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Effects of War
by Jabati Mambu, Student of albert Academy Secondary School, Aberdeen Displaced Camp,
Freetown, Sierra Leone
When the Sierra Leone civil war began in March 1991 , when the
Revolutional United Front(RUF) entered Sierra Leone from Liberia,
launching a rebellion to over-through the one party rule of the All
Peoples Congress(APC), I was in Daru town, Jawie chiefdom, Kailahum
district. After a month, Daru town was attacked by the rebels, because
Daru was the strongest military base at that time, and a strategic town
along the Koindu / Kenema high-way. In this attack some of my major family
members were killed , others like my Father , Mother, brothers and sisters
were all put into a house and blazed fire on the house , and they were all
burnt alive, that made me run to Kenema to seek refuge. In Kenema,
conditions were very unfavourable, but I was still managing until when the
town was hit again by rebels and my guidian was killed. This propelled
me to finally leave Kenema as the rebels were hunting young men at
that time to join them or to kill them. From Kenema , I headed for Freetown
which at that time was the only safe ground. There I was staying with
my friend at Kissy( the eastern end of Freetown) because at that time
there was no displace camps in Freetown. I later went to register as a
displaced and I was supplied by CCSL( Council of Churches in Sierra
Leone) and the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone. From then I was getting
supply from the churches. I started managing my life with it by
selling some of it and used the money to pay my school fees. This is what
I was doing until when this city was invaded by rebels on the 25 of May
1997 and over- threw President Armad Tejan Kabba. In this invasion
only friend which I was staying with was killed because they said this my
friend was working for the Nigerians.In this case we the occupants of the
house were hunted by the rebels and ran to the bush to seek refuge .We
were staying in the bush for sometime and only returned there when our
president also returned to this country. On our return to town we
didn't meet the house again at kissy(burnt down ) and there was no
place for us to stay except when a friend of mine gave us a room
at kissy . On the 6 OF JANUARY 1999 agan the rebels invaded in freetown
and killed my friend we were staying with , burnt house and also
amputated my hand .nd I am presently staying at the Aberdeen Amputee
Camp, also attending the Albert Academy Secondary School in freet
own asking people for assistance for me to continue with my
education..Finally I fill so bad among my friend in school, because I am
the only amputee among them.
