Last week, an angry mob vandalized the Tombo police commissariat, the traditional chief’s house and a health center after the local authorities announced by surprise on 6 May that only 15 out of approximately 400 canoes were allowed to go fishing that day. The measure aimed at reducing the gatherings of crowds at the landing site when the pirogues would return. During the incidents, at least one person died due to a stray bullet, according to local sources. The authorities imposed a curfew for three days and detained the instigators of the riot.
The country has so far 338 cases and 22 deaths, all in Freetown. Tombo is a prominent fishing town located 40 km South of the capital. According to a local source, since there are no cases in fishing communities, fishermen found the restriction measures “very unfair”.
After the curfew was lifted on Friday 8 May, normal fishing activities resumed. A group of representatives of artisanal fisheries is to meet the ministry to talk about the challenges the sector is facing during the epidemic.
Sources : Le Monde, franceinfo, local media, personal communications.
Photo: Cocorioko