By Amadu Tarawallie
The National Provisional Ruling Council ( NPRC ) , the military junta that was headed by the present Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) Presidential candidate, Mr. Julius Maada Bio , was no better than the politicians the soldiers claimed had ruined the nation and prompted their overthrow of a constitutionally-elected government. The junta that had come to correct the nation’s ills turned out to be worse than the politicians . Sierra Leoneans complained day and night about the junta’s corruption, dictatorship and misrule and as a last resort went into the streets to protest against plans by the junta to transform itself into a political party, thereby destroying hopes for a return to genuine multi-party democracy. We start bringing you flashbacks of the NPRC era from our COCORIOKO archives.
COCORIOKO : Volume 1, No.11 November 1-9, 2002
NPRC should also be blamed for our national disaster- Amadu Tarrawallie
A Sierra Leonean national resident in the U.S,
Mr.Amadu Tarrawallie, has blasted his countrymen for
focussing their ire on the civilian governments in
discussing the administrations that ruined Sierra
Leone.
Mr.Amadu Tarrawallie, has blasted his countrymen for
focussing their ire on the civilian governments in
discussing the administrations that ruined Sierra
Leone.
In a telephone discussion with the Editor of this
newspaper on Wednesday night, Mr.Tarawallie said that
one of the worst governments that helped to push
Sierra Leone to her doom was the National Provisional
Ruling Council (NPRC) military government , led first
newspaper on Wednesday night, Mr.Tarawallie said that
one of the worst governments that helped to push
Sierra Leone to her doom was the National Provisional
Ruling Council (NPRC) military government , led first
by Capt. Valentine Strasser and later by Brig .Maada Bio.
He fumed that he was tired of people casting all the
blames on the APC and the SLPP. While he agreed that
both civilian governments had ruined the country, he
was however convinced that the NPRC should also be
blamed extensively for what happened to Sierra Leone.
blames on the APC and the SLPP. While he agreed that
both civilian governments had ruined the country, he
was however convinced that the NPRC should also be
blamed extensively for what happened to Sierra Leone.
Mr.Tarrawallie called for all the members of the NPRC
to also be prosecuted for leading the Sierra Leonean
people to their destruction.He said that the NPRC coup
in 1992 which overthrew the APC government was not
necessary at all. He described that coup as not only a
major set-back to peace and stability in the country,
but the cause of the destruction of the genuine birth
of democracy in Sierra Leone.He called the 1996
General Elections “a farce”.
to also be prosecuted for leading the Sierra Leonean
people to their destruction.He said that the NPRC coup
in 1992 which overthrew the APC government was not
necessary at all. He described that coup as not only a
major set-back to peace and stability in the country,
but the cause of the destruction of the genuine birth
of democracy in Sierra Leone.He called the 1996
General Elections “a farce”.
Mr.Tarrawallie explained that the NPRC coup was not
staged for any national interest.Rather, it was a
tribally-motivated coup that helped to make the rebel
war worse and spread throughout the country.
tribally-motivated coup that helped to make the rebel
war worse and spread throughout the country.
Mr.Tarrawallie stated that when the NPRC rudely
intervened in politics in 1992, the APC had already
set in motion the genuine birth of multi-party
democracy in the country. President Joseph Momoh had
yielded to pleas from the international community to
change over to a democratic system of government.
intervened in politics in 1992, the APC had already
set in motion the genuine birth of multi-party
democracy in the country. President Joseph Momoh had
yielded to pleas from the international community to
change over to a democratic system of government.
New political parties had been formed, said
Mr.Tarrawallie and he named them as : The Democratic
People’s Party (DPP), the Unity Party (UP),the
National Action Party (NAP),the Sierra Leone People’s
Party (SLPP), the National Republic Party ( NRP), the
Civil Development Education Movement (CDEM) and the
National Unity Movement (NUM). Mr.Tarrawallie further
stated that an umbrella organization called
UNIFOM(United Front of political movements) had also
been formed to pursue the interests by some of the new
parties to fight the APC. He predicted that the APC
would have lost the General Elections that were in the
cards.That would have been the beginning of genuine
democracy in Sierra Leone.He complained that the NPRC
however intervened and destroyed a great experiment
that could have helped the country.
Mr.Tarrawallie and he named them as : The Democratic
People’s Party (DPP), the Unity Party (UP),the
National Action Party (NAP),the Sierra Leone People’s
Party (SLPP), the National Republic Party ( NRP), the
Civil Development Education Movement (CDEM) and the
National Unity Movement (NUM). Mr.Tarrawallie further
stated that an umbrella organization called
UNIFOM(United Front of political movements) had also
been formed to pursue the interests by some of the new
parties to fight the APC. He predicted that the APC
would have lost the General Elections that were in the
cards.That would have been the beginning of genuine
democracy in Sierra Leone.He complained that the NPRC
however intervened and destroyed a great experiment
that could have helped the country.
Mr.Tarrawallie stated further that if this multi-party
system had been allowed to be born, the RUF would have
had no reason to continue fighting and the
international community would have come to the rescue
of the nation. He grumbled that when the NPRC, with
their loud mouths , made the coup however and came to
power,promising to end the war, they also hindered the
chances of intervention by the international community
as no foreign nation likes to deal with a military
government.
system had been allowed to be born, the RUF would have
had no reason to continue fighting and the
international community would have come to the rescue
of the nation. He grumbled that when the NPRC, with
their loud mouths , made the coup however and came to
power,promising to end the war, they also hindered the
chances of intervention by the international community
as no foreign nation likes to deal with a military
government.
Mr.Tarawallie went on to explain that the NPRC did not
only interrupt the democratic process, they made peace
with the RUF impossible as the very soldiers became
rebels themselves and helped to commit atrocities
against the people of Sierra Leone.
only interrupt the democratic process, they made peace
with the RUF impossible as the very soldiers became
rebels themselves and helped to commit atrocities
against the people of Sierra Leone.
“And what did Sierra Leone benefit from the NPRC coup
?” he asked. He answered his own question : “Nothing
!” Instead of saving the nation as they promised, the
NPRC became one of the worst governments ever to rule
Sierra Leone, he grumbled further.He blamed the NPRC
for politically and tribally-motivated murders of
Bambay Kamara, Yaya Kanu, Salami Coker, Kawuta Dumbuya
and others; other vile human rights violations;
institutionalized corruption; violence and mayhem;
tribalism and revenge.He wants the NPRC members too to
?” he asked. He answered his own question : “Nothing
!” Instead of saving the nation as they promised, the
NPRC became one of the worst governments ever to rule
Sierra Leone, he grumbled further.He blamed the NPRC
for politically and tribally-motivated murders of
Bambay Kamara, Yaya Kanu, Salami Coker, Kawuta Dumbuya
and others; other vile human rights violations;
institutionalized corruption; violence and mayhem;
tribalism and revenge.He wants the NPRC members too to
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