returned civilian government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah has created a Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, headed by Shirley Gbujama, who accompanied the UN delegation to the affected areas.

“This situation is appalling. Our future leaders, the children, need to be protected and cared for and my ministry is going all out to ensure that this happens,” Gbujama told IPS.

The ministry will soon recommend a line of action for the problems facing the children, especially in the combat zones, she says.

In addition to the ministry, a Child Protection Committee, which includes child welfare oriented non-governmental organisations, was set up to respond immediately to the problems of children affected by the war.

“As an emergency measure, UNICEF hopes to get to the children relief food and drugs for the peripheral clinics, which have all grounded, because of a lack of logistics,” says Tony Bloomberg, UNICEF’s representative in Sierra Leone.

UN envoy Otunnu says the UN will be at the forefront of moves to raise funds and other material needs for the children of Sierra Leone.