1990: a writers group, PAYAT (PATRIOTIC AFRICAN YOUTH ADVOCATING FOR THE TRUTH) was founded by Sahr GMP Fania, at Bo Government Secondary School, with the assistance of George Seiya, Ahmadu Wurrie Barrie, Asmieu Jalloh, Yayah Swaray and Tejan Brima.

Two books written and illustrated by Sahr GMP Fania:
‘’THE AFRICAN LION’S VICIOUS CIRCLE’’
The history of Africa: from prehistory, slavery and the slave trade, to the end of colonialism and the current neocolonial era.
“THE HEIGHT OF THE IMPERIALISTS’ SUCCESS IN DECLINING AFRICA”
Post-colonialist Africa: how imperialist and neocolonial core-periphery socio-political and economic systems have brought death, destruction and destitution.

MARCH 24th 1991: PAYAT began “THE VICIOUS AGONY FOR POWER AND BLOOD DIAMONDS” -
(the first joint work by all its members) on the causes and consequences of Sierra Leone’s decade long war, which started on March 23rd1991, and ended officially on 18th January 2002; documenting the gross human rights abuses that began unfolding, as a teaching aid to prevent their reoccurrence.
This was a model for a 2nd joint book begun on September 9th 1991 by PAYAT, for Liberians and other Africans active in conventional politics “LIBERIAN BLOODY REIGN OF TERROR”.

DEC. 29TH 1992: PAYAT was transformed into the HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECT AWARENESS RAISING CAMPAIGNERS (HURRARC): the first ever Human Rights body in Sierra Leone’s history, after the summary execution of 29 alleged coup plotters (both politicians and innocent civilians, allegedly apprehended at Lumpa and accused of plotting to overthrow by unlawful means the National Provisional Ruling Council (N.P.R.C), the regime of Capt. Valentine E.Strasser (1992-6), on the 28th December, 1992.

N.B. Previous post independence leaders, previously hailed as “redeemers”.including Sir Milton Margai (1961-64), Albert Margai (1964-7), Brigadier David Lansana (1967), Brigadier Juxon Smith (1967-1968), Siaka P. Stevens (1969-1985) and Major General J.S. Momoh (1985-1992); who had all begun this disrespect for human rights, which finally led to civil war.

October 23rd 1992: Sahr GMP Fania and most of the members of PAYAT were dispersed in Kono to other parts of the country. Some returned in January – February 1993.

5th March 1993. HURRARC was officially registered by Koidu Town Council as a Community Based Organization (C.B.O.), based at New Sembehun Road, Koidu Town, Kono District.

1994-1996: we separately gathered information in our various areas in Guinea, Liberia and in other parts of Sierra Leone, where we had been driven by the war. Some of this information was destroyed by HURRARC fact finders fearing death or torture if such materials were found on them when they encountered either the rebels or soldiers.

1996-1997: as most of HURRARC’s main founding members could meet in the capital, Freetown, we started working at the founder’s family home at 26 Race Course Road, Up-Gun Turn Table, east Freetown.

June 15th 1997: the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) ransacked the home of the founder Sahr GMP Fania, after being informed about his documentation of their activities. He escaped with the bulk of his materials, yet some were destroyed, and some members were abused (especially the sisters).

1997-2000: Sahr GMP Fania became a clandestine agent.

Aug 18 1997: Mohamed Vaffie Konneh, then Vice Chairman, a very strong human rights activist; was caught in possession of written evidence by the AFRC junta, and decapitated at the back of our current office (Stadium Hostels) during student demonstration against the AFRC regime.

March 23rd 1998: Tamba Pessima, the regional head of HURRARC’s east II Kono Branch was caught with the same evidence about Kamajors in Koidu Town.

1998: HURRARC passed revealing evidence on the Sandline deal to the press; military operations were not being carried out directly by the UN and ECOWAS, but by a mercenary group, in their name: Sandline, which was unlawfully killing Sierra Leoneans just to replace the failed regime of Kabba.

6th -19th Jan. 1999: most of the membership, including the founder, were caught up in the rebel invasion, until we were freed by ECOMOG. We were able, collectively and individually, to gather first class, independent information on events from both parties, at the cost of much personal risk and trauma.

June 2000:, well founded evidence on the risk of persecution from various ex-politicians, military leaders, Kamajors and rebels drove HURRARC members into voluntary exile.

July 15th 2000:, HURRARC members formally registered with the Bureau Nationale de Coordination du Refugies (BNCR), Matam section, Conakry, Guinea.

September 18th 2002: after the proper examination of our cases, both the BNCR and the Organization Guineene Pour le Defense des Droits du Homme et les Citoiens (OGDH.) gave us attestation and the status of refugees, based upon the 1967 O.A.U Convention of 2002.

July 18th, 2003: HURRARC, along with other groups like Sierra Leone’s Association of Journalists in Exile (SLAJI), the Women’s Refugee Committee and various National Refugee Committees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, formed the Council of Refugee Advocacy Groups (ORAG), based at the OGDH in Taouya, Conakry, until 2006.

ORAG advocated for the rights and status of the refugees, and for appropriate durable solutions to repatriate, resettle and reintegrate them. Though CRAG inevitably dispersed later under various adverse conditions, it exercised effective pressure for the plight of refugees, which led to the implementation of some of the due responsibilities of the BNCR and the UNHCR.

July– Dec 2007: most HURRARC members returned home to Sierra Leone, to contribute to cementing the then fragile peace, and assist in maintaining the orderly conduct of youth and other voters before, during and after the 2007 General Parliamentary and Presidential Elections.

Dec 2007 – March 2008: HURRARC was contacted by George Charlie Wright, an English teacher living in Turin, Italy, who helped the organisation to kick-start again in Sierra Leone with the offer of computers, cameras and a little financial aid.

March 2008: HURRARC formed PROVIBAK (Provisional Vision Building Action for Kamaa). It designed a sustainable agricultural and housing project called, “The Sierra Leone Joseph Mission”, for four Sections of Kamaa Chiefdom, to alleviate the ongoing suffering of the people, especially the youth, but so far there has been a lack of political will to develop it.

April-Oct 2008: HURRARC formed both the Kenema and the Kono branches, and revitalized GWIDA (Gbogbofeh Women’s Integrated Development Association), a women’s body set up in 21 villages brought together at Yiebeda in the Western area of the Nimikoro chiefdom, to form a tailoring center and to plant rice and cassava. GWIDA is currently building an Empowerment Institute, from the women’s weekly contributions, although external requests for help have not yet been answered.

Oct., 2008: HURRARC’s SCHOOL TOURS were created to establish Human Rights Schools Clinics, and teach the principles of Peace (tolerance), Non-Violence and Civic Education in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions of learning.

21st Dec. 2008: Constitutional review and official transformation of HURRARC from Youth Serving Youth Organization, to an official Non Governmental Organization (NGO).

6th-7th Jan. 2009: through the assistance of George Wright and Tullio Macrì, HURRARC was able to formally register with SLANGO and Freetown City Council as a Non-Governmental Organization, as required by the Government of Sierra Leone.

17th Jan. – 29th. Dec. 2009: new HURRARC Executive was formed – conditional on subsequent in-house training.

March 2009:, the school tours continued and more clinics were established within schools, with whom we have signed Memoranda of Association.

March 2009: HURRARC unsuccessfully submitted an application to the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Africorps programme, tp provide XO computers for Sierra Leone Primary Schools.

HURRARC unsuccessfully submitted the Youth Hands’ Worth Revolution Project to UNHABITAT for youth empowerment, based on agriculture, construction (of infrastructure) and conservation, to kick-start youth entrepreneurship, and socially protected employment (including housing and a basic and longer social security scheme).

Co-Gender Commission drafted as a Gender Rights project for empowerment, development and research for Women;

Also PROPCARE, Commission for Child Rights, and ENVIRAPROPCOM, for Environmental Rights Advocacy.

27th April 2009: HURRARC held the first National Concretization Forum, on healing the National Divide along Political, Sectional, Tribal and Regional lines, both inside and among the various political parties, as well as with the other stakeholders in the country.

May–Sept 2009: HURRARC continued school tours and responded to applications from students, including Mr.Haacsma and Sophie Deen (from Holland); and Lena Sophie Echern ( Beyreuth) and Oliver Muller (Berlin) through Pangaya (based in Germany). We are still continuing to receive applications.

17TH Nov.2009: HURRARC received Oliver Muller’s formal application from Pangaya’s Director, Anja Lohrer in person, during her visit to Sierra Leone.

10th, Feb. 2010, HURRARC held its 2nd Annual General Meeting with the Italian Volunteers present, which saw the official launching of our various new commissions: Environmental Protection Advocacy and Empowerment was the theme.

March 2010: HURRARC’s executive suspended, to restructure this body by the end of June, 2010.

June 2010: HURRARC is still putting its hands on deck, and pens to papers, and organising and writing books, as in the days of PAYAT.

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