Brutal war prompts cry for help from Sierra Leone families

Mennonite Central Committee
Wednesday, 20 December 2000

WINNIPEG, Man. -- Peter Koroma desperately wants to help his family.

The Winnipeg man's family has been traumatized by the brutal civil war that has raged in Sierra Leone since 1991. His older sister Digba Koroma, his late brother's wife Martha Koroma, and her five children, now struggle to survive from day to day as refugees in neighbouring Guinea. And Peter Koroma would love to bring them to Canada.

With the help of Mennonite church groups, Koroma, and other Canadians from Sierra Leone, may soon be able to do that.

The Canadian government has recently launched a special program to expedite the private sponsorship of 3,000 refugees from Sierra Leone who have family living in Canada.

The Sierra Leone community in Canada has turned to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) for help in finding private sponsors. MCC in turn has appealed to Mennonite church groups.

In both Ontario and Manitoba, MCC is hoping to resettle 15 family units. In Alberta, MCC hopes to provide sponsorships for more than 10 families. And in B.C., MCC has been asked to find sponsors for five family groups.

"We're asking for a full sponsorship commitment," said Ed Wiebe, refugee coordinator for MCC Manitoba. "Others can help by offering financial support to the Sierra Leone community or by acting in partnerships with other local churches to provide a full sponsorship commitment."

Tim Wichert, refugee program coordinator for MCC Canada, as well as MCC Ontario, said the financial requirement will range from $100 to $1,500 a month, for a maximum of one year. The amount of financial support will depend on how much support the refugees' families in Canada can provide.

The families will also help orient their relatives to life in Canada. In most cases, the refugees will settle near their families in large, urban areas.

"I will really be responsible for them. The help I'm looking for is mainly financial," said Koroma, who is married with three children. "That's why I'm seeking help from you guys. Because there's no way I can handle the load."

Nathaniel Bimba, of MCC Alberta, said most of the refugees are educated and speak English. He said, given the chance, many will be able to start work soon after arriving in Canada.

While the refugee appeal has been sent to Mennonite churches, there hasn't been much interest yet. "It takes a while to percolate within a church," said Wiebe, adding he's confident sponsors will be found. Wiebe said once sponsors are in place, it will still take four to six months for the refugees to arrive in Canada.

"I'm hoping by spring time they should be here," said Koroma.

Koroma, who works for the provincial Family Services department in Winnipeg, last saw his family during a 1988 visit back to Sierra Leone.

Since then his home village has been destroyed in the war, his family home burned to the ground, and his family forced to flee.

Koroma's younger brother (Martha's husband) was killed in the war. Other family members are missing.

Digba, Martha and her five children, have been staying as refugees in Guinea for almost five years, where there's growing violence against refugees. Koroma rents a home for them because the refugee camp is too dangerous for the women. He said they can't leave their home alone, for fear of police harassment.

Koroma said he's determined to save some of his loved ones. He wants to send the five children to school "and start a new generation of our family.

"That's why I'm very devoted to these refugee matters, because I think it's the only way I can help."

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org