MAGBURAKA
See photos
On Thursday, September 27 2007, the team left with two interns for Magburaka, situated 25 km South-East of Makeni. Magburaka is the Administrative Centre for Tonkolili District in Northern Province. The President-elect and Leader of the APC, Ernest Bai Koroma, attended the Magburaka Boys’ High School.
On arrival at 11:30 am the team had a wonderful discussion on peace and reconciliation with members of the APC, SLPP and PMDC. Private discussions were also held with the SLPP and APC Chairmen. The meeting was witnessed by 500 supporters of the different political parties – including youth groups and representatives of the women’s wing.
Earlier, it had been reported that the town was marred by violent conflict. In one of the attacks, three vehicles belonging to the young generation leader, Kay Squire, were vandalized by alleged APC supporters. The home of one Chernor Wurie (related to the former Minister of Education, Science and Technology) was allegedly attacked by angry APC supporters. In the meeting John Bangura encouraged the residents to accommodate one another. “We must put hate behind us”, he lamented.
Kay Squire called on the people of Magburaka to refuse violence, hatred and jealousy: “Having suffered the brunt of violence I want to suggest that we bury hate immediately after this meeting”, he cried.
Everyone walked out in procession and a symbolic burial of hate and prejudice was carried out. The people reflected on the past – especially on their loved ones who were brutally murdered during the civil war.
On the following day, one of H-SL’s ultra-modern Chinese tractors was brought to Magburaka to help clean the garbage around the town. After the exercise the CEC team and the Magburaka residents agreed on the following:
- No to hate, war and intolerance. Yes to prosperity and community empowerment.
- Hate and prejudice must be buried and never allowed to rise.
- September 28 to be named ‘Day of peace and reconciliation in Magburaka and the entire Tonkolili District’ and to be commemorated each year.
- September 29 to be a ‘Clean-up’ day for cleaning the town of garbage and repairing the streets of Magburaka, which should be a priority for all households.
For the residents the intervention of H-SL was a rescue mission. The team left for Makeni in the evening to host a panel discussion at Radio Maria.
See photos
|
