AYV News, December 17, 2024
Former Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has respectfully urged the various credible national Fula Associations in Sierra Leone to make a statement strongly condemning the way Sierra Leone citizens were treated in Guinea.
The strong woman Socio-Political Activist further urged the Associations to call for the junta in Guinea to cease those acts of violation of regional and International Laws.
Late last week, Guinean authorities rounded up and deprted over 1,000 Sierra Leoneans living in makeshift camps on beaches and in slums.
Accused of Loitering, Engaging in Prostitution, Theft and other crimes, these individuals were forcibly loaded onto trucks and deported to the Sierra Leonean border.
The operation has left the migrant community in shock as many of those affected told harrowing stories of losing their belongings, money and dignity in the process.
Some reported being beaten mercilessly by military officers during the roundup.
“We were treated like animals,” said Mariatu, a young woman who recounted her ordeal. “I lost everything—my clothes, my savings, even my phone. They accused us of crimes, but many of us were just trying to survive. I am not a thief or a prostitute. I came here to make an honest living.”
The Guinean authorities have justified their actions, claiming that the presence of Sierra Leonean migrants in Conakry has contributed to social instability.
“This exercise is in consonance with the Sierra Leonean Embassy in Conakry,” a military officer involved in the operation said. “It has been discussed diplomatically. These individuals cannot continue to live here under such conditions, engaging in loitering, theft and other crimes.”
While the deportations may be rooted in concerns over security and public order, the human cost has been immense. Families have been torn apart, and individuals stripped of their belongings and dignity.
The slums and beaches, once home to vibrant but struggling migrant communities, now stand empty, with scattered belongings bearing witness to the crackdown.
