Sierra Leone Government Abandons Constantly Flooded Mathombo Community
The Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food (SiLNoRF), has on Wednesday, 14th November, 2018 launched a documentary on the devastating human rights abuse happening in Mathombo Village.
For over 20 years now, Mathombo community, a remote and badly deprived village located in Kholifa Fullawusu chiefdom in Tonkolili district has suffered devastating flooding caused by the construction of a hydro dam by Chinese contractors working with the international humanitarian organization called Chinese Aid. All the available farm/swamp lands and crops as well as access routes in and out of the village were completely destroyed. Since then life has become extremely difficult for the indigenes, most of whom have deserted the community as a result of the hardship and the unbearable living conditions.
Over 20 years ago, Chinese contractors constructed a hydro dam at the boundary between Makali and Mathombo communities which supplies electricity for only Makali village and other areas in Tonkolili district leaving Mathombo village which suffers all the devastating effects of the hydro dam.
While the community continues to suffer from the devastating floods caused by the hydro dam, stakeholders and the Sierra Leone Government have deliberately refused to come to the aid of community throughout these suffering years.
They have been left abandoned by those who are supposed to protect them. Their rights to land and living have been bastardized at will and nobody seems to care. A once lively and populated community is fast going into extinction as a result of the constant flood caused by the hydro dam. Children living in the village find it extremely difficult to access schools especially during the rainy seasons as they have to use extremely pathetic means to cross the river linking their village to the others.
Several efforts have been made by community members to get authorities concerned to salvage their situation but all proven futile while they continue to suffer in silence.
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara
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