By Alusine Sesay
President Bio and Mamady Doumbuya at State House
Tensions are currently brewing between Sierra Leone and Guinea after the Junta regime decided to forcefully deport hundreds of Sierra Leoneans loaded in military trucks.
According to a statement released by the Sierra Leone Police, the Guinean authorities informed the police that the deported Sierra Leoneans were suspected to have engaged in certain activities suspected to be threats to the security of Guinea.
Despite the difference in governance, Guinea and Sierra Leone have maintained a very cordial relationship as sister countries.
In August 13th, this year, the Guinean junta leader, Mamady Doumbuya, visited President Julius Maada Bio at State House in Sierra Leone where they both had a lengthy conversation in regards to security and trade between the two countries.
Although some activities of both past present regimes of Guinea have been provocative to Sierra Leone, but the latter remains peaceful in confronting those provocations.
For decades now, the Guinean authorities have laid claim to Yenga village, a border town in the east of the country. Sierra Leone has used all diplomatic means for Guinea to relinquish the said border town, but to no avail. Guinean soldiers continue to harass residents and deploy military hardware in the village.
While that issue remains unresolved, the current junta regime also decided to deport Sierra Leoneans resident in Guinea. The said development has triggered a backlash in Sierra Leone where it is reported that police allegedly arrested some Guinean Fullahs, who are not properly documented.
The Sierra Leone police are yet to react to the said claim, but some members of the Fullah community here in Sierra Leone are raising serious concern about the alleged arrest.
Meanwhile, majority of the Fullahs in Sierra Leone have their origin from Guinea, but the known herders have been very much relevant in the geopolitics of Sierra Leone, seemingly the third largest ethnic group in the country.
Sierra Leone currently has a Fullah as Vice President with many holding cabinet and other important positions in government.
They have invested a lot in Sierra Leone, especially in the housing and pharmaceutical sectors, and have strongly been empowered in several professional careers including law, medicine and journalism. A vast majority of them residing in Sierra Leone are citizens with valid documents.
