Missing woman - American in Sierra Leone

Massah is missing… last seen in early August

Massah Kaikai went missing sometime between 4 – 8 August 2018, and has not been seen or heard from since. Prior to her disappearance, Massah was in touch with her mother and two sisters in the US every other day. Massah also had friends with whom she kept in constant contact. But, neither family nor friends have heard from her in more than six weeks. 

Kaikai returned to Sierra Leone in 2014 to work on development projects with women, the disabled community and children. She set up a small business and made connections with local NGOs and funders. “She is a confident, world traveller who’s independent, smart and caring,” said her mother Ayodeji Babalola (nee Ademu-John).

Massah is a 40-year old American citizen born of Sierra Leonean parents. She lived on Lower Pipeline Road, off Wilkinson Road and had a workshop on Manfred Lane, off Kissy Road in the east of Freetown. The Sierra Leone Immigration Department said there was no record of Massah leaving Sierra Leone on any flight or across any overland border.

Massah’s mother said, “I missed a call from her on 7 August 2018 and when I returned the call, her phone was off. I used to text her and send her messages on WhatsApp but I haven’t heard anything from her. This is not like her.” Ayo arrived in Sierra Leone from New York on 9 September 2018 to personally take up the search and investigation into her daughter’s disappearance.

Massah’s father is Ansu Kaikai, former SLPP Member of Parliament from Pujehun and former Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament. Massah and her father are not on good terms and are estranged. In fact, Ansu complained that Massah had blocked his phone number on her iPhone. He left the country very shortly after Ayo arrived and did not file a missing person’s report prior to leaving the country.

Ayo reported her missing daughter to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) upon her arrival. She contacted ASP O.C. Lebbie, who interviewed her and has begun an investigation. The Head of CID is involved and overseeing the police efforts.

The CID have arrested Massah’s boyfriend, Ibrahim Mansaray, a driver, and are holding him in custody for further questioning. Mansaray was found in possession of Massah’s iPhone and had cleaned out her apartment. He sold many of the household belongings and Police have tracked several items. Massah’s landlord said Mansaray returned the keys to her apartment, three months before the lease was to expire, and told the landlord that Massah had traveled and was not returning.

Gladys Quee, a family acquaintance, said she met Massah on 8 August 2018 at Bliss Restaurant and gave her some money for a job Massah had done. Quee may have been the last person to be with Massah before her disappearance.

Annmarie worked for Massah a couple of days a week as a house-helper and cook. She said she hasn’t seen Massah since early August. Interestingly, Annmarie moved into Massah’s family home on Manfred Lane on 3 August 2018, just around the time Massah disappeared.

The Regional Security Officers of the U.S. Embassy in Sierra Leone are aware of the situation and are currently investigating the missing woman. Two U.S. Embassy officers have visited ASP Lebbie and officers at the CID on several occasions. The Security Officers could not comment on the ongoing investigation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the U.S. and West Africa have been notified and are monitoring the ongoing search and investigation. Massah’s sister in New York notified the FBI and Ayo, who used to work at the United Nations, has notified the Secretary General of the UN.

The Sierra Leone Representative to the UN, Francis Mustapha Kaikai, is also aware of Massah’s disappearance. Before Ayo came to Sierra Leone, the mission told her “we are working on it.” And, the mission in New York suggested to her “… not to travel to Sierra Leone just yet.”

But Ayo traveled to Sierra Leone and has been diligently investigating and assembling information on Massah’s disappearance. “We are calling on everyone and anyone to try to find my daughter,” said Massah’s mother, Ayo. “I’m contacting everyone I know who might be able to help,” she said.

Ayo sent three e-mail letters to State House in Freetown and met once with Keketoma Sandy, the Presidential Secretary, who said he “would work on it and tell the President”, about the missing woman. Sandy has since not returned Ayo’s e-mails and will not answer her calls. “I’m sure nothing was done,” said Ayo. “But, I want the government to be aware and I want the President to be aware,” she added.

24/9/18

Important info from Amnesty International...

Sierra Leone: Ebola regulations and other laws must not be used to curtail freedom of expression and assembly

4 May 2015, 13:26 UTC

Sierra Leone should stop using emergency regulations brought in to combat Ebola as a pretext to restrict freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, Amnesty International said today.

Now that Ebola cases are reducing and schools have re-opened, the government should immediately review the State of Emergency provisions and ensure that only provisions strictly required to fight the Ebola epidemic remain in effect. Rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must not be unnecessarily or disproportionately curtailed

Sabrina Mahtani, Amnesty International’s West Africa researcher.

The call comes following an increase in arrests of opposition members, bans on peaceful protests and an unwillingness to tolerate dissent that has heightened following the removal of former Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana on 18 March. Even though cases of Ebola have sharply reduced in Sierra Leone, State of Emergency measures have been increasingly used alongside other laws to stifle criticism, some of which are thought to be linked to the removal of the Vice President.

On Sierra Leone’s Independence Day, 27 April, 15 members of the main opposition party, Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and a Senior Officer from the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, were arrested in Kenema (East) and are currently on trial. There are concerns about excessive use of force by the police with several people injured. A march organised by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists on Independence Day in Freetown was also banned. Eight days earlier, 10 people were arrested for protesting outside the US Embassy, while in March a meeting of the Bar Association was broken up. In contrast, assemblies and events held by the governing party have been allowed.

In November 2014 a journalist was detained for 11 days for criticising the Ebola response, and in April 2015 eight people from Kono were detained for six months without charge following disorder linked to a suspected Ebola case. Last month a man was charged with insulting the President after having forwarded a Whatsapp message he did not author. In all of the cases, apart from the latter, State of Emergency powers were cited as reasons for police action.

All restrictions on human rights under the State of Emergency and other laws must be in accordance with international law and standards, and not be arbitrarily or discriminatorily applied. Certain rights, such as the right to a fair trial or prohibition against ill treatment, cannot be derogated even during a State of Emergency. The focus must be the fight against the Ebola epidemic and not stifling of dissent.

Sabrina Mahtani.

Amnesty International calls on the government of Sierra Leone to urgently review the State of Emergency provisions and to ensure that everyone can exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly in conformity with international and regional human rights law. The organization also calls for an independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of excessive use of police force in Kenema on Independence Day.

BACKGROUND

Opposition protestors and Human Rights Commission member arrested in Kenema, 27 April

On 27 April 2015, Sierra Leone’s Independence Day, 15 people were arrested in the city of Kenema following a protest at the office of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Witnesses described how police fired teargas into a crowd of about one hundred people and how people were beaten with canes. The police later stated the arrests were carried on under the State of Emergency provisions prohibiting public gatherings and claimed they had refused permission for the protest to be held.
Following the protest, the chairperson, Ella Goba, and Public Relations Officer, Dawson Kuyateh, were then arrested and beaten when they went to the police station to enquire about the persons detained.

Photos confirmed by witnesses show that her injuries included a swollen face, a black eye and wounds to her arms and back. Mr Kuyateh’s lawyer stated that he had wounds on his neck and head.
The Senior Regional Officer of the Human Rights Commission, Hassan Yajah, was also arrested and reportedly beaten at the police station as he sought to intervene. On the same morning he spoke on the radio about a recent Human Rights Commission press release that raised concerns about the discriminatory application of the State of Emergency.

The 15 SLPP members and the Senior Regional Officer of the Human Rights Commission were charged with 11 counts under the Public Emergency Regulations (prohibition of public gatherings), the Public Order Act and common law. They were refused bail on 28 April and again on 1 May, despite the defence lawyers making an application on medical grounds as many of the accused were in pain following their injuries. They are still detained in Kenema prison and will appear in court again on 8 May.

Ebola march on Independence Day banned, 27 April.

A march planned for Independence Day, 27 April, in association with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, to launch the Women’s Leadership and Participation in Zero Ebola campaign was banned. The Sierra Leone Police withdrew permission a day before stating that they had received information about groups planning to join the march to protest about non Ebola matters, which are not allowed under the State of Emergency provisions.

Protesters arrested following US Embassy protest in Freetown, 19 April

On 19 April, 10 people – many SLPP supporters - were arrested three days after holding a peaceful march outside the US Embassy. Protestors were singing the country’s national anthem and displaying placards concerning the Vice President’s removal as well as concerns about mismanagement of Ebola funds following a critical report by Sierra Leone’s Auditor General. The march was dispersed by the police who took down names of the organisers. The protestors understand they were arrested under the Public Emergency Regulations provisions, which ban public gatherings. They were detained for three days and then released on police bail. They have to report back to the police on a regular basis.

Bar Association meeting disrupted, 20 March

A meeting by the Bar Association at the Law Courts building in Freetown on 20 March 2015 was disrupted by the police. Reasons given include because the meeting was not Ebola related and also because the meeting had extended past 6pm. Many lawyers feel the reason is because they were about to vote on whether the President’s act to remove the Vice President was unconstitutional. One lawyer was arrested as he left the Law Courts singing the national anthem and holding a placard with a group of lawyers, and was released a few hours later. A subsequent Bar Association meeting was refused permission to be held by the police.

Closing space for freedom of expression and assembly

Sierra Leone has been grappling with the Ebola epidemic for the past year which has claimed over 3,800 lives. The President declared a State of Emergency in July 2014 and passed the Public Emergency Regulations 2014. By-Laws for the Prevention of Ebola and Other Diseases were also passed by the Ministry of Local Government, including a ban on public gatherings. This was aimed at enabling the government and its partners to more robustly deal with the Ebola outbreak.

In a context of the decreasing Ebola epidemic, some concerns over increasing restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly have emerged. The Vice President, Sam-Sumana, was expelled on 6 March 2015 from the All People’s Congress (APC), the political party currently in power, whilst he was in self-enforced Ebola quarantine. The President sacked him on 18 March and appointed a new Vice President. Sam-Sumana has petitioned the Supreme Court to block his replacement from carrying out his duties pending a final ruling on the legality of his dismissal. The court has still not made a decision but a wave of protests followed, particularly in the diaspora, raising concerns about the constitutionality of this action and perceived mismanagement of Ebola funds.

Amnesty International has previously expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly over the past few months, through use of the State of Emergency and other laws. These rights are enshrined in Sierra Leone’s Constitutions and other regional and international human rights treaties to which Sierra Leone is a party, such as the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

On 23 April 2015 the Sierra Leone Human Rights Commission put out a press release raising concern about the discriminatory implementation of the Public Emergency Regulations 2014, particularly Section 15 which derogates the Right to Freedom of Assembly and Association. They observed that some groups have been allowed to assemble and express their views but others have been denied an opportunity by the Sierra Leone Police. They also urged Parliament to review the State of Emergency regulations given the reduction in Ebola cases and the reopening of schools in early April 2014.

Amnesty International had previously highlighted the situation of two women and six men from Kono who were detained for six months without charge under an Executive Order by the President following an alleged riot relating to a contested suspected Ebola case. A further five men were detained under the same Order between February and March 2015 in relation to the same incident. Constitutional safeguards, such as review of their detention by an independent tribunal, were not followed. The two women, were released on 12 April, following civil society activism, whilst the eleven men were finally charged on 21 April after a habeas corpus application was filed. It is thought a reason behind these arrests is because they are thought to be supporters of the former Vice President.

Amnesty International also previously highlighted the case of journalist David Tam Bayroh, who was arrested in November 2014 for comments made on his programme regarding the government’s response to the Ebola outbreak. He was shown an Executive Detention Order signed by President Ernest Bai Koroma, which accused him of incitement. He was detained for 11 days and released on bail. Other journalists state they practice self-censorship following this incident.

The government has reacted harshly to criticism from citizens as well as the media. Mamoud Tim Kargbo was charged with five counts under the Public Order Act 1964, including defamatory libel, for forwarding a WhatsApp message critical to the President although he did not author the message. The trial began on 8 April and is still ongoing. He has been detained in Pademba Road Prison for almost a month as his several bail applications have been refused. In another case, Ansumana Bangura was sentenced on 22 April 2015 to 6 months imprisonment on two counts of threatening language and public insult and provocation under the Public Order Act. He is supposed to have insulted the President in public and in the view of a police officer.

“Pay your ‘sellers tax’ but don’t sell here.”

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." - Mahatma Ghandi

There’s a Freetown City Council (FCC) by-law that says traders/sellers must not sell on several, specified streets in downtown Freetown. It’s probably not obvious to folks who visit the “central business district” or the downtown city core. Many streets are lined with street sellers – selling everything from phones to underclothes… from groundnuts to watermelons.

Personally, I love this kind of street shopping… and can usually find anything I really need… belts, vests, novels, phone cases, money changers, soaps, shoes, et cetera. In fact, I almost prefer shopping on the street over the few grocery stores and electronic shops frequented by ex-pats. When I buy something on the street, I know it’s going to help pay school fees for children, buy food for families, pay medical expenses and support some of the most vulnerable sectors of this society.

Hawa is a young friend who sells scented sprays and shoe polish on a street corner. She works beside Fatmata, Lovette, Zainab and Mary, who also sell assorted goods from small, plastic bowls or baskets. It takes Hawa an hour and a half every morning to get to work… and she begins her long commute home at 5:30 (just before the restriction on any sales after 6:00 PM). The women are there – reliably – on the corner, every day but Sunday.

The economic reality for most street sellers is pretty grim. Hawa’s profits are between 30-50,000Le per week (about $10). Hawa spends 4,000Le each day (just under $1) on transportation to and from her corner. She spends 5,000Le per day ($1) on food while she works. She often drinks 1,000Le worth of packet-water every day. Most days, she says, she adds an oral rehydration solution (ORS) to her water to replenish the moisture she loses under the sun. The ORS powder costs 500Le. Hawa and the others pay 300Le per day in City taxes levied against all street sellers.

The City taxes are collected by an obnoxious older man, Mr. Alusine they call him, who carries no identification, wears no uniform and wanders the streets collecting 300Le from anyone he catches. He dolls out a small “ticket” of paper that’s marked with the day’s date… Does he submit these Leones to the city coffers? He offers no explanation… but I suspect he’s a brother of someone who works at the City… and collects this money for his own use.

Hawa and the other women’s largest expense for the day are the bribes paid to Freetown City Council Municipal Police… who harass the women, “arrest” their market – taking baskets and bowls to the Police Station, or capturing them and imprisoning them overnight. Most of the time, the women cough up between 20-50,000Le in bribes and are given back their picked over baskets of small products. Many times, the police scoop up products for themselves… and the bribes go directly into the police constable’s pockets.

The women tried taking up a small collection of Leones to pay the officers every day… to leave them alone. The collecting officer would then turn a blind eye… but another FCC police constable would skulk past and also demand money and threaten the women and children with arrest – which ultimately means a bigger bribe.

When I first learned about how the FCC Police harass street sellers, several years ago, I was incensed… It’s so frustrating and sad to think of the hardship that Hawa and the other women go through… scraping by to put a bit of food on their tables.

"...the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. " - Last Speech of Hubert H. Humphrey

Here's what the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone says...

ENSURING THE RIGHT TO ACCESS EDUCATION BY PREGNANT GIRLS AND YOUNG MOTHERS

Wednesday 25th February, 2015: The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) is concerned about statements made by high ranking officials of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology that pregnant girls and pregnant young women would be barred from taking their exams and going back to school.

The Commission is of the view that this policy discriminates against women and girls and this pattern of stigmatising pregnant young women would only worsen their marginalization as well as their vulnerability. This would also lead to the violation of their economic, social and cultural rights, more especially their right to education, livelihood, adequate standard of living and their rights to participate and contribute to nation building. The effect of the implementation of this policy will undermine the right to education provided in Section 3 (2) of the Education Act of 2004 and Government’s National Development Plan, ‘The Agenda for Prosperity’, particularly Pillar 8 which deals with Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

It would be recalled that in its State of Human Rights Report 2011, HRCSL raised the issue of discrimination by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) when they stopped pregnant girls from taking their exams and recommended that “WAEC should review its policy on forbidding pregnant girls from taking exams and should provide alternative facilities to ensure that every girl irrespective of their status can write their exams.”

Pregnant girls and young mothers must be protected from discrimination by the State as guaranteed in Section 27 (2) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991, which states that “……..no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority”. Furthermore Section 4(1) of the Education Act 2004 states that “This Act and any other enactment and administrative instructions relating to education shall be administered and interpreted in such a manner as to ensure that there is no discrimination between pupils or students in the matter of their admission to and treatment in any educational institution in Sierra Leone…”

HRCSL wishes to draw the attention of Government to the provisions of International Human Rights Instruments that it has ratified:
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) (1990) Article 28.1 which calls on State parties to “...recognise the right to education, and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall in particular; (e) Take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the reduction of dropout rates.”

• Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 1981 Part 3 Article 10, which requires “State parties to take appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women and girls in the field of education”.
Additionally, in its latest Concluding Observations on Sierra Leone (2014), the CEDAW Committee called on the Government of Sierra Leone “to remove all barriers to school attendance by pregnant girls and young mothers”.

The Commission also draws Government’s attention to the imperative recommendation of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Report Volume 2, chapter 3, page 212, which states that the Government must “abolish the practice of expelling pregnant girls from school”. One of the recommendations in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) 2011 is the implementation of the TRC Recommendations which Government has undertaken to implement.

HRCSL therefore urges Government to take the necessary steps to create the enabling environment to ensure that pregnant girls and young mothers are accepted in schools, take their exams, continue their education and are not stigmatised and discriminated against.

Furthermore, HRCSL calls on Schools and Educational Authorities, National and International NGOs, Parents, Guardians, Religious and Community Leaders to take responsibility to support the education of pregnant girls and young mothers.

Whilst HRCSL does not condone children in schools to be sexually active, their right to access education must not be compromised.

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone remains committed to protecting and promoting the rights of all in Sierra Leone.

(SIGNED)
.........................................................
Commissioner Daphne Olu-Williams
Acting Chairperson

“You can’t write the exam or attend school,” gasp. “You’re pregnant!”

I can’t help it… I’m incensed, frustrated and totally flabbergasted. Ohhhhh, Sierra Leone!!!

The schools have been closed for almost a year now. The Ebola crisis has upset almost every facet of “normal” life around here. “Normal” wasn’t great to begin with… but… the closure of schools and the cancellations of regional and national exams has upset the progression of students – leaving primary school and entering secondary school… or writing their final secondary school exams.

The Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE) is the national examination all students need to write to progress from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to Senior Secondary School (SSS). Students spend three years in JSS (most of the time) and at the close of JSS3 are supposed to write this BECE exam. Most of the students writing the BECE are between 16-18 years old. The BECE was the first test to be “postponed” in June of 2014. The West African School Certificate Exam (WASCE) is the regional test taken to finish secondary school… and maybe enter college or university. (many people don’t pass either exam…)

That’s all background information. What’s got me so riled up is the government policy to not allow girls who are “visibly pregnant” to write their BECE or the WASCE exams… or even attend schools when they reopen. Reopening schools is a heated topic of debate… and a potential source of much donor money. The government has set a date… then postponed and set another date… and it looks like it’s going to happen soon. (amidst the Ebola crisis, I might add)

The dates for the BECE exam have been slated for next week (April 1)… after a year of schools being closed, no classes, no preparations, etc. What a joke… to ask these kids to write a national exam after being idle for a year. There was supposed to be a week of prep-classes for the JSS3 students but from what I’ve heard those classes didn’t happen – teachers didn’t show up, there were no materials, no desks, no toilet facilities, no temperature checks, no safety precautions, etc. Sigh. And, parents are reluctant to send their children back to school for obvious reasons.

The government has appointed the former National Electoral Commissioner, Christiana Thorpe, to head the committee responsible for planning the re-opening of schools. She stated, as quoted in a local newspaper, “According to the Child Rights Act, the rights of the child has to be protected at all times. Therefore, it is in the interest of the pregnant children to stay home and deal with stress and avoid the examination.” She added, “girls should be girls and not mothers. It is high time we began to maintain morals”.

Any respect I had for this woman has been immediately dashed… What is she thinking??? I should try to remind Ms. Thorpe of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states in Article 2, “No child should be treated unfairly on any basis.” And then Article 4, “Governments have a responsibility to take all available measures to make sure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.”

Of course, I’ll have to remind the school reopening committee of this, from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 28: (Right to education): All children have the right to a primary education, which should be free. Young people should be encouraged to reach the highest level of education of which they are capable.

So, a young girl gets pregnant… at some point during the Ebola crisis. Then, she’s punished further by being forced to drop out of school!!!! Sad… frustrating!! Under present conditions in this country… poverty and rape are rampant… this government wants to further punish these young women. I should add, there’s a saying around here, “the BECE belly”, which is used to describe the abhorrently high rate of pregnancy amongst girls who’re waiting to write the BECE exam or waiting to receive results, which often takes 4-6 months.

From the report, “Realities of Teenage Pregnancy in Sierra Leone”, published by KIT Publishers and disseminated on 8th December 2012 in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

“Teenage pregnancies are common in Sierra Leone with 34% of adolescent girls (between 15-19 years old) having had at least one birth or being pregnant in 2008. Of these adolescent girls, 44% live in rural areas and 23% in urban areas. More than 50% of 19 year old girls (54.2%) have started childbearing and more than one in 10 girls aged 15 have started childbearing (11.3%).”

UNICEF Sierra Leone published a report on teenage pregnancies in 2010, which revealed that teenagers included in the research had a high rate of sexual activity. Reasons for sex were ‘love’, receiving money or gifts, peer pressure, payment for school-related expenses, food and protection. The perception of love was often associated with material gains.

The study also reported a high level of cases of sexual exploitation and abuse (58% in children 12-24 years). (UNICEF Sierra Leone 2010).

Goal (2010) undertook a study on teenage pregnancies in the Western Area district in Sierra Leone. They found some of the same factors contributing to early sexual debut as the UNICEF study: lack of support from parents, vulnerable situations, poverty, desiring what others have, peer pressure and power relations. Some adolescent girls engage in sexual relationships with men for their upkeep. Others have sex with men or boys to gain desired material goods (Goal Sierra Leone 2010).

The Minister of Education for the past seven years, Minkailu Bah, said, “government will not legalize teenage pregnancy by allowing pregnant girls to attend schools when they reopen”. I should add that his Ministry is responsible for the deplorable state of education in the country… and you can see why. He’s about 200 watts short of a bright bulb.

Someone should remind the Minister, the School Re-opening Committee and the President of Sierra Leone about the Sierra Leone Constitution 1991, Chapter 2: Educational objectives.

9. (1) The Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal rights and adequate educational opportunities for all citizens at all levels by—

a. ensuring that every citizen is given the opportunity to be educated to the best of his ability, aptitude and inclination by providing educational facilities at all levels and aspects of education such as primary, secondary, vocational, technical, college and university;

b. safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups, such as children, women and the disabled in security educational facilities; and

c. providing the necessary structures, finance and supportive facilities for education as and when practicable.

The Minister went on to say (was he kidding?), “According to the President’s Ebola proclamation, every pregnant girl should be arrested and charged to court because the Ebola protocol states that nobody should touch. So why should they touch?” Again… a shockingly stupid statement.

The Minister also said, “The WAEC report (which one, he didn’t mention) maintained that the girls (pregnant girls) will normally not have a sound mind to take the exam and often fall asleep in the exam hall, causing a major financial loss to the government.”

The Minister was also heard on Star Radio 103.5 saying, “exams are for school-going girls not pregnant women.”

I should add, the Minister recently admonished donors saying, “It is very unfair that they (donors) would want pregnant girls in schools. Why should they talk about that?” In the same breath, the Minister begged donors for $160 million to reopen schools, build bathroom facilities, provide water to schools, build desks, provide learning materials, buy thermometers, etc. I say… if donors are going to pay for all this stuff – they have the right to dictate some human rights policies and make sure schools and the Ministry, government and others follow basic rights principles. If schools and the Ministry had been operated properly over the past six years, there wouldn’t be the need to build toilets and wash facilities… but the Ministry, one of the most corrupt Ministries in the country, wants the cash and this Ebola crisis is a sure-fire way of attracting and stealing millions of dollars. (as illustrated in the Auditor General’s report May-Oct 2014)

As I’ve written about before, the illiteracy rate in Sierra Leone is anywhere from 65-80%. There are many reasons for this… apart from the extraordinarily bad education system. Drop outs, exam failures, pregnancies, sicknesses, poverty (inability to pay school fees), family pressures, early marriage, etc. are a few… and now, the government will add to the numbers of young women who will likely be forever burdened by a lack of basic education.

I’m curious about the Minister’s phrase, “visibly pregnant”. What exactly does that mean? A girl in her third trimester of pregnancy? A girl with a small tummy from sitting idle for a year? Does this mean that the Ministry will start administering pregnancy tests as a criteria for writing an exam or attending school? Good grief. And, who will decide if a girl looks “visibly pregnant”? It might just be another source of bribes for examiners… as if there isn’t enough corruption in the system.

Imagine this scene.

Isha is a mature, 18-year old student. She attended a local school prior to the Ebola outbreak and is supposed to write her BECE exam this year. She is called to her JS school to pick up her exam timetable, identification slip and photo – that will allow her into the exam hall. She’s called to the office of the Principal, a 50-ish woman in a flowing Africanna dress. Isha meets the Principal, always an authoritative figurehead, and two other female teachers waiting in the office. The Principal asks Isha to disrobe – remove her faded blue uniform down to her underclothes. One of the teachers starts to grope her stomach, “feeling for hardness and pregnancies”. The teacher squeezes Isha’s breasts – testing for “firmness” – and watches for any twinges of pain on Isha’s face. Then, Isha is handed a pregnancy test strip and told to urinate on the paper slip over a bucket in the corner of the office. Isha follows all the directions and the test reads – negative. She’s not pregnant… and is allowed to pick up her exam timetable and identification slip… and allowed to write the BECE exam.

This gruesome, blatant stab into the heart of human rights happened on Monday, March 30, 2015 at the Aberdeen Municipal School.

And, I’m left thinking about the boys and men who impregnated these girls… Will the boys be subjected to any penalties? How to tell? What about those sickening, “big men” (some of whom are undoubtedly politicians) who’ve impregnated these girls and young women? Will they be held to account? Will they be penalized? No… I doubt that very much.

Perhaps I should remind the Minister and other officials of the government of this… from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 34 (Sexual exploitation): Governments should protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.

At the moment, Sierra Leone is undergoing a Constitutional Review and a Constitutional crisis. The President has sacked his Vice President… and some say that is a direct violation of the Constitution. Yet it happened… and the matter is now before the Supreme Court. BUT, there’s another Constitutional crisis – and this one has to do with the issue of girls’ education.