By Alpha Abu
Days before the 20th Anniversary marking the end of Sierra Leone’s civil conflict, the National President of the Amputees and War -Wounded Association, Mohamed Tarawallie has criticised successive governments for what he described as neglect and said their members are in dire need of recognition and support.
On Tuesday 18th January 2022, it will be two decades the civilian government of late President Ahmad Tejan Kabba and rebel forces signed a permanent peace agreement, brokered by the International Community to end 11 years of hostilities, and Tarrawallie speaking to Politico said twenty years on, they have been side-lined and greater attention given to those suffering from natural disability issues. He said those described as disabled do not involve them either in their programmes.
Producing a copy of a war reparation and special fund for war victims letter dated 7th October 2005 and addressed to the Chairman of the association, Alhaji Lamin Jusu Jarka, the then-Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the late Frederick Max Carew detailed a series of benefits the war victims were to be given, as agreed the previous month. According to the document, key benefits to be accorded the amputees include free transportation for them on government buses, free education for them and their biological children, free medical facilities and agricultural projects for the association members. The letter mentioned the setting up of a cabinet sub-committee to address issues of the amputees and also ordered that ID cards be provided to them detailing all their entitlements.
Trawallie claimed those arrangements were never honoured by the government then, and successive governments, to this day. He said they have only been supported by mostly international non-governmental organisations and interested individuals.
He said they have been snubbed many a time they attempt to approach public officials to explain their challenges or productive ventures they wanted to embark on. He also particularly cited members of the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI) whom he alleged have systematically kept them off their programmes, saying they have their interpretation of disability and have ignored including war victims in the activities led by SLUDI.
Tarawallie said they were innocent victims of the conflict and expressed the bitterness of being left out in the cold, years after the war. He claimed they have no representation in the recently constituted Peace Commission, and in other post-war groupings bent on solidifying peace or engaging war victims. He said it appears people do not want to have them in their midst as if to hide the horrific acts of the war. He said they are a grim testament of the brutality unleashed on defenceless civilians and called for their representation in the various public institutions addressing issues of peace, stability and development.
He however thanked the European Union and other NGOs like Norway based LVS and Handicap International for livelihood, housing and medical support over the years.
According to Tarawallie they have a membership of over 2,000 across the country.
President Kabbah after the symbolic burning of firearms. Later on, the 18th January 2002 was formally declared an end to the war. It brought a final cessation to hostilities, after 11 years. Tens of thousands of people were killed and settlements razed to the ground. The war also saw an unprecedented gruesome amputation of the limbs of civilians by rebel forces, which prompted the UN to set up a Special Court that tried those suspected of bearing the greatest responsibility for the crimes of the war.
Some of the men are serving long sentences in Rwanda, whilst others have been freed after serving time. Two of the men died in prison.
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