@ Bigbazza, Sierra Leone photos

I saw some of these on TV last week and finally found them. The photos are beautiful and heartbreaking, thought you would like to see if not already done so.

http://marksteines.com/photo_galleries/10-sierra-leone-africa

 

But there are also some images of hope and happiness in there. Don't know if the civil war is still ongoing in Sierra Leone, but I hope for all these people's sakes, it isn't. If it is, why? People don't need the misery of war, especially when it ain't their fault. If this happened in the western world, it would soon be sorted.
Nice images, D. Just makes me angry when I see innocents suffering.

 

I don't know either, hope it's not. Bigbazza has some kind of connection there, has talked about it several times, I'm sure he knows more about it. I thought he would enjoy the photos.

 

Darlene, heaps of thanks for the link to those photos. :-D :cool

To fill in anyone interested, I worked for Sierra Rutile from '92-94 at the early part of the Civil war. At the time, we were pretty safe as the war had not come to our area. Although we usually had armed escorts if we had to venture up-country.

The war was over diamonds as anyone who has seen the movie Blood Diamond ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450259/ )will remember. Stars Leonardo Di Caprio and well worth viewing IMO (biased of course).
Scroll right down to the last User Comment for more background.

I left in Jan 94 and 12 months later (Jan 95) the RUF rebels attacked the mine where I was working, plus a nearby bauxite mine (Sieromco) and took hostages. Some of those I knew were held hostage for 3 months as bargaining "chips".

The multi-national companies immediately closed both mines and Sierra Leone's foreign curreny earnings plummetted. When I was there the exchange rate was Leones 500 to 1 USD. Now it is around Leones 2500 to 1 USD.

The civil war ended in 2001 after 10 years, or so. Elections were held a couple of years ago and the political wing of the RUF won. Conditions have improved since then. The capital even has electricity on, for various times during the day. Diamonda are now being exported legally and the Rutile mine where I worked has re-opened and exporting. The mine suffered a recent disaster when their new #2 dredge capsized soon after launch and 2 drowned. This is a major setback to the mine and country. I loved it there as it was just like Cairns, with a wet season and dry season (opposite times of the year of course). Beautiful scenery, beautiful people and a warm climate all year round.

I am in regular chatroom comment with a SL lady. She has the ear of the government and keeps me up-to-date on the happenings there.

Thanks again, Darlene.

Bazza

===

 

Thank you Baz, what a story, got goose bumps here. Well that answered any questions I had.
There are celebrity's going over and I believe built a clinic. One was Patricia Heaton from a tv show (everybody loves raymond) her and Mark Steines. As I was watching I thought you would like the photos, finally found them on his web site, duh, huh?

stumbled upon a forum in case your interested
http://www.topix.com/forum/world/sierra-leone

 

Thanks Darlene, have bookmarked it.
Some of mine you might be interested in.

Gary Schulze has scanned his entire Sierra Leone historic postcard collection for the Sierra Leone Web. Eventually more than 500 postcards, spanning over a century of Sierra Leone's history, will be posted and restored
http://www.sierra-leone.org/GSpostcards.html

There is a new comment on the post "Sierra Leone: claiming Ishmael Beah". -
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/03/27/sierra-leone-claiming-ishmael-beah/

See http://globalvoicesonline.org/2007/03/27/sierra-leone-claiming-ishmael-beah/comment-page-7/#comments for more. Scroll down the page.

SL newspapers
http://www.world-newspapers.com/sierra-leone.html

Tips on visiting SL.
http://cipsierraleone.blogspot.com/2008/11/travel-to-sierra-leone.html -----
A great article

Search on
Peter C. Andersen
"Sierra Leone" for more. :-D

Bazza

 

Love the post card collection. I hope things are improving there. Have you been back or is that possible? Sounds like you enjoyed the area and the people.

 

I was hoping to work there again, but the dredge falling over and new management make that probably unlikely. Ex-pats are too expensive, salary wise and that is their prime consideration, despite their experience. :cry

Bazza

===

 

Aw sorry, well you have friends and beautiful pictures.