Sean Devereux

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Sean Devereux (born 1964 - January 2, 1993 in Kismayu ), also known as Mr. Sean in Africa , was an English Salesian volunteer , missionary and development worker who worked with children in Liberia and Somalia . He was murdered in 1993 on behalf of Somali warlords in Kismayu, Somalia.

Life

He first lived in Yateley near Camberley in Surrey . From there he attended the Salesian College in Farnborough from 1975 to 1982 . He decided to become a teacher, studied at the University of Birmingham and graduated in geography and sports in 1985. In Exeter he completed his studies the following year with the PGCE .

Devereux taught from 1986 at the Salesian School in Chertsey , Surrey, where he also organized the rugby and cricket teams as a physical education teacher. He was a Salesian associate of Don Bosco and a member of the Association of Former Students of Don Bosco's Salesians. He was particularly involved in the international youth work of the Salesians.

In February 1989 Devereux went to Liberia as a volunteer and worked there at the St. Francis School in Tappita . In 1990 the school was closed due to the civil war. Nevertheless, Devereux remained in the country on behalf of the United Nations to work on a refugee program. When the civil war escalated in 1992, the United Nations evacuated all employees from Liberia. The UNICEF invited Devereux, in Sierra Leone to continue working. Finally he went to Somalia in September 1992, also on behalf of UNICEF. There he was the first foreign fatality in an attack since the invasion of American troops the month before.

It has been reported by various sources that Devereux had previously provided the media with eyewitness reports he had received of massacres allegedly taking place the day before US forces landed in Somalia.

He was buried in his home parish in England.

Appreciation

In Somalia itself, the rebuilt bridge over the Juba River in Bur Koy was officially named after Sean Devereux by the American military and local representatives at the inauguration.

The then UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali published an obituary:

“In adverse, and often dangerous circumstances, Sean showed complete dedication to his work. His colleagues admired his energy, his courage, and his compassion. Sean was an exemplary staff member and gave his life serving others, in the true spirit of the United Nations. Sean was a real soldier of Peace. "

Iranian screenwriter Hossein Amini wrote his first television piece, The Dying of the Light , based on the life of Devereux in 1992 .

A park in Yateley was named after him.

The Sean Devereux Children's Fund is also associated with his name today .

credentials

  1. ↑ quoted from: “While my Heart Beats” - the Sean Devereux story.

Web links

literature

personal data
SURNAME Devereux, Sean
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mr. Sean
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English Salesian volunteer, missionary and development worker
DATE OF BIRTH 1964
DATE OF DEATH 2nd January 1993
Place of death Kismayu