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Diamond burst disappoints people of Kono

Author: Madieu Jalloh - SEM

People of Kono District and its immediate environs have been praying and hoping for the San-San (8CST/NDMC tailing) to be released to them. This tailing was believed to be having precious stones which will transform one into a millionaire within a twinkle of an eye. But all what they anticipated have not come to reality. Despite the plethora of sacrifices made by the local chief and the people of Kono to appease their dead ancestors, diamonds are yet to bring smiles on the faces of the people.

In the midst of this disappointment, many people have become worried and frustrated over the disappearance of diamonds. Some are even suggesting fleeing the township in the face of persistent hardship. Prior to the closure of mining activities in Kono following the killing of two people when angry youths led demonstration against corporate mining Company Koidu Holdings (SA) especially because they failed to meet their corporate responsibility to the people of Kono, a moratorium was placed on all mining activities.

Immediately after this ban, hardship in no smaller term started slapping the faces of people. This once lively township came to a halt. Those who could not withstand the hardship by then started going to Kamakwie in the northern part of Sierra Leone in search of diamonds. But all their dreams of getting diamonds there was futile because they could not find diamonds there in the abundance they dreamt. Some diamonds dealers known as Djoulamen had the thought to return back to Kono in the wake of the release of the No. 11 tailings `hoping that conditions would improve as was the case was before and during the war.

“What is more painful and frustrating about this san-san mining (as it is known) is that one would have spent his fortunes procuring truck loads of the sand hoping that you will get diamonds in return all turns out a disappointment. “I have bought five trips of tailings with each costing Le 500,000 but after all the labour and resources I could not even find a single stonelet called diamond a diamond miner lamented, adding that “this really frustrating and betrays our expectations.

When san-san mining has failed us what should be the way forward now? I questioned. Because as an indigene of Kono, born and bred; I understand that diamonds have been mined in Kono since the 1930’s yet the situation of Kono has not improved in every aspect of life that you might think of. Things are just progressing retrogressively. As for me, the way forward for every well-meaning Kono indigene is for us to transform our mining implements into hoes and machetes and embark on agriculture at least to help compliment the effort of his Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in achieving food security for all. This is because it has come to a point where we are forced to agree with the white man’s saying that “diamonds are not forever”, if diamonds are forever, then the recent release of the san-san mining of number eleven would have rescued the people of Kono from abject poverty; same goes for unproductive nature of all other diamond deposits in the land.

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