By Peter Lahai
Initially, I was very skeptical about the idea of setting up an inquest into the extra-judicial killings of Bambay Kamara, Yayah Kanu, Salami Coker and 23 others on that faithful day of 29th December 1992. I now have a totally different opinion as I was struck by the coldblooded thinking of the SLPP official mouthpieces; the Unity Now and the Global Times. With such thinking the SLPP clearly comes across as a bunch of sadistic and power thirsty people whose only aim is to get power at all cost. I couldn’t even believe that Sorie Fofanah of all people (although an SLPPian yet continue to give the impression that he’s running an independent newspaper) could allow such rubbish to be published in his paper on the 9th August, instant.
I was particularly taken aback by the statement in the article written by a certain Bantos Bangura; “Bambay Kamara, that scourge of Satan. It was proper that he died and buried without a prelate to bless, and without a noble to adorn. He lived by the sword and died by the sword.” What could be crueler than this is anyone’s guess? The above quote conveys nothing but the unmistakable impression that the SLPP is nothing but a coterie of misguided, power hungry extremist elements and ill-motivated malcontents ostensibly engaged in the criminal act of gloating with bumbling arrogance and impunity over the extra-judicial murder of 26 very important citizens without due process.
Is this government of President Koroma going to sit back and allow such impunity to stand unchecked, especially when the families of the victims have been crying for justice? According to former United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Kofi Anan, “The tendency sometimes to protect perpetrators for the sake of peace…doesn’t help society. Impunity should not be allowed to stand.” But such unfortunate and dastardly statements by SLPP operatives clearly contravene the spirit and letter of not just the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report but also the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Resultantly, government should emphatically maintain that on no uncertain terms should the freedom, justice and peace this country is enjoying currently be mutilated or tampered with to suit the convenience of any criminal culprit with respect to becoming president of Sierra Leone.
These miscreants and mischief makers, in an inordinate appetite for greed, unbridled arrogance and the glorification of the cult of mediocrity in violation of minimum standards of civilized society, are now assiduously working round the clock to trigger conflict over the issue of an inquest, disrupt the entire forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections and cause havoc leading to post elections power sharing arrangements typical of the Kenyan scenario.
Notwithstanding the above, I personally believe there is no cause for concern as this government under the indefatigable President Koroma would neither be taken aback nor for a ride as it will not sit by and allow uncouth wayward bunch of gangsters and rabble rousers to have their own way or to hold our motherland to ransom. God forbid!
This country had lacked for far too long, qualitative and meaningful leadership and had suffered from severe social and economic hemorrhage. Now that this government is trying to reverse these lamentable shortcomings by scaling the wall of state apparatus to ensure good governance and democracy with due diligence, steadfastness and dogged determination, the SLPP is busy plotting to take us back. But the people would leave no stone unturned in their desperate search for sustainable infrastructural development, lasting peace and harmony.
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