By Emma Black
As National Remembrance Week continues across Sierra Leone, the executive leadership of the Amputee and War Wounded Association on Thursday, January 15, 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor A. Bah, at his office in the Youyi Building, Freetown.
The meeting provided an opportunity for war victims and survivors to engage government on the significance of National Remembrance Day and to formally present long-standing concerns related to welfare, justice, and reparations.
Speaking during the engagement, the Association’s Minister of Education, Tamba Finor, expressed appreciation to Minister Bah for granting the meeting, noting that similar requests to government officials over the years had gone unanswered.
We are deeply grateful for this opportunity, Finor said, for many years, we have tried to engage government authorities without success, this meeting gives us hope.
Finor commended the government for officially declaring January 18 as National Remembrance Day, describing it as a major step toward honoring the victims and survivors of Sierra Leone’s eleven-year civil war. He noted that the declaration aligns with key recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
However, he urged the government to address the issue of reparations, another central recommendation of the TRC. According to him, war victims have endured physical, emotional, and economic hardship for more than two decades and deserve meaningful compensation.
He appealed to Minister Bah to engage President Julius Maada Bio on the matter and advocate for reparations for war victims and survivors.
The President of the Association, Mohamed Tarawally, also outlined several priority demands contained in the TRC recommendations, including free university education, free medical care, and improved livelihood support for war victims.
Tarawally emphasized that these measures should not remain policy discussions alone but should be presented to Parliament to ensure they are backed by law and fully implemented.
In response, Minister Chernor A. Bah praised the Association’s leadership for its resilience, commitment to peace, and contribution to national cohesion. He described their concerns as legitimate and reasonable, assuring them that government would continue to engage relevant institutions to address the issues raised.
President Bio remains committed to addressing the legacy of the war, particularly through the implementation of the TRC recommendations, Minister Bah said, the declaration of January 18 as National Remembrance Day is only the first step in recognizing and honoring victims and survivors.”
He further noted that many of the Association’s concerns are already reflected in the Persons with Disability Act, adding that government will work with stakeholders to ensure its effective enforcement.
Minister Bah also requested the Association to provide an updated database of its members, explaining that accurate data would help government develop targeted policies and interventions to support war victims.
Sierra Leone continues to observe National Remembrance Week in honor of the victims and survivors of the country’s brutal civil war, citizens are encouraged to participate in the commemoration by wearing white ribbons or white clothing throughout the week as a symbol of remembrance, reflection, and commitment to peace, unity, and national cohesion.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 19th January 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
