By Kenneth Thompson
The head of the Sierra Leone Death and Destitute organisation has called on government and other agencies to help them carry out the “daunting task of burying paupers and other unidentified dead persons in a more civilised manner”. Sinneh Kamara, who is also the acting coroner forensic technician at the Connaught Hospital mortuary, told Politico that it was the responsibility of government to bury their dead citizens. “But if we as volunteers are stepping in, then the necessary support should be given to us so we can successfully carry out our task,” he said, adding that in less than 10 years (since 2004) they had buried over 2,000 unidentified corpses that were either brought to the mortuary by the police or by some concerned individuals. Kamara said that cases involving investigations by the police were usually referred to the Freetown City Council to work with the investigators to ensure a proper burial, stressing, “We do not get involved in matters that are under investigation”. Before the burial of persons considered destitute, Kamara said, several announcements would have to be made on radio stations so that relatives can come and identify the corpse(s). He said where no one showed up after four days the corpse would have to be buried. He made a special plea for ambulances, utility vehicles, soap and other lavatory materials which he said were currently short in supply at the morgue. “I have an inspiration to transform people’s mode of burial from the crude and inhumane ways to a more civilised way,” Sinneh said, adding that he had been on it for 13 years having started in 2000 but established the non-profitable organisation in 2004 with 14 other volunteers. He praised the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank for their support to his organisation and its activities. However many people have expressed concern over the way paupers are buried in Freetown. Recently the government workers did what seemed like a public sensitisation on the back of open trucks by displaying identity cards to members of the public, warning them of the dangers of not carrying one. ''See what will happen to you if you die on the street with no ID card'', they shouted out to people going about their business just after 1pm on Saturday the 21st of September. They repeatedly pointed to the shrouded corpses lying on the floor of the vehicle as they headed towards the Kingtom Cemetery. Several people had to cover their noses to protect themselves from the pungent stench coming from the decaying bodies which was assailing their noses. Big blue flies could be seen on the shrouds. Many wondered whether the authorities should be allowing corpses to be displayed so openly in public. “Is it not a health hazard to expose the public to this?” one Kingtom resident asked. “Unidentified corpses, paupers or not, don't the dead deserve a certain degree of respect?” another wondered. (C) Politico 10/10/13
