One Issa Bangura who is a devoted Muslim worshiper and of Jamatul Ethifak in the Rokupa Community in the eastern part of the country is currently facing death threats from members of the Poro Society over his rejection to be initiated into the Poro Bush.
Issa Bangura like any other faithful Muslim worshipers believe that the practices of the Poro Society are evil and one that does not allow people to make choices but to force them to inherit or take the place of their parents without their consent.
According to the head of the Poro Society, Pa Yamba the penalty for rejecting their initiation ceremony is death by hanging in the Poro Bush. He added that Issa Bangura was supposed to be initiated into the Poro Bush but on several occasions he has been rejecting the invitation from members of the Poro Society and bragged by claiming that he is a holy worshiper of Allah (God) and cannot meddle with evil by joining the Poro Society. This he said, got them infuriated and ordered their men to arrest him and dragged him into the Poro Society Bush for speaking evil against the sacred Poro Society. Due to his (Issa Bangura) recalcitrate to peacefully follow instructions from members of the Poro led the men to forcefully dragged him to the society bush.
“Nobody speaks evil about the Poro Society and lives to see the other day,” he threatened, adding that, after Issa Bangura was taken into the Poro Bush he was tied to a tree and was given concoction to drink pending the orders from the head of the society. During that process, Pa Yamba stated that Issa Bangura escaped from the Poro Bush with the help of his childhood friend. After several consultations were made with the gods, it was revealed that Abu Tholley assisted the escape of Issa Bangura from the Poro Bush.
“Abu Tholley was arrested and taken to the Poro Bush for committing sacrilege and was killed,” he stated, adding by warning anyone that will provide shelter to Issa Bangura whose whereabout is unknown by members of the Poro Society.
According to a source who preferred anonymity, described the Poro Society by being barbaric and inhuman. She added by decrying members of the Poro Society for claiming the lives of innocent youth in their locality. She further described the death of Abu Tholley as a violation of human rights and that such practice should be wiped entirely from the country because it is evil. She called on members of the Poro Society to stop the forceful initiation of young people into the society bush. She weeps over the dozen’s deaths of young people over the past two years.
“Every year, when it is time for their initiation, they will lose many youths that refused the invite from the Poro Bush,” she disclosed, stating further that, in a civilized society people should not be forced into joining a traditional society outside their wish.
All efforts made to get the response of the security sector and the Government Spokesman on allegations of inhuman killings and other human rights violations have been futile but we hope to get their reactions soon.