Abdulai Mansaray: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 November 2019:
When crime takes the pulse of our culture – does it reveal the truth about who we are as a Nation?
It is getting closer to that time of the year again, the season of goodwill to all men. It is yuletide and the season of plenty. It’s Christmas. It traditionally marks the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christmas has a special meaning to especially Christians worldwide. But to many around the world, it is that time of the year when families come together to celebrate. People travel from far and wide to be with families and friends, and people from the diaspora are no exception. It is the annual rendezvous for thousands of Sierra Leoneans across the globe.
Many see this time as a “wan tem for year” pilgrimage. It is a time to be merry. Spending Christmas in the diaspora (Salone style) is like spending Christmas in Saudi Arabia; “yain yain”. It is therefore not surprising that most Sierra Leoneans regard Christmas holiday as a moment of pilgrimage back home.
There is no question that Christmas brings a different atmosphere to the country; and this is especially so in Freetown. Sierra Leoneans from the diaspora always add some colour and a feel good factor to the country.
For starters, the exchange rate of foreign currencies usually takes a dip in value; not because of the world market but because our cousins bring in a fair bit to the scene.
While many Sierra Leoneans would see this as a time for family re-union and time to detoxify the ravages of long working hours abroad, others and especially those from the criminal fraternity see this as harvest season.
Over the years, many visitors have experienced joyful moments on their travels back home. Unfortunately, there have been others who have not experienced the joyful side of going back home for Christmas. It is the experience of the latter that has prompted this article.
In the past few months, there have been a lot of hazard warnings splashed across social media, warning Sierra Leoneans ( JCs) planning to visit the motherland this Christmas about the spate of criminal activity.
Many have shared their personal experiences, quoted the experience of people they know, and have understandably issued hazard warnings to all those planning to visit the country. No one is suggesting that this is a new phenomenon, or that it is the monopoly of Sierra Leoneans.
Unfortunately, the rate at which such attacks by criminals – ranging from hijackings, burglary, larceny and home invasions, is reaching an alarming level. Are people from the diaspora becoming the official targets of these gangs? WHY?
Recently, the government did not only identify the tourism industry as a major foreign exchange earner, but also the Bio government has taken further steps to boost the untapped resources and potential of this fledging industry.
The government recently introduced the Visa on Arrival and Online Visa application (VSL Travel). The Finance Minster Mr J.J Saffa presented what was fondly tagged as the Government’s (bread and butter) 2020 budget for parliamentary approval.
Among other GDP friendly budget plans, “all aviation related charges will be exempt from the payment of GST. These include landing and parking fees, aircraft towing, aircraft cleaning, baggage handling, aircraft security as well as aircraft fuelling. The objective is to reduce the cost of travel to Sierra Leone in order to boost tourism and create job opportunities”.
If we are to achieve this, the contribution of Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora should not be lost in this drive. The issue of tourism is not just about foreign visitors. Come to think of it, the contribution of Sierra Leoneans, who are loosely seen as “foreign citizens” from the diaspora, cannot be overemphasized.
According to the findings at the Global Forum on Remittances, Africa has the highest remittances sent by 31 million international African migrants, reaching nearly $40 billion in 2010 and equivalent to 2.6 percent of Africa’s gross GDP.
This does not only show the importance of remittances and diaspora investment, but also its vital role in the blood circulation of African economies. According to Statista.com and theglobaleconomy.com, the inflows of remittances to Sierra Leone showed that the country received remittances valued at 47 million U.S. dollars in 2018.
AFFORD UK in partnership with AFFORD SL through the Migration and Development (MADE) West Africa project and Diaspora Finance Initiative (DFI) project organised an in-country training workshop on ‘Enabling and Enhancing Diaspora Contribution to Development and Job Creation’ at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, Sierra Leone from the 12-14 June 2018. This was in part, recognition of the impact made by Sierra Leoneans living abroad.
Not withstanding the fact that security, peace and the need to feel safe is vital in the drive towards boosting the economy, the spate of reported violence – especially against visitors and diasporans alike is counter-productive. A victim of crime is a victim of crime, irrespective of the birth marks of the criminal or victim.
No one is asking for special treatment for Sierra Leoneans visiting or returning home. Such visitors are not an endangered species and have not been accorded UNESCO protection status. But this is a trend that needs to be nipped in the bud. It requires the intervention of all the law enforcement services to arrest this situation.
It does not augur well for the name of the country. It is one thing to take inoculations against malaria, cholera and the usual suspects; but it is a completely different kettle of fish to have to deal with targeted attacks from criminals.
With the kind of strident steps taken by the government and other stakeholders to rebrand Sierra Leone, this matter should not be ignored. The implications could have serious and insidious consequences for our economy and our image as well. There is no reason why Sierra Leoneans going back home should feel like targets or sitting ducks for a handful of criminal gangs.
This article is calling on all law enforcement agencies – and especially the Bio led government, to tackle this problem head on. It should not be tolerated and must not be allowed to fester. (Photo: Abdulai Mansaray).
Like every Sierra Leonean, all visitors should feel safe and welcome to enjoy our lovely beaches and whatever nature has blessed our country with. We can accept that “de grun dry”, but visitors can also help with some badly needed irrigation.
It is laudable that the government is embarking on programmes and initiatives to boost the economy. The recently rolled out policies in the aviation industry have not gone unnoticed. However, if the objectives are to be realised, our country will need the visitors to do so. But we cannot entice visitors if we allow lawlessness and crime to fester unchecked and with reckless abandon.
A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward. We cannot repeal the consequences of crime, but as a nation we have had our share from bad press coverage at a global level for too long. Those days when Sierra Leone was synonymous with war and Ebola are over; and should be over.
The report of criminal gangs targeting visitors and especially diasporans is one unenviable record we can ill afford. Some diasporans see this as “Bad heart”.
Over to you Inspector General of Police.
Don’t forget to turn the lights off before you leave the room.
“I get condemned by APC…” Abdulai Mansaray
Really? APC condemning APC? Wonders never cease.
Maxwell, next article coming right up. This time, I will be SLPP. Wonders will never end.
There is no doubt that most of the crimes that are committed during the festive seasons are mostly petty crimes like – Phone snatching, Pick pocketing,, Snatching of exposed Chains and Watches. Unfortunately this happens in major cities around the world including New York; that’s why people refrain from exposing their “ Bling Bling flashy jewelry “ in public especially in the streets of cities in the USA because you can even get shot for putting up resistance if you are commanded to hand them over quickly to a criminal.
The major success of our First Lady’s campaign ( HANDS OFF OUR GIRLS ) and the New Rape Law will definitely deter some tourists and sex predator that disguised themselves as JC’s that usually travel to our country to take advantage of young students. Some of them even boast of sleeping with 4 to 5 different girls a day for few dollars or fake phone promises. I hope that the law enforcement officials will also pay special attention to those JC criminals.
Finally I personally believe that most of the house burglaries occurs due to close relatives or friends who usually connived with outsiders. The Krio says – “If Ose nor sel u, treet nor go buy u” Lets continue to pray for our country and people.
This article is unpatriotic right Maxwell? So it’s never a crime until you become a victim right. Tell that to the victims. Keep burying your head in the sand. So because it happens in South Africa and Nigeria, it should be acceptable in Sierra Leone, which is at the bottom of the pile right. Some warped logic.
Mr. Abdulai Mansaray,
If you are conjecturing that your article is unpatriotic, then that is exactly what it is. But some of us will not buy into your habitual doom and gloom characterization of Sierra Leone. Articles of this nature do a disservice to Sierra Leone by scaring away foreign investors and tourists.
There are a lot of positives to hark on right now. Sierra Leone has successfully implemented a free and quality education program, David Sengeh has won $ 774,000 in grants from the Bill Gates foundation for Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone stands a chance of getting $600 million in MCC contracts after passing MCC requirements. And yes, Sierra Leone has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Bra, Sierra Leone is bigger than its politics at any given time.
Worrying times for diasporans returning to Sierra Leone? I wonder what the headline would be for South Africans and Nigerians returning to their respective countries. South African cities are the most crime infested cities in Africa. They are followed by Lagos in Nigeria.
Many crime indices compiled for African countries for 2019 place Sierra Leone at the bottom. This means that relative to other African countries, Sierra Leone is safe for Sierra Leonean returnees, tourists, visitors and those who have Sierra Leone as their primary place of abode.
While it is always advisable to be careful even in the safest places on earth, I believe that raising an unnecessary alarm about crime for a country that is working hard to boost its tourism industry and stabilize its economy is at the very least reprehensible.
Thanks Maxwell, but I refuse to be a praise singer or echo chamber. My “habitual doom and gloom”? You may have been reading the wrong byline. That’s how the APC fell, because they enjoyed listening to what they wanted to listen to. We want Bio or any government to succeed. Because if Bio succeeds, we all do, and if he fails, we all do.
I get condemned by APC and SLPP sympathisers for every article. It means that I am in good company. Let’s keep the conversation going. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, and I don’t aim to please. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter”(MLK). Stay blessed, stay tuned.
I applaud you for this well-timed article. We must feel free to roam and enjoy ourselves in our own land. Not to be frightened by jealousy and lazy people who took upon crime as a means to survive. We expect the law to protect us and yes over to you Inspector General.
Citizens’ safely and security are must and paramount to any developing nation. Hence, there should be strong laws and penalties against lawlessness and all forms of crime. Most of the able bodied individuals loitering and idly roaming around to cause mayhem can embark on agricultural work to ‘soak the gron’. Foreign visitors and diasporas are subjected to very tough life wherever they’re coming from and MUST be protected. The same goes for the hardworking and focused residing citizens.
Manna does not fall from heaven anymore. Twenty four hours police check points should be implemented throughout the city and towns, especially at night. How can a plant grow with weeds underneath – weed them out.