5/20/2002: Sierra Leone voter

In the thread two days ago featureing the Sierra Leone mental hospital, Sycamore pointed out the website www.galbe.com, which features African news images. Upon visiting we are welcomed with this image (at least as of yesterday), which is really awesome. Their caption:

"Freetown, Sierra Leone, 14th May 2002.

"Ismail Darramy, whose hands were cut off by Sierra Leones rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) after he voted for incumbent President Ahmad Kabbah in 1996, smiles defiantly as he votes again for Kabbah using his big toe."

Boy, that's what it's all about, isn't it?

I've seen what must be hundreds of images of Sierra Leone residents with severed hands. It seems like every picture from the country has a handless person in it. Which makes me think about what a fucked up species us humans are. We know that it's wrong; there's no reason for us to cut another's hands off; and yet, there are those of us who will do it.

I'm glad that, for the most part, we don't have that sort of thing in the US. Same planet, worlds apart. It's saddening.

FAQs

In another couple years, photos of this guy voting will be x-rated

That depends on what order they cut stuff off.

When I first saw that image on the site last night, it caught me off guard...but I like the concept behind it. It conveys inspiration to me.

I worked with a gentleman from Sierra Leone when I lived in DC. I didn't ask him a whole lot of information, but he mentioned that his parents and other relatives were still over there. You could see the pain in his face when he mentioned this. This was almost 3 years ago, and I believe at the time, the war there was still raging. He also had an 8-year old son with him here. Hopefully, that child will never have to suffer the fate that other children his age did.

I think its great he's still smiling

Kinda puts my issues in perspective!

Seriously though, this is fscked up, and i feel for this guy being able to smile, i guess he can't get access to meaningful prosthetics.

Just to put this into my perspective (and i know its incomparable) but i was the ONLY person in my circle of friends to vote at either the most recent general and local elections.

I realise it means very little as an individual these days to vote in a 'democracy', but what has happened to the guy in the IOTD is barbaric, if the story behind it is correct.

I dont think sending money or charity over there will help these guys out, but maybe a team of SAS or Delta force could 'realign' their 'leaders' perspective on humanity?

I bet this image never made (makes) the papers over here in the UK.

Just my 2p.

Syph.

From the Beeb

Special report: Sierra Leone's civil war





And some of the pictures of victims at Sierra-Leone.org are too brutal to post in the public press or the Cellar.

Re: I think its great he's still smiling

This kind of stuff makes me but there is little we can do to help is there not?

Sending money to them, who would benefit?

There is much corruption, in fact that is all there is it seems from the few reports i have seen tonight.

I went to look at some things after seeing the IOTD, and although I WANT to help them, i am not brave enough to go there and do it, i am afraid, and that is what they need, western people over there to report more of what is going on and shame their people to take action.

I should lobby my countries parliament (opens google).

Something should be done.

Red Cross Society

The Sierra Leone Red Cross Society, with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), has launched a scheme to employ Freetown's amputees. They register the names of the amputees, along with their prior experience, qualifications and the type of work they would like to do. The information is sent to potential employers.

According to Steen Wetlesen of the IFRC, "the response from the government and the business community has been very positive". Speaking to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr Wetlesen said, "amputees can get jobs as security guards, teachers, meter readers, guards and gatekeepers." Already a local company has hired six male amputees.

Because of the large number of amputations and other wounds people suffered, Handicap International will remain in Sierra Leone for the foreseeable future. It has already drawn up plans to set up workshops in two other cities - Bo and Makeni - when the security situation permits. Handicap International is also training Sierra Leoneans to become technicians to manufacture the limbs.

Handicap International

Re: I think its great he's still smiling

Re: Re: I think its great he's still smiling

One recent local election in PA was a tie and was decided by a coin toss.

coin toss indeed

I vaguely recall a recent election in Old Crow, Yukon that was tied and recounted, still tied it went to a flip of the coin.... although not as contentious as Sierra-Leone et al, here are the votes cast for each of Yukon's electoral districts..... most were won by under 200 votes, one was within 8.

http://www.gov.yk.ca/leg-assembly/el...elections.html

it is a small jurisdiction, but it does show that each and every vote counts... (no comment here about the collegiate voting rules in the US....

I guess this guy is lucky (in a way) they only cut off his hands.

In Chad, they hang you...

*groan*