A rampant land grab engulfing Sierra Leone's capital city is threatening communities and the future of its wild chimpanzees.
Freetown, the largest port city in the country, has a population of about 1.2 million people that is expected to grow by 3 per cent every year over the next decade.
Despite this growth, the poorest communities living there, as well as rare wildlife, are vulnerable to losing land via the deforestation that is taking over the fringes of Freetown's Western Peninsula.
Deforestation caused by illegal logging and the allocation of land for development and mining has also significantly increased the threat of mudslides.
Devastation hits
In August 2017, torrential rain caused a devastating mudslide in the Babadorie River Valley that wiped out an entire community built on an area of forest illegally cleared for new homes.
According to official reports, more than 1,000 people were killed or declared missing, although the figure is feared to be even higher due to the numerous-occupancy makeshift homes that appeared a few months before.
Yanbsu Sahr, 52, had eight children aged five to 31. He lost some of his children, as well as brothers, sisters and friends in the disaster.
When the rain comes, I cannot sleep. I worry for my family.
Yanbsu Sahr,
wildlife ranger at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
“I left for work at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary at around 6.25am,” said Mr Sahr, who is a wildlife ranger inside the protected area.
“A short time later, some of my children came to get me and said everyone had gone. I did not know what they meant so I went home with them.”
When he arrived, all he could see were rocks, stones and rubble. “There were no more houses there,” he said.
Mr Sahr said that he rescued a pregnant woman from the rubble and got her into a taxi that took her to the hospital. He then went on to tend to the dead and wait for ambulances to come.
“We did not know who they were. Many had been crushed by the rocks that came down,” he said.
Six years on, the shrine dedicated to the dead welcomes visitors to what is accepted as an undeclared cemetery, and reforestation of the area has already started, with new trees beginning to grow.
“Development is continuing and we mark these buildings to say they are built on protected areas, but nothing changes,” Mr Sahr said.
“It is a big risk but people cannot afford to leave and start somewhere new. When the rain comes, I cannot sleep. I worry for my family.”
Rampant deforestation
Despite the tragedy, deforestation continues to spill out of Freetown's city limits and locals are becoming increasingly worried about extreme weather and violent storms becoming more common.
More than 1,200 hectares out of 18,000ha of primary forest were lost between 2015 and 2020, according to satellite imagery for a World Food Programme assessment of the Western Area Peninsular Forest Reserve.
Deforestation has accelerated more since, with a further 2,850ha of forest lost in the protected area from April 2021 to February 2022.
Inside the WAPFR is the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a haven for chimps rescued from the wildlife trade or that have lost their homes to deforestation.
Poachers roam the forest at night, capturing young chimpanzees to sell into the cruel international wildlife trade.
“The reality in the Western Province is that people are now encroaching into the national park,” said Bala Amarasekaran, a Sri Lankan who founded the sanctuary in 1988.
“Freetown exists because of water that comes from the mountains. If we do not protect our catchment, we are doomed.”
Despite a buffer zone being placed, land-grabbers are having “a field day”, she said.
Within earshot of the quarantine centre for recently rescued baby chimps, football commentary can be heard echoing through the trees from nearby makeshift homes that have sprung up almost overnight.
If we do not protect our catchment, we are doomed.
Bala Amarasekaran,
founder of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
“The landslide was heartbreaking,” said Mr Amarasekaran, whose team cares for 115 chimpanzees.
“A week before, we were playing a football tournament near to where it happened.
“I looked at the hillside and I said: Do you realise all this is going to come down? All the foundations were going, so it was waiting to happen,” he said.
“We are a society that tries to fix problems after they have happened. We need change to be more proactive to prevent these tragedies. They are so predictable,” he said.
Short supply of manpower
The government of Sierra Leone said it is committed to protecting forests from further destruction, but with only 500 rangers on patrol, manpower is in short supply.
Lahai Keita, acting director of Environmental Emergencies at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, said land-grabbing in protected areas could be difficult to police.
“Once buildings get to a certain level, it becomes a legal issue to demolish or not to demolish,” he said.
“These land-grabbers come with trucks and backfill open land at night, so it is difficult for our rangers. These people are exposing themselves to danger,” he said.
At Cop26, the government said it was committed to planting 25 million trees by 2030 spread across more than 960,000ha to mitigate some of the damage.
“Landslides pose the biggest threats to makeshift homes built into hillsides illegally cleared of forest,” said Mr Keita.
Even when the military is deployed, enforcement needs to come from the community so they understand the risk, he said.
“It has become an issue of life and death,” Mr Keita said.
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MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Honeymoonish
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Schedule:
Pakistan v Sri Lanka:
28 Sep-2 Oct, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
6-10 Oct, 2nd Test (day-night), Dubai
13 Oct, 1st ODI, Dubai
16 Oct, 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi
18 Oct, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi
20 Oct, 4th ODI, Sharjah
23 Oct, 5th ODI, Sharjah
26 Oct, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
27 Oct, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
29 Oct, 3rd T20I, Lahore
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
