CHIEFDOM VISITS KAILAHUN

November 3, 2012

Mustafa, Michaela, Yatta, Sheku and a reporter appear at 6AM to pick me up for our journey to the three Chiefdoms.  It is a neck breaking journey over the worst roads yet.  When the Ambassador told me the roads are worse in Kailahun, he wasn’t kidding.  It takes us about 1 1/2 hours to go the 20 miles to the first stop.

Remains of House in Town

The police consider this Chiefdom of Kissitungi to be one of the “hot” spots with a great potential for violence during the elections.  This area is where the war started and was one of the most violent areas of the war.  Entire villages were destroyed by fire and vandalism.  There are still burned out houses dotting the sides of the roads and in the middle of rebuilt villages.  Some of the burned out houses are big with pillars and verandahs and are built out of fancy bricks and blocks.  Their newer cousins are out of mud brick and are basic in design; a testimony of the difference in economic conditions pre war VS post war.

Example of Large Home

After meeting with the police, we go to a community woman’s building in the village of Buedu instead of the Peace Tree because rain is possible.  The women begin to arrive.  The number of small toddlers and babies is amazing.  This area is where beheading of children took place during the war so it is wonderful to see a new generation now being born.

Meeting in Buedu

It takes Yatta, the Fambul Tok Peace Mothers District Chairwoman, a few minutes, but she finally gets the women to sing and dance.  I’m not sure whether it is because they aren’t outside or if they aren’t quite as joyful.  As usual, I join in the dancing and they are happy I join them seeming to be more enthusiastic after that.  Some new women appear with gourds covered with stringed beads that they begin to shake about. The dancing women start another dance to the rhythm of the gourds.  This dance requires jumping movements with stops and starts and they challenge me to join; I do.  Whenever I misstep we all laugh together.

This meeting is a bit different from the others I have attended.  Almost at the start the women are invited to speak.  These women have a different message.  One speaks of the need for all to love one another and stop judging.  Another speaks of the need to discipline their children instead of allowing them to start trouble.  A man speaks stating that the women are the cause of conflict.  He can be sitting quietly having his palm wine when his wife will come up to him and tell him that this man she knows was saying terrible things about him.  She is insistent that he do something about it and he feels obligated to go find the man and start a fight.  He needs to “save” his reputation as a man.

One of the women tells Michaela it is a good thing Fambul Tok is there today because they were planning to fight.  Fambul Tok’s presence and message prevented that from happening.

Interestingly enough Michaela has told me that 95% of the conflicts in the communities before Fambul Tok’s intervention were caused by the women!  This is especially true in the polygamous communities which this is one.  The men listen more to the youngest wife who uses her position to cause trouble.

Note man with Obama Shirt!
Kissikama

When we travel to the other Chiefdoms the themes are similar.  There is a lack of trust and in the Chief Headquarter’s village of Kissikama Chiefdom and the community is divided, literally.  We happen to be in the building that is located in the center of the village in neutral territory.  One side of the village is for APC and the other for SLPP.   Neither side goes into the other half of the village for fear they will be accused of spying!  The women and men speak of the need to work together and stop this division in the village.

When the meeting is over, the daughter of one of the women who has been helping me with names of the speakers sits next to me.  Out of the corner of my eye I see her looking at me.  She stretches out her hand and with one of her fingers quickly touches my arm.  I smile down at her and ask if my skin feels different from hers.  Then I feel her skin and say it does because hers is softer than mine.  Her mother is laughing at this exchange.

As we travel through the villages many of the children wave and say Pumwe, meaning white person.  They probably don’t see many whites and want to make sure their friends see me too.  I am usually the only white person around even in Freetown.  It should make me feel self conscious but it doesn’t.  I feel very welcomed and am greeted with smiles and “how you sleep?” or “how da body?” when I smile, say good morning and wave as I walk down the street in Freetown on the way to the office.  The children on the way to school want to slap my hand as they pass me.

When we get to the last stop, Kissiteng Chiefdom, the place where the meeting is to be held is full of people dancing to loud music coming from gigantic speakers.  We meet with the police who say they can’t stop the people from using the space even though it has been reserved for us.  The community center is available so we go there.  The concern of the women in this Chiefdom is about the lack of fairness for the election of the Chief not so much about the presidential election.

Kissiteng Chiefdom Meeting

Michaela and Yatta manage to get them back on track by bringing out the posters that have been handed out in the other meetings about a peaceful presidential election.  As they explain the meanings of the posters the women and men begin to pay attention and agree to become a part of the peaceful general election campaign as well as the Chief election.

As I was going to sleep last night I reflected on how different it “feels” here in Kailauhn VS Kono.  There seemed to be an underlying current of tension and dark energy.  I wondered why.  Was it because we arrived in Kono during a political rally with singing and dancing going on?

After visiting the villages today I realize it has nothing to do with that.  These people are still struggling with each other and the after effects of the war.  I feel it is because this is where the war began and some of the worst atrocities happened.  Many are implementing the Fambul Tok values and moving on and are frustrated with those who will not see the importance of that.  Those people are still stuck in the past.  It is evident to me that there is more follow up reconciliation to be done.

That being said, there are good stories here and successes brought about by the Fambul Tok process.  One such story happened about 3 years ago shortly after one of the first reconciliation bond fires.  There was conflict in one of the villages.  They sent for the ex-combatants to come and fight to solve it.  When they arrived instead of fighting they sat down to talk, asked questions and resolved the conflict the “Fambul Tok way” as they put it.

Much Love To You All,

Sara