MANY PARTIES CALLING ON RUFP FOR MERGERSaturday May 13 , 2006 By Tamba Borbor in Freetown
The revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) Thursday 11 May 2006, urged the National Electoral Commission (NEC) in Freetown to conduct the forthcoming elections farily come next year, whiles stating that they would not allow other political parties to use as violence in order to defraud the presidential and parliamentary come 2007.
In an interview with COCORIOKO, at the party’s Lightfoot Boston Street office Freetown, the Public Relation Officer, (PRO) Michael Gana, said whiles scouting for a credible person to leader for, the imminent elections, “we are going to sit by and look at people rigging the poll, that’s why we are going to make sure that, this election is properly monitored, transparent sand fairly conducted.”
Therefore appealed to RUFP supporters and members not to tolerate other parties to easily carry them away simply because they already have their political belongingness to the RUFP and should bear in mind that they are running a political party.
He said so many political parties have called upon them to merge but they have a set criteria already in put place and which political party so ever is able to fulfill their conditions then, his party would forming a coalition with such party.
“Merging with other parties is actually not our problem, the fact that as long as our party does not lost its name and its membership then we are prepare to for an alliance with other political organizations,” he said.
How would the RUFP respond to the call of the incumbency for a merger Gana replied, ” the government of Sierra Leone is not our enemy we have no problem with that, only that they have to look into our problems and ready to heed to our conditions with a popular consultation with our members across the country.”
For what will be the RUFP developmental agenda if the party happens to sweep the polls come 2007, the PRO said “fighting a revolutionary war for well over a decade, with the same ideology now transformed into a political one, we don’t believe in making bogus promises.
We can’t at present promise the people notwithstanding that if the RUFP win and take over the power, we would allow the people to determine what they want for their country.”
On which way forward, the RUFP leadership for the 2007 elections, Gana stated that his party is still organize and that as long as people want power, and the party has a national popularity, “they would come and meet us because they need us.” WHY DO WE PAY AIRPORT TAX AT LUNGI ? Friday March 25, 2006 First_Name: A
New Appeals Court Judge sworn-inBy Chernor Ojuku SesayThursday February 16, 2006A prominent lawyer Shahineh Bash- Taqi over the weekend took oath of office before Dr. Ade Renner Thomas the Chief Justice at his Siaka Stevens Street chambers, Law Courts building, Freetown. Congratulating Justice Bash Taqi on her appointment, Dr. Ade Renner Thomas said that government is actively considering improving the conditions of service for judges.
Dr. Renner Thomas called for her total support in doing all in her power to dispense justice. The Chief Justice admonished her that she should not be afraid to exercise her powers and try to move things up in the Judiciary. Justice Bash-Taqi thanked the Chief Justice for nominating her and assured the Chief Justice that she will do her best and not betray the confidence reposed on her.
Justice Bash-Taqi attended the Harford Secondary School for Girls from 1960-1964. The Albert Academy from 1964-65 and entered the Fouray Bay College (FBC) from 1965-69 graduating with a BA division 2 degree. She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1972 and in 1973, she was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone.
Present at the swearing-in-ceremony were: the Master and Registrar of the High Court, Mrs. Musu D. Kamara, her deputy Mr. Victor Horton and the Seretary to the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, family and friends and staff of the judiciary
Research on the proliferation and spread of small arms in West Africa reveals widespread availability and rampant misuse by abusive state and non state actors. This situation contributes to a pervasive climate of instability, humanitarian tragedy and wanton human rights violations in the region riddled with under development, poor health system and corrupt state leaders and government. An examination of the Liberian and Sierra Leonen conflict ideally maintained that a United Nations arms embargo would be instituted to prevent the flow of small arms into the region as a means of stability. Additionally, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) undertook a pledge in 1998 not to manufacture, import or export these weapons. However, several factors have contributed to the constant flouting of the UN embargo such as lack of control, lax export laws by supplier countries and “back-door deals” by regional allies to provide cover for the transshipment of these arms. The consequences have been atrocities mainly against civilians, a burgeoning refugee crisis, a state of “no war, no peace”, a territorial divide, especially in Cote D’Ivoire and the provision of a breeding ground for the recruitment of soldiers, children and terrorists. International human rights organizations and diplomats have documented the participation of mercenaries from the Ukraine, Angola, South Africa and other countries fighting alongside government and rebels groups in conflicts in West Africa. And so we have a recycling of arms and fighters from conflict to conflict. In some areas, automatic weapons are so cheap; they can be bought or exchanged for a few bags of rice or farm animals! Human Rights Watch in a paper entitled Small Arms and Conflicts discloses that.”Nigeria provides an example of arms availability and misuse. Significant quantities of arms are available, due to active cross-border smuggling. In 2002, the Nigerian Customs Service reported that it had intercepted small arms and ammunition worth more than U.S.$30 million at border posts in a six-month period. In a single haul in November 2003, it took in a consignment of 170,000 rounds of ammunition..” And so a sizeable number of these arms have found their way into Nigeria’s Delta region which is today home to a growing anti-government militia group that has launched a military style campaign for what it calls the “equitable distribution” of oil revenue for the people in that region. Armed members of this militia continue to threaten and stage kidnappings and raids against international oil interests in the Delta Region of Nigeria. The leader of this separatist group Mujahid Asari, has, meanwhile, been arrested by the Nigerian government and charged with treasonable felony. With reference to the Liberian and Sierra Leonen conflict, the subtitle Individual Responsibility, paragraphs 17 – 21 of the 17 count indictment of exiled Liberian President Mr. Charles Taylor by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, state: “. In the late 1980’s CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR received military training in Libya from representatives of the Government of MU’AMMAR AL-QADHAFI. While in Libya the ACCUSED met and made common cause with FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH. 18. While in Libya, the ACCUSED formed or joined the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). At all times relevant to this Indictment the ACCUSED was the leader of the NPFL and/or the President of the Republic of Liberia. 19. In December 1989 the NPFL, led by the ACCUSED, began conducting organized armed attacks in Liberia. The ACCUSED and the NPFL were assisted in these attacks by FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH and his followers. 20. To obtain access to the mineral wealth of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in particular the diamond wealth of Sierra Leone, and to destabilize the State, the ACCUSED provided financial support, military training, personnel, arms, ammunition and other support and encouragement to the RUF, led by FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH, in preparation for RUF armed action in the Republic of Sierra Leone, and during the subsequent armed conflict in Sierra Leone. 21. Throughout the course of the armed conflict in Sierra Leone, the RUF and the AFRC/RUF alliance, under the authority, command and control of FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH, JOHNNY PAUL KOROMA and other leaders of the RUF, AFRC and AFRC/RUF alliance, engaged in notorious, widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population of Sierra Leone. 22. At all times relevant to this Indictment, CHARLES GHANKAY TAYLOR supported and encouraged all actions of the RUF and AFRC/RUF alliance, and acted in concert with FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH and other leaders of the RUF and AFRC/RUF alliance. FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH was incarcerated in Nigeria and Sierra Leone and subjected to restricted movement in Sierra Leone from about March 1997 until about April 1999. During this time the ACCUSED, in concert with FODAY SAYBANA SANKOH, provided guidance and direction to the RUF, including SAM BOCKARIE aka MOSQUITO aka MASKITA.” Additionally, there is sufficient evidence, especially the close ties between President Blaise Campaore and Charles Taylor, to link Burkina Faso to providing state cover for the importation, trafficking and transshipment of arms to Messers Taylor and Sankoh for the purpose alleged by the indictment thus evidencing the role of regional allies in the proliferation of small arms. Libyan leader Colonel Moammer Ghadaffi certainly has the blood of innocent Liberians, and Sierra Leonens civilians and ECOWAS peacekeepers on his head forever for providing guerilla training and arms for these insurgencies. Another example is exposed by GlobalSecutity.org, a U.S based organization dedicated to the support of new initiatives to enhance international peace and security. In an article entitled Liberia United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD): “.LURD was formed in 1999 by Liberian refugees in West Africa led by Sekou Conneh, and is the largest insurgency group in the state. LURD was supported by Guinea from the outset, and has received the tacit support of Britain and the United States. Initially, LURD used Guinea as a base, and it received religious, political and military support from the Muslim-dominated government of Guinea. Observers note that LURD has a significant Muslim element, and it has reportedly received arms from sources such as the United Arab Emirates.” Further research also show that in mid-2003, while the conflict raged in Liberia, the government of Guinea imported mortar rounds and other ammunition from Iran. These were declared on cargo documents as “detergent” and “technical equipment.” From Guinea, the weapons cargo was forwarded to allied rebels inside Liberia. The rebels of Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) used those weapons to fire indiscriminately on civilian areas of Monrovia. Tragically, severe casualty was inflicted on the civilian population with scores being killed and hundreds wounded. Its is apparent that it is harder to broker and maintain peace in the face of weak and non-existent policing of the proliferation of small arms and ammunitions in the West African sub region. Vast monetary, human and material resources are expended to contain outbreaks of fighting. ARMS FREE REGION AND THE SOLUTION It is recommended then that the African Union and ECOWAS, with technical assistance from the international community and the United Nations must undertake a coherent and practical system to identify weaknesses in the import and export control of arms in member states, institute measures to deal with countries that violate “sanctions busting” laws and campaign for an arms free West African sub-region. This process must entail that ECOWAS states have an accurate record of their own stockpile and the destruction of unneeded stockpiles. And we call for rapid progress in standing up a well trained African Rapid Reaction Force as a backup in the instance of a deterioration of security in any country. Only if the AU and ECOWAS employ these recommendations, among others, will the West African sub region begin to address the chronic proliferation of small arms, insurgency, state collapse, crime and insecurity that affect ordinary civilians. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emmanuel Abalo is an exiled Liberian journalist, media and human rights activist. He is the former Acting President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL). Mr. Abalo presently resides in Pennsylvania, USA and works as an analyst with CITIGROUP, North America APC, SLPP wrestle over new Bill in Parliament By CHERNOR OJKU SESAYThursday February 2, 2006
Members of Parliament of the ruling SLPP and Opposition (APC) party are disagreed over the enactment of a new Bill entitled: The Cargbo, Clearing and Forwarding Act, 2005.
The Bill which was read for the second time by the deputy finance Minister, Joe Kallon on behalf of the Minister John Benjamin, aims at putting in place specific guidelines with regard the operation of clearing and forwarding agencies or agents. It was first presented to Parliament by the then Finance Minister JB Dauda sometime ago.
In his contribution towards the Bill, Hon. Chukuma Johnson (APC), said that the Bill is untimely and that it will just create more unemployment more for the people. He went on to say that he is disappointed and surprised to learn that workers in the Customs and Excise departments do not know about clearing and forwarding, adding that he is totally against the Bill. However, Hon. Dr. Brima A. Kamara (SLPP) argued that the Bill will see to it that the businesses of clearing and forwarding gets some standard operation guidelines and that “not every Jack or Jill” can do it. He added that the Bill is meant to ensure professionalism in clearing and forwarding businesses.
The deputy Finance Minister Joe Kallon who deputized the Minister of Finance, John Benjamin, maintained that the Bill is for the government to ensure that respect and sanity prevail in the clearing and forwarding business, a clear distinction from the chaos that is now prevalent. Henry Fergusson arrives from England, but…. By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Thursday January 26, 2006
Former chairman Committee of Management Freetown City Council, Henry Fergusson who arrived recently from London, England has paid a visit to the Henry Fergusson Junior Secondary School at Kennedy Street in Freetown on Wednesday this week.
Speaking at the ceremony he stated that, when he was a Chairman of the Freetown City Council he was the one who provided a 400 kilowatts generator which the Council can now boast of. He added that he followed the footsteps of the late A.F. Rahman, a very distinguished son of the soil to enhance development.
He further stated that, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Alpha Wurie is a development-oriented person and that this has reflected in the many projects he has to his credit. “His contributions to education is a landmark in Sierra Leone. As a result of our joint efforts, within eighteen months, the Cline Town playing field was transformed to the Attouga Mini Stadium. Vandalised schools in the east were completely rehabilitated with new ones, with furniture at Hagan Street and at Kissy’, the former City Council chairman said.
According to the Principal, Reverend Julius Cole, the school was founded on the 30th of September 2002 by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in collaboration with the Freetown City Council during the days of Henry Fergusson as chairman of the Freetown City Council..He added that Mr. Fergusson may have read and heard in the news papers that the school had made great strides and impact in the Fourah Bay community and the country as a whole. The success may be attributed he said, to the cordial partnership that exists among all the stakeholders in education in order to develop the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of the pupils.
It could be recalled that Henry Fergusson during his tenure as chairman of the City Council bought a street sweeper for a colossal sum of Le500m. The sweeper from its arrival failed to work and was eventually disposed off.
Riotous SOS youths may go to jail Wednesday January 18, 2006 By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Kabbah Williams and fourteen others including two women Cordelia appeared before Sam Margai of the Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1 over the weekend, on 3 counts charge involving: Rioutous conduct, Using Threatening and Insulting Languages contrary to law. Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mohamed Jobe is prosecuting the matter.
Prosecution Witness No.1, Olatunji Woode who is the Save Our Soul (SOS) National Coordinator, testified that on the 28th to 29th December last year, one Dennis Wuo, a Liberian and former part-time teacher at the Hermann Gmeiner Secondary School died. “I made an arrangement for the funeral and the laying out ceremony on the 6th January this year at the Hermann Gmeiner Secondary School hall”, Mr. Woode told the crowded court.
He went on to say that based upon information he had earlier received on the day in question, he contacted the police station before the laying out. “Nine policemen came to my office and I briefed them about the laying out which should take place in the school hall on the 6th January” Mr. Woode told the court, adding that on the day in question, he also informed the police station who then sent two police men to deploy at the compound together with the SOS Chief Security Officer, Desmond Pratt.
On the arrival of the corpse, according to Mr. Woode, school children, staff, SOS mothers and other people were already in the hall by 2:00pm. However, sometime later, Mr. Woode maintained that he saw school children, staff and other people running towards his office. “I called my Chief Security to find out what was going on. And then I saw some of the accused persons kick open the gate leading to my office, while some others jumped over the fence”, he said, adding that the 2nd accused, Akie Cole, 7th accused Mustapha Lahai and 8th accused Saidu Lahai rudely entered into his office, accusing him of having a hand in the death of Dennis Wuo. The witness further said the accused persons abused him, while some others displayed placards with witings like ?Na You Kill Dis Borbor Ya’, while other placards stated ?We want the head of Woode’.
He added that one of the accused persons padlocked the main gate leading to his office and others started throwing stones on the security officers in the compound which resulted in one of the personnel getting wounded on his head by a missile.
He added the he then telephoned the Assistant Inspector General of Police Western Area, Tamba Gbekie and informed him about the incident; whereupon, two trucks of riot police were dispatched to the scene and made arrests. However, defence counsel A.B. Fornah, A.M. Turay, J.B. Kebbie, M.S. Turay, Brima Koroma and A.B. Fornah pleaded for bail for the accused persons, saying that most of what happened was just hearsay and that the complainant was not himself present at the scene and asked the Magistrate for an adjournment for cross-examination of the witness. Bail was granted in the sum of Le10m and one surety each who should be resident in the Western Area. The matter comes up again on 19th January this year.
KABBAH ASSURES THE NATION THAT SECURITY IS TIGHT Friday January 13, 2006 President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah today assured Sierra Leoneans that the security situation in the country was tight . In a nation-wide radio and TV broadcast , President Kabbah gave the assurance that the lives and properties of the public were secure. The Chief Executive was addressing the nation with regard to former rebel spokesman, Omrie Golley, who the President announced had been arrested for suspected subversive activities. Mr. Golley was nabbed yesterday while he was about to leave the country , according to President Tejan Kabbah. The nature of the subversive activities were not disclosed but a top government official who spoke to this paper on conditions of anonymity stated that government had launched full-scale investigations into the matter and more arrests would soon be made. Many Sierra Leoneans considered the matter serious when the President himself had to make a nation-wide broadcast about the arrest of Golley but according to our reporter in Freetown, Olu Faulkner, the President’s assurance has not quite impressed the people. . Firstly, the commitment of the very Kabbah government to the peace and security of the nation is being questioned. The government is concealing information from the people. But that is not all. The government had given such assurances before yet what the public feared happened. Before the rebel forces captured Freetown on January 6, 1999, the government made the same assurances about the public being safe as security was on the alert. Shortly after, the rebels marched into the capital and held it for two weeks during which time they slaugtered thousands of people and left the capital in ruins. The second matter being discussed widely by the publc is how much the government knows about this latest threat to national security and how much it is holding back from the public. It was believed that before the military seized power on May 27, 1997 the government had foreknowledge of the coup but failed to provide enough security to stop the soldiers from taking over the country. Some Sierra Leoneans see a lot of traps in the society , each enough to trigger chaos once again in the country, but the government is lukewarm in its response so far. . Only yesterday, the Spokesman of the Hinga Norman Defence Fund, Rev. Alfred Samforay made a public release which stated the following : REF: VIOLATIONS OF THE LOME ACCORD
Following a series of meetings between former Regent Chief, Samuel Hinga Norman, and Leader of the Opposition All Peoples Congress (APC), Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma, we the representatives of the Combatants and Ex-Combatants of the AFRC, CDF and RUF wish to inform the people of Sierra Leone and the international community, in particular, the guarantors of the Lome Accord (Ghana, Guinea Nigeria, the US and UK) as follows:
I. The government of Sierra Leone in arresting the leaders of the AFRC, CDF and the RUF is in violation of the Amnesty Provisions of the Lome Accord of 7th July, 1999 and in particular Articles II, III & IX (copy attached) signed by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on behalf of the government and people of Sierra Leone and Cpl. Foday Saybana Sankoh on behalf of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF).
II. Unless Parliament addresses these violations within ten (10) days of the notification of Parliament which shall expire on 14 January, 2006, we the members of the combatants and ex-combatants will arrest and make available for public prosecution ministers of government and individuals foreign or national involved in the continued violation of the Lome Accord as stated.
III. We have relayed this message through the Hon. Chief Sam Hinga Norman to be relayed to the government of Sierra Leone and the international community.
I, Samuel Hinga Norman, JP, attest and declare that this is a true faith facsimile of the message delivered to Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma to be relayed to Parliament and the international community on the 4th day of January, 2006. Any future communications or explanations may be addressed to me or Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma up to the stated deadline after which I will no longer answer any questions related to this matter.
God Bless the People of Sierra Leone; God Save the Republic. ——————————————–
Most people online who read the release , even known SLPP supporters , thought the release was too dangerous to the security of the nation . Is the government aware of this threat ? If so, what has it done about it ? What has it done to alert the public that Chief Hinga Norman and others had such a plan cooking ? If Samforay had not made the release , would the public had known about this dangerous threat to national security ? Why did President Kabbah fail to include this in his nation-wide speech today ? The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Mr. Ibrahim Ben Kargbo , according to our reporters, made a radio broadcast today in which he confirmed that Chief Norman repeated the threat to him .It is impossible to believe that Kabbah had not heard about this sensitive information . Kabbah should have added it in his broadcast . How can the President talk about national safety when his government is concealing vital information dealing with public safety ? THOUGHT FOR THE YEAR : WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR SIERRA LEONE ? Friday December 23, 2005 First_Name: Lawrence Reference to the article written by Sheku Sheriff” “THOUGHT FOR THE YEAR : WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR SIERRA LEONE”, I really want to thank this man for spelling out what we should focus our minds on as we approach the next election. By far this is the most excellent note written on this site, mainly for two reasons; – It is free of the so called partisan politics people having been wasting time on and two, it is a clear message to all who see Sierra leone as there vacation spot rather than there nation. For the most part Sierra Leoneans who especially live in US and UK hunk on flights during December to head home with extravagant agendas, flashy plans and above it all useless and baseless influences on the minds of the poor needy Sierra Leaoneans. Sorry i will bring this up again and i hope shek Tunis or what ever his name is who claims to be a columnist for this network will read this piece. When the so called mayor came to new jersey, all his assertions about poor sanitation was blamed on the government, my take home message to this young man was for him to evaluate the progress he has made since he took up office and focus on what contribution he will engage in to help alleviate the status of his city instead of finger pointing and unwanted blames. unfortunately people like the aforementioned self acclaimed columnist wrote back misconstruding my note and above all playing the rag tag political gimmick. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Law Reform Commission Report Says Equal Right for Women By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Cocorioko Correpondent in Freetown
Wednesday December 14, 2005 Chairman of the Law Reform Commission (LRC), Dr Peter L. Tucker has stated that after consultation with women organization and other stakeholders in reforming and reviewing statutory and other laws, their first priority was “the removed of all rule of each law that discriminates against women or put them at an unfair disadvantage” the chairman made this disclosure at a recent presentation of the Commission Annual Report for 2004 to vice President Solomon Berewa in Freetown.
He added that in connection with the first priority, they organized jointly with IRC, UNICEF and UNIFEM a consultative conference of women’s organization and other interested groups at Mamba Point in Freetown in 2003. “The recommendation of the conference became a sort of blue print for our review of gender related laws. And in 2004, as this Report shows, we review and made recommendations for the reform of the following gender-related laws: Marriage, succession, inheritance, citizenship and access to, and the commercial use of land. In each of this proposal for reform we recommended the removal of all rules of each law that discriminates against woman or puts them at an unfair disadvantage”, Dr Tucker explained.
To give a few example, according to the Chairman of the Law Reform Commission and the architect of the current 1991 constitution, in the case of marriage, the LRC proposed that, among other things, the rights and obligations of the parties to marriage be it civil Christian, Islamic or customary be harmonized so that the parties enjoy equal rights. Also that the age of marriage without parental consent be reduced from 21 to 18 years and marriage below the age of 16 should be made illegal, parental consent notwithstanding. With regard succession, the LRC recommended that the gender discrimination in Islamic and customary laws of marriage should be abolished as well as the discriminatory sections in the current Administration of Estates Act. However, he said that their only concern is the pace at which these reports are being processed.
CIVITAN Scribe Tells Story of FoundingBy Chernor Ojuku SesayWednesday December 7, 2005Civitam Sierra Leone, a local NGO with its headquaters in Birmingham, Alabama USA, aim is to help members with their personal welfare and career development while improving schools and communities through community service.
The Education Manager Civitom Sierra Leone chapter, Frank Bashiru Seibure disclosed at his No. 2 Pyke Street office in Freetown that the organization was founded on the 17 March 1917 by a group of business and professional leaders conderned not only about their community but about world events. They had dreams too, wanting to make a difference in their world. They believed their actions could help build a better world. They had been meeting as a Civic Club which was started first a little too much towards personal gain to suit these men. They gave up their charter they had purchased and set out to make a club suitable to them.
George Johnton was elected as the first president of the group. Eventually they settled on the name civitom, a phrase caried dfrom the latin word “Civitas” loosely meaning citizenship. Today, civitom is an International organization and has spread across 20 states in USA and about 24 countries in the world.
Mr. Seinure further explained that Sierra Leone joined and adopted the concept of Civitom International in 1994 when some petrotic Sierra Leoneans saw the need to approach the headquaters of civitom International in Birmingham, Alabama USA for the establishement of Civitom Sierra LBeone branch.
Since 1994, Civitom on it own has been able to creat some impact in the areas of Nation building in Sierra Leone society. Key noted area include: 1. The upholding of the principles of Democracy in Sierra Leone. This could be illustrated in the Electioneering process in 2002 and the local government Election 2004 respectively. 2. In the area of public awareness, this organization has hosted a number of sensitication workshops reggarding the convention on the Rights of the child and on the Killer diease HIV/AIDS. 3. The provision of used clothing to the Blind and the vissually Impaired pupils at the Mitton Margai school for the Blind and the donation of essential commodities to the children world at Connought Hospital. 4. To crown it all, Civitom Sierra Leone is actively engaged in the dispensation of Tramsitional Justice system in Sierra LEone. Currently, Civitom members are Monitoring the work of the special court.
He further said that when it comes to personal and professional development and work for humanitarian couses Civitom offers nothing less than a chance to change the world-one community at a time, Mr. Seibure said. He extended his gratitude for the effort of Mr. Abdul M. Fatoma National president Civitom Sierra LEone, Mr. Christian EO Browne president elect Civitom Sierra Leone, W John Ryneawison Executive Vice President Civitom International and Keith Sheffield Vice PResident for Civitom foundation and consul general respectively Paul Kamara’s wife declares MY HUSBAND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN JAILED AT ALL, IN THE FIRST PLACE Wednesday November 30, 2005 Mrs .Isatu Kamara, the eloquent wife of victimized Sierra Leonean journalist Paul Kamara, told COCORIOKO that yesterday’s momentuous victory by her husband in the Sierra Leone Appeals Court was a clear demonstration of the fact that he should not have been jailed at all. Speaking to COCORIOKO in an exclusive interview yesterday after the Appeals Court quashed the Seditious Libel case against her husband and Kamara walked out of the Pademba Road Prisons to historic freedom, Mrs.Kamara stated that the victory scored by her husband showed that he was unjustly treated by the authorities in Sierra Leone. Mrs .Kamara stated that the Appeals Court verdict was further proof that certain people in Sierra Leone just wanted to place her husband in jail for ulterior motives, but she thanked God profusely for his release . Mrs .Kamara , who had no bitterness in her voice, also thanked God for the heroic reception her husband received yesterday when he was released from jail where he had languished for more than a year after being found guilty by a Freetown Court of Seditious Libel against the Sierra Leone President, Alhaji Tejan Kabbah. She said that from the moment her husband stepped out of the prison gates, there was a big throng of people coming out to indentify with him. The big crowd, she reported, followed them to the office of the FOR DI PEOPLE newspaper , which Mr. Kamara has published for over a decade .She stated that a camera man from ABC TV was also with them , filming the whole spectacle. Mrs. Kamara narrated that it was very touching indeed to see people leaving everything they were doing to come and join the crowd heralding the release of her husband.” It showed that people cared a lot for him and his plight and I am thankful for that,” she went on. She also disclosed that people in taxis and Poda Podas were thrilled to see the big crowd walking with her husband and everybody was asking what was going on. Mrs. Kamara said that when they learnt that the journalist , Paul Kamara, who was jailed , had been released, some of them came down and joined the crowd. Mrs. Kamara asked COCORIOKO to express her thanks and appreciation to all the media , organizations and individuals who helped fight for her husband’s release. She believed that it was the pressure they exerted on the government that forced it to have the Judiciary sit on her husband’s appeal. Mrs. Kamara stated that the Appeals Court ruled that the Prosecution failed to prove that the articles, for which her husband was jailed , were seditious. They could not prove that the articles had the ingredients of seditious libel , she continued. Asked by COCORIOKO whether her husband will bring any civil case against the President for malicious prosecution, she replied :” We won’t say anything about that now. We are going to observe what follows next and this will determine what we do next “. “When is your husband returning to duty ?” , COCORIOKO asked. With a touch of humor , Mrs. Kamara laughed and replied : I don’t know yet. When the bug begins to bite, he will go back ” . COCORIOKO thanked Mrs . Kamara for standing alongside her husband and championing his cause during his incarceration. The newspaper’s Editor, Rev. W.L.Kabs-Kanu underscored the necessity for such strong and outspoken women in our community . NOTA BENE : The Editor of COCORIOKO called the Kamara home to talk with Mr. Paul Kamara but he had just been picked up by a friend and was not available. The Editor therefore decided to interview the wife, who is equally a valuable source of news. COCORIOKO will be conducting an exclusive interview with Paul Kamara this week .Stay tuned.
HOW THE MARGAI CAMPAIGN TEAM IN UK/IRELAND INITIALLY SAW THE CONFLICT Monday November 21, 2005 The first sign that there had been a bust-up in Bo between Vice-President Solomon Berewa and the People’s Movement For Democratic Change leader, Charles Margai early on Saturday morning ( Eastern Standard Time ) was a terse public release from the Margai Campaign Team in the United Kingdom/ Ireland . The release, sent by Mrs. Agnes Kumba Macauley , said that Charles Margai had been placed under house arrest in Bo on the orders of Vice-President Solomon Berewa. As it turned out this intial report did not carry the whole story , as information was still coming in. However, the contents show how much tension and suspicions now exist between the Berewa and Margai camps. READ THE RELEASE BELOW :
Berewa puts Charles Margai under House Arrest in Bo Town – Sierra Leone
We in the Diaspora, watching political developments in Sierra Leone and the Supporters of Charles Margai for Democratic Change for the nation condemn in the strongest terms the unlawful behaviour of Solomon Berewa in ordering the arrest of Charles Margai in Bo town for allegedly been assaulted by who, he does not say. The situation has now developed in to a Stand-still as the police have surrounded the hotel where Charles Margai and his team are who are in turn surrounded by the supporters of Charles. This situation is volatile and could erupt into a nation-wide struggle.
Berewa has demonstrated the lowest act and cowardice by not showing the muscle to deal with opposition. We have informed the supporters of the Peace Programmes in Sierra Leone and various government officials in the UK and USA. We have also informed other Opposition Leaders in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leoneans in and out of the country, most of whom we spoke with have condemned the act as barbaric and undemocratic. If Berewa is so thin-skinned, and lawless, then let him take a bow-out now as breaking the rule of Democracy will be intolerable and inconceivable in today’s Sierra Leone and world politics.
The Margai Campaign Group, UK & Ireland Saturday 19th November, 2005 MAYOR EXPOSES SLPP GOVT’S MANOEUVRES TO DIMINISH THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS OFFICE Monday November 14 , 2005 Though the office of the Mayor of Freetown is very important in the running of the Sierra Leone capital, the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) has done everything to make the Mayor look insignificant, unimportant and of no relevance in the governance of the city. This stunning revelation was made by the Mayor , His Lordship Winstanley Bankole Johnson , when he granted COCORIOKO an exclusive interview during his visit to New Jersey last week. COCORIOKO’S Editor Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-Kanu had an audience with the Mayor at his TREETOPS HOTEL where he exposed many shocking facts about the attitude of President Kabbah’s government towards him. The Mayor said that unlike past holders of his office, he has no official car. He complained that the Minister of Local Government, Mr.Sidikie Brima , told him that all councils in the country were equal and that the Freetown City Council was no better than the others. The Mayor could not understand how somebody holding such an important office was denied an official car while the least Deputy Minister in the government had one. The Mayor said that the government also diminishes him during public functions. He stated that when dignitaries at public functions were being introduced , he was always left at the bottom of the barrel. Principals of schools and religious leaders would be introduced before passing reference was made to him .At times, they make no reference to him at all, he explained. The Mayor condemned this cheap manoeuvre to make him look small and unimportant , a ploy being done deliberately to get at him. He said the government knew that in the heirarchy , it is the Speaker of Parliament first, then the Chief Justice and the Mayor. Mayor Johnson further complained that dignitaries visiting the country were deliberately discouraged from paying the usual courtesy visits to the Mayor’s parlour. He gave a typical example of the visit by the Asantehene from Ghana in March this year. The Mayor said that when the Asantehene arrived, reference to a visit to the Mayor’s parlour was struck off the program in a naive belief that the Asantehene was superior to the Mayor and as such he must not pay the Mayor a courtesy call. Mayor Johnson said that when the Asantehene visited Bo , he paid a courtesy call on the Mayor of Bo. Not only was this done, the Mayor went on ; the government appropriated Le 300Million for the Asantehene’s 2-days visit to Bo. He expressed surprise that the government would give Bo that sum for a two-day visit by a foreign guest and yet the same government would only provide Le.462 Million to the Mayor of Freetown to clean the whole city for a year for a population exceeding 1 million people. The Mayor also gave another example of how the government deliberately tries to exclude him from the scheme of things. He explained that the Freetown City Council controls markets in the municipality of Freetown. However , the government allowed Selwina Francis to open a market at West 3 without the consent of the council. The Mayor said that when the market was being opened the government did not invite him , but they invited people in his municipal Trade Committee and SLPP ministers. He wondered how a government would say it respected civic society but it had such disdain for the office of the Mayor.
Charles Margai writes President Kabbah
By Cherenor Ojuku Sesay Cocorioko Correspondent in Freetown
The leader of the yet to be registered Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), Charles Margai, has written a letter to President Kabbah expressing concern over “the refusal of the President to appoint the chairman and other members of the Political Parties Registration Commission as provided in Section 2(1) of Act No 3 of 2002 and Section 34(1) of Act No 6 of the 1991 constitution.” According to Mr. Margai’s letter, he stated that he decided to resign from the SLPP to form “a third force party, after consultations with the people of Sierra Leone following his defeat by Vice President Solomon Berewa at the SLPP convention in Makeni.” The Political Parties Commission is the organ officially responsible for the registration of all political parties, an Act that was initiated by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) in 1996 and 2002. Mr. Margai said the delay in establishing the Commission to register his party after fulfilling all the requirements, “could be a deliberate ploy” to frustrate his political moves.
THE LETTER MARGAI WROTE TO PRESIDENT KABBAH
H.E. PRESIDENT AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH, State House, FREETOWN.
Dear Mr President,
RE: APPOINTMENT OF THE CHAIRMAN AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES REGISTRATION COMMISSION SECTION 2(1) OF ACT NO. 3 OF 2002 & SECTION 34 (1) OF ACT NO. 6 OF 1991.
You have by now received news of my resignation from the Sierra Leone People’s Party (S.L.P.P.) contained in a letter dated 6th October, 2005. I have herewith attached a copy for ease of reference.
I have for the reasons stated therein and the mandate received from the electorate, gone ahead to put together modalities designed towards registering a political party to be known as the ?Peoples Movement for Democratic Change’ (P.M.D.C.) in response to the clarion call by the people of this country. However, my effort is impeded by your omission to appoint the commissioners referred to in section 2(1) of Act No. 3 of 2002.
By reason of the premise, I should be grateful if you would please fulfil this statutory obligation thereby greatly enhancing the stability of our beloved Nation.
The International community has helped us considerably in bringing about the security we are to-day enjoying in this country. I therefore believe that as a sign of appreciation, it behoves us as Sierra Leoneans to do all in our power to maintain and jealously safeguard the peace and stability of this Nation, regardless of our personal interests.
Thanking you in anticipation. Yours faithfully,
C.F. MARGAI
Cc. 1. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE U.N SECRETARY- GENERAL 2. H.E. TH U.S. AMBASSADOR 3. H.E. THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER 4. DFID 5. EUROPEAN UNION 6. ATTORNEY-GENERAL & MINISTER OF JUSTICE 7. MS CHRISTIANA THORPE, CHIEF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER
‘SLPP AND APC HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING GOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE ‘—-Readers say Wednesday September 28 , 2005 The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP) and the opposition All People’s Congress ( APC) have not done anything good for our people and therefore do not deserve all the attention they are receiving , readers of this newspaper have said in letters to the Editor. As the political tension for the 2007 General Elections escalates in Sierra Leone , the readers thought that the SLPP and the APC did not deseve all the hype they are receiving because they have not only failed the people but there is no reason to believe that they will provide anything different . Alpha Barrie , who wrote the shortest letter ( Shown below ) advised COCORIOKO to go slow on the SLPP and APC talk because, according to him, they have not done anything for the people of Sierra Leone . John Dumbuya, who wrote from Massachusetts, said that he was very disapointed with the chaos in the SLPP and the APC and to him the confusion in the two parties clearly showed that nothing good comes from the them.He said all the two parties have done when they ruled the country since Independence was to destroy the economy and every once viable social institution .He also blamed both parties for entrenching corruption in the country. Peter Kailie , who wrote from Maryland , to condemn the chaos that marked the APC rally last Weekend in Freetown during which it was alleged that two masked devils belonging to the party fought each other in public, said he was frustrated at what was happening to the two leading parties in the country. He said that from what happened at the SLPP convention and from the way both parties behaved in public there was no sign in the horizon that Sierra Leonean politicians meant anything good for Sierra Leone. WE START FEATURING THESE LETTERS UNDERNEATH . READERS ARE ADVISED TO CHECK OUR GUEST BOOK FOR SOME OF THE OTHER LETTERS. First_Name: ALPHA A. Pujehun Chief laments on flood disaster
Tuesday August 30, 2005
Tamba Borbor reports from Sierra Leone
The Paramount Chief of Sowa Chiefdom, Pujehun District, P.C Lahai Sowa II has lamented on the recent flood disaster that hit his Chiefdom.
Speaking to COCORIOKO he said he is greatly disturbed by the level of destruction caused by the flooding; adding that it has caused a major setback for the entire Pujehun district. PC Sowa II affirmed that despite the infrastructural damage, the risk of hunger is imminent as part of the farms especially those around the Wanje River have been destroyed.
The Sowa Chiefdom Chief disclosed that most of the crops grown by farmers in the Chiefdom also suffered seriously while noting that most farmers have been frustrated. He however appealed to well-meaning organizations and individuals to come to the aid of victims of the flood disaster. It would be recalled that Pujehun district recently experienced a heavy downpour of rain few weeks ago, which caused massive flooding in about nine Chiefdoms; seeing the President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah paying a visit to the district in sympathizing with the flood victims. JUDGMENT DUE SOON IN SLPP COURT CASEFriday August 21, 2005
By Tamba Borbor, COCORIOKO’s City Editor
The Chief Justice, Dr. Ade Renner-Thomas has adjourned the legal matter brought to the Supreme Court by Chief Samuel Hinga Norman against the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) for ruling.
After hearing legal arguments advanced by Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie on behalf of the plaintiff and Lawyer Eke Halloway for the respondents, said, “the court is being adjourned to consider judgement.” No specific time frame was set when the judgement would be delivered, but speculations are rife that it would be within the next week.
Advancing the case for the respondents- Dr. Sama Banya, Dr. Prince Harding and the SLPP, Lawyer Eke Halloway urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that Chief Norman is not the proper person to commence proceedings against the SLPP and officials for any of the declaration sort in the matter for any contravention.
He further advanced that the Political Party Commission, and not the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction in the matter. Questioned by Justice Tolla-Thompson why he said so, Lawyer Halloway said, “that should be taken care off by the Political Party Act.” He went on to argue, “no individual person or a mere member of a Political party has the right to invoke the rights of the Supreme Court.”
Lawyer Halloway further said the application is vague and indecisive, because it has not shown that it has a peculiar interest, which was to be infringed upon if the conference was allowed to proceed. He also informed the court that by his action it has prevented the SLPP from electing its party leader at the conference, and to regulate the election to one office will be contrary to the party constitution, which provides for the election of the party leader at the bi-annual conference. He therefore called on the Chief Justice and his panel of Judges to dismiss the original motion with cost.
He was however cautioned by the Chief Justice Dr. Ade Renner-Thomas that he had limited himself to other issues without mentioning anything about contravention, which Lawyer Buakei Jabbie addressed the court lengthily on. Lawyer Halloway however gave a satisfactory response to a similar question posed to him by Justice Virginia Wright.
He maintained his stance that the plaintiff has not canvassed any good or sufficient reasons for the Court to grant a permanent injunction in his favour. Earlier in the day, Dr. Buakei Jabbie rounded up his submission by addressing the court on issues pertaining to jurisdiction and locus standing. He termed the submission filed by the defendants as archaic and retrogressive as they have changed since the 1930s in England and moved to a more traditional approach during the last decades.
He too came in for some objection from the Chief Justice saying, “we are not hear for a lecture, your problem is that you know too much English, but help us with short and precise sentences.” He stressed that the issues raised by the plaintiff are of public interest as expressed both in the national Constitution and that of the Political Parties Act. Lawyer Jabbie informed the court that the ?locus’ in the case is the desire of the plaintiff and applicant to ensure that the traditional democratic biases of the SLPP continue to rule.
He stressed that his client want the SLPP to remain the leading democratic political party in the country and has a vested interest in ensuring that and therefore appealed to the Chief Justice and his colleagues to grant them the declaration they are seeking.
News Flash GEORGE WEAH WINS : ELECTIONS COMMISSION DISMISSES COMPLAINT AGAINST HIM Friday August 12, 2005 The George Oppong Weah Presidential Campaign Vanguard is in the throes of jubilation in Monrovia this evening after the National Elections Commission (NEC) dismissed complaints that he held dual nationalities.According to Liberian election laws, it is forbidden to stand for the Presidency if one had dual citizenship. The complaint was sent to NEC by Weah’s opponents in the race for the Presidency.Today, NEC said it was rejecting the complaint because there was no evidence that Weah held French citizenship. When the final list of Presidential candidates is published on Monday, Weah will be included, contrary to wide-spread fears that his Presidential bid was going to be rejected. The complaint stemmed from reports that when Weah played for Paris St. Germain in France in the early 90s, he naturalized as a Frenchman. Weah is now one of the leading contestants for the Liberian Presidency and the LONDON TIMES predicted last week that it could be a two-horse race between Weah and the female candidate, veteran Liberian politician, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Canadian murdered at Guesthouse in Kenema Wednesday August 3, 2005 Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown A Sierra Leonean born naturalized Canadian Ugo M. Marchese has been reported murdered at a guesthouse in Kenema District on July 30th. The incident took place at the Geima Guesthouse, where armed robbers reportedly attacked him. According to reports from Kenema, his local business counterpart Musa Salifu Timbo made the report to the Kenema Police. Presently, the owner of the guesthouse- Mr. Solomon and another local businessman named Mr. Turay have been called in for questioning. Police sources disclosed yesterday that the naturalized Canadian was allegedly carrying cash up to the tune of $40,000 meant to buy diamonds. The murdered corpse is now at the Kenema Government hospital. It was not certain whether the deceased was shot or strangled by his assailants Human rights defenders hold Workshop in Freetown Wednesday July 27, 2005 Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown A huge number of human rights defenders in Africa and other parts of the world are expected to meet in Freetown today Wednesday July 27th. They would form part of participants at a three-day workshop to be held at the Kimbima Hotel from 27th -29th July. The workshop would be looking at the role and plight of human rights defenders in the Mano River Union (MRU) countries. According to the Executive Director of Forum of Conscience (FOC)- Mr. John Caulker, representatives from the African Union, the Commonwealth; a delegation from the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies would form the bulk of participants at the three-day session. Also, there would be observers from the Gambia, Ivory Coast and others from Mano River Basin are expected. Mr. Caulker noted that in most cases, human rights defenders are exposed to risk and dangers; adding that people mostly tend to ignore their plight. “At the European Union level you have guidelines on the protection of human rights defenders and at the regional level, there is a special rapporteur on human rights defenders,” he said. The FOC Boss stated that they are trying to bring these issues to bear at the national and MRU levels to actualise the protection of human rights defenders. “We want respective countries to incorporate into their national laws, laws protecting human rights defenders. We are not only looking or limiting ourselves to just the risks or dangers but also best practices that would enhance the work of human rights defenders,” Mr. Caulker stated. He maintained that they want to create a dialogue between human rights defenders and respective Governments in the MRU to promote, respect and protect the views of human rights defenders. The workshop is being organised by Forum of Conscience in collaboration with International Service for Human Rights based in Geneva Switzerland and Vice President Solomon Berewa is expected to formally declare it open. __________________________________________________
VP Berewa denies knowing that CDF would be tried by Special Court Friday June 10, 2005 By Tamba Borbor , COCORIOKO reporter Vice President Solomon Ekuma Berewa has disclosed that during the planning and setting up of the Special Court he and his boss (President Kabbah) never imagined that members of the Civil Defense Forces (CDF) would be candidates for trial at the courts. Questioned on whether they had envisaged the involvement of the CDF in the Special Court, the former Attorney General said “To be honest with you . eh . to be very frank with you, I never . because I didn’t know how they were operating. Mind you they were held out to us as just acting in defence of the nation giving protection to this country, so it never crossed my mind that even one person in the CDF would have committed a child abuse in the statute of the court. I get it now only from the accounts I get in the papers and on the radio of the proceedings of the court.” Berewa went on, “I remember the only people who knew what they were doing were their fellow Kamajors of CDF and it is they who are now giving evidence. Nobody else knew, no person who was not in the CDF, – but one thing I would repeat I did not know and I don’t think the President too ever imagined that the CDF would one day be one of the culprits in the dock.” Pressed on further whether as a lawyer he did not have any inclination that the CDF would be tried, the Vice President maintained “I knew people of the RUF and AFRC were going to be indicted at the special court because they were the ones I knew who were committing atrocities. The ones we knew who were notorious for the atrocities, whom I thought were the ones that were going to be netted in this thing, were the RUF particularly and to some extent the AFRC as well. And I say the AFRC because I prosecuted those extra judicial executions of those two men I saw all of that. I had a small taste of the evidence because I prosecuted some cases. There was nothing like that for the CDF so I had no basis to assume that the CDF were doing anything that would bring them in the compass of the court. I did not know or imagine that they would bear the greatest responsibilities in the sense of the crimes that were listed.” Vice President Berewa went on to give the background on how the Special Court came in to being saying “I negotiated the peace agreement for the government in Lome, I resisted any suggestion for us to introduce into the peace agreement a judicial mechanism for sustaining the peace because there was a very strong lobby from these international human rights organizations that unless there was a judicial mechanism to review the events of the war we are not going to have sustainable peace.” He went on “I was of the belief, which was shared by the president as well, that all we needed really was to silence the guns and go about our normal business and all would be well with us. So the question of the call for a tribunal we resisted that” he said. Recalling the events leading to the call for the Special Court he said “We all know how it happened and what caused it. We know Sankoh came they were given all they were entitled to, ministerial appointments and so on, and they were treated better than myself. At his quarters at Spur Road 20 something people were gunned down and despite the amnesty that were given to them they were kidnapping, taking UN soldiers as hostage and threatening people. ” Berewa continued : “After the incidence there it became apparent that just signing the peace agreement and giving amnesty would not give us peace. So the only thing that would give us peace is if there was an accountability mechanism put in place like the judicial process. That led to the president asking the United Nations Secretary General to put in place a judicial mechanism to address the ills that have occurred during the war. Then the process of course led to the Special Court. The Special Court like all courts, have agreements and statutes providing that it was to be an independent and autonomous court. It was not to be subject to the direction, control, authority or dictation of anybody within Sierra Leone or outside Sierra Leone. It was to be free to do its work. It was taken to cabinet and all the ministers there then deliberated on it and agreed with it and we did the ceremonial signing at State House. The highest legal authority in the UN was present. As a government we could not dictate anything to it and it started functioning and they started picking people we did not expect them to pick. What could we do as a government? ” he asked.
ATTACK ON PARTY CHAIRMAN OPENS MORE CRACKS IN THE SLPP Monday April 18, 2005 By Tamba Borbor in Freetown The Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament, Mrs. Elizabeth Lavalie has caused more ripples in the SLPP when she described Dr. Sama Banya as weak and inefficient regarding his handling of the affairs of the party throughout his tenure. Declaring her intention to run for the position of National Chairman of the SLPP at the Sierra Leone News Agency (SLENA) building on Wednesday, Mrs. Lavalie stated, “the current Chairman has not measured up well. If he had, I would not be contesting the position,” adding that if Dr. Banya continues in the position, there would be no progress in terms of bridging the gap between the people and the Party. A lot of Party members she disclosed are grumbling and have expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which Government does things without consulting them. All these Mrs. Lavalie noted is as a result of the inefficiency and weakness shown by Dr. Sama Banya during his reign. “The National Chairman is so weak and does not advice the President on issues in the interest of the Party,” she stated. Exuding enormous confidence, Mrs. Elizabeth Lavalie maintains that she is the best person for the position of National Chairman of the SLPP because of her managerial qualities in addition to her commitment and dedication to the cause of the Party in terms of responding to the needs of Sierra Leoneans. “I can bring laurels to the Party,” she boasted, promising to strengthen the Party’s structures and settle inter-personal conflicts within the SLPP through consultations and dialogue. About her other contender, Alhaji U.N.S. Jah, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament said, “he has not made any landmark either politically or otherwise and he bears grudge for being sacked from office. If he were elected, he would try to settle old scores.” She pointed out that the Government has been functional and done so much for the people of this country. Among other things Mrs. Lavalie promises to bridge the gap within the Party; strengthen the National, regional and district offices; increase the morale and dignity of the Party members including membership and to put in motion a well motivated machinery to lead the Party into another victory in 2007. Since Mrs. Lavalie’s attack on the incumbent Chairman, it had become more obvious that cracks were also opening on the walls of the ruling SLPP. With the 2007 General Elections coming, many Sierra Leoneans are bracing themselves for fireworks within the ruling party as the jostlings continue for the positions of Party Chairman and Standard Bearer, pending the retirement of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
MAD RUSH FOR TRENDCOM SATELLITE DISHES By Tamba Borbor in Freetown Monday May 2, 2005 Last Friday, there was a mad rush from members of the public to acquire their TrendTV satellite dishes at 17 Pademba Road. This new satellite television service has been brought to Sierra Leoneans and operated by an indigenous Company called- TrendCom Sierra Leone Limited. During a meeting with the Press, Mr. Evelyn Lewis who is the Chief Strategy Director of TrendCom said that they decided to bring the service to the masses at an affordable cost owing to the huge costs people used to pay to have access to satellite television programmes. He disclosed that having stayed in the United States for so long, he decided to come back home to play his own part in boosting the economy of the country. He went on to inform that although some “unscrupulous people are trying to play funny games” with his business endeavor, he would not stop but go straight ahead; having gone through all the processes involved to operated a satellite television service in Sierra Leone. About the quality of their service, Mr. Lewis said that they operate directly with Intelsat in the United States unlike others that have to go through other countries to be linked up. “Even in the rains, those who have our satellite dishes would still maintain their quality service,” he stated; expressing that so far, they are satisfied with the turnout from members of the public to procure their dishes and be hooked to their affordable satellite television service. “We are committed to providing affordable service to the people of Sierra Leone,” the Chief Strategy Director of TrendCom assured. The Managing Director of TrendCom, Mr. Oluwole Pratt in his statement said that the reason why some people are trying to create little problems in their business undertaking is “because we have left our landmark by breaking the monopoly that used to exist in terms of the operation of satellite television service in Sierra Leone.” he disclosed that they have spent over $80 thousand just to bring an affordable option to Sierra Leoneans as far as satellite television is concerned. About an announcement about a week ago on Radio Democracy 98.1 FM that they are operating illegally, Mr. Pratt said that they have paid and being granted a license from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to operate in Sierra Leone. “We found out that we were the first Company to have paid our license fee of $10, 000 at the Ministry,” the Managing Director of TrendCom stated; adding that no detractor can stop them from what they have already started. The Management of TrendCom in letting Sierra Leoneans have access to satellite television service, have also disclosed that people can make installment payments in order to acquire their TrendTV package. __________________________________________________
FOUR PERSONS SHOT DURING STUDENTS’ PROTESTS Thursday March 3, 2005 On-The-Spot report by Tamba Borbor,Cocoriko Reporter During the heat of the unwarranted shooting by the Police, stray bullets seriously injured four people yesterday. At the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) at Fourah Bay Road, the medical authorities confirmed to Cocorioko that there was however no reported death. They disclosed that the first case of stray bullet injury was that of a young girl who is said to be the daughter of one Magistrate Cole. She was severely hit on the right side of her neck and the bullet exiting through her mouth. She was then rushed to the PCMH where she was given first aid treatment before being referred to one of the Satellite Hospitals. She is reported to be staying at Lower Patton Street. Another victim of the stray bullet saga was one middle-aged man identified as Alimamy Sankoh. He was shot on both legs at Kissy Road. When Cocorioko visited the Hospital to confirm the announced death of a pupil of the Annie Walsh Memorial School, Alimamy was spotted while being taken in a taxicab to one of the Satellite Hospitals in the City. Another female victim according to the PCMH officials was brought in with a bullet hole in her stomach, while the fourth victim- a kid had a wounded finger due to a stray bullet. Police also in a white Land Rover stormed the Hospital to ascertain the reported death of the Annie Walsh Pupil. At Kissy Road, OSD personnel were seen handpicking civilians from the crowd; beating them up seriously and dumping them inside an SLP 302 truck parked along Mountain Cut junction. In the middle of Kissy Road, fire was coming from a lit up wood, which was used to block the road. Many people have questioned the rationale behind the Police making a show of naked brutality upon forcefully snatching civilians from among passers-by at Mountain Cut junction. One youth with a dreadlock who was peacefully walking right in front of Cocorioko reporter was grabbed and severely beaten up with Police metal belt and gun butt; leading to blood oozing from his mouth, as he was bundled into the truck. A young boy was picked up right in front of his house at Kissy Road, opposite Holy Trinity Church by an OSD officer who claimed that he looked unkempt and therefore was one of the troublemakers. He turned out to be another victim of the naked show of Police brutality. Meanwhile, commercial activities within the City came to a halt for the second day running, as Police could be spotted running amok; chasing school children who were heading for the National Stadium for the start of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sport meet which should have commenced yesterday.
OPEN LETTER TO DR. SAMA BANYA, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, SIERRA LEONE PEOPLES PARTY, RE FRUSTRATIONS, AMBITIONS & PARTY IMAGE
Dear Dr. Banya:
The Concord Times of February 11, 2005, quoted you in its lead news report as declaring that:
“John Leigh is a frustrated and utterly ambitious man whose outburst would not dent the image of the party” [SLPP].
The newspaper further reported that you said that all those who think they are members of the party and would want any internal reforms should make themselves available at the party’s convention scheduled for late next month. You then went on to label Mr. Moijueh Kaikai, an official of our party’s UK branch, as also ambitious and “misguided” and who mislead others without checking his facts ….
I am availing myself of this opportunity to respond to your above-cited statements, which in the absence of any correction from you or your staff, I assume were accurately reported by Mr. Ibrahim Seiburch at the Concord Times.
FRUSTRATIONS
You are absolutely right: I am frustrated but not in the warped sense implicit in your remarks! Assuming for argument sake that you are right about my purported frustration, what is the proper way to address an SLPP Chief Patron’s frustrations? Would you put forth the effort to address the underlying cause or causes of his frustrations or poke fun and laugh at him as you seemed to have done when you spoke to the Concord Times on the 11th instant?
Is your gloating over a Party Chief Patron’s sufferings an appropriate response? Is this childishness your idea of proper Party leadership?
For your information, I am deeply frustrated, like millions of Sierra Leoneans, SLPP members, patrons, office-holders, sympathizers and supporters at home and around the world, because of the demonstrated poor leadership of our party that resulted in the trouncing of our party candidates in the recent local government elections in the Western Area by opposition party candidates and by independent candidates who should have been allowed to contest under the SLPP symbol.
By foisting your apparently unqualified spouse as the SLPP candidate for the office of Mayor of Freetown, you mindlessly offended a lot of already frustrated party members and the well-informed voters of Freetown who are now convinced that our great Party does not understand, let alone care about the very deep-seated problems confronting them in our nation’s capital.
It is my view that no party official has the right to put his and his family’s personal interests above those of our party, especially in a place crying for relief to solve manifold problems associated with rapid, unplanned urbanization and war damage. In my view, promoting or allowing a poorly qualified candidate for the high office of Mayor of Freetown amounted to reckless and selfish leadership.
It further demonstrates the complete absence of what is required for proper, effective Party leadership, the type of leadership necessary to strengthen our Party so as to help rebuild a nation devastated by a vicious war provoked by the same exact type selfish and uncaring leadership practiced by pre-war regimes of which you’re a high official.
FRAUDULENT PARTY ELECTIONS
The usual means employed, I am told, is the repeated use at the very last minute of bogus lists of party members qualified to vote for District and Constituency officers and imposing fake convention delegates unapproved by the legitimate party members. Today, tension, anger and frustration permeate party organizations within many districts.
Third, others and I are frustrated because under your failed leadership, vindictive watermelon marginalizers are operating the Party for their personal benefit and marginalizing party members. Party officials are vindictive to those who disagree with them. Party offices are used as instruments of corruption rather than engage the Party as an instrument for the advancement of nation-building policies for a better future for all the people of our country.
The greed, selfishness, ungratefulness and vindictiveness that characterize party activities under your very poor leadership, are a cause of great concern by the party’s rank and file throughout the country and abroad. Many of us fear that the possibilities for a massive party split under your watch are real and fast approaching.
CORRUPTION NOTORIETY
Fourth, others and I are frustrated by the repeated bombardments against the SLPP-led government for corruption by the people of Sierra Leone and by the international community as represented by the International Crisis Group, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch, British Cabinet Ministers, the United States Government, the European Union, etc. and you as Party chairman is doing little or nothing about this shameful situation. Where is the leadership we expect from you?
IT IS MY RIGHT TO RAISE ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION
I played a key role in electing the SLPP government that is been criticized nationally and worldwide. I played a huge leadership role in restoring constitutionality to our country and in isolating Charles Taylor as the enemy of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Therefore, I have a right to feel frustrated because the corruption problem debilitating Sierra Leoneans refuses to go away. In fact, government corruption is said to be even more rampart and spreading than ever. Your willingness to quietly co-exist with the rampart corruption within the government established by our party increases my frustration and that of many others.
THE ?UTTERLY AMBITIOUS’ ISSUE
You spoke disapprovingly that both Mr. Kaikai and I as “utterly ambitious” individuals. Why? Are we the only individuals who wish to move up within our Party ranks?
How about that new comer to our Party who wants to succeed President Kabbah as Party Leader and President without first doing any thing good and lasting for our party like I did in 1995 and 1996? Where was he then? What has he done for the SLPP since he became an officeholder? What did he do for Sierra Leone during the inter-regnum? What is his background? Is he more qualified than me in any way, shape or form? Is he not ambitious?
How about the woman you wanted to be the SLPP Mayor of Freetown? What has she ever done to strengthen the SLPP? Is she not utterly ambitious? What are her qualifications? Are they sufficient for the position of Mayor of Freetown? Has she done more for the party than Mr. Moijueh Kaikai? What, when and where has she contributed to our Party? What has she achieved so far for herself prior to her selection as our Party’s candidate for the problematic job as Mayor of Freetown?
Isn’t she recklessly ambitious? Or aren’t you recklessly ambitious for her?
Do you approve of the ambitions of party insiders who are using foul means to insure their re-election while splitting our Party in the process?
MY REAL AMBITION
For your information, I am very ambitious for my country. I want to see Sierra Leone become a prosperous, peaceful society with flourishing democratic systems of governance both within all governmental units as well as within all political parties and all public, social and private organizations and within each family unit. Successful countries have accomplished such.
Sierra Leone, too, can become a successful country. We do not always have to remain in last place. But under your ridiculous leadership, we are likely to remain in last place.
I am very ambitious for democracy in Sierra Leone that was why I initiated and led the campaign to restore the duly elected SLPP government and our then five-party parliament to their rightful places at the apex of our society after it was violently overthrown on May 25, 1997.
I am ambitious for long-term peace and stability in my country that was why I defined Charles Taylor and his activities for the world community so the international community would understand our people’s predicament and thus come to our rescue.
I am ambitious for the success of my Party that was why I paid to help resurrect it in 1995. I am ambitious for the future of my Party that is why I invested my money and time to travel in all 12 provincial districts and in the Western Area to find out whether the awful news we abroad are hearing about the sufferings, the goings-on at home and the poor-image of the leadership of our Party are truthful, exaggerated or outright lies.
I am ambitious for prosperity to come to my country that is why I demand the highest standards of integrity in all my official dealings. Without leadership integrity Sierra Leone will remain in last place and poverty will continue to ruin our people.
As you can see, I am ambitious for numerous legitimate reasons. What is your ambition, if any?
BANYA APPEARS CONTENT
You appear content to continue maintaining party offices in premises full of stinking, sickening rivers of piss and piss stench. Has it ever crossed your selfish mind that the stench of rotting piss is most offensive to party members, party workers as well as the general public?
Do you think it is fair and reasonable for you to have your offices in the State House while Party workers and Party members must endure the stench of permanent piss in order to hold on to their jobs or transact Party business?
You are a trained medical doctor, why then don’t you properly lead to insure that the highest standards of hygiene radiate around SLPP head offices? Rather, you seem to me to be content with the very unhealthy sink of piss at Party headquarters and, perhaps, you may care nothing about the diseases contained in the rivers of piss flooding the entranceway.
When I think of SLPP offices in Freetown under your low-quality leadership, the nursery rhyme Old McDonald Had A Farm immediately comes to mind. But instead of “a quack, quack here and a quack, quack there; here is a quack, there is a quack”, etc. all that comes to mind is “piss-piss here, piss-piss there, here is piss, there is piss, smelly, stinking, stenching piss, piss-ppissss everywhere.”
You should be ashamed of a piss-saturated leadership. Piss and continuous pissing inside party premises degrade our party image and invite disrespect for Party leadership. Piss in Party premises is denting our Party’s image. My work and reputation enhance our Party’s image.
I know the time may soon come when party offices may be relocated. But in the meantime, we ask that you address the disgusting piss problem – if only to end the shame, the smell, the unhealthiness and the frustrations of thousands of Party members, sympathizers as well as the general public.
IT’S UP TO DR. BANYA
So, Dr. Banya, please decide for yourself how best to address the issue of public frustration. You are free to laugh at the frustrated, gloat at them or ignore their cries for help. But you are also free to address the legitimate concerns of those frustrated by your chaotic leadership, a leadership characterized by endless pissing at Party premises; insatiable greed, selfishness, ungratefulness, vindictiveness; party in-fighting and crooked internal elections and other alleged nefarious practices.
PISS & THE PARTY’S IMAGE
Your claim that I won’t be able to dent the Party’s image is superfluous.
You also failed to give even a single example of what I might have said or done to warrant such a heavy accusation. Why would a party member like me want to dent our Party’s image, a Party I worked so hard and generously to strengthen?
For the information of Party members, I have no interest in damaging our Party’s image. On the contrary, I have always sought to protect the Party’s image and to enhance its reputation nationally and worldwide.
My association with the Party brings successes to the Party. I contributed heavily to our 1996 electoral success. What did you do for the Party then and since? After the AFRC overthrew our government, I worked around the clock, seven days a week for nearly a year to successfully help bring back home our elected government and parliament then in exile in Conakry. What were your contributions, if any, towards the success of that heroic achievement, the first ever in Africa not only to reverse a coup but also to reinstate the exact government overthrown? Even then I did not rest.
I then labored to prevent the combined 1998/99 AFRC/RUF invasion from Liberia but the leadership acted incompetently and they compounded their incompetence by improperly labeling me “the Prophet of Gloom and Doom”. I suffered in silence but remain undaunted. I subsequently pressed ahead with my next campaign to successfully define Charles Taylor of Liberia for the world to understand the evil he and others were doing to our people and country and the exact reasons for their evil conduct.
Where were you during all that time? As Foreign Minister, I learnt nothing from you, Dr. Banya. In fact, I was far more knowledgeable, experienced, skillful and hardworking than you ever were. I was frustrated, but I patiently put up a straight face out of my love for our Party and country.
It is the stinking, sickening piss stench at Party headquarters, kahlow-kahlow tactics in broad daylight, leadership vindictiveness, selfishness, ungratefulness and greed; and corrosive government corruption that have dented the image of the Party’s leadership.
The Party’s image is ok and distinct from the party leadership’s. Our Party patiently awaits the arrival of the genuine party leader who is capable of changing things for the better.
THE PARTY RANK & FILE
Please be advised that I have no problem with our Party or with our Party’s rank and file.
My concerns are directed at the Party’s backward, selfish, ungrateful and weak and vindictive leadership. This leadership is in charge of our country and the repeated acts of their most senior officials are causing suffering at home, disrespect abroad and frustration all over. British Cabinet ministers are not complaining about our Party. They are complaining about the party’s governmental leadership that leads and controls a corrupt and incompetent government.
The party rank and file is complaining about gangster tactics used by elements within the party’s leadership to steal internal party elections nationwide by the last-minute use of bogus voters’ lists and the imposition of fake convention delegates not elected by the genuine membership.
Recently, they extended their crooked tactics to the USA Washington, DC Chapter. I will deal with this crookedness later.
You should understand that it is the spreading corruption within our Party-led government, gangster tactics relied upon by our crooked party officials and insiders to gain the upper hand; marginalization of our membership, greed, ungratefulness, selfishness, vindictiveness and the unending rivers of stinking, sickening piss at party headquarters that have dented the image of the party’s leadership.
OUTBURST
My interview with SaLone Times and Standard Times was a very quiet affair, held peacefully in a professional atmosphere. There was no shouting, no yelling at any time during the question-and-answer session. It was all very civilized and completely free of any type of conduct that might remotely be characterized as an outburst. The only outburst I am aware of occurred only in your imagination.
PARTY CONVENTION
Under poor leadership, participating at an SLPP Convention is not a simple matter.
First, no date is ever given for the Convention except at the very last minute. And even then, only few people are informed. Under our corrupt leadership, Convention dates and venues are closely guarded secrets, as are the list of delegates qualified to participate and vote at a particular Convention. Moreover, there is no provision to challenge the credentials of the bogus delegates imposed on the Party by certain party officials.
Lists of voting delegates are kept secret and released only at the 59th second of the 11th hour. Why such kahlow-kahlow tactics?
SLPP conventions under the leadership of Sir Milton were totally different. All members would know well in advance when and where the convention would be held, who the delegates were as well as the agenda. The entire affair would be conducted under the rules of genuine democracy. There would be zero kahlow-kahlow tactics at play during Conventions under Sir Milton Margai’s exemplary leadership.
CONVENTION DATE
Concord Times quoted you as saying that the next SLPP Convention will be held at the end of March. What exactly does end of March mean? Can you be more specific and as soon as possible? Could you please let the entire membership know of the exact date and place for the convention? Would you make available to members true copies of the delegates lists as well as establish an effective system to challenge delegates’ credentials?
Keep in mind that this convention should have been held in May 2004 as per the Party\s constitution.
Concord Times also quoted you as saying that those who think they are Party members and would want any internal reforms should make themselves available at the next SLPP Convention scheduled for “late” March. In Bo, during the May 2002 Convention, in the presence of the entire Party leadership, I was told to “shut up” “sit down” and “go back to America” by those I consider Party nincompoops when I rose to legitimately challenge the credentials of bogus delegates from North America imposed by the convention organizers.
The imposition of sycophantic, rogue delegates upon the Party by crooked Party officials in violation of the Constitution must cease forthwith if our Party wants to avoid a catastrophic split under your watch.
I now challenge you to specify the exact date, time and place of our Party’s next Convention, together with the lists of genuine delegates and a transparent and accountable procedure to challenge bogus Convention delegates as well as a system for correctly counting all the votes cast during the convention.
PARTY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
I also require audited or unaudited financial reports of our Party. What happened to all the monies and other assets donated and collected by the Party since November 1995?
When I ask to review our Party’s financial statements, will I be told once more to ?SHUT UP’ ?SIT DOWN’ and ?GO BACK TO AMERICA’ by kahlow-kahlow Party officials? Or will accurate and up-to-date Party financials be made available for all to inspect, review and debate according to democratic principles?
CONCLUSION Thank you for your attention to the above matters. I pray that you start working to improve the quality of your leadership for our Party’s sake and stop heaping scorn at the plight of frustrated members or condemn members with legitimate ambitions for the success of our Party and our country.
Finally, please be advised that I reserve the right to respond point-for-point to your further public comments, if any.
Sincerely,
John E. Leigh Grand Chief Patron Sierra Leone Peoples Party & Chairman, SLPP North America Working Group
SIERRA LEONE LABOUR CONGRESS DECLARE NATION-WIDE STRIKE Monday January 3, 2004 The Sierra Leone Labour Congress yesterday called on all workers to go on a nation-wide strike to protest the SLPP government’s inability to address the welfare of workers . The President, Dr.Ahmad Tejan Kabbah ( Pictured left ) , who has been negotiating frantically with the SLLC, made a failed attempt on Saturday to meet one of the demands of the workers–By reducing the price of petrol by Le . 1, 000 , from Le 9, 000 to Le 8, 000- but it failed to appease the Labour Congress. According to our reporter in the capital, the workers were very angry that the government carried out the price reduction without consulting with them. However, our reporter said that up till the time of filing his report, things were going on normally in Sierra Leone. There was no panic buying going on and a man working at a supermarket told our man that business was going on as usual. There were no lines at the petrol stations and taxis and Poda Podas were running normally. Our reporter took a drive around the capital and also went to Lumley where he saw a huge crowd , especially near FAMILY KINGDOM by the junction. He saw many beachballs and watercoolers. Night clubs were jammed to capacity , with people dancing the day away while young men played soccer on the beach, all of them celebrating the New Year. The workers are calling for a reasonable increase in the minimum wage , abolution of the taxes and tariffs imposed on retirement benefits by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Joseph Dauda ; reduction in the price of petrol and improvement in the dismal economic conditions of the masses. The SLPP government , well into it’s second term of office, has failed to make a difference in the lives of Sierra Leoneans , since it came to power in 1996, after the General Elections held that year , according to complaints by members of the public . The government , on the other hand, claims that it has done a tremenduous job to relieve the sufferings of the masses but it is detractors who are creating the belief that they have not accomplished anything. The government believes that it has done better than previous administrations.
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