History
An Itinerary visit to Displaced Camps and Land Surveys at Freetown Community on Tuesday 11th September 2001
- SNC team – five volunteers
- Visibility studies – Displaced camps and vacant lands in Eastern, Freetown
- Number of vacant land surveyed – three:
- Allen town community
- Jui community
- Grafton Village community
- Number of displaced camps visited-two:
- Jui Transit displaced camp
- Grafton war wounded displaced camp
- Comments
- Land survey: Allentown community: A revisit was to be made to identify locations of vacant lands through local leaders/ descendants
- Jui Community: A vast flat land was surveyed and this can be attained / purchased through the government
- Grafton Village community: a vast flat land already occupied by booths, used as a transit displaced camp. This can be attained / purchased through the government after repatriation of the displaced
Displaced Camps visited:
- Jui transit displaced camp: Majority are descendants of Kono (Diamond rich town) are patiently awaiting disarmament process for repatriation.
Note: Condition of children. Orphans, separated and unaccompanied children were met whose foster parents have been equally by the rebel war and cannot take responsibilities of assisting those children
- Grafton displacement camp
Various people groups were met (adults and children) with terrible stories from war atrocities.
Examples Included:
Mabintie Kamara – age 7 : Address Booth 37 : caretaker; Mother Fattu Kamara, a single parent
Alpha was stabbed in the chin close to the neck. A big swollen / projection on one part of the jaw is liable to open in the near future. His father was said to have been killed by the rebels.Mr Fransis Josiah – age 45; Previous occupation Electrician
Place of birth Koindu town Kono district; marital status married with three children
Start of Religious School Clothing Drive for Orphans of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a country that does not receive much press coverage; however, the hardships and suffering of the people of Sierra Leone are very real. Women and young girls are routinely sexually assaulted and abused by rebel forces.
The children of Sierra Leone have borne the greatest abuse. They are far too often subjected to violence and recruited as military combatants, They have lost parents, homes, schools and medical care. Seven thousand roam the streets of Freetown naked, hungry and often missing limbs. We, as Jews and human should place ameliorating human suffering at the forefront of our collective consciousness.
As the summer draws to close and you begin your back to school shopping, please remember to save the clothing that your child has outgrown or is stained or ripped. The list below outlines what is no badly needed.
At the beginning of the religious school year, there will be clothing drive project to aid the people of Sierra Leone sponsored by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. A box will be in the lobby of the synagogue, marked “Temple_______’s contribution to the Children of Sierra Leone.” When filled, the Temple will ship the box to _____ where it will join boxes from Reform synagogues from across the country.
