Sewa News Stream

Recently, Reichman University in Herzliya, Israel, published a case study of Hezbollah by Dr. Eitan Azani, who is also in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and has operational, research, and academic experience in counter-terrorism in regional and international arenas. The ICT study at Reichman University dissects Hezbollah as a calculated “hybrid terrorist organization”—one that fuses political ambitions, social entrenchment, and military muscle. It scrutinizes its tactical evolution, financial engines, and its trademark strategy of skirting legal and ethical lines. Researchers drill into banking webs, global tentacles, and weapons of psychological manipulation, sourcing even The Calabash newspaper reports. On Saturday, I asked Amin Kef Sesay, managing editor of The Calabash Newspaper, a question on X (formerly Twitter). I asked why the Reichman University report had focused solely on the family of Hussein Fawaz—a Lebanese man in Sierra Leone shot in a bar fight with Jos Leijdekkers, a ...

IB Fornah, a leading commentator on Sierra Leone, recently shared clips from a vlog discussing the arrest and detention of Zainab Sheriff, who faces incitement charges. In a recent program, Zainab argued that the first lady, Fatima Bio, should not be listed as a presidential candidate because she is married to the current president, and Sierra Leone is not a monarchy. Zainab also criticized the first lady's role during Maada Bio's first term, saying it was inappropriate for someone aspiring to hold national office.  She reminded her audience of incidents where the first lady allegedly encouraged "mob justice" and claimed that only members of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) are true Sierra Leoneans. Zainab emphasized that no political party is more important than the country itself and said that Sierra Leoneans own the SLPP, not the other way around. She called the first lady's statement about non-SLPP members not being Sierra Leonean ignorant, and sugge...

In a recent article by Sahr O. Fasuluku ,  he contends that the Sierra Leonean drug crisis originated from pre-existing social conditions. An experienced practitioner in not-for-profit organizations in the UK and Africa, Fasuluku identifies the erosion of the social fabric and adverse societal conditions in Sierra Leone as primary drivers of the crisis. He observes that in a fragmented post-war society, social malaise fosters substance abuse as a means to cope with hopelessness. Through engagement with Sierra Leoneans, Fasuluku reports a pervasive sense of resignation across various societal groups: Families are blamed, students and school leavers express skepticism about education, teachers prioritize personal gain, parents encourage transactional approaches, communities deprioritize health, villagers resort to theft, politicians focus on personal benefit, law enforcement protects the powerful, and journalists divert attention from systemic issues such as social injustice, ec...

There is very little space, political or otherwise, for women to truly thrive in Sierra Leone. When  they are not being locked behind bars and denied bail, as in the case of Zainab Sheriff, they are  publicly defamed, bullied online, and body-shamed, as Marcella Macauley has repeatedly  experienced. Many of these women are not merely participants in national life, they are contributors to Sierra  Leone’s progress. In a country still struggling under the weight of corruption and weak  institutions, they have helped push conversations about accountability, transparency, and social  development forward. Yet time and again, obstacles appear in the paths of women who attempt  to lead, speak, or challenge the status quo. This piece will not even attempt to unpack the full range of challenges facing women in Sierra Leone, like domestic violence, sexual violence, and systemic discrimination, because doing so would require confronting a reality that r...

Sierra Leone, like Guinea-Bissau and Mali in West Africa, has become a transit hub for cocaine trafficking to Europe, with coastal Africa playing a central role for transnational organized crime networks. These networks, including those reportedly led by convicted Dutch trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, exploit the region's strategic geographic location between Latin American production zones and European consumer markets. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime , cocaine trafficking represents one of the most profitable criminal economies, encouraging sophisticated networks to involve local and regional actors, and to invest in infrastructure and protection. Enhanced enforcement on direct Latin America–Europe routes and improved trade connectivity have made West Africa an attractive alternative for traffickers, who exploit legitimate trade to conceal shipments. Cocaine shipments are often stored, repackaged, and transferred between modalities in West Afr...

"What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part; Yet what can I give Him: Give my heart," comes from the famous Christmas carol, "In the Bleak Midwinter," a poem by Christina Rossetti. It expresses the idea that the most valuable gift a person, regardless of their wealth or status, can offer is their devotion, love, and heart, which may not count for much in modern geopolitics.  In 2024, Samura Kamara, a popular presidential candidate in Sierra Leone's June 2023 elections, shared a somber post on social media. His message is even more poignant in light of recent events. Read on The triumph of democracy in Sierra Leone is crucial: can we draw parallels with international reactions to the aftermath of the Venezuelan presidential elections? In examining the outcomes of the recent Venezuelan presidential election and the June 24, 2023, Sierra Leone presidential election, several notable paralle...