By: Hope Times News Desk
Sierra Leone joined the rest of the world to mark International Human Rights Day with renewed calls for justice, reparations, and lasting peace, as stakeholders reflected on the country’s civil war legacy and the protection of fundamental human rights.
The commemoration took place on December 10, 2025, at the Sierra Leone National Museum in Freetown, where the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) convened a national engagement under the local theme, “Remembering the Horrors of the Civil War, Seeking Reparations for War Victims, and Committing to ‘Never Again’.”
Supported by World Vision International through the National AIDS Secretariat (NaCSA), the event brought together civil war survivors, government officials, development partners, and human rights advocates to collectively reflect on past atrocities and recommit to safeguarding human dignity.
Moderating the engagement, HRCSL Commissioner Hassan Samba Yarjah emphasized that justice and human rights must remain at the center of national development and reconciliation efforts.
“Every Sierra Leonean deserves justice, safety, and the ability to thrive,” Commissioner Yarjah said, urging sustained action beyond annual commemorations.
A deeply emotional moment unfolded when war survivor Abass Sesay shared his personal experience of the conflict. He recalled that he was only three years old when his right arm was amputated during the war.
“My father and grandmother were killed, and my mother still battles Bipolar Disorder and PTSD scars that never stop aching,” Sesay told participants.
He noted that many survivors continue to face serious challenges, including limited access to education, unemployment caused by disability, untreated medical conditions, and social exclusion. Calling on the authorities to act, Sesay urged the full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations, particularly those related to mental health care.
“Those who suffered great atrocities must not be forgotten,” he said.
HRCSL Chairperson Patricia Narsu Ndanema highlighted this year’s global theme, “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials,” which underscores access to food, water, health care, security, shelter, and freedom from violence and discrimination. She noted that during the civil war, thousands of Sierra Leoneans were denied these basic rights.
Quoting the TRC Report, Ndanema stated that “the central cause of the war was endemic greed, corruption, and nepotism that deprived the nation of its dignity and reduced most people to a state of poverty.” She reaffirmed the Commission’s call for sustained national commitment to fully implement reparations for war victims.
Deputy Commissioner of NaCSA, Dr. Susan Robert, outlined her institution’s ongoing support for war widows, amputees, war-wounded survivors, and child victims through the national reparations programme, aimed at restoring dignity and improving livelihoods.
Delivering the keynote address, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay, described the 11-year conflict as “a chapter of our history we must never sanitise.” He said the pathway to justice for war victims requires “a two-pronged approach: robust accountability and comprehensive reparations.”
The Attorney General further assured participants of government’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, reinforcing judicial independence, confronting corruption, protecting freedom of expression, and supporting the work of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone.
The event concluded with the signing of a national “Never Again” commitment, symbolizing a unified pledge by government institutions, survivors, and partners to prevent future conflict and to uphold human rights across Sierra Leone.