Kimberlite Blast Lands 3 in Hospital

Kimberlite Blast Lands 3 in Hospital

(Standard Times, March 16, 2004)

By Saidu Kamara

Three aging women in Sarquee Town, Kono district, are currently admitted at the Koidu Government Hospital following the blasting of Kimberlite deposits on March 1st 2004 by the resident kimberlite mining company, Koidu Holdings. The three women who were quickly revived after emergency treatment are Mammy Finnah Jentey, Penila Momoh and Kumba Satteh.

Reports say they stayed in their homes when the blasting occurred by the Koidu Holding, despite the warning notice carried out by the former South Africa mining company through the SLBS community radio station that everybody should be moved out of the houses until after the blast.

Due however to the age of the women and their physical inability to move quickly, they could not leave their homes even though others had done so.

According to one Mr Aiah Sensie, a member of the newly formed organization called the Affected Property Owners Association, based in Tankoro chiefdom, the blasting traumatized the women and made them suffer from associated medical problems like hyphenation, anxiety and lack of concentration or improper hearing.

In a related incident, Pa Kai David Mboma, Town Chief of Sarquee and chairman of the Affected Property Owners Association, three people and himself from the areas affected by the mining operations, Sarquee town, Sokogbeh, part of Swarray Town and Manjamadu were arrested and detained for ten on allegations of inciting youths in the areas against the operations of the mining company.

He said however that prior to the start of mining operations by Koidu Holdings, they were that they would only operate in full after they had completed the relocation of affected communities.

Pa Mboma said they were also promised development facilities such as the provision of electric power, schools, health centres, markets and good roads.

The chairman of the Association said their objective is to seek a peaceful and fair resolution of the concerns of residents affected by activities of the Koidu Kimberlite project.

He said their intentions are peaceful and have no desire to seek the disruption of the company's operations.