By Janet A. Sesay
11 children are still held hostage in a Bondo Shrine in Kambia district, Northern Sierra Leone, FAHP (Forum Against Harmful Practices) says in a report released recently.
FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) has been long-standing harmful practice affecting women and girls in Sierra Leone with initiates sometimes losing their lives.
Laws and policies put in place to protect women and girls have been repeatedly infringed on by the initiators especially in the remote communities.
Established in 2014, FAHP is a coalition of national and international organisations fighting FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) and child marriages in Sierra Leone.
The organisation made the claim about the hostage of initiates in a press conference held last Wednesday in Freetown where three FGM-related deaths were confirmed.
Salaymatu Jallo aged 13, Kadiatu Bangura 17 and Adama Sesay 12 succumbed to death in the hands of the ‘Bondo’ initiators.
The deceased, according to FAHP, was initiated in ‘Bondo’ shrines at Kabylor, Bubuya and Mankneh Villages in Kambia and PortLoko districts.
Rugiatu Neneh Koroma, head of FAHP has condemned the act and called for action against those responsible for the deaths. The FAHP head, an ardent anti-FGM campaigner, has been calling on government to end the ‘Bondo’ practice in Sierra Leone or replace it with ‘bloodless’ initiation.
The deaths are being looked into by the Criminal Investigation Department with three suspects including the ‘Bondo’ head, Barlay Turay in police custody.
The matter was reported on 2nd January, this year at Madina Police Station in Kambia district.
FAHP told journalists that the remains of victims were exhumed and examined by Dr Samba Jalloh of Kambia Government Hospital, and autopsy reports would be released shortly.
The story of a 21-year-old woman from Bonthe district who was forcefully initiated in a ‘Bondo’ bush also came up at the press briefing as the family had been crying for justice.
Looking back at the past, FAHP head said she was one among thousands of women and girls in Sierra Leone whose dignity was violated through FGM, and urged government and other agencies to place a ban on Bondo activities throughout the country.
“We call on Human Rights Commission, National Council of Paramount Chiefs and the Sowei Council to speak up on the negative effects of the practice. We also demand prosecution for the deaths as we remind government that loss of one life is a loss to humanity,” she appealed.
She pointed out that health complications and FGM effects are the same regardless of the age of a woman or girl.