Talking Borders Part 1

Talking Borders tells the stories of a young female trader, a policeman and an ex-fighter living in the border areas of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Based on over 300 interviews, it looks at how petty corruption, routine harassment and bureaucracy blight the daily lives and livelihoods of local people.

Conflict in the Mano River region is interwoven: countries are closely linked through their ethnic groups, history and wars. Rebel advances during the 1990s took little heed of state borders. Instead these were zones where fighters were recruited and war economies thrived. A lack of state infrastructure led people to fend for themselves. People have long felt abandoned and continue to struggle without basic services.

Yet border regions should be places for building bridges between communities, and where people and goods can move freely without fear of corruption or harassment. Consolidating good governance, peace and security in such areas is crucial. A profound change in people's attitudes and behaviour is needed to ensure rights are respected and accountability is upheld.

This film gives a voice to those who have something to say about this and aims to start a dialogue for change.

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  Nonprofits & Activism