Book Review: ‘The Broken Spear’ authored by Richard Sieh, a Liberian writer.

 

‘To secure a place on the resettlement programme, lies were the new truths that needed to be learned and told.’

By Charles Lawrence (First posted November 14, 2011)

The Broken Spear by Richard Sieh is a fictional account of the human tragedy that was Liberia’s war from the vantage point of a refugee situation. The author masterfully takes the reader through a journey into a refugee camp only to arrive for an uncertain journey dominated by the desire to gain resettlement into the United States.  As the reader travels along this journey, the account is interlaced with the silhouette of the conflict where the author describes macabre violence and brutality in plain language.

In this narrative, time passes on meaninglessly and choices became increasing limited. Days folded into weeks, into months, into years. Genekan left his country with his wife and children into a refugee camp in a neighbouring country with the hope that within few months they would be resettled to the United States.  Resettlement to the United States was the ultimate aim of majority of the refugees in the camp. For this, people waited for their names to be posted for interview. Then they waited again to be called for interview. As they waited, they learned fictitious family history. Any mistakes to the questions asked could jeopardize a family’s prospect on the resettlement programme. To secure a place on the resettlement programme, lies were the new truths that needed to be learned and told.

Gedekan was in his mid 30’s but had to submit as a 19 year old. The entire family has to study their family tree. After years of wait, the time reached for Genekan and his family to face the interview. Genekan took a courageous decision that altered the course of events only to return to face a camp under siege by landlords whose hospitality has run out.

As the camp face attack from irate members of the host community, Genekan’s prospects dwindled.  It is in this final moment of truth that Genekan’s wife found a broken spear under their window sill - a spear that reminded them that they were no longer welcomed in the camp and that their personal safety was under threat.

This is a narrative dominated by the voices of strong men. The loud silence of those of the women is palpable. Genekan consulted and persuaded his wife to agree to the journey into the refugee camp, after which she existed on the periphery of the narrative only to surface with the final discovery that provided the denouement.

The reader cannot fail to empathise with the protagonists, who faced with the barest of human existence - no jobs, no food, poor shelter and sanitation, rejection and acts of violence from the host populations –were buoyed by the human spirit to survive. There were random acts of kindness and generosity that speaks of the better part of the human spirit in the worst of conditions.

This is a recommended read. Interested in a copy please contact Mr. Sieh at richard_sieh@yahoo.com