Mid of May this year, a team from the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL) went to Big Water community at the Western Area Peninsula to meet with the headwoman, youth leader and some other community members who are involved in the organisation’s ongoing project at the aforementioned community. Our goal was to monitor and document the progress of the livelihood project. We were very happy to hear that the pig families are growing and that some of the goats which CSSL provided are pregnant.
CSSL´s activities in Big Water aim to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the forest and to support the community with alternative livelihoods to keep them away from destroying the forest. As always, CSSL asked for news and challenges in the community. The head woman, Memunatu Banya, seemed to have been waiting for the opportunity to address the most burning issue: the government came to inform the community that they are planning to sell a huge amount of land at Big Water, which is government owned land in the opinion of the government, to a foreign company to construct houses – a so-called “Smart City”.
“We want a new boundary demarcation and a clear definition of the green belt. At the moment, there is no safety plan for the community. Community members have been living here for many years; others have started to build houses; and now, the government is coming to reclaim that very same land. They say it is government’s land. Without a clear and official new demarcation, we the community are vulnerable and helpless when government officials come.”
The community members are aware of the importance of protecting the green belt and the forest for the sake of their own community. The newly elected headwoman is very supportive of all conservation actions happening in the village. But she also has to represent the needs of the community members. The protection of the forest is important, but people also need houses. That is why, she asks for a new demarcation of the National Park and the green belt. With a new demarcation, the community would exactly know which land they can use for construction and / or farming, and which parts have to be protected. The old demarcation is not reflected in reality. A new demarcation could help to set up a new agreement between government and communities and ensure the conservation of the National Park in the future. Most important would be that, communities and government bodies respect this new demarcation on the same level and everybody can fully trust the agreement.
“The youth are trying to stop the illicit activities of deforestation and burning close to the forest. We have cleaned the whole place; and we are ready to take responsibility. But how can we maintain our environment if government is coming to claim the land. How can we motivate the community to protect the forest when government is coming to encroach and cut the trees? It is a very difficult situation.”
“It is not only about the forest, it is also about the community itself. People who have saved their money to build their houses have to accept that these houses will be destroyed just to make space for a company that wants to build houses again. We don´t understand these plans. We hope that with a new demarcation and a clear orientation about where to build houses and where not to, the community can find peace and look into the future with hope and confidence.”
We as Conservation Society of Sierra Leone are very alarmed. If this is not a rumour but a real plan of the government, it could have severe consequences for the National Park. If people will be chased away from their land, they will try to find new land to rebuild their houses. The only way for them would be to enter the forest further. We continue to ring the alarm bell for government and community leaders to sit together and find a solution for this burning issue. Big investment contracts in communities should not be signed without community consultation and without an Environmental Impact Assessment as by the law of Sierra Leone.
The team from CSSL left Big Water on that day with mixed feelings. On one hand, they were very content to see the wonderful development of the alternative livelihood projects; all the little pigs which were running around in the community. On the other hand, the news about the land issue is very alarming. Will all the efforts invested so far go for nothing? We still have hope that a solution will be found for a sustainable and hopeful future of the Big Water community.
Let´s protect this forest together – communities, government and all other stakeholders.
