Grand Cape Mount, Robertsport City-Wednesday, March 5, 2025-The Executive Director of the Human Rights Group to Save Humanity, Inc. Mr. J. S. Elijah Gbanja-Seh, Sr. has blamed the Internal Affairs Ministry for what He termed as ‘Jungle Justice and human rights abuses’ against innocent girls and women across Liberia.
The rights’ activist, Gbanja-Seh, Sr. said, the Librarian government through the Internal Affairs Minister continues to ignore calls by national and international organizations the world over for the abolishment of females genital mutilation (FGM) thereby licensing traditional sande society zoes to practice the harmful cultural practice that has contributed to the proliferation of the sande societies in every part of Liberia.
Disclosing further, the rights’ boss stressed that the practice of the tradition known as ” Bush School”, has lost its relevance and values to ‘Money making’ creating more harms than good as it is a total embarrassment for females school going children and other nationals living in the densely populated commercial gold mining town of Weajue and Managorduah towns in Gola Konneh District of Grand Cape Mount County as well.
Emphasizing, Mr. Gbanja-Seh iterated that the practice of FGM was against the will of innocent children and nonmembers, is an act of human rights abuse; which is condemnable and should not be entertained in this 21 century.
Executive Director Gbanja-Seh also frowned on the zoes and traditional women of Weajue and Managordueh for conscripting children into the ‘bush school’ forcefully through the means of cohesion and intimidation.
Investigation conducted by the Human Rights Group to Save Humanity, established that victims’ parents in Weajue are calling for rescue. A female Teacher identified as Jebeh (not her real name),lamented that her school going daughter ,Tina (also not real name) 14 year-old of the 8th Grade was covered and intimidated by some traditional women that conscripted her into the Sande without her consent. And because of the victim’s mother advocacy against the forceful conscription of her daughter, she is also being pursued by traditional women to be initiated in similar fashion.
Meanwhile, a father of two daughters identified as J- (not his real name), a resident of Weajue has unwillingly removed his daughters from Weajue over night for fear as they were threatened to be forcefully initiated due to their involvement in a conflict with some traditional women a year ago who are instigating for the conscription of these girls who have escaped from Weajue depriving them of free movement and liberty which is a violation of their fundamental rights.
Meanwhile, Gbanja-Seh is unconditionally calling on the Internal Affairs Ministry through the Paramount Chief of Gola Konneh District, Hon. Momo Thomas to immediately intervene as head and chairman of the tradition to remove the Sandi Bush from the commercial and concessional gold mining town and revoke all licenses issued to Zoes as he the paramount Chief is the chief mastermind and main supporter of this harmful traditional practice which is not only provocative to nonmembers and school-going children.
“If nothing is done, this could lead to an eminent conflict against the zoes due to the harm being done to our girl children,” Right Activist Gbanja-Seh concluded his statement.
Edited: Jesefu Morris Keita |Editor-In-Chief
