By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Sierra Leone embassy in Russia last week condemned and disrupted an attempted strike action by students studying in the Russian Federation at the Embassy in Moscow.
The Embassy noted that since strike actions staged by students were always marred by disorderly behavior, they immediately contacted the law enforcement agency through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia to be aware of it.
It added that they also informed the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia as they noted that other Embassies would have adopted the same if faced with similar threats of an alleged attack or protest.
The Embassy in a press statement reiterated that the Government of Sierra Leone was not abandoning its obligations of paying stipends to students or buying tickets for those that have completed their studies.
It affirmed that the process of disbursement of stipends to students is to be undertaken by ‘professionals and other line ministries.
The statement said if the information would have been relayed about the strike action, engagements would have taken place to ensure it was done peacefully as it is the mission’s responsibility to protect life and property within its premises.
However, the Secretary General of the National Union of Sierra Leone Students in Russia Federation Alhassan Bangura told Politico that their latest press release dated 4th August 2022 was the second of such notices to the embassy about their intended protest over the delay in payment of their stipends and other allowances from the government.
He said they had always engaged the ambassador who have been assuring them of government response to their problem.
“This is the second time we have informed them. We even had an online meeting with them when we intended the first peaceful demonstration which fell on a holiday in Sierra Leone so the embassy was closed. That was canceled. This time also, we informed them and we also got permission from the Russian police, and the embassy was also informed of the clearance,” he said.
He added: “So we do not see any need to have called armed police officers on us. The officers told us not to do anything or we will be arrested. They said they have an order that surpasses the clearance we have had so we left the embassy to now hope on divine interventions.”
The Secretary-General noted that their plan was not to cause any havoc but to draw the attention of the right authorities to their situations. He noted that things are very difficult for them currently, especially with the restriction on money transfers to Russia which has made family members unable to reach out to help them. “Some of our colleagues have to work on farms just to feed and take care of their needs.”
In an interview with Politico before the intended protest, Bangura said they had not received their allowances since July 2021. The students had planned to protest close to the mission’s premises last Friday.
“We are yet to receive allowances for the 2021 academic year. We are supposed to be receiving these allowances in September of every year, before the start of the Academic year as we have to pay for accommodation, medical insurance, visa renewal, books, internet, food, transportation, etc.,’’ he said.
The Information Attaché at the Embassy in Moscow, Festus J. Lahai also last week said the government of Sierra Leone was aware of the student’s situation and that the authorities were working to address their concerns.
He said the delay in addressing the concerns of the students was due to the government’s upgrading of the database of students under their responsibility, to have a clear idea of the monies to be disbursed to them at any given time. He urged the students to continue exercising patience.
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