In the vibrant, tumultuous political landscape of Sierra Leone, Amara Sawaneh stood out among his peers in the East End axis of Freetown City during the 2018 general elections, not for wealth or lineage, but for his voice. A fiery young activist from Freetown, Amara Sawaneh was a committed member of 'the Pa e Eye' youth wing, a dynamic force within the All People's Congress (APC), the country's main opposition party.
At a time when silence could be mistaken for safety, Sawaneh spoke. Day after day, he challenged the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), calling out corruption, injustices, and the growing disenchantment of the youth. His speeches delivered on street corners and at party rallies resonated deeply with many young Sierra Leoneans who felt ignored.
But then came August 10, 2022, a day that would become etched in the nation’s history. What began as a protest spiralled into a deadly riot. The government’s response was swift and unforgiving. Dozens were arrested. Others simply disappeared. Amara already branded a firebrand by the authorities and was suddenly on every watchlist.
He knew what would come next. Others like him opposition voices, outspoken activists had been rounded up or forced underground. Rather than wait for the inevitable knock at the door, he made a choice. Amara slipped out of the country, evading a government he believed no longer protected the rights of all its citizens. Not just a refuge but a platform as he wants to shine a light on the oppression he and others had faced.
After the chaos of the deadly August 10 riot in Sierra Leone, Amara Sawaneh's days were truly numbered, and he knew that. As a Public Relations Officer in the PA's Eye of the country's main opposition party, he had long been a thorn in the side of the ruling regime, vocally criticizing corruption, economic hardship, and abuse of power. But when the protests spiralled into violence and government crackdowns began, the backlash against opposition figures turned brutal, and Sawaneh wasn't an exception.
Within days, Sawaneh's’ name appeared on a wanted list. Friends whispered warnings, and some disappeared. The government blamed the opposition for the unrest, and Amara Sawaneh became a scapegoat.
He fled in the dead of night, leaving behind his wife and children in Freetown. His first stop was Guinea, where he crammed into a safe house in Conakry. But even there, the net felt too tight. Sierra Leonean agents were rumoured to be hunting down exiled dissidents.
By October 2022, he had made his way to Senegal, surviving on odd jobs and the generosity of a few sympathetic political allies. But threats followed him: men watching, calls from unknown numbers, and online messages that carried veiled threats. It was in Senegal that he learned the most devastating news: his wife had been attacked. Raped during a government-sponsored rumor house raid. She survived, but the trauma and fear forced her to flee to a neighboring country. Their children were left in the care of distant relatives.
That pushed Amara further. With the help of an underground refugee network, he traveled through the Saharan region, facing harsh deserts, corrupt border guards, and sleepless nights.
Amara decided to move to Algeria, where he settled and did different odd jobs just so that ends could meet. However, his plan to move further to Morocco never materialized due to strict border protocols. The experience was truly not an easy one, but he held on to his plan to move, and he made further effort.
On August 15, 2023, almost a year after his escape, Amara Sawaneh arrived in Germany. Thin, worn, but alive, calling Germany a heaven, with the hospitality of the German people just second to non he affirmed.
But even there, he is still somehow worried. His wife is in hiding, their communication limited and risky. His children are growing up without parents. And the fear never really goes away.
Still, Sawaneh believes in justice. He believes in a Sierra Leone that can change. From exile, he has always been praying for the liberation of his people.
He's now consumed by fear and the fact that he might never return to his motherland, afraid of losing his life and failing his family.
It's Amara today, and it might be any young and ambitious Sierra Leoenan tomorrow. For now, it seems like the government has succeeded in silencing another vibrant and bright youth.
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