Yesterday, I appealed to all my fellow Sierra Leoneans to eschew violence and to pray for peace and tranquility in the land . I said that we need peace in Sierra Leone and we need it for sure so that our President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and Government will continue to develop our nation.
Today, I want to repeat the same appeal to everyone of us. Let us seek peace and pursue it. We are a country destined for socio-economic and political renaissance and only through peace we will achieve that. Therefore, let everybody continue to preach and promote peace in our country. Anybody who preaches anything contrary is an enemy of state.
While seeking peace and pursuing it, let us also realize that one of the tactics of anarchists in any society to destroy peace and progress is to put fear in people unnecessarily and paralyze work and normal activities. Some of the videos being released are being done to promote and spread fear in the country. As you know now, it is a famous trick of terror organizations –SPREAD FEAR AND IN THAT WAY PARALYZE NORMAL ACTIVITIES .
People with terrorist tendencies are talking about unleashing Kamajors. Who are the Kamajors ? They were a hunters group that was banned many years ago, their key members arrested under the very government they were defending and sent to jail by the Special Court of Sierra Leone for committing atrocities and war crimes during the rebel war. . Their leader, Hinga Norman, died in captivity . Even their member recently set free was only conditionally released and if he does not abide by all the guidelines given him , he will go back to jail.
The Special Court–a war crimes tribunal– is still in operation through a residual court . The UN will easily have them spring back to action if anyone tries to repeat the past in Sierra ;Leone. The very ICC and international community people are making noise about were the very people who placed the Kamajors and RUF in jail. Be sure that THEY WILL DO IT AGAIN and that neither the Kamajors nor the RUF will ever operate in Sierra Leone AGAIN . If they do, they will go back to jail.
Please note too that the people threatening anarchy are Sierra Leoneans living in the diaspora who have stuffed themselves with kentucky chicken and macdonalds fast foods. Nar bellful talk. They talk about wreaking havoc, inviting Boko Haram and perpetuating horror, but it is all “big-talk”. Nobody can frighten us anymore .
The reasons these terrorist groups like the RUF and the KAMAJORS prevailed in the 1990s were :
FIRSTLY, then we did not have a well-trained and battle-ready army and police Today, we do not only have a well-trained and battle-ready army and police ; we have a fully equipped army and Police force , able to handle riots and threats to peace with professionally ease. I have been told that a water-tight security has been put in place. Sierra Leoneans must be assured that the Government is able to protect their lives and properties. Let people stop scaring us as if we are a defenceless nation. We are not. WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY NOW TO DEAL WITH TROUBLEMAKERS.
SECONDLY, the international community had not arrayed itself against threats to international peace and security and had no structure in place to combat terrorist activities in Africa and third world countries. Today, the situation has changed completely. A threat to peace in Africa is regarded now as a threat to international peace and security. The International community has not pulled out completely. They are still with us and they have structures in place to combat bush-shaking and terrorist activities in countries like Sierra Leone which are recovering from war . They will also arrest and take to the ICC anybody who wreaks havoc in our country. The ICC is for everybody.
THIRDLY, there was no international consensus against illegal changes of government in the 1990s . Today, as we all know, coups are no longer permitted by the UN, U.S. , Britain and the international community .
THEREFORE, we have a completely different socio-political landscape in the world today. Those who believe they cannot wait for elections to try to win them fairly , because they do not have the demographics and popular support to win, are only living in self-deceit. Nobody will come to power by illegal means in Sierra Leone.
THEREFORE, let us all continue to pray and work towards peace in our country. Let us allow nobody to put fear in us and paralyze our normal activities. It is one of the tactics of nation-wreckers. While I am sure the government will not underrate any situation, we must watch the tactics of anarchists and not allow them to disturb our normal activities through the spreading of unnecessary fear and panic.
There can only be one outcome to the present crisis –THE LAW. The highest court in the land–THE SUPREME COURT — will decide who is right and all concerned will abide by the verdict of the Supreme Court . We are now a country of laws, constitutional democracy and civil order. If we love democracy and the rule of law, this should not cause anybody nightmares. We must obey the law. Those who do not will pay the price behind bars.
The Kamajors and the RUF are in jail. The days of Kamajorism and RUFism are over in Sierra Leone.
PEACE IS A MUST IN SIERRA LEONE BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD AND THIS IS WHAT WE MUST ALL PURSUE.
