Abdulai Mansaray: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 27 May 2020:
Just when you think that Sierra Leone has had enough COVID on its plate, up pops another controversy. Our country has just played host to a sizeable number of its citizens returning, repatriated, or deported from, Kuwait. Take your pick.
Interestingly, the timing has not been clever, leading to the usual rumours galore. Reports of over sixty of the 85 returnees are suffering with COVID symptoms have been doing the rounds. No surprises there. It is also alleged that this is the reason why they were sent back from Kuwait in the first place, which sits conveniently with the modus operandi.
As expected, they have been placed in “quarantine” subject to further tests and medical clearance. This has since been the talking point from all parties. The resulting anxieties are understandable.
With such a backdrop, the” locals” who seem to believe that our citizens were “deported” because they are COVID infected is bound to understandably generate some anxiety and anger. They see their fellow citizens as untouchables now. On the other hand, the “returnees” dispute this version and claim that they were all tested and were symptoms free before travel, with certificate to show for it.
The government of Sierra Leone, some will say rightly followed the protocol to quarantine and test them. We all know the inherent pain and discomfort quarantine brings; hence the frustration and anger from these people.
But is this the first time that our citizens have been returned from Kuwait or other Middle Eastern countries? No. Have we had similar hullabaloo about such trips in the past? No. So, what’s different?
With so many versions of the story, the controversies can be inevitable, especially when you have different authors postulating their theories on social media. This is not helped by the lack of transparency or explanation from authorities, which creates communication vacuums that can only engender rumours, conspiracy theories and fake news.
Sierra Leone and Middle Eastern countries have long-held relationships, grounded in religious, economic, humanitarian, cultural and other diplomatic ties. They have not always been rosy, and this latest episode will not add an extra gloss to it either.
With our perennially unenviable unemployment rate, the Middle East has been a get-out of jail destination for employment for many of us; and especially women who work as house maids, au pairs and some, unofficially but regrettably as sex slaves. At face value, and although it helps release the pressure valve on the unemployment rate in our country, there have been horrible stories about the abuse and mistreatment of our people in the Middle East.
There are several video clips on social media, showing inhumane and savage treatments received from their “Kafils” (Masters) or “madams”. With some exceptions, the majority is reportedly the worst examples of the by-products of human trafficking; thanks to the multitude of rogue and unscrupulous local recruiting agencies whose only concern is to enrich themselves out of the miseries of their compatriots; lured with promises of paradise.
Many hardly know their consular representatives in the host countries. Redemption from such servitude mostly comes if they successfully run away from their “kafils”, which in effect does increase their chances of coming to the attention of our diplomatic communities. Sadly, most remain locked indoors.
According to the Labour Laws of Kuwait, absconding from your ‘Kafils’ or Master is punishable by deportation without trial. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which was established in 1951 has been dealing with such cases.
Within the framework of the Joint Programme to Support the Capacity of the Public Authority of Manpower, the IOM’s initiative Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) program, as it says on the tin, has facilitated countless missions. Most host countries recognize the value of AVRR as the most humane, dignified, and sustainable return option, which some have institutionalized.
At this point, let us imagine being subjected to such conditions and you return to your home country after a 3-week quarantine, only to endure a further quarantine in less favourable conditions. The anger and frustration are understandable but it’s the right thing to do.
The rumour that they were deported because they are covid infected, or that over sixty of them are COVID borne is bound to raise an understandable level of anger and anxieties as well.
However, it is wrong to deny them entry, while we are happy to sing to the rafters that “Home sweet home” and “no place like home”. It was heart rendering to see one of the returnees kiss the ground upon disembarkation at Lungi Airport.
Another factor that conveniently feeds into such conspiracies is the fact that immigrants, especially the black and ethnic minorities have disproportionately had the highest number of COVID victims worldwide. Can you see how this fits into the narrative?
So, for Kuwait to deport these people, whether for COVID reasons or not, but especially during the “last ten days” of the Ramadan, when the Holy Quran is said to have been delivered, and close to EID was not only the worst diplomatic “salmafo” but seemingly abhorrent to many.
Remember that the emphasis here is on “ACCUSATIONS”, en hen. Some may see it as a “kafir” behaviour from the “kafils”.
It may sound convenient to focus on the merits or demerits of the “deportation”. It may also be convenient for some Kuwaiti and Middle East bashing. But it is grossly comical for some people to lambast the Bio government for displaying the “insensitivity” and “audacity” to “receive” and “accept” its OWN CITIZENS.
Some people are so incensed by this, that they are suggesting, the government should have employed shot gun diplomacy and REFUSED ENTRY to its OWN citizens because they believe that these people may be infected (understandable) and that the airport had been locked down. Some of these critics, safely tucked in the comfort of their armchairs see the government’s constitutional duty as wrong to accept its citizens. I wonder who is insensitive here.
In the meantime, such people are happy to unashamedly carry documents which “ request and require in the name of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hinderance and to afford him or her every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need” – as written on page 1 of their passports. But at the same time, they are requesting their own government to refuse exactly what it is asking other governments to accord its own citizens beyond its borders.
Moving from the COVID debacle, this episode brings into focus the insidious human trafficking that has long plagued the lives of us all. Sierra Leone and Kuwait do not have monopoly on this nefarious practice, as countless stories of human suffering and depravity worldwide continue to nauseate our moral senses.
Come to think of it, the issue of domestic servants, sex slaves or house maids in Kuwait cannot be dissimilar to that in the West. The only difference is in the job descriptions or titles, such as – security, home help, carer, etc.
However, is it time our government paid more attention to this, now that the chickens have come home to roost? (pardon the pun). Has this saga disembowelled the underbelly of this nefarious practice? If so, is it time for the big conversation and for the government to listen in action? Is it not time for our governments to put a definitive halt to this?
In 2015, Kuwait took significant steps towards combatting human trafficking, including establishing a specialized counter trafficking unit in the Ministry of Interior, passing Domestic Worker Law 68/2015 to regulate working conditions, and most recently by establishing the Government Shelter for Foreign Workers; where the IOM has been facilitating some of its AVRR programs.
Should our government leave such a labour market in the hands of the traffickers, while we have a labour Ministry? Is this not what a labour Ministry should be facilitating along standard and official employment procedures with their counterparts?
Despite our anxieties, it is no justification to refuse our citizens and by implication render them stateless on our own soil. Even Nabilahi Issa (Jesus) told us about the prodigal son – although the government’s welcoming party in this case is a quarantine.
Covid or no Covid, deportation or no deportation, repatriation or no repatriation and returnee or no returnee, “Broko coonu sef geh owner” (G. Sesay) and I still believe that “there is no place like home”. May Allah continue to shield us all from the COVID fithna.
Don’t forget to turn the lights off when you leave the room.
The first duty of any government is to provide security for its citizens. Sometimes when you hear some of the horror stories our brothers and sisters go through in the hands of human traffickers, you can’t help but wonder why some of our governments never protest to the host governments. The reasons we have embassies, is because they are there to protect you.They are there to look after the welfare of their citizens, and if you want to seek advice on varieties of things. In the absence of all of the above, there is no point in having an embassy or a government, that can’t protect it citizens. When humans are treated like a product in a supermarket, bought and sold and dispose of at the whims of the owner in this case to the master or madam, We realise this is a big problem that affect mostly citizens of developing countries.
Sierra Leone, Nigeria and the Philippines. Uganda, and Kenya. This is the 21st century where men and women are placed in suffocating containers, and sold like animals. Sometimes even cows, dogs and sheep are treated better. In the context of Sierra Leone, you will think slavery ended hundreds of years ago, but unfortunately it is still being practiced in some countries in North Africa, and the Middle East. To tackle this problem, our government needs to collaborate with our international partners to bring an end to this scourge of human suffering. We spend a lot of time arguing about APC and SLPP and not enough time how to address the real economic problems facing our country. You can’t prepare a family dinner and your children ask you what are we having for dinner?
Well we are having an APC breakfast and for dinner is SLPP Cassava leaf and rice. Your children will think you are barking mad. No one cares who occupies State House as long as they can guarantee the security of Sierra Leoneans. If our country can provide employment and job opportunities and people can feed their families, and no one wants to leave their country to go and live in a foreign country. Indeed there is no place like home. Nothing compares to being next to your family, and friends or your potato rope fanbull, and even the krio language, or the smell of the environment in your country. Recently, an advert was placed for the sale of a Nigerian woman for 800 dollars on an Arab app specially developed for that purpose.