By patricia.ngevao@awokonewspapersl.com (ATJLF/MRCG Fellow 2025)
When 36-year-old war survivor Mary Johnson first heard about the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) in 2002, she felt a surge of hope for her country. She said: “After years of war, when so many families were shattered, we longed for justice.”
“The Court was a sign that the world was watching and that perpetrators would be held accountable,” she recalls, her voice heavy with emotion.
That hope was echoed across the nation, among other survivors like 55-year-old Mariatu Sesay. In Peacock farm community, in the east-end of Freetown, Mariatu recounts her experience with quiet courage. “For years, we lived with pain and silence. But when the Special Court was established, it felt like justice was finally within reach,” she says. “It wasn’t just about punishing the guilty; it was about restoring hope for all of us.” Together, their voices reflect the collective yearning of a nation ready to confront its past and rebuild its future.
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