Sierra Leone: Information on the Poro Society, including rituals and initation; ability to refuse initiation or leadership roles; availability of state protection (2015-July 2017)

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

According to sources, the Poro Society is a male secret society (Sierra Leone 16 May 2013, para. 128; SMART Consortium 2017, 20; Jehovah's Witnesses 2014). A 2011 article, written by academics from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Spain and the University of Makeni in Sierra Leone, on the role of secret societies in forest conservation in Sierra Leone, states that the Poro Society is "for men belonging to the temne and mende ethnic groups" (Martin et al. 2011, 47). Corroborating information on the ethnicity of Poro Society members could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

A chapter in a 2015 book on peace building in post-conflict Sierra Leone, authored by Paul Jackson, a "political economist working predominatly on conflict and post-conflict governance," including "extensive experience in Sierra Leone" (Ainley et al. 2015, x), explains that "these societies play an important role in regulating social events, respect, and control" (Jackson 2015, 213). A 2017 report by the SMART Consortium [1], on the "barriers and enablers to community acceptance and implemenation of safe burials" during an ebola outbreak in 2014 (SMART Consortium 2017, 8), indicates that secret societies in Sierra Leone "were introduced to prepare the male and female children for adulthood" (SMART Consortium 2017, 20). According to a 2012 book entitled African Myths and Beliefs [2], the "central focus of the [Poro] society was and remains the preparation of adolescent boys to take their place in society" (Allen et al. 2012, 68). A 2017 academic article "explor[ing]…the socio-cultural power structures of the Poro and Bondo secret societies" in Sierra Leone (Ngambouk and Tabenyang 3 Mar. 2017, 2), states that "[m]embership of secret societies is the prerequisite for gendered personhood and carries high purchase and social prestige in the local socio-political organization and in national politics in Sierra Leone" (Ngambouk and Tabenyang 3 Mar. 2017, 2).

According to sources, new members are marked with scars (Jehovah's Witnesses 2014; Allen et al. 2012, 68). Allan et al. further explains that, during initiations

the boys stay in a camp away from their parents and friends, sleeping out in the open and shouting to scare off strangers who happen to come near. There they learn the ancient traditions and practice drumming and Poro songs. They are …taken before masked initiates impersonating spirits, the chief of whom is known as the Gbeni. At the end of the training they return to the community as fully fledged adults. (Allen et al. 2012, 68)

According to the same source, the initiation "takes place in a series of rituals lasting from November to May" (Allen et al. 2012, 68). The 2017 SMART Consortium report cites "a local authority in Port Loko district" as saying that "[s]ometimes the initiation ceremony [for secret societies] takes close to three years teaching initiates their role in society" (SMART Consortium 2017, 20). The report adds:

Meanwhile these traditions demand a seclusion ceremony known as 'Kantha' for members such as traditional leaders, ceremonial chiefs, and others who hold positions in the secret society. (SMART Consortium 2017, 20)

Information on the treatment of individuals who refuse initiation and/or leadership roles within the Poro Society could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Information on state protection was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. The 2011 academic article on the role of secret societies in forest conservation in Sierra Leone states that "[m]ost members of Sierra Leonean society are initiated into one secret society, and their membership will last until their death" (Martin et al. 2011, 47).

Jackson's 2015 book chapter indicates that "[c]hiefs are part of these societies but not necessarily in control of them. However, it would be difficult for a chief to consistently act in opposition to a secret society" (Jackson 2015, 213). According to Allan et al., the "Poro numbers many of the nation's highest-ranking officials among its members" (Allen et al. 2012, 68). The 2017 academic article similarly states that "most of the ruling male elites hold [Poro] membership because of its symbolic power" (Ngambouk and Tabenyang 3 Mar. 2017, 6). The same source further states that members of the Poro secret society "use their position to evade the law and go unpunished for human rights violations in the name of 'defending culture'" (Ngambouk and Tabenyang 3 Mar. 2017, 11).

A July 2016 article in the Sierra Leonian newspaper the Concord Times reports that "Poro men attacked the [Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces] Maritime Wing Base in Bronthe" and 12 people were arrested as a result (Concord Times 20 July 2016). The article further quotes police Superintendent Amadu Mohamed Turay as stating

"[w]e are still investigating the matter and I cannot proffer any charges at the moment. What is very clear is that the entire township came under attack by the Poro boys. I am a member of the Poro society and I am not in any way intimidated by their activities, I want to inform the public that the leader of the group, one Michael Palmer, has also been arrested." (Concord Times 20 July 2016)

A May 2017 article by the Awareness Times, a Sierra Leonian newspaper, reports that seven persons were accused of allegedly murdering "famous [All Peoples Congress] youth," Mohamed Taimeh and the case has been "committed to the High Court of Sierra Leone for trial" (Awareness Times 11 May 2017). The same source further states that

[t]he men are alleged to have tortured Taimeh to death under the guise of forcefully taking him to the sacred Poro society bush for initiation. The alleged abuse of the respectable Poro society by the men facing trial, is said to have seriously upset the traditional Poro chiefs in Kenema who speedily intercepted the accused and handed them over to the State authorities. Awareness Times Newspaper can also confirm that the Poro chiefs have testified in court during the hearing, that they do not want their society to be stained so they were totally distancing legitimate and respected Poro activities from the cruel murder of Taimeh. (Awareness Times 11 May 2017)

Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Notes

[1] The SMART Consortium is comprised of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and World Vision (SMART Consortium 2017, 4).

[2] African Myths and Beliefs is part of the World Mythologies series published by Rosen Publishing, established in 1950 as an "independent educational publishing house…to serve the needs of students in grades Pre-K - 12 with high interest, curriculum-oriented materials (Rosen Publishing n.d.). The same source describes the series as "explor[ing] the history and myths from ancient time to modern day and how they still influence today's culture and beliefs" (Rosen Publishing n.d.).

References

Ainley, Kristen, Rebekka Friedman and Chris Mahony (Eds.). 2015. Evaluating Transnational Justice: Accountability and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan: Houndmills.

Allan, Tony, Fergus Fleming and Charles Phillips. 2012. World Mythologies: African Myths and Beliefs. Rosen Publishing.

Awareness Times Newspaper. 11 May 2017. "Sierra Leone News: Murder via Abuse of Sacred Poro Now in High Court." (Factiva) [Accessed 16 Aug. 2017]

Concord Times. 20 July 2016. Mohamed Massaquoi. "In Bronthe: 12 Poro Society Members Arrested." [Accessed 14 Aug. 2017]

Jackson, Paul. 2015. "Whose Justice in Sierra Leone? Power, Security and Justice in Post-Conflict Reconstruction." Evaluating Transnational Justice: Accountability and Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone. Edited by Kristen Ainley, Rebekka Friedman and Chris Mahony. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan: Houndmills. [Accessed 11 Aug. 2017]

Jehovah's Witnesses. 2014. "Sierra Leone and Guinea: Secret Socities." 2014 Yearbook of Jehvah's Witnesses. [Accessed 14 Aug. 2017]

Martin, Aurora Martin, Pablo Martinez de Anguita, Juan Vicente Perez and Joseph Lanzana. 2011. "The Role of Secret Societies in the Conservation of Sacred Forests in Sierra Leone." Bois et Forets des Tropiques. No. 310. Vol. 4. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Ngambouk, Vitalis Pemunta and Tabi Chama-James Tabenyang. 3 March 2017. "Cultual Power, Ritual Symbolism and Human Rights Violations in Sierra Leone." Cogent Social Sciences. [Accessed 14 Aug. 2017]

Rosen Publishing. N.d. "World Mythologies." [Accessed 18 Aug. 2017]

Sierra Leone. 16 May 2013. Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant. (CCPR/C/SLE/1). [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

SMART Consortium. 2017. Protecting the Living, Honouring the Dead: The Barriers and Enablers to Community Acceptance and Implementation of Safe Burials. [Accessed 15 Aug. 2017]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; Factiva; Foundation for International Dignity; International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property; Poro Studies Association; Sierra Leone – Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Standard Times Press; United Nations – Refworld; United States – Department of State.