Congo/Pawpaw Community Seeks Due Process in Land Dispute

Residents and representatives of the Congo/Pawpaw community have called for justice and a peaceful, lawful resolution to a longstanding dispute over land involving the community and the military.

The appeal was made on Monday, September 28, 2026, at a press conference organized by Amnesty International Sierra Leone at the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone Hall on Kingharman Road in Freetown.

Community calls for dialogue and documentation

Umaru Bah, headman of the Congo/Pawpaw Community, said the community had maintained a longstanding connection to the disputed land and had engaged government institutions over the matter.

Bah also said residents had documents supporting their claim and that parliamentary representatives had visited the area to examine the issue. The community has called on the relevant authorities to assess competing claims and available documentation through established legal processes.

“We are not against development. What we are saying is that our rights must also be respected,” Bah said.

He appealed for the dispute to be handled through dialogue and appropriate legal procedures rather than confrontation.

Calls for institutional review

Hon. Mark Mahmoud Kalokoh, a former parliamentarian, said a report concerning the community and the military had been laid before Parliament on April 5, 2023.

Kalokoh called for the matter to be examined through the appropriate institutional processes, with relevant records and evidence taken into account. “The people are the source of public authority,” he said, emphasizing the responsibility of public institutions to address issues affecting citizens through established procedures.

Lt. Col. (Rtd) Abu Bakarr S. Kamara, identified as the first Commanding Officer of the Peace Mission Training Centre, discussed the centre’s purpose. According to government records cited in the source, the facility at Hastings was established to strengthen the training and preparation of personnel for peace support operations.

Kamara said the centre was established to provide training for military personnel, particularly in connection with peace support operations.

Amnesty urges attention to concerns

Solomon M. Sogbandi, Executive Director of Amnesty International Sierra Leone, said the concerns raised by the community required attention and proper engagement among the relevant stakeholders.

He called for the concerns of affected communities to be documented and addressed through appropriate processes.

Some residents who spoke at the press conference alleged that community members had been beaten and detained. They called for the allegations to be investigated and for due process to be followed. The allegations were not independently verified in the information available for this report.

Sierra Leone’s land governance framework referenced during the discussion includes the National Land Commission Act 2022 and the Customary Land Rights Act 2022. The National Land Commission Act provides for institutions responsible for land administration and mechanisms for addressing land-related disputes.

The materials available do not establish which party holds legally valid title to the disputed land. They also do not specify the land’s boundaries, size or legal status, identify any military unit or personnel allegedly involved, or provide the contents of the report said to have been presented to Parliament.