Back and Next - Back and NextSORIOUS SAMURA: THE ROVING JOURNALIST
SORIOUS SAMURA: THE ROVING JOURNALIST
We say bravo to Sorious, the Sierra Leonean journalist who risked his life to go to the war-torn Dafur region of
The Dafur crisis is described as the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in recent times. On Sunday April 24, viewers watched the CNN programme on television with horror, sadness and disbelief at the dehumanizing and demoralizing plight of the refugees in the area. We were absolutely downcast to see people fleeing from violence, oppression and incidents of rape in their own country, only to discover that the refugee camps presented greater perils for them and their children. It was a pathetic situation for the families.
The Sudanese government did very little to protect its citizens but watched them as they were brutally attacked by pro-government militia, thousands were massacred, the women shamefully rape and homes looted. The government demonstrates attitudes of complacency and callousness throughout the attacks perpetuated against its own people. They even refused help from the African Union and the international community in the form of peace keeping forces. We are told that 2,000,000 people fled their home.
Sorious arrived at a center where there were many refugees without food or water and the situation was desperate. He soon met a Sudanese man and his family who were planning to take a journey through arid and desolate territory to reach the refugee camp further on which were supposed to offer something better for his starving family. Sorious took a chance and decided to accompany them in search of shift shelters and food. Little did he know what he was in for. It turned out to be a long tedious and distressing three days journey.
Water was scare and there was not enough food for the man and his family, let alone to share with a robust and strong journalist who had joined them. There was no medical care or any sort and toilet facilities were non- existent, they had to use their immediate surrounding as toilets. They had no tents and had to improvise with whatever clothing they have to spread on the rough ground in other to sleep. As one could imagine the journalist, unused to such harsh conditions could hardly sleep. He openly expressed his horror at such misery and human suffering. Viewers could not believe that their fellowmen could be subjected to such extreme hardships and suffering. Sorious found the awful smells around them unbearable and having to share the very little unclean water with his fellow travelers for drinking was just too frightful.He could not imagine that refugees went through such impossible and desperate situations. Having begun the journey he had to continue or face death where they were. Their supply of water and food diminished as each day went by and their plight become more critical. Unused to such unsanitary conditions, Sorious soon succumbed to the debilitating condition of diarrhea if untreated. He felt weak unable to drag himself a step further and collapsed feebly on the ground wondering what would happen to him and entreated his comrades to go on without him. Fortunately, he recovered and was able to get up and continue on the journey.
After three long days of struggle they could see what looked tents in the distance which gave them a ray of hope that they had at last reached their destination, the refugee camp.
What an immense joy and relief it was to actually see the refugee camp tents ahead of them. They arrive at the camps dirty, hungry and almost dehydrated due to the shortage of water after the journeys ordeal. Sorious was thankful that he had survived to tell the tale of his experience and disbelief that human beings could go through so much suffering. He had actually suffered the same fate as the refugees and was now fully equipped to write or talk about their plight convincingly and compassionately.
Having reached their goals they thought that their troubles were over and that they could at least receive supplies of food from the UNHCR and be able to sleep underneath tents instead of the open, exposed to insects and the cold winds during the night. Sorious was disappointed and shocked that the UNHCR staff there were not as sympathetic towards them as they should have been. The pathetic sight of the man and his family barely able to stand up did not seem to move them infuriately. Food and water were their basic need at that time, mused the tired journalists, the registration process, which was being administered by the UNHCR could have waited after they were fed but no; the authorities insisted that they had to be registered first. This took some time and at the end they have given them supplies of oil, beans maize and few other items. They were not given a tent at first but Sorious had to intervene and let the UNHCR staff know that it was imperative for a tent to be found and provided for the family who had been sleeping out in the open for days. After some wrangling a tent was provided and the families were happy to go into it. This was a luxury which they had not enjoyed since they fled from their homes.
It was time for Sorious to bid farewell to his newly found comrades, he had and seen enough of the refugee camps and he must be on his way. Before he left them, he was determined to ensure that they were given all that was due to them; otherwise they would not have receive everything. He felt that he had to stand for the poor family so that they would be well provided for. He had gone through a trying period with them, now he had to leave them. He bade them farewell but wonderd what would happen to them as he left.
At long last, a peace treaty had been signed by the Sundanese authorities. Will this treaty hold? This was the burining issue. Sorious was convinced that this was not the end of the carnage in the country. He remarked that the killings had continued and that the refugees were fearful of returning to their homes. Thus ended a memorable but grueling journey.
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