Sierra Leone: Traditional reconciliation ceremonies gain ground
By Salamatu Kemokai of the Independent Radio Network
Bomaru/ Freetown, April 16, 2008 -- A bonfire ceremony was recently held in the eastern town of Bomaru, Kailahun district, to strengthen reconciliation between victims and offenders during the ten year civil conflict in Sierra Leone. The town of Bomaru was selected because this is where the first gunshot was fired on March 23rd, 1991.
March 2008. Photo © Salamatu Kemokai.
The truth telling and reconciliation ceremony continued through the night of Saturday, March 22nd until the following morning. Perpetrators met face-to-face with victims and apologized for offences they committed during the conflict.
During their confession, the former fighters asked for forgiveness and expressed that they were forced to join the rebels who came from Liberia. The community people (mostly victims) accepted their brothers and sisters.
They sang reconciliation songs and danced together. In order to commemorate the death of the first set of people who were killed in the March 1991 attack, a libation was poured at a war monument that has been earlier erected in Bomaru by the National Commission for Social Action. For further cleansing, a predominant tribe in the district, known as “Kissi” bathed the former fighters who confessed rape, amputation, setting fire to villages and throwing young babies into rivers, among many other atrocities. The victims were also bathed to clean their hearts for their brothers and sisters who have asked for forgiveness.
In addition, locations in the town and bush where atrocities were said to be committed were bathed. This was believed to bring the people a good harvest in their agricultural yields as most of them are farmers. They went further to pray to God for favour and progress in the country. The reconciliation programme was organized through a project called “Fambul Tok”, meaning “Relatives Talk”.
The project was created by Forum of Conscience in partnership with Catalyst for Peace, a U.S-based foundation. According to John Caulker, the Programme Director, the community healing ceremonies have been created through consultations which have been held in every district since January this year. It was found out that there was overwhelming desire for face-to-face forgiveness and reconciliation ceremonies. This is based on the conviction that Sierra Leoneans have a culture and tradition that hold answers to the country’s sustainable peace.
John Caulker further said that several of these ceremonies are going to be held in other parts of the country. Kailahun district has been chosen as the pilot phase of “Fambul Tok” because it is the district in Sierra Leone where the civil war began and ended.
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