Freetown, 07 October, 2024 / 10:52 pm (ACI Africa).
The Executive Director of Caritas Freetown in Sierra Leone has written to world leaders, including the United Nations, calling for urgent intervention in the ongoing violent conflicts in various parts of the world, especially in Africa.
In the letter shared with ACI Africa on October 4, Fr. Peter Konteh says images and stories coming from different warring countries are “haunting”, and that the conflicts in these places are leaving behind long-term impacts on future generations.
Highlighting the Sudanese civil war, the violence Ukraine-Russia violence, Palestine-Israel conflicts, the Myanmar civil war, and the gang violence in Haiti, Fr. Konteh says, “Each of these conflicts carries with it a heavy toll on innocent lives, with children and families bearing the brunt of the violence.”
“The images and stories emerging from these regions are haunting, illustrating not just the immediate devastation but the long-term impacts on future generations,” he says, and adds, “As we advocate for peace, we must also confront the harsh realities that accompany these conflicts.”
Sierra Leone knows the devastation that is usually the aftermath of a war. Now, a majority of Caritas Freetown activities are designed to repair the devastation that was caused in the West African country by the 11-year- civil war, which ended in 2002. These activities include serving slum dwellers who were displaced by the war and sustaining the livelihoods of amputees who were maimed in the conflict.
