By Ralph Sesay
Police of Rutile Division have confirmed that they have twenty (20) suspects in their custody from Foindu Relocated Community in Imperri Chiefdom, Bonthe District for various offences ranging from conspiracy, disorderly behavior etc.
Police Operations Commander, Rutile Division told this medium that, the twenty suspects from Foindu have peacefully protested in front of Illuka formerly Sierra Rutile Mines site on Monday to express their grievances over what they described as the dishonesty of Illuka to meet the conditions agreed for their relocation to Foindu.
Our relocated community lacks schools, farm lands, water, employment and other basic social services even though this was part of the agreement with Sierra Rutile, the protesters noted.
We had showed up at the premises of Illuka Group to express our dissatisfaction to the Company, the affected individuals noted.
The Chiefdom Speaker of Imperi Chiefdom, Simeon Amara recounted that he is aware of the constrains of his people but he was also disappointed that they have taken the laws into their hands by blocking the operations of Illuka.
The Speaker indicated that stopping the operations of Illuka is very much costly and would also affect the country’s economy.
The twenty suspects are currently in Police custody helping the Police for disrupting the operations of Illuka Group which took over the operations of Sierra Rutile some few years ago.
Most mining companies in Sierra Leone stands accused of failing to adopt international best practices and standards for relocating communities affected by their operations.
Most relocation by mining communities are done involuntarily and without reference to the acceptable international standards such as caring for basic and other agricultural needs of the relocated communities.
Illuka Group replaced Sierra Rutile some few years ago.It is reported that the country is a supplier of 30% of the world’s rutile and Sierra Leone has mined rutile for the past forty seven (47) years with nothing to show for.