congratulations to the black star nation of africa, and the continent's shining star of democracy. hey, it's a start!
Ghana's Example
How one African nation has made democracy work
Friday, January 9, 2009; Page A16
AFRICAN POLITICS were shaped in the past year by two disastrous presidential elections -- that of Kenya in December 2007, which ended in a fraud-marred impasse and triggered ethnic violence in which more than 1,000 people died; and Robert Mugabe's first-round defeat and second-round theft of a Zimbabwean poll, which has prompted a catastrophic national collapse. But democracy in Africa is not dead, as the small but influential nation of Ghana demonstrated over the past month. Its two-round election for president ended with a razor-thin margin of victory for the opposition candidate. There was no major fraud or violence: The winning candidate, John Atta Mills, promised to "be president for all"; his opponent, Nana Akufo-Addo, accepted defeat and publicly congratulated his opponent.
On being sworn in Wednesday, Mr. Atta Mills became the second opposition candidate to peacefully succeed an elected president since Ghana returned to democracy in 1992. A pioneer of Africa's independence movement in the 1960s, Ghana is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to accomplish that political feat. For the rest of the continent -- including its giant and perpetually unstable neighbor, Nigeria -- Ghana offers a demonstration that such political maturity pays off. Ghana's average annual growth rate of 5.6 percent during the past six years has been one of Africa's highest, and the country has become a favorite of foreign investors as well as donors.
Mr. Atta Mills faces serious challenges, including growing transshipment of cocaine through Ghana to Europe -- and the corruption that the drug trafficking has engendered. He will also need to skillfully manage the country's recently discovered offshore oil, which could propel Ghana to greater prosperity or mire it in the political and economic diseases that afflict Nigeria and other petro-states. For now, however, the new president and his country can bask in the congratulations that have poured in from the European Union, the United Nations and the United States -- not to mention from Ghana's neighbors. "The conduct of the people of Ghana provides a rare example of democracy at work in Africa," said Kenya's prime minister, Raila Odinga. As Mr. Odinga knows all too well, it's an example from which Kenya, Zimbabwe and other states could learn.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Monday, December 8, 2008
chapter 53: r.i.p. stephane dion 2006 - 2008; or, how we learned that stephen harper was right
it turned out stephen harper was right about stephane dion. he's not capable of leading a government. pardon me for a moment, while i try to keep my lunch down.
but really, dion has shown time and time again he isn't capable of doing simple things required of a politician, particularly in his dealings with the media.
and today, perhaps recognizing his credibility as leader is shot, he stepped down. and for the centre-left movement in canada, which still comprises a majority of the country by the way, it comes not a moment too soon.
first, there was the infamous restart debacle. just as every prime minister has to be able to speak french, every prime minister must speak english too. but dion, as intelligent as he may be, clearly isn't up to that task. watch as he asks a reporter to restart an interview three times because he doesn't understand a pretty simple question:
then, when he was given a time to respond to stephen harper on the coalition government issue, he and his team delivered a poor quality taped message late. it was out of focus, it was poorly framed, and awkward to watch. this is what discomfort looks like:
dion has proven himself a good politician with good ideas in the past. but if his team can't be trusted with simple tasks, how can we trust him to do the right things for the country during a challenging time?
but really, dion has shown time and time again he isn't capable of doing simple things required of a politician, particularly in his dealings with the media.
and today, perhaps recognizing his credibility as leader is shot, he stepped down. and for the centre-left movement in canada, which still comprises a majority of the country by the way, it comes not a moment too soon.
first, there was the infamous restart debacle. just as every prime minister has to be able to speak french, every prime minister must speak english too. but dion, as intelligent as he may be, clearly isn't up to that task. watch as he asks a reporter to restart an interview three times because he doesn't understand a pretty simple question:
then, when he was given a time to respond to stephen harper on the coalition government issue, he and his team delivered a poor quality taped message late. it was out of focus, it was poorly framed, and awkward to watch. this is what discomfort looks like:
dion has proven himself a good politician with good ideas in the past. but if his team can't be trusted with simple tasks, how can we trust him to do the right things for the country during a challenging time?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
chapter 52: prorogue-ies and sour cream
a week ago, most of us had never even heard of the word prorogue, now it's on the tip of everybody's tongue. and for some, it tastes pretty sour.
governor general michaelle jean decided today to grant stephen harper's request to prorogue, or suspend, parliament until he can come back to present his budget on january 26. here is his press conference after that decision:
the somewhat surprising decision comes after a constitutional crisis that threatened to unseat the government less than two months after a federal election. for the past week, there's been a pr war going on to win public opinion, and to nobody's surprise, the conservatives appear to have won that battle with another round of fear-mongering.
to wit, a few fun facts:
1 - the proposed coalition government would have been only the second in canadian history. the conservatives said the coalition's plan was undemocratic. in reality, the parliamentary system allows for it. parliament can only operate when it has the confidence of a majority of members, who represent the public. the coalition would have the support of the majority, unlike the tories.
2 - the quebec separatist movement is, for all intents and purposes, dormant, before harper and the conservatives started invoking it as a boogeyman. the conservatives used the specter of the new government being beholden to separatists to stay afloat. in reality, the searatist movement has been losing steam since 1995, and now it's almost irrelevant. quebec's provincial election is widely expected to result in a solid majority for quebec liberals, led by jean charest, a federalist. if anything, harper's divisive rhetoric could spark a renaissance.
3 - harper called a snap election for october in late summer this year, saying parliament was unworkable. now, the new parliament has been shut down for two months until the new budget announcement. frankly, i don't think either side deserves to lead. but i also don't see parliament working any better when mp's go back on january 26th. at that point, we'll probably find ourselves in the situation we're in now, except we will have wasted two months of valuable time, while other countries work to make the coming recession as painless as possible.
4 - the is the first time prorogation has been used to prevent a government from falling, in canadian history. frankly, i wasn't thrilled with either option, but i do know that while the house is away, no stimulus package will be set in motion.
one thing is certain.
nobody can complain any longer about canadian politics being boring. but for all the auto industry workers in oshawa, and others across the country who are worried about making house payments, the prospect of losing their jobs while the politicians screw around is more disgusting than exciting.
governor general michaelle jean decided today to grant stephen harper's request to prorogue, or suspend, parliament until he can come back to present his budget on january 26. here is his press conference after that decision:
the somewhat surprising decision comes after a constitutional crisis that threatened to unseat the government less than two months after a federal election. for the past week, there's been a pr war going on to win public opinion, and to nobody's surprise, the conservatives appear to have won that battle with another round of fear-mongering.
to wit, a few fun facts:
1 - the proposed coalition government would have been only the second in canadian history. the conservatives said the coalition's plan was undemocratic. in reality, the parliamentary system allows for it. parliament can only operate when it has the confidence of a majority of members, who represent the public. the coalition would have the support of the majority, unlike the tories.
2 - the quebec separatist movement is, for all intents and purposes, dormant, before harper and the conservatives started invoking it as a boogeyman. the conservatives used the specter of the new government being beholden to separatists to stay afloat. in reality, the searatist movement has been losing steam since 1995, and now it's almost irrelevant. quebec's provincial election is widely expected to result in a solid majority for quebec liberals, led by jean charest, a federalist. if anything, harper's divisive rhetoric could spark a renaissance.
3 - harper called a snap election for october in late summer this year, saying parliament was unworkable. now, the new parliament has been shut down for two months until the new budget announcement. frankly, i don't think either side deserves to lead. but i also don't see parliament working any better when mp's go back on january 26th. at that point, we'll probably find ourselves in the situation we're in now, except we will have wasted two months of valuable time, while other countries work to make the coming recession as painless as possible.
4 - the is the first time prorogation has been used to prevent a government from falling, in canadian history. frankly, i wasn't thrilled with either option, but i do know that while the house is away, no stimulus package will be set in motion.
one thing is certain.
nobody can complain any longer about canadian politics being boring. but for all the auto industry workers in oshawa, and others across the country who are worried about making house payments, the prospect of losing their jobs while the politicians screw around is more disgusting than exciting.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
chapter 51: welcome back, america
the united states of america really is a baffling country.
they can bungle along for years, corrupt, greedy, cynical, aggressive and mean, until the country's downfall looks predictable and swift.
and then, out of nowhere, we see the qualities that have made the united states great. a country that specializes in bold, courageous moves that change the world.
tonight's election of barack obama felt like that. it felt like one of those moments people tell their children and grandchildren about. it felt magical, like a new era of compassion, hope, honesty and solidarity that unites people around the world. the great phoenix has regenerated and risen from the ashes again.
know what?
after tonight, i like those yanks much better.
welcome back, america. we missed you.
they can bungle along for years, corrupt, greedy, cynical, aggressive and mean, until the country's downfall looks predictable and swift.
and then, out of nowhere, we see the qualities that have made the united states great. a country that specializes in bold, courageous moves that change the world.
tonight's election of barack obama felt like that. it felt like one of those moments people tell their children and grandchildren about. it felt magical, like a new era of compassion, hope, honesty and solidarity that unites people around the world. the great phoenix has regenerated and risen from the ashes again.
know what?
after tonight, i like those yanks much better.
welcome back, america. we missed you.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
chapter 50: really america? really?
i can barely contain myself.
we knew sarah palin was no einstein, but this is ridiculous. she spoke to one of quebec's radio pranksters who are known as the "masked avengers" for six minutes, and never caught on that she wasn't actually talking to french president nicolas sarkozy.
this is the woman who the republicans want to be president if john mccain were to die in office.
simply stunning.
we knew sarah palin was no einstein, but this is ridiculous. she spoke to one of quebec's radio pranksters who are known as the "masked avengers" for six minutes, and never caught on that she wasn't actually talking to french president nicolas sarkozy.
this is the woman who the republicans want to be president if john mccain were to die in office.
simply stunning.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
chapter 49: ghoulishly entertaining
sometimes, it's better when you don't have to think about stuff. that's what i like about halloween, even those years when i lamely do nothing to celebrate it. this is one of those years.
but despite that, the halloween-ish magic that is the thriller endures. you've seen the thriller-thons and the phillipino 'cons-cum-choreatricians'?
they can both suck it. this is the best thriller tribute ever. ever. you're welcome.
but despite that, the halloween-ish magic that is the thriller endures. you've seen the thriller-thons and the phillipino 'cons-cum-choreatricians'?
they can both suck it. this is the best thriller tribute ever. ever. you're welcome.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
chapter 48: the story maclean's didn't tell
recently, maclean's magazine did a story on international volunteerism. i and several other volunteers i worked with and respect appeared in pictures and in quotes, focusing particularly on jhr. the article painted a picture of volunteers that is not very flattering, and even though i knew it was missing a lot of perspective, it stung.
it also made me mad, because it's the kind of article that hardens people's hearts and discourages the kind of compassion and leadership on cooperation and peacebuilding that forms such an important part of canada's identity.
but this article, taken from a correspondent for ctv's canada am who visited sierra leone and met some jhr volunteers gets it right.
it encapsulates the maddening beauty, the beautiful tragedy, and the tragic hope of a country where life is so hard, yet the people continue to look to a better day.
and they continue to look to canadians for a hand up. it's only through the continuing efforts from people giving of themselves to work in the trenches, no matter how slow and frustrating the process may be, that canada can fulfill its true potential to be a light to people in dark places.
idealistic? maybe...but doesn't every great victory start with a crazy idea?
here's the article:
Marci Ien in Sierra Leone: Human Rights reporting
Updated Tue. Oct. 21 2008 6:25 PM ET
Marci Ien, Canada AM
Last month I travelled to Sierra Leone for the Canadian organization Journalists for Human Rights (JHR). The group was founded in 2002 with the goal of assisting local media in Africa and North America to expand their coverage of human rights.
JHR has sent more than 175 journalist trainers to work in sub-Saharan African countries, and by its own estimates, has directly helped to produce more than 2,100 stories on human rights issues.
Sierra Leone is the most deprived country in the world. It ranks last, 177th, on the United Nations' annual Human Development Index. A newborn in Sierra Leone has the lowest chance in the world of surviving until age five.
A decade of civil war ended in 2002, and the country is now in the process of reconstruction. A UN-sponsored war crimes court is trying those accused of horrible war crimes, while the state works on the challenges of extreme poverty and an economic crisis.
Journalists have their own challenges covering political issues and the topics of human rights and corruption. My job was to meet with working journalists in Sierra Leone and help assess the training programs. Here's my diary from the week:
Friday Sept. 19 (late evening)
I arrived at Lungi International Airport and was met by Nina DeVries and Abu Bakarr Jalloh (ABJ). Nina is a media trainer with JHR and ABJ is an intern. On the way to my guest house I took in all the action on the lively streets of Freetown. The city was originally built for 500,000, but the population has swelled in recent years to 1.5 million. The infrastructure isn't there, and that leaves a lot of people conducting their social lives on the streets. People were eating, selling food, just kind of hanging out. Everyone looked young. "Where are all the seniors?" I asked. "Marci," my colleagues replied, almost in unison, "The life expectancy here is 39, 40 years old." "I'm 39," I said. That was the last question I asked that night.
Saturday Sept. 20
I went to the JHR office and met Elvis Hallowell, the country director for the organization. He shared with me his thoughts on the state of journalism in Sierra Leone -- in particular the coverage of human rights stories. Elvis told me that a lot of the human rights coverage are opinion pieces, and that's not how human rights issues should be covered. Much of the media training shows journalists how to back up their stories with facts, digging, and research. It's all about balance.
There are 15 to 20 daily newspapers, as well as private and public television stations. Radio, however, is the medium of choice for most Sierra Leonians. That evening I met all five JHR media trainers who had been working in various media houses throughout Sierra Leone for eight months. Mackay, Kevin, Jared, Rachael, and Nina took me to dinner.
Sunday Sept. 21
On Sundays, many people go to the beach. It was a gorgeous day and not a cloud in the sky. The car ride to River Number 2 was long, and the roads bumpy, but it gave us time to chat. As we travelled, we came across several kids who had put up faux checkpoints using tree branches to block the road. They asked for money...and in turn would lift the branches.
"What message are we sending if we give them cash?" one of my colleagues said. "Are we sending a message that extortion is OK?" It was a valid point -- but all I could see was my four-year-old's face. How do you say no?
The beach was stunning. As I sat on the sand I took in the sounds of the sea. In a moment of complete calm, I thought of the chaos that had ravaged this country, and the perseverance of a people trying to move forward, trying to better their lives. I asked many questions of my friends. What had they learned? Did they feel they were making a difference as journalists? It was an interesting discussion, and in the coming days I would see first-hand what life in the field was like.
Monday Sept. 22
The Special Court of Sierra Leone is a city unto itself. There have been hundreds of witnesses so far, recounting a bloody civil war that lasted 10 years and ended in 2001. Hundreds of thousands were killed or injured in the war. Three trial judges have presided over the past six years. One of them, Judge Pierre Boutet, is Canadian. Deliberations are underway. I told Judge Boutet that when his work was done -- and he comes home to Canada -- he had an open invitation to sit down and talk about his experiences on Canada AM.
When I walked into the empty court and looked at the witness box. It was an eerie space. I stood in a place where victim and victimizer came together, and I wondered if a spirit of forgiveness could ever prevail.
I had accompanied Nina and a reporter from ABC Action News. While at the court, Nina checked in with a source for another story she was working on. It involved children who were allegedly being abused at an orphanage. One little girl, Marie, had polio was said to be in particularly bad shape.
Tuesday Sept. 23
Nowhere else is the strength of women more apparent than in Sierra Leone. In the face of patriarchal laws, second-class citizenship, spousal abuse and staggering maternal mortality rates -- they live and in some cases thrive. I had lunch with 25 women at a local hangout for journalists called "Stop Press."
They were members of a group called Women in Media in Sierra Leone (WIMSAL). The women came together out of necessity, meeting every Sunday in various places. They could speak about injustices in their newsrooms and in the field. There were editors who deemed them too weak to cover certain stories. Officials who questioned their capabilities as the female journalists tried to question them on policy or other matters.
There were partners at home -- who said their place was *in* the home -- and that having a job was something a good woman wouldn't do. WIMSAL will have a formal launch on November 21. The group has invited government officials, diplomats, the press corps and members of the public to witness what a group of women with serious ideas, journalistic integrity, and a love for a country that doesn't always love them can do.
Wednesday Sept. 24
One in eight women will die while giving birth in Sierra Leone. It's a brutal statistic ... and made major news while I was there. Following the story was the Concord Times, a well-respected newspaper based in Freetown. I accompanied Kevin Hill, a JHR trainer, and Rachel Horner, a reporter with the Times. We travelled to PCM Hospital to see first-hand what was happening.
We met Dr. Ibrahim Thorlie, the chief of staff, who told us there were many contributing factors to the death rate: women arriving at the hospital already in a traumatic state, and a lack of equipment, blood, drugs, and staff. Ironically he talked of a brain drain -- one that saw medical talent leave to work in the very NGOs that were meant to help stabilize the country. Many also left for more lucrative private practice.
I will never forget one woman we saw. She was in labour...writhing in pain on a hospital cot -- that had no sheet. Above her, the tiles on the wall were crumbling. I wondered if one would fall on her. Now I wonder if she and her baby survived.
Later in the day, Kevin, Rachel and I met with Sierra Leone's Health Minister, Dr. Soccoh Alex Kabia. We recounted what we had seen at the hospital. He said the government had a plan that would be introduced in the coming months. I couldn't help but think that plan would come far too late for many.
Thursday Sept. 25
This was the first time my husband and I haven't been together on our anniversary in the seven years we've been married. It's always been a sacred time for us. When the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone came up, I knew I would have to use my vacation time to make it work. My husband agreed I should go. "You'll grow as a person, Marce. This could be life-changing."
There are many things I will remember about my trip. I met dozens of journalists whose personal stories could in fact be front-page news. I visited radio stations, newspapers, and a televison studio. I talked to officials in the Special Court, people on the street. I spent a considerable amount of time in a hospital speaking to medical staff and patients about their predicaments and how to move forward. I read just about everything I could get my hands on that would help me to understand the complexities of this West African nation. Nothing yet could have prepared me for Kroo Bay.
Kroo Bay is home to more than 6,000 people, and used to be a small fishing settlement that sits below sea level at the point where two rivers meet the Atlantic. It became a shantytown during the civil war as people fled the violence. Now garbage is everywhere. The water is used as an open sewer. I saw children playing, defecating and being washed in it. I saw mothers whose eyes told me they had given up.
I didn't take a single picture...but the images of Kroo Bay are forever cemented in my mind. The children were curious about the two men and woman who walked through. They looked at us -- our clothes, our shoes. I looked at their nakedness...but also their beautiful smiles. How could they smile? What was there to be happy about? I could smell the desperation and despair.
My friend Mackay asked if the kids knew the ABC song. He had told me they sang it to the tune of Auld Lang Syne in Sierra Leone. In unison, five children started to sing. I held back my tears. We clapped and told them they were wonderful. This all in a place where one in four children dies before their fifth birthday, which Save the Children calls "the worst place on earth."
it also made me mad, because it's the kind of article that hardens people's hearts and discourages the kind of compassion and leadership on cooperation and peacebuilding that forms such an important part of canada's identity.
but this article, taken from a correspondent for ctv's canada am who visited sierra leone and met some jhr volunteers gets it right.
it encapsulates the maddening beauty, the beautiful tragedy, and the tragic hope of a country where life is so hard, yet the people continue to look to a better day.
and they continue to look to canadians for a hand up. it's only through the continuing efforts from people giving of themselves to work in the trenches, no matter how slow and frustrating the process may be, that canada can fulfill its true potential to be a light to people in dark places.
idealistic? maybe...but doesn't every great victory start with a crazy idea?
here's the article:
Marci Ien in Sierra Leone: Human Rights reporting
Updated Tue. Oct. 21 2008 6:25 PM ET
Marci Ien, Canada AM
Last month I travelled to Sierra Leone for the Canadian organization Journalists for Human Rights (JHR). The group was founded in 2002 with the goal of assisting local media in Africa and North America to expand their coverage of human rights.
JHR has sent more than 175 journalist trainers to work in sub-Saharan African countries, and by its own estimates, has directly helped to produce more than 2,100 stories on human rights issues.
Sierra Leone is the most deprived country in the world. It ranks last, 177th, on the United Nations' annual Human Development Index. A newborn in Sierra Leone has the lowest chance in the world of surviving until age five.
A decade of civil war ended in 2002, and the country is now in the process of reconstruction. A UN-sponsored war crimes court is trying those accused of horrible war crimes, while the state works on the challenges of extreme poverty and an economic crisis.
Journalists have their own challenges covering political issues and the topics of human rights and corruption. My job was to meet with working journalists in Sierra Leone and help assess the training programs. Here's my diary from the week:
Friday Sept. 19 (late evening)
I arrived at Lungi International Airport and was met by Nina DeVries and Abu Bakarr Jalloh (ABJ). Nina is a media trainer with JHR and ABJ is an intern. On the way to my guest house I took in all the action on the lively streets of Freetown. The city was originally built for 500,000, but the population has swelled in recent years to 1.5 million. The infrastructure isn't there, and that leaves a lot of people conducting their social lives on the streets. People were eating, selling food, just kind of hanging out. Everyone looked young. "Where are all the seniors?" I asked. "Marci," my colleagues replied, almost in unison, "The life expectancy here is 39, 40 years old." "I'm 39," I said. That was the last question I asked that night.
Saturday Sept. 20
I went to the JHR office and met Elvis Hallowell, the country director for the organization. He shared with me his thoughts on the state of journalism in Sierra Leone -- in particular the coverage of human rights stories. Elvis told me that a lot of the human rights coverage are opinion pieces, and that's not how human rights issues should be covered. Much of the media training shows journalists how to back up their stories with facts, digging, and research. It's all about balance.
There are 15 to 20 daily newspapers, as well as private and public television stations. Radio, however, is the medium of choice for most Sierra Leonians. That evening I met all five JHR media trainers who had been working in various media houses throughout Sierra Leone for eight months. Mackay, Kevin, Jared, Rachael, and Nina took me to dinner.
Sunday Sept. 21
On Sundays, many people go to the beach. It was a gorgeous day and not a cloud in the sky. The car ride to River Number 2 was long, and the roads bumpy, but it gave us time to chat. As we travelled, we came across several kids who had put up faux checkpoints using tree branches to block the road. They asked for money...and in turn would lift the branches.
"What message are we sending if we give them cash?" one of my colleagues said. "Are we sending a message that extortion is OK?" It was a valid point -- but all I could see was my four-year-old's face. How do you say no?
The beach was stunning. As I sat on the sand I took in the sounds of the sea. In a moment of complete calm, I thought of the chaos that had ravaged this country, and the perseverance of a people trying to move forward, trying to better their lives. I asked many questions of my friends. What had they learned? Did they feel they were making a difference as journalists? It was an interesting discussion, and in the coming days I would see first-hand what life in the field was like.
Monday Sept. 22
The Special Court of Sierra Leone is a city unto itself. There have been hundreds of witnesses so far, recounting a bloody civil war that lasted 10 years and ended in 2001. Hundreds of thousands were killed or injured in the war. Three trial judges have presided over the past six years. One of them, Judge Pierre Boutet, is Canadian. Deliberations are underway. I told Judge Boutet that when his work was done -- and he comes home to Canada -- he had an open invitation to sit down and talk about his experiences on Canada AM.
When I walked into the empty court and looked at the witness box. It was an eerie space. I stood in a place where victim and victimizer came together, and I wondered if a spirit of forgiveness could ever prevail.
I had accompanied Nina and a reporter from ABC Action News. While at the court, Nina checked in with a source for another story she was working on. It involved children who were allegedly being abused at an orphanage. One little girl, Marie, had polio was said to be in particularly bad shape.
Tuesday Sept. 23
Nowhere else is the strength of women more apparent than in Sierra Leone. In the face of patriarchal laws, second-class citizenship, spousal abuse and staggering maternal mortality rates -- they live and in some cases thrive. I had lunch with 25 women at a local hangout for journalists called "Stop Press."
They were members of a group called Women in Media in Sierra Leone (WIMSAL). The women came together out of necessity, meeting every Sunday in various places. They could speak about injustices in their newsrooms and in the field. There were editors who deemed them too weak to cover certain stories. Officials who questioned their capabilities as the female journalists tried to question them on policy or other matters.
There were partners at home -- who said their place was *in* the home -- and that having a job was something a good woman wouldn't do. WIMSAL will have a formal launch on November 21. The group has invited government officials, diplomats, the press corps and members of the public to witness what a group of women with serious ideas, journalistic integrity, and a love for a country that doesn't always love them can do.
Wednesday Sept. 24
One in eight women will die while giving birth in Sierra Leone. It's a brutal statistic ... and made major news while I was there. Following the story was the Concord Times, a well-respected newspaper based in Freetown. I accompanied Kevin Hill, a JHR trainer, and Rachel Horner, a reporter with the Times. We travelled to PCM Hospital to see first-hand what was happening.
We met Dr. Ibrahim Thorlie, the chief of staff, who told us there were many contributing factors to the death rate: women arriving at the hospital already in a traumatic state, and a lack of equipment, blood, drugs, and staff. Ironically he talked of a brain drain -- one that saw medical talent leave to work in the very NGOs that were meant to help stabilize the country. Many also left for more lucrative private practice.
I will never forget one woman we saw. She was in labour...writhing in pain on a hospital cot -- that had no sheet. Above her, the tiles on the wall were crumbling. I wondered if one would fall on her. Now I wonder if she and her baby survived.
Later in the day, Kevin, Rachel and I met with Sierra Leone's Health Minister, Dr. Soccoh Alex Kabia. We recounted what we had seen at the hospital. He said the government had a plan that would be introduced in the coming months. I couldn't help but think that plan would come far too late for many.
Thursday Sept. 25
This was the first time my husband and I haven't been together on our anniversary in the seven years we've been married. It's always been a sacred time for us. When the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone came up, I knew I would have to use my vacation time to make it work. My husband agreed I should go. "You'll grow as a person, Marce. This could be life-changing."
There are many things I will remember about my trip. I met dozens of journalists whose personal stories could in fact be front-page news. I visited radio stations, newspapers, and a televison studio. I talked to officials in the Special Court, people on the street. I spent a considerable amount of time in a hospital speaking to medical staff and patients about their predicaments and how to move forward. I read just about everything I could get my hands on that would help me to understand the complexities of this West African nation. Nothing yet could have prepared me for Kroo Bay.
Kroo Bay is home to more than 6,000 people, and used to be a small fishing settlement that sits below sea level at the point where two rivers meet the Atlantic. It became a shantytown during the civil war as people fled the violence. Now garbage is everywhere. The water is used as an open sewer. I saw children playing, defecating and being washed in it. I saw mothers whose eyes told me they had given up.
I didn't take a single picture...but the images of Kroo Bay are forever cemented in my mind. The children were curious about the two men and woman who walked through. They looked at us -- our clothes, our shoes. I looked at their nakedness...but also their beautiful smiles. How could they smile? What was there to be happy about? I could smell the desperation and despair.
My friend Mackay asked if the kids knew the ABC song. He had told me they sang it to the tune of Auld Lang Syne in Sierra Leone. In unison, five children started to sing. I held back my tears. We clapped and told them they were wonderful. This all in a place where one in four children dies before their fifth birthday, which Save the Children calls "the worst place on earth."
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