SLPP SEC. GEN. IN NEW JERSEY DENIES RIFT IN PARTY BRANCH Saturday May 13, 2006 The Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP) Branch in New Jersey is not divided, the Secretary General , Brima Alpha , yesterday told COCORIOKO in an apparently angry response to reports by this newspaper to the contrary. Last week, a political insider informed COCORIOKO that the high-powered SLPP delegation which has been in the United States for a week now wil face stormy sessions in New Jersey trying to unite the branch, which we learnt was one of the most controversial .We also learnt that Brima Alpha himself caused some of the confusion by calling today’s meeting a convention , a misnomer that angered many party fanatics in the U.S. Yesterday , Alpha sent us this letter , which we publish unedited : First_Name: Brima I Believe that you know few people in New Jersy, if not you can contact me or the Chairman of our branch Mr Jerry George about any information you want to get. Please cross check your facts before publishing nformation you get from distractors. Our Party chapter is the most organized branch in the United States and we does everything as a team. There might be one or two people disgruntled for one reason or another but to be honest we are well organized and respect each other. About the word convention and meeting, again people just want to be notice in the political process but it does not really matter much if we call our historic gathering convention or meeting. Our main objective is to get all Chapters togather as SLPP North America and Canada branch. This is just another example of what the distractors want to acheive but SLPP will prevail. This is the only way out. Once again, please check your facts by contacting members especially the executives of the individual branches. We always welcome constructive journalism therefore respect us as sierra leoneans working towards the development of our beloved country. You can contact me any time by telephone 732-317-1878 or by e-mail. Press Release:
SIERRA LEONEANS IN THE UNITED STATES TO HONOR FORMER AMBASSADOR, MR. JOHN E. LEIGH
Sunday April 30, 2006
In celebration of the 45th Independence Anniversary of Sierra Leone’s Independence from Great Britain, members of the Sierra Leone Community Association in Chicago will honor Mr. John Ernest Leigh, former Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United States of America by awarding him the association’s highest honor:
The Distinguish Public Service Award.
In announcing the Award recently, Mr. Alie Kabba the Association’s President, declared that the Distinguished Service Award to Mr. Leigh is a very special honor in recognition of Mr. Leigh’s exemplary leadership, honesty and patriotism in the service of Sierra Leone.
In a letter to Mr. Leigh, Mr. Kabba stated that “as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United States, your passionate commitment to the noble mission of public service as an instrument for positive change inspired many Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad in our collective yearning for a new Sierra Leone.
“Without doubt”, Mr. Kabba stated, “your inside work within all branches of the United States Government, your tireless outreach efforts and your impeccable use of mainstream media during your tenure as ambassador brought honor and respect to our country and persuaded the American Government to intervene, not only to terminate the reign of the AFRC/RUF Junta but also to restore the duly elected government back to power in Freetown as well as support the United Nations peacemaking efforts in our country.”
The Award will be presented to Mr. Leigh in Chicago, State of Illinois on Saturday, April 29, 2006 during the Association’s Annual Banquet.
Mayor Daley of Chicago is issuing a Proclamation to declare April 27, 2006 as SIERRA LEONE NATIONAL DAY. The Governor of the State of ILLINOIS is also expected to issue a similar Proclamation.
SIERRA LEONE LOSES OUT ON DEBT RELIEF AGAIN : EVEN LIBERIA CONSIDERED Thursday April 20, 2006 SIERRA LEONE has once again missed out on debt relief. Even Liberia, the neighbouring country that only months ago witnessed a return to civil order , will be in line for debt relief ahead of Sierra Leone, who have enjoyed 10 years of democratic civilian administration. READ THE PUBLIC RELEASE BELOW : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nine Least Developed Countries in line for new debt relief New York, 19 April 2006: The UN Envoy for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Anwarul K. Chowdhury, on Wednesday welcomed a recent decision by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to include nine LDCs among a group of 11 nations in line for new debt relief. A World Bank document released on Monday said the Central African Republic, Comoros, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Eritrea, Haiti and Nepal had met income and indebtedness criteria for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative (HIPC). The countries will have to implement economic policies and follow reforms to qualify for debt relief at the end of three years. “It is well-know fact that debt-servicing has been an enormous burden on the fragile economies of least developed countries. The world’s most vulnerable countries spend so much of their income paying off their foreign debts that often they are forced to cut back on funding essential health and education programmes. The recommendation of the World Bank and the IMF to consider nine LDCs for debt relief is indeed a positive step, and will certainly go a long way towards tackling endemic poverty in these extremely vulnerable countries,” Chowdhury said. Full release Regards, Tel: (917) 367-2471 Internet:www.un.org/ohrlls
TAYLOR’S TRIAL WILL OPEN A CAN OF WORMS THAT WILL STINK Friday March 31 , 2006 Captured Liberian rebel chieftain, Charles Taylor, will definitely open a can of worms in his testimony when his war crimes trials begin in the Hague where he will likely be tried after the request yesterday by the Special Court of Sierra Leone for the trial to be held there. During the rebel wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it had always been suspected that the successes of both Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia ( NPFL) and Foday Sankoh’s Revolutionary United Front ( RUF ) hinged on a intricate, delicate and well-coordinated web of both local and international conspirators. Both the NPFL and the RUF could not have made the astonishing headway the world saw without the help of people in high places. It is suspected that ministers of government, other highly-placed individuals like Paramount Chiefs and foreign business moguls and their agents within helped both rebel organizations conquer their respective countries. Sierra Leone was cheated of what could have been the most sensational trials ever in the country’s history when her own rebel kingpins Foday Sankoh and Sam Bockarie ( Mosquito) died suddenly while junta leader Johnny Paul Koroma vanished into thin air. In the case of Liberia, Taylor is still alive and so are his former Chief Lieutenants like Prince Yormie Johnson, who later broke away , Tom Woewiyou, Issac Musa, Col. Butt Naked ( who now claims to be a born-again christian ), Edwin Snowe and others. Taylor and these men ( If they too get indicted or called as witnesses ) will definitely deliver bombshells because it is a known fact that Taylor’s and Sankoh’s millions greased many palms in the most unlikely places. Our reporter in Monrovia , Jlateh Doe, said that news was rife that lots of Taylor’s proteges in Liberia had not been sleeping well since the capture of their boss. Taylor’s supporters hold key positions in government and the Senate , public corporations and other government agencies.It is not possible for the now disgraced and humbled rebel chieftain to shield any of them who might have played such a leading role in the invasion of Sierra Leone that they desrve to be indicted too. Taylor is also expected to implicate foreign countries with or without embassies in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Taylor and Sankoh turned their struggles into fantastic money enterprises and it is suspected that their stunning achievements in gaining access to the rich diamond fields of Liberia and Sierra Leone could not have happened without the collaboration of people in high places. As some Liberians were joking yesterday, it is hoped that the LIBERIAN PAPAY does not die unceremoniously like his counterpart in Sierra Leone , because the world needs to know the truth about the wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone. PHOTO : Taylor , after he was officially arrested in Monrovia on Wednesday for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Thursday March 30, 2006 Positive reports this morning that Charles Taylor has been captured. Reuters is reporting that Taylor is being flown to Monrovia, where UN peacekeepers will arrest him and then deliver to the Special Court for Sierra Leone. See below Regards, Edward Nigeria arrests fugitive ex-Liberian warlord Taylor By Ibrahim Mshelizza 6 minutes ago Fugitive former Liberian President Charles Taylor was captured on Nigeria’s border with Cameroon on Wednesday, easing Nigeria’s embarrassment at his escape from imminent extradition. President Olusegun Obasanjo, currently on a visit to Washington which has been pressing for the former warlord to stand trial for war crimes, ordered that he be immediately repatriated to Liberia, Information Minister Frank Nweke said. The dramatic dawn arrest at a remote border crossing in Nigeria’s arid northeast was the latest twist in a saga which has divided the two West African nations and nearly derailed Obasanjo’s meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush. “He was arrested in Borno state, at the Cameroon border, in the early hours of this morning,” said police spokesman Haz Iwendi. The 58-year-old former warlord was seized more than 930 miles from Calabar, where he had been living in exile since 2003 until his disappearance on Monday night. Taylor was traveling in a jeep with diplomatic plates with a woman and boy, and a large amount of money in dollars in a trunk, local officials said. He was escorted to a military barracks in the Borno state capital Maiduguri and then to the airport where a Nigerian presidential jet was waiting. A Reuters reporter saw Taylor, dressed in a white safari suit, walk onto the runway surrounded by about 20 soldiers. The plane later took off from Maiduguri. A security official said it would take Taylor direct to Liberia’s capital Monrovia. U.N. peacekeepers in Liberia prepared to arrest Taylor at Monrovia’s Roberts International Airport and deliver him to a Sierra Leone war crimes court. The United States has been pressing for Taylor to stand trial in the special U.N.-backed court in Sierra Leone. Nigeria and Liberia have been at odds over how to handle the case since Liberia’s newly-elected president asked for him to be handed over in early March. “President Obasanjo has ordered the immediate repatriation of Charles Taylor to Liberia … to help the government of Liberia which had requested custody of the former president,” Nweke, the information minister, said in a statement. CHARGES Taylor went into exile as part of a deal to end 14 years of civil war in Liberia that spilled over into nearby states. In Sierra Leone, he is accused of supporting rebels notorious for hacking off the limbs of civilians in exchange for diamonds to finance the Liberian conflict. An estimated 300,000 died in the wars that spawned a generation of child soldiers. Nigeria had resisted sending Taylor to Sierra Leone, arguing that the terms of his asylum stated that he could only be returned to Liberia. Some fear that Taylor’s presence in Liberia could spark renewed bloodshed in the region as it recovers from the devastating conflict. Taylor’s disappearance from his residence on Monday caused an international outcry. Some U.S. congressmen urged Bush to cancel Wednesday’s meeting with Obasanjo. Nweke’s statement said the meeting was going ahead and the two presidents would discuss the matter of Taylor’s disappearance from Calabar. Nweke said Obasanjo and Bush would also discuss bilateral issues and matters of security, conflict resolution and developments in Africa. The United States has major oil interests in Nigeria, its fifth biggest supplier of crude. (Additional reporting by Estelle Shirbon and Felix Onuah in Abuja, Tom Ashby in Lagos) Ex-Liberian Leader Captured in Nigeria By BASHIR ADIGUN, Associated Press Writer 6 minutes ago Former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who vanished in Nigeria after authorities reluctantly agreed to transfer him to a war crimes tribunal, was arrested trying to cross the border into Cameroon, Nigerian police said Wednesday. Taylor was captured Tuesday night by security forces in the far northeastern border town of Gamboru, in Borno State, nearly 600 miles from the villa in southern Calabar from which he reportedly disappeared Monday night, Information Minister Frank Nweke said in a statement. President Olusegun Obasanjo, on a visit to the United States, ordered Taylor’s “immediate repatriation” to Liberia, the statement said. Taylor disappeared just days after Nigeria, which had granted him asylum under a 2003 agreement that helped end Liberia’s 14-year civil war, bowed to pressure to surrender Taylor to face justice. The admission that Taylor had slipped away came an hour before Obasanjo left Nigeria on a presidential jet headed for Washington, where he was scheduled to meet with President Bush on Wednesday. The White house had suggested the meeting might be canceled if Nigeria’s leader didn’t have some answers for Bush about Taylor’s disappearance. Nigeria had announced it would hand Taylor over to a U.N.-backed tribunal to be tried for alleged war crimes related to Sierra Leone’s 1991-2001 civil war, but the government made no moves to arrest him before he disappeared. Taylor, a one-time warlord and rebel leader, is charged with backing Sierra Leone rebels, including child fighters, who terrorized victims by chopping off body parts. He would be the first African leader to face trial for crimes against humanity. While the Sierra Leone tribunal’s charges refer only to the war there, Taylor also has been accused of starting civil war in Liberia and of harboring al-Qaida suicide bombers who attacked the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, killing more than 200 people. Obasanjo initially resisted calls to surrender Taylor. But Saturday, after Liberia’s new President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf asked that Taylor be handed over for trial, Obasanjo agreed. On Wednesday, neither the Liberian government nor officials of the 15,000-troop U.N. peacekeeping force would comment on Taylor’s arrest. But six white armored personnel carriers were seen driving toward the international airport outside the capital, Monrovia, apparently to stand by should Nigeria immediately fly Taylor there. Security officials in Liberia said they had arrested several Taylor supporters, allegedly for holding secret meetings to plot how Taylor could avoid standing trial. The U.N. Security Council had expressed surprise and concern at Taylor’s disappearance and Secretary-General Kofi Annan had said he planned to talk to the Nigerian authorities about it. He urged all countries to refuse to give Taylor refuge. The U.N. tribunal’s prosecutor, Desmond de Silva, warned that Taylor was “a threat to the peace and security of West Africa.” Many of Taylor’s loyalist soldiers are believed to be roaming freely in Liberia, Sierra Leone and civil-war divided Ivory Coast, from where Taylor launched his rebel incursion into Liberia on Dec. 24, 1989. Nigeria seizes Taylor and promises to send him home 55 minutes ago Nigeria has captured Liberia’a notorious ex-leader Charles Taylor, and vowed to send him home so that he might then be extradited to neighboring Sierra Leone to face a long list of charges including crimes against humanity. Nigerian Information Minister Frank Nweke told reporters that President Olusegun Obasanjo, in Washington on a state visit, “ordered the immediate repatriation of Charles Taylor to Liberia” upon being informed of the fugitive’s arrest. Earlier, a witness told AFP that the former warlord was arrested when he attempted to pass across the Gamboringala border post from Nigeria into Cameroon in a Range Rover jeep carrying diplomatic plates and a large sum of US dollars. The news of Taylor’s arrest came only hours before Obasanjo — facing sharp international criticism for allowing the former Liberian president to disappear from his exile home — was scheduled to meet with US President George W. Bush. The Liberian government had earlier this month requested that Taylor be extradited, and is now expected to expel him in turn to neighbouring Sierra Leone, where international prosecutors are waiting to try him on a host of charges including crimes against humanity. Taylor — a Libyan-trained former guerrilla chieftain — is considered the single most powerful figure behind a series of civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone between 1989 and 2003 which left around 400,000 people dead. Prosecutors at Sierra Leone’s UN-backed Special Court allege he sponsored the brutal rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) as they slaughtered, maimed, raped and enslaved tens of thousands of civilians during the 1990s. The Special Court has drawn up a 17-count charge sheet alleging crimes against humanity, murder, sexual violence and unlawful use of child soldiers. The call for extradition is supported by the United States, the United Nations and various human rights organisations. As a rebel army was closing in on Taylor’s capital Monrovia in August 2003, west African leaders saw an opportunity to bring Liberia’s latest 14-year-old bout of bloodshed to an end by persuading him to flee to Nigeria. Until he disappeared this week, Taylor lived in exile in a plush riverside villa in the southeastern city of Calabar, though pressure mounted for his arrest amid accusations that he was continued to meddle in the affairs of his homeland and Obasanjo. On Saturday, Obasanjo finally said he had agreed in principle to allow Liberia “to take custody of Taylor”, but gave no indication of how it might do so. On Tuesday, embarrassed Nigerian officials said he had “disappeared”. The warlord’s apparent escape provoked international outrage and Obasanjo arrived in the United States to find his government had been sternly rebuked by the White House, which demanded Taylor’s capture and extradition. Then, on Wednesday, came news of the arrest. “He was arrested in the early hours of today. He is currently with the security agents. He will be flown to Abuja later,” Nigeria’s national police spokesman Haz Iwendi, told AFP. Babagana Alhaji Kata, a trader working near the Gamgoringala border post, said that Taylor had arrived at the frontier in an ash-coloured Range Rover jeep with the diplomatic corps number plate 81 CD 85. “He was wearing a white flowing robe,” Kata said. “He passed through immigration but when he reached customs they were suspicious and they insisted on searching the jeep, where they found a large amount of US dollars,” he added. “After a further search they discovered he was Charles Taylor,” he said. Kata said that Taylor was taken away towards the Borno State capital Maiduguri escorted by two soldiers, two immigration officers and two customs officials. Officials in Maiduguri confirmed they were awaiting his arrival.
__________________________________________ Edward A. Burrier Professional Staff Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation Committee on International Relations Washington, D.C. 20515 (202) 226-1500 Some newspapers in government’s pockets ? FORMER EDITOR STIRS THE HORNET’S NEST Friday March 24, 2006 Former Editor the NEW PEOPLE newspaper of Maryland, political activist, Sheku Kallon, has stood steadfastly by his story that certain newspapers in Sierra Leone were in the pockets of the President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah government. Kallon , after being quizzed yesterday by COCORIOKO about the authenticity of his story, fired back : “It is a genuine article. You can put my name on it as the team that put it together is in Sierra Leone and are not afraid of the consequences from governement as well as other journalists “. Yesterday , an apparently agitated Sheku Kallon stirrred the hornet’s nest when he released what he asserted was the result of a probe into the running of newspapers in Sierra Leone by an investigative team in Freetown. Kallon named four newspapers as being clandestinely financed by President Kabbah’s government. Kallon’s investigative team’s findings were published at LEONENET-UMBC and the article soon provoked a firestorm of aggressive responses from forumites who grilled Kallon about the credibility of his assertions. But the journalist yesterday stood behind his story.COCORIOKO too, concerned that some of the newspapers mentioned , like AWOKO and THE DEMOCRAT were edited by men who have demonstrated their integrity before, challenged Kallon about the authenticity of the story , but the journalist remained unmoved, and stating that the story was true asked this newspaper to publish the story and print his name there as he and his investigative team were not afraid of the consequences. READ MR. KALLON’S ARTICLE I was vfinally able to get this expose from my inv estigative team in EDITORS OF AWOKO, AWARENESS TIMES, NEW VISION,DEMOCRAT,THE NEWS,AND
EX-AMBASSADOR LEIGH COMES OUT SWINGING AT CRITICS Thursday March 9 , 2006 Hard-hitting former Sierra Leone Ambassador to the U.S, Mr. John Ernest Leigh, has responded stoutly to those individuals who criticised his recent views about Prospective Presidential aspirant , Charles Margai and his political party , the People’s Movement for Democratic Change ( PMDC) . Talking about all the views so far expressed by his critics , Mr. Leigh complained that :”It seems from such writings that with some people, everything Sierra Leonean is said, written or done with an evil, ulterior motive. This is not necessarily the true situation in every case at all. ” .In fact, it is now learnt from the former diplomat that the letter that has brought all the furor was leaked to the public. READ THE FULL LETTER
STOP THE HYSTERICAL OVERREACTION. I DISRESPECTED NO ONE � John E. Leigh
This reply is in response to positions articulated by Messrs. Ekundayo Cole, Dr. Baimba Kamara, Mundo Tombo and S. I. Kamara in yesterday’s edition of Cocorioko.
In reading responses in opposition to my rebuttal to a Freetown newspaper report (claiming that three so-called born-again Kammajors have disclosed a plot to assassinate the leader of a newly formed political party in Sierra Leone), it is clear that the proper comprehension of written statements in ordinary English Language has suffered significant degradation, probably hand-in-hand, much less with the general degradation of Sierra Leone’s once vaulted pre-independence educational standards, but more so with the desperate state of politics in Sierra Leone.
It seems from such writings that with some people, everything Sierra Leonean is said, written or done with an evil, ulterior motive. This is not necessarily the true situation in every case at all. Some Sierra Leoneans do things, argue a position or defend a situation honestly, merely because they believe that such is the right, proper and correct thing to say, write or do and for no other reason whatsoever.
MR. EKUNDAYO COLE OF THE UK
Thus, my rebuttal to the born-again Kammajor disclosure in the Evening Scoop, does not mean I am out to lick Kabbah or Berewa or any other individual as Mr. Ekundayo Cole incorrectly concluded in his e-mail to Cocorioko. How can I be said to be licking government boots when I wrote matter-of-factly in the same e-mail that:
“Today, our country is a very peaceful place, even amidst fantastic poverty, unsatisfied want, vast inconveniences, hardship and very poor national leadership..”?
If certain people are burdened with guilty consciences based on chronic ulterior intentions in their daily dealings with others, they may wish to understand that it is not proper to automatically extrapolate their guilty ulterior ways to others as Mr. Cole seems to be doing in his attack on me.
Throughout most of my tenure in Washington, I encountered Sierra Leone officials who automatically ascribed their own ulterior motives on to me, believing I would behave like them in like or similar circumstances when, low and behold, my culture of service is diametrically opposed to theirs. People like Mr. Cole should begin to learn to understand that some of our people may have an upbringing, a belief system and service standard totally different from his. Thank you very much.
For the information of PDMC supporters and sympathizers, I have never limited PMDC’s support ONLY to san san boys, etc., nor do I disrespect such people. I used the word ?MOSTLY’ to describe those who make a lot of noise on our streets on behalf of PMDC and at non-political functions such as at CKC’s last November and in only four specific towns – Freetown, Bo, Kenema and Koidu but who are nevertheless powerless to make Mr. Margai important enough politically for anyone of his political rivals to warrant the assassination attempt that was reported in the Evening Scoop last Wednesday.
Again, I am not saying here that Mr. Margai is not important. I am only saying that his political importance, based on my experience in Sierra Leone, does not rise to a level wherein anyone of his rivals would want to kill him as reported by the Evening Scoop.
PMDC has, of course, other supporters other that those I identified but those more ?powerful’ ones are silent and few and far between in comparison to those of the other parties. Some are silent out of prudence because of legitimate fears of possible retaliation and victimization – conduct known to have happened in Sierra Leone.
Others are silent because, in my experience, they appear to prefer others to do the job of electing their party candidates or tend to limit their support merely to letters, biased articles and commentaries on the World Wide Web or do the usual ?lip service’.
I can tell you that those in Sierra Leone who look to the PMDC for positive change are not entirely happy with the state of affairs in their party or the way the heralded ?Third Force’ has been distorted. But such supporters still have time to work and make a difference for a better Sierra Leone via their new party.
DR. BAIMBA KAMARA OF HOUSTON, TX
I now turn to Dr. Baimba Kamara’s slashing broadside against my reference to San-san boys, etc. But in attacking me, Dr. Kamara appears not to fully understand from whence I was coming in making my case against the likelihood of any assassination plot in Sierra Leone.
My reference to noisemakers has nothing to do with denigrating anyone or disrespecting any soul – not least of whom are those honest laboring people struggling to make a living against man-made difficulties. My reference to San-san boys, etc. was thus solely to explain the political powerlessness of much of PMDC’S visible support base in the scheme of things in our country for the sole purpose of establishing that the said assassination plot is a mere fiction as the said target of the plot does not appear to me as a significant political threat warranting anyone of his rivals to kill him.
Further, I never made any reference to market men or women, nor called any one “hoodlums” as Dr. Kamara incorrectly ascribed to me. And I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Kamara that people earning their living honestly are good people, who are important to the success of our society but who our government has badly let down – a situation that I have repeatedly railed against in writing and in speech and will continue to do so.
I also answer in the affirmative Dr. Kamara’s proposition that such people deserved and ought to be helped by our government. I truly respect these people and empathize with them. Nevertheless, these hardworking people are not powerful enough for their groups to have been able to elevate Mr. Margai to a position where he becomes a political threat sufficiently threatening to any of his rivals so that one of them might have plotted his assassination as reported by the Evening Scoop last Wednesday.
Moreover, I would like Dr. Kamara & Co. to understand that in our country, market men and women, traders, farmers and many people are influenced more by authority figures with power, patronage and resources to distribute, than by those I have identified as powerless to help their communities. Such is the plain fact whether one likes it or not.
The above are the points I was trying to make in my leaked e-mail to establish the fact that there is no likelihood whatsoever that the Evening Scoop assassination plot report is accurate.
Saying the truth does not mean that I am disrespecting any one or saying that Mr. Margai is not important or of zero political threat, etc.
In addition, the fact that I sought to prove that the Evening Scoop report is untrue does not mean that I “have suddenly diverted my good cause of fighting for the rights of our people or that Sierra Leone has two John Leighs” as Dr. Kamara asked. I am merely stating that the Evening Scoop assassination plot story is pure fiction for the reasons stated in my leaked e-mail.
For your information, I am the sole John Leigh in Sierra Leone who will forever remain true to my record as an unyielding fighter for the legitimate rights of all the people of Sierra Leone.
As for Dr. Kamara’s interpretation that I concluded that Mr. Margai is not a political factor in Sierra Leone, Dr. Kamara ought to understand that my statements cannot be interpreted in isolation but should be read in the context in which my private e-mail was written. My considered conclusion was that Mr. Margai ?is not a political factor in Sierra Leone sufficient enough to warrant any of his political rivals arranging his assassination as reported by the ?Evening Scoop’ last Wednesday.
Of course, Mr. Margai is a political factor in his own right but not a political factor with a stature warranting an assassination plot as reported by the Evening Scoop.
With regard to Dr. Kamara’s inquiry as to whom, as between Mr. Margai and I, is a bigger political factor in Sierra Leone today, I can say that Mr. Margai is certainly the bigger political factor. This is because he is currently a presidential candidate and leader of his own party while I merely ran for my party’s leadership position nearly six months ago and, poor me, I am now merely on the sidelines evaluating other opportunities in and out of politics.
But who is or is not the bigger political factor is not the real issue. In fact, I care nothing about such comparisons. The point I stated was that based on the knowledge I gained during my month-long nationwide visit to Sierra Leone last month, Mr. Margai is not a sufficient political factor to warrant any one of his rivals attempting to assassinate him as reported by the Evening Scoop.
As for the Makeni ConBention, Dr. Kamara was not the only one bruised by the crooked happenings there and the treatment inflicted upon me. I have already written an extensive report on the farce that was Makeni. Please feel free to review my view of the Makeni ConBention in www.changesierraleone.org. I stand squarely behind that writing.
In the meantime, I want to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Kamara for his concerns about my then plight during the ConBention. I am grateful. You were not alone.
In reading my ConBention report, Dr. Kamara, will no doubt discover that I was not double crossed by the SLPP in Makeni at all. Rather, the contest for the leadership was nothing but crooked politrics at its worse that damaged the party and its leadership across our land and internationally. For about a month or so after the ConBention, the atmosphere in the SLPP heartland and most of the country was one of sorrow, consternation and anger.
As we all know, the Makeni crookedness was partly responsible for the establishment of the PMDC. I chose to remain in the SLPP and fight it out rather than run away like some people. So far, my culture is never to cut and run like Mobutu’s soldiers. My culture is to stay and fight regardless of personal benefits or losses because I am after what is right and proper for society at large rather than for personal profits. No one knows what the future holds.
In response to Dr. Kamara’s remaining questions, there is no doubt that Mr. Margai is a true Sierra Leonean and that every Sierra Leonean has the right to contest for the presidency – and I never implied otherwise. All I said in my private e-message was that the Evening Scoop’s article about a purported assassination plot against Mr. Margai can not based on facts for the reasons I enumerated.
MR. MUNDA TOMBO OF BO
This brings me to Mr. Munda Tombo’s attack piece glorifying personalities who helped ruin the APC, and who then crossed over with their dirty tricks to damage the SLPP members at the Makeni ConBention. Those are the same politricsters who orchestrated the Makeni affair after illegally staying in office for four years instead of two and not once calling a meeting of the party’s National Executive Council during the entire period. But who suddenly in August organized the ConBention to improperly accelerate the election date of the Party Leader position by 18 months ahead of the regular convention time. These facts are all set forth in www.changesierraleone.org
Undiplomatic Diplomat
As for Mr. Tombo’s gratuitous reference to the late Mrs. Kabbah, I have dealt decisively with a similar ignorant statement before in the Sierra Leone press. But some ignorant people still remain steep in their darkness, unable to learn or get educated on this issue.
The ?undiplomatic diplomat’ issue that some detractors still proclaim in their emptiness clearly fits the truism that “where ignorance is bliss, it is funny to be wise”. Here is the full story. You will understand the ignorance.
AS the last Century was approaching its end, disinterested or “dull” observers of international affairs failed to recognize the need for changes in the then existing diplomatic practice among nations that was once associated with a time period when only legitimate practices by law-abiding sovereign states were the norm. Fortunately for the suffering, abused people in Sierra Leone, their ambassador in Washington was quick to see the need to change certain established diplomatic practices then common to all nations.
With the advent of rogue criminal states towards the end of the last Century, I believed that newer diplomatic norms had to be invented to deal effectively with the criminalization of state power for adventures abroad, especially against innocent civilians in our country, by certain criminal heads of state hiding under the then all important cloak of state sovereign immunity.
I am very proud to say that I was one of the very first individuals holding a diplomatic position anywhere in the world – if not the very first – who implemented the need for changes in diplomatic practice to put a check to the criminalized powers of rogue heads of states doing mischief abroad for personal commercial profit by orchestrating insurgencies abroad. Such insurgencies included instigating crimes against humanity, as was the case in our country, in other to plunder our natural resources, chiefly diamond gemstones.
At the time, I was very upset at the mindless, unjust punishment inflicted against innocent people and I became desperate to end the unprovoked suffering of our abused people.
I did so by deliberating identifying by name, the rogue sovereign leaders engaged in criminal activities badly damaging to our people and who cowardly acted under the cover of state sovereign immunity and the anonymity provided under the obsolete diplomatic practice of avoiding referring to evil leaders and their countries by their name. But the crimes they had committed in our country were egregious.
Since I was convinced that the world was changing because of the wholesale abuse of sovereign immunity by the emerging criminalized states and the obvious obsolescence of the existing diplomatic usages at the time designed to protect legitimate state affairs, I became convinced that the rest of the world would eventually embrace my initiative.
Accordingly, I disclosed the names of those heads of states who I knew from diplomatic intelligence sources were busy inflicting damage and suffering on our people. At the time, disinterested or non-thinking political types, needlessly criticized as undiplomatic, my highly effective tactic in naming the names of the three culprits then inflicting savage sufferings and ruination on our people. Those dull people failed to realize that identifying by name those criminals then operating under cover of sovereign immunity, helped pushed the world to take notice of state criminality as a threat to international peace and security and soon thereafter, commenced framing policies to stop the violence in Sierra Leone as the first act in the chain of action to stamp out natural resources wars.
The British military intervention in Sierra Leone, the $2.8 billion UN Peace efforts in Sierra Leone and the Kimberly Process Agreement governing the international trade in raw diamonds were direct outcomes of my defining the Sierra Leone war as a war of plunder orchestrated by criminalized states for base commercial profits on one part and the export of revolution to African countries, on the other part and then identifying the sovereign criminals involved.
The whole ignorant “undiplomatic” name-calling began in Conakry when a top government official I visited there incorrectly told me that it was “undiplomatic” to identify a North African Strongman by name. But he was the boss and I knew he was isolated in Guinea so chose not to debate the issue.
The North African strongman had trained and backed RUF’s Foday Sankoh’s war in Sierra Leone via a neighboring collaborator he was guiding to establish another brutal, rogue regime in Sierra Leone. Those dull people in Conakry around that official I visited then began parroting “undiplomatic diplomat” in their gathering campaign to isolate me because they had become fearful of the prominence I had garnered in initiating and waging an eventually successful campaign against the AFRC/RUF coupligan regime.
Nowadays, the practice I initiated in Washington is quite common place among states and international organizations in dealing with rogue criminal leaders attempting to cowardly hide under the cloak of sovereign immunity while orchestrating the committing of violent crimes against humanity. No more anonymity or protection for those criminal types.
If Mr. Tombo is still ignorant of this small Sierra Leone contribution to world civilization, he is free to remain ignorant and ungrateful but he must cease to drag Mrs. Kabbah’s name into his wall of darkness.
Never Blamed Any Tribe
Mr. Tombo’s other lie falsely claimed that I blamed a whole tribe for the AFRC coup of May 25, 1997. I never blamed an entire tribe. I merely identified the hometown tribal link of the brutal coupligan ringleaders who were hell bent on keeping illicit power by any barbaric means. And I did so only well into the life of that coup regime and only when the suffering in Sierra Leone became unbearable with no relief in sight and during a period when the town’s mates, tribal associates and relatives of the perpetrators not only did nothing to check the excesses of their coupligan brethren, but only when some of them appeared ready to exploit their illicit advantages and profits from the unlawful seizure of power by their compatriots and fellow tribesmen.
In identifying the hometown heritage of the coupligans’ ringleaders, my objective was to nudge their people and their uninvolved elders to talk to their brutal brethren so they may negotiate a settlement to end their violence against civilians as well as terminate their unacceptable seizure and occupation of civilian constitutional offices.
Failing that, my secondary objective in identifying the main coupligans’ hometown was to isolate and thus weaken them so they could be defeated and thus free our suffering people from intolerable bondage. As it were, every individual I identified as a top coupligan was charged with at least one serious criminal offence following their eviction by ECOMOG. To now falsely claim that I blamed a whole tribe many, many years after he enjoyed the fruits of my labor is ungrateful and dumb.
To me, identifying by name and location of both the foreign and internal aggressors against our people during the catastrophic war of plunder against innocent civilians, was the surest way to help to bring closure to one of the most painful and sorriest chapters in the post-slave trade history of Sierra Leone.
If Mr. Munda Tombo still does not understand these issues and tactics, if he is still ignorant of the facts, he ought to try to have a conversation with me, possibly over poyo in his village, during my next visit to his area. I will be honored by his invitation.
Nigeria
After exposing his ?undiplomatic diplomat’ ignorance, Mr. Tombo then seeks to make issue with his claim that the Leighs are flourishing in Nigeria. If that’s true, but why must it be so? Has he ever tried to operate a business in Sierra Leone or in Nigeria or in Ghana? Is Mr. Munda Tombo flourishing in Bo? If not, why not?
I would definitely like to bring lots of business investments into Sierra Leone but why should I when the government is willfully holding my $90,000 for no just cause for several years now? How can I honestly tell investors with a straight face that our government is manned by decent people who truly understand the sanctity of contracts as well as the true nature of business obligations? Regrettably, I can’t at this point in time because the facts speak for themselves and should I misstate the facts, my declarations will be countered by Transparency International, the International Crisis group and a host of other NGOs concerned about the state of mankind in Sierra Leone.
And guess who the investors would believe: me or Transparency International?
Again, I would very much like to invest in Sierra Leone but here is what happened when I first tried to do so years back.
In 1979, I lost approximately $100,000 in Sierra Leone trying to establish a branch business in my homeland because bookshops (including Fourah Bay College Bookshop) were too poor to pay their debts and because of some employee shenanigans. During the interregnum, I invested over $150,000 of my family’s hard earned money to fight the coupligans via obtaining international support to put the duly elected government back in its rightful place in our country.
Many people now know the payback I received from those who benefited the most for the genuine sacrifice I made to restore peace and constitutionality in Sierra Leone.
Investment Preconditions
Mr. Tombo should understand that business flows to countries where there are markets, productive capacity and civilized standards of governance and leadership.
If the market base is very narrow or the infrastructure non-existent or primitive as in Sierra Leone and if darkness is constant; if there are Himalayas of garbage constantly piled up on city streets; if teachers, nurses and other public officials are compelled to work without pay for long periods of months; if there exists a large underclass of unemployed or insufficiently gainfully employed; if the population lacks sufficient food; if salaries are meager; if the exchange value of the national currency is constantly in a state of degradation; if the ports are corruptly and inefficiently managed; if diseased dogs are allowed to freely roam the streets; if dorty-box chickens perambulate at will in most garbage heaps; if the justice system keeps poor people in horrific jails for long periods of time without trial or bail and if bail imposed is frequently unreasonable or excessive; if court cases are frequently postponed until witnesses and/or the participants die; if law reports of actual cases are not regularly published; if lawyers are allowed to swindle their clients fiti fata; if the top leaders spend a disproportionate amount of public resources on themselves and their close associates, relatives and friends; if international watchdog organizations such as Transparency International, International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch, Global Witness, Amnesty International, etc. constantly turn out well-researched but unfavorable reports on that country; if productive people are marginalized and marginal people rewarded, promoted and pampered; if nepotism and favoritism determines public decisions; if a country appears to distance itself from secular, civilized nations governed on the basis of democracy, the rule of law, science, technology and innovations but seems to embrace rogue states and/or unprogressive theocratic nations; if political parties are corruptly led and opt for ConBentions rather than genuine democratic conventions, etc., etc., then in many of such circumstances, that nation is unlikely to attract long term capital in sufficient quantities to fuel sustainable economic growth.
In the absence of clean, long term capital, backwardness spreads nationwide and becomes the predominant feature of the country. Short term, fly-by-night capital then steps in to fill the vacuum and rip off the people, bribing public officials as a matter of course. Hardship continues and when the time is ripe, another Foday Sankoh or a new set of coupligans emerges. Mr. Tombo should be aware that long term capital insists on genuine stability based on good governance. Such is yet to emerge in our country.
Even so, Mr. Tombo would be pleased to know that, recently, I begun inquiries to establish businesses in Sierra Leone but I am first experimenting with a number of minor investments in an attempt to gauge the mentality of our people towards work and the assumption of responsibility. When the time and conditions are ripe and proper, Mr. Tombo can count on my continued commercial intervention in Sierra Leone.
Phony San-San Boys Issue
I have already addressed most of the other points Mr. Tombo mentioned regarding San San boys, Honda riders, RUF ex-combatants, etc., in responding to the issues raised by Dr. Kamara. Those who know me understand fully that I believe that our hardworking and poverty-stricken underclass needs government assistance more than any other group.
During my campaign for the SLPP leadership position I articulated my plans to address the plight of all poor people in Sierra Leone but instead of a genuine party convention in Makeni, an unholy ConBention was thrust upon us. Supporters asked me to take legal action but I cannot invest in the courts because I am not sure that our country possesses an independent judiciary at all.
Next, I agree with Mr. Tombo that there are many evil opportunists in politics like some of those he named but Rome was not built in a day. Reforms will take time, patience and skillful hard work. Therefore, it is incumbent on the progressive party members to remain in the SLPP and strive to cleanse it rather than take the low road and run way to join others in a one-man show, some of whose top aides are known to me as just as evil and opportunistic as those who they are running away from.
SLPP is an institution that has survived the test of times. PMDC is a one-man show based on the announced benevolent dictatorship. I believe that long after the demise of PMDC, I will continue to help working to strengthen the SLPP to its genuine democratic greatness
At the Bo 2002 Convention, I truthfully tried to explain that a bribe-giving future SLPP MP was not the genuine leader of SLPP North America. What then happened during the Convention when two now-discredited SLPP ex-APC officials rudely ordered me to ?sit down, shut up and go back to America’ after I had helped pay for the party to be elected in 1996 and then helped exiles out of the Conakry mudflats in 1998, is clearly a precursor to the 2005 ConBention in Makeni and the creation of splinter parties. When good people like Mr. Tombo sit down and do nothing in the face of egregious wrongdoing, wrongdoings will escalate and innocent people may be swallowed up in its wake. Party splits will emerge.
No Legitimate Political Polls Taken
Lastly, I never took a poll while in Sierra Leone and certainly I did nothing under the influence of poyo or mampama as Mr. Tombo is asserting. I am a man of moderation and fairness. Throughout my travels in Sierra Leone, I merely had friendly informal conversations with some refreshments with farmers, traders, youths, students, teachers, miners, nurses, paramount chiefs, Regent Chiefs, Section Chiefs, Honda riders, travelers, taxi drivers, diners, villagers, workers and pedestrians across our land. Most people had no idea what my identity was. But whatever happened cannot be inflated into a genuine political poll.
S. I. KAMARA
I now conclude this report by addressing those issues raised by S. I. Kamara but not addressed above.
But again, the published report was a private e-mail not meant for publication and was intended solely to demonstrate that a purported assassination plot against Mr. Margai of the PMDC could not have been based on facts for the reasons started in my e-mail.
References to certain classes of people were never intended to insult anyone but merely to show that known supporters of Mr. Margai were not sufficiently powerful to position their man politically in such a way as to invite assassination attempts from his rivals. That’s all to it. My respect for our very poor people is unshakable and second to none and I will do all I can to help as much as I can, those of my fellow citizens who strive to forge ahead lawfully.
For your information, I never asked Mr. Margai to cede leadership to me at any time for any reason including age. It is Margai who came to me repeatedly asking me to join PMDC under his lightweight leadership. I only reacted to numerous annoying attempts by Mr. Margai and his people to recruit me by making clear that under no circumstances will I serve under any one with lesser achievements than I. That never meant I wanted Mr. Margai to cede any type of leadership to me. I am not interested in hijacking the Third Force much talked about last year and I have no interest in becoming part of it as long as reforms within SLPP are possible.
The claim that I am full of hyperbole or cannot speak Krio is pure rubbish. My political stance is well known and consistent. I never bend with the prevailing political wind. I stay and fight it out until victory is won!
Moreover, I speak perfect Krio. People leave Kankan and Futa to live in Freetown and within six months or less speak perfect Krio. I grew up in Freetown in my Creole father’s home from age six months onwards, schooled in Freetown in Krio schools, taught by Krio teachers, attended Krio Churches until my “A” Levels before coming to the USA.
Moreover, many of the crooks who ruined Sierra Leone spoke or speak excellent Krio. Siaka Stevens, Momoh, Foday Sankoh and all the crooks mentioned by Mr. Tombo and others, etc. all spoke perfect Krio. Yet their Krio-speaking skills produced little to uplift the lives of our people. This shows that shallow minded people do not fully understand the criteria for effective leadership. Foolish people place premium on nonsensical factors that have nothing to do with improving the lives of our people and encouraging the planting of civilizing standards in Sierra Leone.
I have already explained my attitude regarding san-san boys, etc. and the context in which reference was made to those groups of people in my leaked e-mail. I need not repeat it here. Suffice it to say that I have abused no one nor denigrate any one at any time.
I pray that S. I. Kamara’s comprehension of the English Language will improve to the level where he can comfortably read my essays and fully comprehend every one of the meaning truly intended as written. I pray that S. I. Kamara never again rushes to conclusion without a thorough understanding of the writing he is attacking.
I am not involved in any so-called diatribe against any one. I am stating the plain facts as I understood them to be based on first hand experience. S. I Kamara should please re-read his own writing and compare it with mine and then judge for himself who is writing an ineffective diatribe out of the miscomprehension of plain written English.
CONCLUSION
In sum, my reference to low grade noise makers in my private e-mail has nothing to do with abusing or denigrating any one. In fact, I truly respect all our struggling people and wish they are more powerful. My reference to some of the type of people who are apparent PMDC supporters merely shows that part of Mr. Margai’s support base lacks the power necessary to propel him to the point where he is a political threat sufficient to warrant a rival plotting to assassinate him as claimed by Evening Scoop, a Freetown newspaper last Wednesday.
Lastly, it seems that some PMDC supporters are shocked to learn from me that I do not share their optimism regarding their view of the purported political threat which their leader poses to his opponents. These PMDC supporters must not get hysterical and rush to write allegations lacking any factual basis. Instead, they ought to be patient for there is yet time to build a democratic institution that will survive into the long term and be a Force to reckon with, come May 2007.
I agree with S. I. Kamara that Sierra Leone is my motherland and fatherland. I would like to assure him that I am committed to help our country develop economically, socially and politically. My instrumentation is through the SLPP. Others are through the APC or the PMDC. As citizens we are each free to make our individual choices without offending the other.
Thank you for your attention. March 7, 2006
CHARLES MARGAI EXPRESSES SURPRISE AT HIS ARREST
Wednesday March 1, 2006
By Chernor Ojuku Sesay
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kabia and one Mr. Coker attached to the Freetown Magistrate Court No 3, presided over by Bankole Shyllon, yesterday raided lawyer and leader of PMDC, Charles Margai’s office at No. 40 Rawdon Street, Freetown with a Bench Warrant signed by Magistrate Shyllon. The warrant was for the arrest of Charles Margai and others for ?Failing To Appear‘ before him on 21st February this year.
Speaking in his office yesterday, Mr. Margai said that he is surprised to receive a Bench Warrant because since his matter was transferred from Bo to Freetown, there was no letter from the Registrar of the High Court or clerk of a lower court to inform him that he should appear in court on 21st February. He added that he is ready at any time to appear in court. He further said “I know that the Warrant is politically motivated”.
After the execution of the Bench Warrant ordered by the Magistrate of Court No.3 presided over by Bankole Shyllon, Mr. Margai informed the court that he was brought to court as a result of a Bench Warrant issued to him for his failure to appear in court with ten other persons. He maintained that “we were facing charges in a court in Bo and the matter was transferred to the Freetown High Court presided over by Judge Ademusu and the matter was later brought to a Freetown Magistrate Court without my knowledge”, adding “since that time, there was no notice given to me and the ten others. I only heard the rumour last week that there is a Bench Warrant prepared for me and the others”.
He further stated that he is afraid that the Bench Warrant will lead to his “false imprisonment”. He also applied for the discharge of the Bench Warrant.
In his ruling, Magistrate Bankole Shyllon agreed with Mr. Margai’s arguement and added that the case file that was allocated to his Court No.3 did not contain the proper information. The warrant was therefore squashed. Margai was set free with his supporters singing and dancing behind him from the court building to his Rawdon street offce. Bobson Sesay Goes Into Hiding By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Friday February 24, 2006 Tueaday this week was ?a black Friday at the Lands Ministry, Youyi Building in Freetown. Thousands of people who had applied for allocation of state lands for development purposes converged at the Lands Minister Dr. Bobson Sesay’s office at the Lands Ministry, to vent their anger and disgust over what they described as Dr. Sesay’s “embezzlement” of their monies and state funds, “for campaign purposes“. S peaking to this Correspondent on Tuesday, a number of the aggieved and anxious land seekers said inter-alia that, for several years now, their respective land allocation documents have not been processed, because according to them, there are people who come from the USA and other Western countries who pay him (Dr. Sesay) hefty sums in US dollars or Pounds Sterling for the purpose of attaining land without going through the proper channel. The aggrieved people maintained among other things that they have been present on dozens of occasions spanning over two years to date, in which they had gone to see Dr. Bobson Sesay concerning their land allocation applications but that, he had side-stepped their calls by inviting into his office people who they could clearly discern had come from abroad and where seeking land.
The aggrieved people went further to accuse Dr. Bobson Sesay of encouraging tribalism; incompetence and a man who pretends to not be involved in corrupt practices, yet does not have any qualms about “chopping” people’s money in exchange for state lands. They cited a number of cases including the one at Hill Top View (a wide expanse of land) at Hill Station in Freetown, which they were made to understand had been surveyed and apportioned for use by extra-needy Sierra Leonean applicants for state lands.
However, according to one woman who begged anonymity for fear of not ever getting the land she applied for, “what Dr. Sesay is doing is to take or remove by force those people who had occupied this land for years; and then goes ahead without any qualms to sell plots of this land to the highest bidder“.
The woman went on to say that another area where Dr Sesay has infiltrated for the sake of selling to highest bidders is the Peninsula Area in Freetown. She maintained that as far as she knows, most of the spare lands from Waterloo to Goderich and beyond that are in the Peninsula Area, have been sold off to people who have “ready cash“, while those who do not, but are doing their best to obey the rules in attaining state lands are snubbed. She went to on say that at anytime she and the other applicants attempt to know the progress of their respective applications for lease of state lands for development purposes, their attempts are rebuffed by the Lands Minister, Dr. Bobson Sesay, who to avoid meeting and talking with them, directs them to see the acting Director of Surveys and Lands, one Mr. Jones who in like manner, redirects them to see either the Lands Minister or to see some other lesser Lands Ministry officials. “This is not only embarrassing but also a show of disregard for honest citizens” she said. She added that the said Mr. Jones is notorious for demanding “special fees” just to sign land ownership documents
In a similiar vein, a group of amputees who claimed that they had applied and had been approved to take possession of a piece of land situated at Lumpa, some miles away from Waterloo in the east of Freetown, complained that recently, they saw some people entering the said land, brandishing documents purporting that the said land had been sold to them by Dr. Sesay for $8,000 (eight thousand United States dollars). They maintained among other things that when they confronted the group of strangers on the day in question, they were told that they (amputees) should contact the Lands Minister Dr. Bobson Sesay. They added that when they eventually spoke with Dr. Sesay a few days later, he promised to come to Lumpa to settle the dispute. “And true to his word, Dr. Sesay came the very next day” one of the amputees said. However, according to the amputees, Dr. Sesay after hearing the two sides, said that he had never at anytime, given the land in question to the amputees. But an amputee who described himself as the leader of the group, showed this Correspondent a number of receipts totalling Le 5,000,000 (five million leones) as payment for the land in question.
As at press time yesterday, the gates leading to the Lands Ministry on the third floor of Youyi Building, Brookfields were padlocked by angry mobs including the amputees. They were demanding that unless Dr. Sesay resign from his position or revokes the “bad decisions” he had taken, they would resort to doing everything in their power to not only unseat him, but also to ensure that he never takes any seat in any future government.
Nigerian, Salone man & Police in $ 889,000 419 scam By Chernor Ojuku Sesay
Thursday February 16, 2006 The Sierra Leone Police and our courts seem to be unable to stop the spate of crimes perpetrated by 419ers believed to be Sierra Leoneans and Nigerian nationals.The most recent one was when one Nigerian, Iasiah King Sambo and Bai Kargbo, a Sierra Leonean alias Capitalist, duped two British nationals to the tune of $317,000 for the purpose of selling them gold which later turned out to be copper dust.
It is almost three weeks now since the matter was reported to the Major Incidents Support Team (MIST) on the ground floor of the Police Headquarters, George Street in Freetown that is supervised by the Director of C.I.D. Mr. M. Lappia. Though senior Police officers are said to have denied ?palm-greasing‘ from these 419ers, inside sources maintained that the investigations are being carried out at a snail pace. There are records to show that this is not the first time Mr. King Sambo is being interrogated by the Police whilst he has a number of cases he is facing in the courts for similiar offences. Sometime in December last year, King Sambo was alleged to have duped one Sierra Leonean, Madam Melvina and her fianc� Mr. Wyne, a Japanese-American. The sum of $122,000 and the matter charged wrongly and neither was there a Prosecutor to prosecute the matter in the court. This matter was subsequently thrown out of court. Melvina and her partner as a result, were frustrated and flew back to the USA from where they came, but not without saying that they would spread the news in the USA about Sierra Leoneans colluding with crooked Nigerians to defraud genuine investors. “We shall tell Americans not to invest in Sierra Leone”, Madam Melvina said.
In yet another incident early this year, Mr. King Sambo was alleged to have fleeced a Spanish national $45,000. The Spanish having got the record of the operations of our courts and the Police system never forwarded the matter for prosecution.
A case of false declaration was also at Court No.6, presided over by Magistrate Davies-Cole when King Sambo made a false declaration purporting to be a Sierra Leonean and had obtained two Sierra Leone passports
In a way,Gambia continues to survive as a democracy because of the stature, philosophy and incorruptibility of men like Halifa Sallah, Sidia Jatta, Sam Sarr and a host of good guys in their party: The Peoples’ Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism(PDOIS).
Even in the Jawara era, these men did point out the ills , corruption and naked display of wealth by Jawara and cohorts. Yet ,Sir Dauda was always magnanimous in the sense that he never , to my knowledge ,ever arrest Halifa and comrades for opposing his regime. Rather , what he would do was to propagate the view to ordinary Gambians that Halifa and the PDOIS were communists bent on a redistribution of everything in the country including cattle and wives. In a predominantly muslim and polygamous society — the menfolk in the provinces would be incensed against PDOIS.
The message of PDOIS continued to air till the July 22nd 1994 coup d’etat that brought in Yayah Jammeh and his khaki boys. In the hey days of the the Jammeh administration , he did pay homage to the efforts of progressive forces like Halifa ,Sidia and the PDOIS. As an acknowledgement , he (Jammeh) invited Halifa to join the military junta.
In an Africa where people would hardly reject ministerial appointments due to the principles, Halifa rejected the offer on the principled grounds that he or any member of his party refuse to serve in a government that was not elected by the people.
When Jammeh first attempted to clamp down on the press by decreeing the non–publication of any newspaper in the country without first seeking the approval of the junta, Halifa Sallah again challenged Jammeh by publishing the party newsletter—Foroya.
This was done on the principled grounds that a junta which purports to have seized power to free the people cannot clamp down on their right to free __expression. Again the junta capitulated by releasing the arrested journalists.
In several incidences like these , the PDOIS stood for justice and the right to democracy as desired by Gambians ,while others cowered and compromised with the junta.
The actions of Halifa and other well-meaning Gambians nudged Yayah to his current re-incarnation as a democratic president .
Much has pased under the bridge since July 22nd 1994. But a testament of infrastructural development unprecendented since independence in 1965 is visible. Gambians may not be eating as much as they did in the Jawara era; but they now live in cities that are much more improved infrastructurally even by modern wordly standards . Banjul in 2005 is quite different from the Banjul in “Stranger in Banjul”(an article written by Baffour Ankomah) in the New African Magazine , August 1991.
Even amidst the current economic austerity , Gambia still enjoys an enviable average economic standard of living by West African standards; better than Sierra Leone, Ghana and even Nigeria. Thus in essence , Mr. Jammeh may not be doing so bad afterall. But to lock up people like Halifa and other politicians who continue to be the collective conscience of the country does not auger well for that great little country. He has to release all political prisoners and fix a specific constitutional term limit for the Chief Executive.
Then and only then would Yahya Jammeh have carved a niche for himself as a young , ambitious and visionary dread ,who seized power in his country and ended developing it. But for him to continue to stay in power without a stipulated two or three term presidential limit would be tantamount to reliving the Jawara syndrome of an ‘OVERSTAY ‘ in power;which was the main reason advanced by him for staging the July 22nd 1994 coup d’etat.
By Tambayama Alpha Lebbie.
The author wrote for both the Daily Observer and Independent newspapers and also taught in The Gambia for seven years. Gov’t to Account for $36m
By Chernor Ojuku Sesay
Thursday January 26, 2006
Civil society organization members have said even though the European Union (EU) in recent months donated a total of $36m towards the food security drive, “very little has been achieved.” Information gathered by thiscorrespondent indicates that the said $36m donor support was especially meant to improve on areas such as road networks, health, education and food security. However, several civil society groups including donor agencies and the FAO Right to Food Secretariat, farmers and other stakeholders, claim that the manner in which the fund was allocated and utilized lacked accountability and called for a proper investigation to be carried out so as to know how the fund was used and who the beneficiaries were. Responding to questions on the above anomaly, the Director of Agriculture in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Patrick Hammer, said “the Ministry did not receive any money from the EU for food security.” He added that though he was aware of such a fund, the Ministry is yet to officially receive it. He went on to say that as far as accountability goes, the National Revenue Authority (NRA) is the proper body to tell the public how the said money was spent and who benefited from it.
?UNIOSIL’s mandate is just for one year’
By Chernor Ojuku Sesay
Wednesday January 18 , 2006
“After UNAMSIL’s withdrawal, the United Nations will continue to assist Sierra Leone in the consolidation of peace and sustainable development. To that end, the Security Council has established, by its Resolution 1620 of 31 August 2005, the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), with a mandate for an initial period of one year beginning 1st January 2006.”
These were the words of the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General and also the UNDP Resident Coordinator, and now the newly appoointed head of the special UN team in Sierra Leone, Victor J. Angelo. He made this disclosure at a High-Level Consultations on Peace Consolidation and Sustainable Development in Sierra Leone, which took place at UNIOSIL Staff Club, Mammy Yoko, Aberdeen recently. It was jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations.
He also said that the key tasks outlined in the mandate of the new United Nations presence (UNIOSIL) are to assist the government in building the capacity of state institutions, enhancing good governance, transparency and accountability, “to strengthening the rule of law, including developing the independence and capacity of the justice system, strengthening the Sierra Leone security sector and promoting national dialogue and participatory approach in dealing with critical national issues” he said. He further said that, it is an important feature of the post UNAMSIL United Nations presence that will bring together the various resources and capacities of the UN system to support peace consolidation and sustainable development in Sierra Leone.
“UN assistance will also make its primary goal promoting national ownership and sustaining institutional national capacity for conflict prevention. Today’s multi-stakeholders consultation is therefore a first essential step in that direction”, he said. He went on to say that, the formulation of a peace consolidation strategy for Sierra Leone will be a joint endeavor involving all national and international stakeholders, and that it will further contribute to dialogue “the effective coordination in dealing with the post conflict challenges facing Sierra Leone., is a vehicle for an intergrated approach in the UN post-conflict intervention, the strategy will serve as a model for future United Nations peace building support for other countries emerging from conflict.” he noted. BEREWA FAMILY DISAPPROVES MEMORIAL SERVICE PLANNED AT WASHINGTON D.C. Friday January 13, 2006 The Berewa family does not approve the memorial service planned for the late Mrs. Deborah Berewa, wife of Vice-President Solomon Berewa , in the Washington Metropolis by Messrs Mike Akpan, George Wilson, Francis Bundu and Thomas George , a release from the Vice-President’s son-in- law stated today. On January 12, the following information was posted on the COCORIOKO FORUM : ——————————————————————————————————————- Posted by Mike Akpan on January 12, 2006 at 10:06:33: All Sierra Leoneans and Friends of Sierra Leone are invited to a service In memory of Mrs. Deborah Berewa Wife of the Vice-President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. DATE: On Sunday January 15, 2006 WHERE: Takoma Park Municipal Center (Council Chambers) 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland TIME: 2:00 -6:00 PM Refreshments will be served For additional information contact: ——————————————————- Shortly after, the son -in-law of Vice -President Solomon Berewa , Mr. Amos Lansana , called the Editor of this newspaper to enquire the source of the announcement because he said he had spoken to the Vice-President and he has denied knowledge of the memorial ceremony. Mr. Berewa did not even know the individuals involved. Mr. Lansana promised to investigate and publish a response from the family later. Today , he sent us this report : Public Announcement
The family of the Late Mrs. Deborah Selina Boimalo Berewa (Nee Tucker) wishes to inform the general public that the Memorial service slated for Sunday 15th January 2006 at Tacoma Park Municipal Center does not have the expressed authorization of the family and has therefore been cancelled.
The 40th day ceremony and memorial mass for the Late Mrs. Deborah Selina Boimalo Berewa (Nee Tucker) will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on the 29th January 2006. The family will appreciate and accommodate coordinated memorial services on the same day for sympathizers and well-wishers who can not make it to Atlanta.
Details of the 40th day ceremony will be announced later.
Signed: Amos Gana Lansana Son-in-law
SLPP , STAY AWAY FROM DR. ABASS BUNDU By Alpha Saidu Bangura Thursday January 5, 2006 DR. CHERNOR ABASS BUNDU IS A SIERRA LEONEAN WHO WENT TO SCHOOL AT THE EXPENSE OF SIERRA LEONE AND IT PEOPLE.HE WAS GIVEN A SCHOLARSHIP TO AUSTRALIA WHERE HE STUDIED LAW. AFTER RECEIVING HIS FIRST DEGREE , HE WENT TO THE UNITED KINGDOM (U. K.) AND GOT A DOCTORATE FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY.HE WORKED IN THE UK FOR A LONG TIME. IN 1982, HE WAS INVITED BY HIS PEOPLE TO COME MAKE HIS OWN MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SIERRA LEONE. WHEN HE CAME, HE WAS GIVEN A SEAT IN PARLIAMENT AND WAS APPOINTED A MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT UNDER THE SIAKA STEVENS ADMINISTRATION.ALL THROUGH-OUT HIS TENURE AS A MINISTER, IT WAS ALLEGED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN ACTS OF DISHONESTY.TO SAVE THE FACE OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, THE LATE SIAKA STEVENS FIRED ABASS BUNDU FROM HIS CABINET.
WHEN THE LATE PRESIDENT J. S. MOMOH TOOK OVER IN 1985,DR. BUNDU BECAME ONE OF HIS FRIENDS.BY VIRTUE OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP, EX-PRESIDENT J. S. MOMOH RECOMMENDED DR. ABASS BUNDU AS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES( ECOWAS).WHLIE IN THE ECOWAS, DR. BUNDU WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FORMATION OF THE WEST AFRICAN PEACE KEEPING FORCE (ECOMOG).THIS FORCE WAS SENT TO LIBERIA TO MAINTAIN PEACE BETWEEN THE WARRING FRACTIONS.DR. BUNDU AWARDED A CONTACT TO A COMPANY FORMED BY HIS WIFE KADIJA AND MRS. AMINATA OMEGA SHERIFF TO SUPPLY ECOMOG WITH FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES. THIS DEAL BROUGHT HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY INTO DR. BUNDU’S BANK ACCOUNT. THIS WAS A GROSS MANIFESTATION OF THE FACT THAT DR. BUNDU WAS ONLY INTERESTED IN CREATING ECOMOG SO THAT HE WOULD RECEIVE PERSONAL GAINS.WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS TERM IN ECOWAS, HE CAME BACK TO SIERRA LEONE DURING THE DAYS OF A GROUP OF ILL- MANNERED MEN IN MILITARY UNIFORMS, WHO CALLED THEMSELVES THE NATIONAL PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL(N. P. R. C.) GOVERNMENT.HE MANIPULATED THE NPRC TO THE POINT WHERE IN HE WAS APPIONTED SECRETARY OF STATE FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
AS FOREIGN SECRETARY, HE WAS INVOLVED IN A SHADY PASSPORT DEAL. WHEN HE LEFT THE NPRC, HE CONTESTED FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF SIERRA LEONE IN 1996 AND LOST.HIS PARTY THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (P. P. P.) WAS NOT EVEN ABLE TO WIN A SINGLE SEAT IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.ALL REASONABLE PEOPLE WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT ABASS BUNDU IS A NATIONAL REJECT.
AFTER THE 1996 ELECTIONS DR. BUNDU WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE COURT OF MRS. NAOMI TUNIS TO ANSWER TO CHARGES REGARDING TO HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE SALE OF SIERRA LEONE PASSPORTS WHLIE HE WAS FOREIGN SECRETARY UNDER THE ILLEGAL NPRC REGIME. BASED ON THE EVIDENCE ADDUCTED BEFORE THE COURT, DR. BUNDU AGREED TO REFUND THE MONEY HE RECEIVED FROM THE PASSPORT DEAL.WE ARE NOW HEARING DIFFERENT THINGS FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND DR. ABASS BUNDU HIMSELF.IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF SIERRA LEONE I CALL ON PARLIAMENT(THE HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE) TO CONDUCT A PROPER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. DURING THE MAY 1997 COUP DR. BUNDU LOUD AND CLEARLY CONDEMNED THE ENTIRE SLPP AND THE TEJAN KABBA ADMINISTRATION.
BECAUSE IT IS NOW CLEAR TO DR. BUNDU THAT HE CAN NOT WIN ELECTIONS BY HIMSELF, HE RECENTLY, JOINED THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SLPP. I AM SURE HE IS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER SENSITIVE POSITION. I AM MOST RESPECTFULLY APPEALING TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SLPP TO DISCARD DR. ABASS CHERNOR BUNDU BECAUSE HE HAS NO THING GOOD TO OFFER SIERRA LEONE AND ITS PEOPLE.DR. BUNDU HAS CLEARLY PROVED HIS IN-ABILITY TO DELIVER THE GOODS.HE IS A LITTLE MAN TO NO SIGNIFICANCE TO SIERRA LEONE.
FINALLY I CALL ON ALL MY FELLOW SIERRA LEONEANS TO JOIN ME IN PUMPING INTO DR. BUNDU’S BRAINS THAT THERE IS NEVER A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.DR. BUNDU WE’VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU, PLEASE, GIVE WELL MEANING AND SUITABLE SIERRA LEONEAN A CHANCE TO HELP DEVOLOP OUR BELOVED NATION.
SIERRA LEONE ARMY DISMISSALS CALLED ILL-TIMED AND DISTURBING Friday December 23, 2005 Sierra Leone’s Army Chief of Defence Staff, General Sam Mboma , Wednesday announced that 77 military officers who included a Brigadier General and a Second Lietenant , have been fired from the force. The affected soldiers will be told the details of their retirement before their firing takes effect in January next year. But the firing of the 77 officers has been described as ill-timed and disturbing by many Sierra Leoneans interviewed by COCORIOKO yesterday. With the United Nations Peacekeeping Force gone finally just this month, the security concerns caused by the bumping off of military officers have been articulated by Sierra Leoneans. Though Mboma took his time to assure the nation through the press that the dismissal of the army officers had nothing to do with a witch hunt, there were doubts in Sierra Leonean circles in New Jersey yesterday whether the action was not ill-conceived. Mboma stated that the future potentials and suitability of the soldiers had been assessed by the competent boards, but a lot of people are not buying his argument. Mboma further attributed the dismissals to what he described as the weak Sierra Leone economy, which he said , could not support a large army. Sierra Leone’s present military strength is 15, 000 men and people are wondering how the dismissal of 700 made any difference. But Mboma told the press that Sierra Leone wanted to cut its military strength to 10, 000 officers and 930 civilian workers by 2007. Mboma, speaking further , said that the redundancy program was not new .He stated that in 2003, there were 1, 784 dismissals of soldiers from Privates to Lance Corporals aged 28 and 49 years. Now, the exercise is going to involve all ranks from Brigadier to Second Lieutenant. The Sierra Leoneans interviewed yesterday said that Sierra Leone was still too fragile and unstable to have such a large number of soldiers put out of job. They drew attention to the tribal tensions still simmering underneath and the serious crisis between Vice-President Solomon Berewa and Charles Margai on one side and Chief Norman and the SLPP on the other. FOUR EMBASSIES EXPRESS CONCERN OVER CHARLES MARGAI’S ARREST Wednesday December 13, 2005 Four foreign missions in Sierra Leone yesterday expressed concern about the recent arrest of the Leader of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change, Mr. Charles Margai. In a Press Release , a copy of which was sent to COCORIOKO, the four missions advised leaders , politicians and their supporters in Sierra Leone to avoid heightening the political tension in the country. The four foreign missions are the United States and French Embassies, the British High Commission and the European Union ( EU ) , who issued a joint statement . READ THE STATEMENT BELOW Press Release Statement on Arrest of Charles Margai The undersigned diplomatic missions in Sierra Leone note with concerned the We are concerned this may have implications for Sierra Leone’s security and We encourage all parties, their leaders and supporters in Sierra Leone to We hope that the court proceedings against Mr Margai will now proceed We remain in close touch with all parties and continue to monitor Signed, Embassy of France copyright : COCORIOKO Newspaper Online
Margai released on Le 500m bail
By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Cocorioko Correpondent in Freetown
Thursday December 8 , 2005
The Interim leader of the unregistered Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), Charles Francis Margai and eleven of his supporters were this morning granted bail of Le500m each with three sureties in like sum at the Bo town magistrate court.
Speaking to this correspondent on phone on his way back to Freetown, Margai said he had been anticipating his arrest and laughed over what he termed as the ridiculous bail condition. “As a lawyer of 32 years practice, even if we were found guilty of the 11 count charges against us, the fine will not exceed Le300,000. I really wonder whether some of these magistrates do think at all”, he said on phone. Maigai said he was whisked to Bo yesternight via the Makeni/Yele road. “They were afraid to pass through the main highway. They only know why they are afraid”, he added.
A correspondent in Bo working for KISS 104FM told this correapondent that Bo town was virtually on public holiday this morning as neither banks nor shops were opened. Schools remained closed as armed OSD personnel were stationed at strategic positions around the township. He disclosed that after Margai was released on bail, thousands of his supporters thronged the streets of Bo in jubilation and chased his motor convoy to his residence where he addressed them and told them to remain calm, maintain the peace and be steadfast.
He was given a timultous welcome by his supporters when he arrived in Freetown in the evening hours. Opposition leader in Parliament and leader of the APC, Hon Ernest Bai Koroma outrightly condemned the arrest of Charles Margai an act he described as politically motivated. He warned the police to remain neutral in their execution of duties and cited instances when the APC supporters were prevented from holding a meeting in Segbewema and the police could not effect any arrest despite the official report simply because it involved SLPP supporters.
Hon. Koroma added that Margai was charged under the 1965 Public Order Act which he described as obnoxious and said most of the charges are duplicated. He added the APC will come out with a position statement on the Margai arrest. He said such a practice must not be encouraged at this present time when both the peace and democracy in the country are still fragile and the UNAMSIL forces will be leaving the shores of this country on 31st December this year.
In Freetown on Wednesday evening, police had running battles with Margai supporters at the CID HQ were Margai was detained before whisked to Bo. Some of the vehicles parked within the CID had their windscreens damaged(pictures) and the police had to release teargas cannisters to disperse the rioters. The rioters used stones and metals to create road blocks along Siaka Stevens street. The matter has been adjourned to December 19th in Bo.
__________________________________________________ BRITISH CHARITY WANTS TO HELP SIERRA LEONEANS BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES Tuesday December 6, 2005 GOOD GIFTS , a famous online retail company in the United Kingdom , has come up with a brilliant idea that would help Sierra Leone derive maximum benefits from instruments of war that in the past inflicted pain, suffering and death on her citizens. The company is interested in having the prophesies of the Prophets Isaiah and Micah —They will beat their swords into plowshares ( Isaiah 2 :4, Micah 4:3)-fulfilled in Sierra Leone. The company is encouraging people to buy some of the weapons used during the war and donate them for use by enterprising blacksmiths and goldsmiths in the country to produce farming and other implements. According to an online advertisement : “UK online retailer Good Gifts wants you to buy a Kalashnikov rifle (most likely an AK-47) — �25. Or perhaps a rocket launcher (�55). Or a tank, for �1000. Not for your own use, mind you, but to provide the raw materials for enterprising blacksmiths and metalworkers in Sierra Leone, who turn the iron and such into “farm implements… hoes and axe heads… pickaxes, sickles and even school bells.” A single tank will provide a year’s work for 5 blacksmiths, they say, and convert into 3,000 items.” It is a scheme, which, if successful, will bring massive employment into the metalwork industry in Sierra Leone and provide enough farming implements .
NADP Leader Asks Berewa, Margai To Bury The Hatchet
Monday November 28, 2005
National Alliance Democratic Party (NADP) leader, Mohamed Yahya Sillah, has warned presidential aspirants in Sierra Leone not to endanger the lives of Sierra Leoneans by using invitation opportunities for public appearances to advance their 2007 aspirations. Mr. Sillah said it was time for all presidential candidates in Sierra Leone to demonstrate leadership materialism to enable the people make a choice they would not regret. The NADP leader, who is also Chairman of his party, was reacting to events that unfolded in Bo last week. It can be recalled that Vice President Solomon Berewa and the leader of yet to be registered People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), Mr. Charles Margai, had invitations respectively to grace the Price Giving Ceremony and Speech Day at the Christ the King College (CKC) in Bo. Supporters of the two leaders clashed leading to the arrest of Mr. Margai on charges of endangering the life of the Vice President. Mr. Sillah said that it was a mistake for both the Vice President and Mr. Margai to turn the CKC occasion into a political carnival. “I think both Vice President Berewa and Mr. Charles Margai should have kept their supporters at bay. They should have attended the occasion with dignity, delivered messages of hope to the students, even embraced in front of the students as a sign of national unity in spite of political differences. That could have been the best message of a future full of hope for our children,” said the NADP Leader. Mr. Sillah said that after the occasion, the two leaders then could have organized their respective political rallies at different locations where they could purge out their visions for Sierra Leone. If that had happened, he said, that sorry state of events in Bo could have been avoided. Meanwhile, the NADP leader is asking both Vice President Berewa and Mr. Charles Margai to bury the hatchet and move on with their respective campaigns. He said that was necessary for the sake of peace in Sierra Leone. Mr. Sillah is asking the Vice President to use his good offices to drop the charges against Mr. Margai, and Mr. Margai to apologize to the Vice President for suggestions that his supporters’ behavior endangered the Vice President’s life. According to Mr. Sillah, the interest of Sierra Leone other than personal interest should now be the challenge for all those wanting to govern the nation. Mr. Mohamed Yahya Sillah is a candidate for president in the 2007 elections under the banner of the National Alliance Democratic Party (NADP). He can be reached at [email protected]
HINGA NORMAN’S POLITICAL AMBITION IS STILL ALIVE –Says Spokesman of his Campaign Team Monday November 21, 2005 Chief Hinga Norman’s political ambition is still on course, the Spokesman of his Campaign team , Rev. Alfred Samforay told COCORIOKO yesterday. Presently, Rev.SamForay went on, the Chief ‘s Legal Team is working on Part 2 of the Hinga Norman Vs. SLPP saga. It must be recalled that though being tried presently by the Special Court for Sierra Leone for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, Chief Norman ( Pictured Right ) announced his intention to contest the 2007 Presidential Elections under the banner of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP), but his plan was scuttled and he decided to form his own party. It seems however that he is still not done with the SLPP. SAMFORAY’S RESPONSE TO COCORIOKO’S ENQUIRIES The Chief is fine. I believe he and his lawyers are busy preparing for Norman vs. SLPP II before the Sierra Leone Supreme Court. Oral arguments are expected shortly. They are confident they have covered all the loopholes the SC might use to pass on their constitutional responsibilities once again to some silly Party Commission for which Kabbah has nominated two sets of commissioners to Parliament simultaneously. I am working on a piece on that issue and will address you presently.
The Steering Committee to Elect Hinga Norman and their coalition partners are also pursuing their own agenda. According to his legal adviser, Dr. Jabbi, neither the court battle nor the political activities are in conflict with each other. I suppose the so-called special court is still around some where. With no money from donors coming their way soon, they are pinning their hopes on Ellen Johson and Chief Obasanjo to deliver the RUF godfather, Charles Taylor, to them to rejuvinate the near-banckrupt tribunal.
God must have a great sense of humour. Look at all the goofballs he placed at our disposal for leadership.
A. SamForay.
“Condom use is a sin to God”
By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Cocorioko Correspondent in Freetown
Monday November 6, 2005
Al-Sheikh Ahmad Tejen Sillah, Chief Imam of the Freetown Central Mosque has outrightlty condemned the use of Condom as a means of preventing HIV/AIDS. Delivering his Friday sermon during the Jummat prayers, Sheikh Sillah warned all Muslins to desist from the use of condom and added that the rampant advertisement on the use of condom increases promiscuity. “As a devoted Muslim, it is absolutely sinful to practice adultery or fornication. Don’t have any sex affair with another woman besides yours.If you stick to this rule, you’ll gain the kingdom of God and no need to practice that sinful act of using condom”, he told his congregation. Al-Sheikh Sillah also admonished mediacl doctors to ensure that only one needle is used for any patient. The same advise was also given to for Barbers More equipment jet in for Bumbuna HydroFriday October 28, 2005By Chernor Ojuku -SesayCOCORIOKO Correspondent in FreetownMore equipment have arrived at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown for the completion of the Bumbuna Hydro Project
Journalists were last Tuesday taken on a conducted tour by the Italian Company charged with the responsibility of constructing the dam, SALCOST.
SALCOST`S Public Relation Officer, Mohamed Barrie said the machines that are presently being off loaded at the Quay represents 90% of the equipment needed to complete the Hydro.
The offloaded machines, the PRO Stated will be immediately transferred to the site at Bumbuna for installation. He said over 300 Sierra Leoneans are presently working at the Hydro with about 15 expatriate engineers. Though he could not give a specific timetable when the entire work will be completed, he however stated that by the end of 2007, Sierra Leoneans might be breathing a sigh of relief in terms of electricity.
Sierra Leoneans only hope of constant flow of electricity rest on Bumbuna as the capital city of Freetown has long been dubbed the darkest city in the world with generators taking the place of the National Power Authority.
Some areas within the capital have gone for months without electricity. Ports Authority Pays Le 600m To Gov’t By Chernor Ojuku Sesay Cocorioko Correspondent in Freetown The new management of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA) under the leadership of Ghanaian-born Nestor P. Galley, last week Wednesday presented two cheques to President Tejan Kabbah at State Lodge, Hill Station in Freetown. The first cheque of Le 215, 854, 784. 02 (two hundred and fifteen million, eight hundred and fifty four thousand, seven hundred and eighty four leones and two cents), was paid as Corporation Tax out of the yearly profit the parastatal recorded which stands at Le 616, 727, 964. 33 (six hundred and sixteen million, seven hundred and twenty seven thousand, nine hundred and sixty four leones and thirty three cents). The second cheque of Le 120, 261, 951. 09 (one hundred and twenty million, two hundred and sixty one thousand, nine hundred and fifty one leones and nine cents) was paid to government as profit after tax. In his speech before presenting the cheques to President Kabbah, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, Prince Forde said: “We are here this morning to fulfil a very sacred obligation to the government and people of Sierra Leone, the sole owners of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority and also to whole-heartedly thank your Excellency for the series of measures your government has taken to revamp the fortunes of Sierra Leone Ports Authority as the nation’s gateway and major revenue earner. The visit you paid to the Quay in June 2004, and the observations and benchmarks that you set up for the Port during that visit are very much in focus in all that we do at present. “I will be remiss in my duties if at the outset, I fail to pay special tribute to the role the National Commission for Privatization (NCP) and in particular its Chairman Mr. A R Turay continue to play in the reformation of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority to a viable economic entity which we all will be proud of. “I must also pay special tributes to the present management headed by the seconded General Manager from Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Mr. Nestor Percy Galley who, during his short tenure as General Manager, has completely changed the outlook of the Ports by the introduction of very effective cost regulating and income generation mechanisms which are at present streamlining our activities making room for very efficient Ports operations. “Your Excellency, this ceremony marks the beginning of a new era in the activities of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority. An era in which we will endeavour to maximize our financial contributions towards the national development of our beloved country. “During the year ended 1st December 2004, the Sierra Leone Ports Authority reported a profit of Le616, 727, 964.33 (six hundred and sixteen million, seven hundred and twenty seven thousand, nine hundred and sixty-four leones and thirty three cents). “According to government regulations, we are required to pay 35% of the above amount as Corporation Tax which is Le215,854,784.02 (two hundred and fifteen million, eight hundred and fifty-four thousand, seven hundred and eighty-four leones and two cents). “After the appropriation of the Corporate Tax, we are left with a profit of Le400, 873, 170.31 (four hundred million, eight hundred and seventy three thousand, one hundred and seventy leones and thirty one cents). We are paying 30% of our profit after tax as dividend to your government which amounts to Le120, 261, 951.09 (one hundred and twenty million, two hundred and sixty one thousand, nine hundred and fifty one leones nine cents). “On behalf of the Board and Management, please accept this humble amount of Le336, 116, 735.11 (three hundred and thirty-six million, one hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and thirty-five leones and eleven cents) as Corporation Tax and Dividend for the year ended 31st December 2004. “I thank you for your attention.” The Chairman of the National Privatization Commission (NPC), A.K. Turay said following President Kabbah’s visit to Ghana, he held discussions with the team from the Ghana Port and Harbour Authority to learn form their experience and ask for technical assistance. Mr. Turay said since the appointment of the Ghanaian-born N.P. Galley, as General Manager of SLPA, he has completely changed the outlook of the Ports by introducing cost regulating and income generating mechanisms.He added that the ceremony marks the beginning of a new era for the Ports. The Ghanaian-born Nestor Galley in his address said he came to Sierra Leone following a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Sierra Leone government and the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority. He disclosed that when he took up office, he found out a lot of things were not done properly and that a lot of money was going down the drains with a complete breakdown of systems. He said the Ports was spending too much money on its operations especially in the maintenance of its machines, which they have already paid for. Mr. Galley stated that they have been able to improve on the work ethics by ensuring that workers are now very punctual at work. He said with the support of the Dock Workers Union, he was also able to reduce the very large number of old people who were on the payroll, to ensure that the institution have an energetic work force. He observed that team work was one of the missing links in past managements. “But now, we work as a team,” he said. He emphasized that there is now a lot of discipline and assured the public that stealing at the Quay would soon be a thing of the past Mr. Galley also said that because of these measures, they have now experienced an increase in cash flow, which made it possible to pay dividend to government which is the sole share holder. He disclosed that they are trying to bring their equipment to international standards and that once this is done, the Port would be able to make more gains for the country. He commended the President for having faith in the Chairman and gave the assurance that he would continue to do his best. Responding, whilst receiving the cheques on behalf of the government, President Kabbah congratulated the Board and Management for this historic achievement and the National Commission for Privatization, adding that their team work has produced such an excellent result. The President said when he took up office in 1996, he found out that there was a lot of leakage within the Ports. He recalled his visit to the Ports to explain to workers his concerns and for measures to be taken to address them. “Since nothing was done to address these concerns, I decided to visit Ghana where I saw the excellent work done at the Ports and Harbour Authority”, the President stated. This, he added, prompted him to ask the Ghanaian government for help to revamp the Sierra Leone Ports Authority which he said led to the secondment of Mr. Galley to Sierra Leone. President Kabbah stated that the Ghanaian Ports operate so effectively and efficiently that when the Finance Minister is hard pressed for money, he calls on the Ports for help and not the banks. President Kabbah expressed gratitude to Mr. Galley for coming and displaying his expertise, and hoped Sierra Leoneans at the Ports would learn from his experience. He was pleased that the new management has been able to change work habits at the Ports, noting that Sierra Leoneans have bad work habits, especially in the area of punctuality. He said government is working hard to ensure people have regular and predictable means of transportation. The President further disclosed that government is expecting a consignment of over forty buses by February next year, and added that once this happens, government would insist that people go to work on time. President Kabbah observed those government institutions that are performing extremely well and bringing in the much-needed revenue to government, there may be no need to sell them out in the name of privatization. He told the Chairman of the NPC that the focus should be the interest of Sierra Leone. He said Sierra Leoneans in whatever they do, look for what is there for them, and not the country, but he stressed that the interest of the country must come first.
RUN-OFF NOVEMBER 8 : WHEELING AND DEALING ALREADY ON FOR FINAL SPLASH Tuesday October 18, 2005 By Jlateh Doe, COCORIOKO’S Correspondent in Liberia Liberia’s Presidential front-runners faced the inevitable yesterday when the Chairlady of the National Elections Commission ( NEC ), Mrs. Francess Johnson-Morris announced that a run-off will be held om November 8, after almost all the returns from the historic Elections failed to produce a clear-cut winner. According to the NEC Chief in the Liberian capital yesterday evening, over 95 percent of the votes for the Presidential Elections have been reported and none of the candidates has made the 50% necessary to win. She added : “If the final results from tallying confirm this assessment, the run-off election will be held on November 8, 2005 ” Mrs.Johnson-Morris also stated that a total of 970, 704 votes out of the 1.35 million registered voters have been counted and that of the 3,070 polling stations , 2, 917 have reported. Based on the returns so far, the apparent frontrunners former football star, George Oppong Weah has 28.9 %, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf 19.2 percent and Charles Brumskine 13.1 percent. With this announcement in Monrovia today about the run-off, the election has been thrown into uncertainty about the winner. While George Oppong Weah has won this first round, it is no longer predictable whether he will win the run-off because the wheeling and dealing has started for supporters of the losing candidates, who might swing on one of the sides. Now, the final result depends of which one of them ( Oppong Weah or Ellen Sirleaf ) is able to win over the supporters of the other candidates. Conventional wisdom will tempt one to think that the recycled and elite politicians would trust Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf more and cast in their lot with her with the hope of getting ministerial positions., if Ellen ultimately wins. However, this prediction is being countered by evidence from this first round of voting that Liberians may be determined to make a break from their past , which includes not voting in any of the recycled politicians for the Presidency. Many people in Monrovia have been arguing that if Weah defeated the candidates during the first round, his Presidential push may not be a hype after all and that he has solid grassroots support. . Many people still predict a win for weah, though they are vary of the power of the havoc the recycled politicians could cause by ganging together against Weah. Some newspapers in Monrovia reported yesterday that contrary to what is being believed in some circles, Weah is not resting on his oars and has been campaigning even among his rival contestants , with the result that some journalists believe that he has already procured the support of Dr. Joseph Korto, Alhaji G.V.Kromah, Sekou Damante and Charles Brumskine already. Because of the suspcions among old politicians and warlords, some recycled politicians like Gabriel Bacchus Matthews have declared support already for Weah. However, some supporters of Ellen Johnson -Sirleaf say that the run-off was exactly what the veteran politician was waiting for to utlize all her experience to swing the other candidates on her side. COCORIOKO ‘s projection This newspaper believes that the Liberian Presidency is still up for grabs. In the final analysis, victory for any of the candidates will depend on what post-war Liberia wants . If they are looking for a complete break with the past and the world of recycled politicians, they will vote for hand victory to Weah. If however they buy into Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s battle cry that post-war Liberia needs an experienced and learned personality to help her reconstruct and rehabilitate they will eventually vote for her.
SLPP PLANE NOSEDIVES INTO DEEPER PERIL, AS CHARLES MARGAI PARACHUTES OUT OF TROUBLED CRAFT Friday October 7, 2005 KABS KANU REPORTS Emergency personnel are being scrambled into operation for the 2007 Presidential Elections as the SLPP plane took a sharp nosedive into peril with potential spoiler Charles Margai parachutting well out of the troubled craft .Whether the plane will land safely in 2007 or crash and burn depends on the brinkmanship of the pilots , President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah , his heir-apparent, Solomon Berewa . and the crew. The problem with Margai’s abandonement of the ruling SLPP is that unless desperate hopes are made to bring him back onboard, he could ruin the party’s chances of winning the 2007 elections by playing a “Ralph Nader” on flagbearer Solomon Berewa in the party’s traditional strongholds in the South/East where Margai ‘s support is said to be overwhelming. However, an SLPP supporter, John Fomba, who often provides his views to COCORIOKO on the telephone warned commentators not to read too much into Margai’s defection. The SLPP , he went on , is like a cult in the South/East and whether supporters are dissatisfied with the Presidential candidate and other operatives or not , just to ensure that the party does not lose power they will hold back all bitterness and vote enmasse for the party , to make sure that her rivals do not prevail over her. He is convinced that the Charles Margai resignation will not harm the SLPP as some people think. Fomba said that while he will not subscribe to the belief that Charles Margai is just a hype, he does not believe that the SLPP will lose because she will not be the only party that will have her votes split. He pointed to the severe crisis also facing the opposition party, the APC , which he considers worse than the SLPP’s. He predicted that both the SLPP and APC will lose costly votes to dissidents but with the present dynamcs and composition of the party’s support base in the country , the party is capable of getting the essential votes to win. He also wondered whether Margai will succeed in getting the political constituency he requires which would make him win. Though he had already sounded enough warning about his desire to jump ship, the Margai resignation still created waves today. Our Freetown reporter , Amidu Kamara, sent in this report :
CHARLES MARGAI QUITS SLPP Legal luminary and defeated aspirant for the just concluded Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) leadership race, Charles Francis Margai Thursday finally quit the ruling SLPP. Margai’s resignation came after he had consulted across the country after the SLPP convention in makeni about the way forward. In a letter dated 6th October and addressed to the SLPP Chairman, Margai stated: “Following events preceeding and leading up to the SLPP convention held in makeni on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th September 2005 and it’s aftermath, I embarked on a nationwide tour of the country to consult with the electorate on the way forward. At the conclusion of the tour I was left in no doubt that the people’s mandate was unequivocal in favour of the formation of a ? third political force’.The reasons advanced are that, SLPP have failed to address their concerns namely; 1- Solving the perienial country wide blackout (electricity) 2- Providing pipe borne water 3- Providing and maintaining good roads 4- Solving the acute unemployment 5- Providing Food security at affordable costs 6- Inability to tackle growing poverty in the country. ? On a careful reflection on the above, I have come to the irresistible conclusion that the concerns expressed by the people are legitimate and have therefore decided to be a part of the driving force in the discharge of that mandate with a view to rekindle the hopes and aspirations of our suffering people, if only to stabilize this nation. By reason of the premise, I hereby tender my resignation as a member of the SLPP Effective of the date hereof, so as to enable me fulfill the mandate aforesaid. It could be recalled that immediately after the SLPP convention in Makeni, VP Berewa wrote a letter inviting Margai to join him in his new strive for the SLPP. However, Margai in his reply maintained he was consulting and would get back to him. Reaction from the SLPP head office in Freetown about Charles Margai’s resignation was welcome.
NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OBASANJO CONTINUES TO DEFY WORLD ON CHARLES TAYLOR Monday October 3, 2005 Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo has maintained his repulsion of the idea to hand over Liberia’s former President Charles Taylor to the Special Court for Sierra Leone which has indicted the former rebel kingpin for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite representations by civil groups in Nigeria who have even threatened to take the Federal Government of Nigeria to court for granting amnesty to an alleged war criminal, President Obasanjo has failed to take action. The President’s commitment that he will only hand Taylor over to a constitutionally-elected government in Liberia now seems unlikely because none of Liberia’s Presidential candidates for next week’s elections has made any firm commitment about demanding that Taylor face justice , if they win. Meanwhile , some Liberians who spoke to COCORIOKO yesterday have asked that the details contained in a report on Taylor by the International Coalition For Justice be made available to the international community .This, they intimated, will enable stakeholders to see how Taylor has not only continued to dabble in the politics of Liberia in violation of his amnesty and but was running an extensive financial network in exile that poses a danger to the security of Liberia and her West African neighbours. Since whatever Taylor does affects the security of Sierra Leone, COCORIOKO will be serializing the Coalition’s report on Taylor’s movement in coming days.
COCORIOKO FEATURES EDITOR INVITED TO WALL OF TOLERANCE DEDICATION IN ALABAMA, USA
The newly appointed Features Editor of Cocorioko, Mr. Joseph S. Sherman, has been invited to the inaugural of the Wall of Tolerance dedication, which will be held at the Civil Rights Memorial Center, in Montgomery, Alabama on October 23, 2005. Below is the formal invitation letter:
Dear Mr. Sherman,
I hope you will respond to this very special invitation in time to have you name on the Wall of Tolerance when it is dedicated.
The Wall will give much needed public recognition to people like you who stand for justice and tolerance in their daily lives.
But placing the name of Joseph S. Sherman on the Wall of Tolerance has a purpose beyond public recognition.
Its goal is to help rebuild a sense of fairness and community for our divided nation. It is your chance to join an exciting education program designed to inspire fair play and help stop the pain of intolerance.
This beautiful Wall will be a powerful symbol of unity, and strength for a new “Tolerance Movement,” the crusade that has been launched by the National Campaign for Tolerance. Every name added to the Wall will serve as a call to action for others of good will to follow your example and take a stand for tolerance and justice at a very difficult time in our nation’s history.
Your name will be in a very historic setting.
The Wall of Tolerance will be located in the Civil Rights Memorial Center in the heart of Montgomery, Alabama, a city famous in the struggle for human rights. It is just a block from Dr. Martin Luther King’s church, where he helped launch the Civil Rights Movement. And it is adjacent to the memorial designed by Maya Lin, architect of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to honor the slain heroes of the Movement. Rosa Parks made her heroic stand just a few blocks from the new Wall of Tolerance.
The Civil Rights Movement won a resounding Victory in the struggle to change America’s laws. Now, through the National Campaign for Tolerance. We can join together in the battle to change hearts.
The National Campaign is working to foster understanding and acceptance in this time of division. But the success of its work depends on the support of concerned individuals like you.
There is no better time than now for each of us to do our part. I am also writing to encourage you to become an activist for tolerance, to speak out against hate when you see it and to help raise a generation of children who embrace our country’s diversity. Together we can help our nation become a more just and accepting society.
In recognition of your invaluable services to humanity, the Co-chairs of the National Campaign for Tolerance do hereby authorize the name of Mr. Joseph S. Sherman be placed on the Wall of Tolerance honoring those who are taking a personal, public stand against hate, injustice and intolerance, and who are leading the way toward a more just America as Founding Members of the National Campaign for Tolerance. Authorized this 19th day of September 2005
We hope you can join us on October 23, 2005 when the Wall of Tolerance is dedicated, displaying you name.
Sincerely,
Morris Dees National Chair
SLPP Leaders should STOP blackmailing their supporters – it will NOT work.
The Charles Margai Support and Campaign Team in the UK have come to the conclusion that their candidate and supporters are being blackmailed to blindly unite behind Berewa and the leadership for the sake of party Unity. What the Party stalwarts have failed to deliver is their manifestation of the SLPP values – anti corruption, transparency and mainly to look after the basic needs of their supporters and the nation. The nation is deprived of basic needs. They have also failed to say how Berewa intends to change the status quo by including leadership contenders in their work team. Instead, they have embarked on viciously removing the Minister of Finance, a one-time comrade, soon after the convention.
There has been nothing to stimulate the minds of the general public towards positive change, nothing to imply that Berewa will effectively engage other party members in furthering the wishes of the nation towards any change. Instead, it is a show of recycling friends from one position to the other. And we are yet to see more strength in the display of draconian rules to stop any protests or anti-Berewa campaigns. The Convention in Makeni was stage managed, delegate votes were bought and people were afraid of losing their jobs, there was a lot of blackmail – all reported but confirmed by the sacking of JBD. The question is – if the nation was even a bit satisfied with the Kabbah government, would it have been necessary to take all the pain and resources in buying votes? This is food for thoughts..
With the above observations, The Margai Campaign Group in London wishes to pledge their continuous support to him for his steadfastness in standing firm with the people of Sierra Leone. There is no doubt that thousands of people back home agree with his views and are desperate to see changes in the policies of managing our country. For this, we join hands together to support the call for a new party. The underlying factor here is not Charles Margai becoming president at all costs, it is about Charles Margai giving the support to his people and not running away from their need for a change and the change the country so badly needs; be it as President or a credible Oppostion leader at this very crucial time.
With reference to the traditional die hard SLPP values – it has been one sided. Supporters have always pledged allegiance especially when emotionally blackmailed while leaders have neglected them and pledged loyalty to their friends and their pockets leaving out any unity or party values and principles. What the SLPP leadership has used and continues to use is to make Sierra Leoneans depend on them so much so that they lose all the energy to stand on their own. Will this work with the SLPP Youths and grassroots?
With great sadness, one is about to separate from a once loved one – we the Margai supporters and indeed part of the SLPP branch in the UK are thinking as are the supporters back home and as there is no evidence of any democratic change to include the peoples’ agenda, nothing else can reverse the process of a New Dynamic Party – a new broom.
Agnes Kumba Dugba Macauley (Mrs), Chair 20th September 2005
Part 2 of Exclusive Interview with Sierra Leone’s Vice-President BEREWA CONFIDENT OF VICTORY IN 2007…NOT MOVED BY THREAT FROM ANY NEW PARTY Thursday September 15, 2005 The Vice-President, Mr. Solomon Berewa , has said that people do not just vote for others because they have formed new political parties and he has expressed confidence that he will win the Presidential Elections in 2007.Mr. Berewa, the newly -elected SLPP Leader and Presidential candidate was talking to COCORIOKO in an exclusive interview on Tuesday night. Though ,during the interview, the Vice-President renewed his call for reconciliation with the other disaffected candidates who lost the votes for SLPP Leader and Presidential candidate in Makeni almost two weeks ago, he however said that nobody would stop them from forming new political parties because as he put it : “We are trying to heighten the democratic process ..They are free to do whatever they wish “.The Vice-President stated that the formation of other parties was consistent with the tenets of democracy. Questioned by COCORIOKO Editor, Rev. Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-Kanu about fears being expressed by some SLPP supporters that the formation of new parties by aggrieved members of the SLPP would split the votes in the party’s traditional strongholds and give a clear advantage to the opposition APC, Mr. Berewa begged to differ. He asserted that democracy did not work like that. People , he went on, do not vote for others because they have formed new political parties. “They vote for you based on your popularity with them “, he insisted. “Our popularity will talk” , he futher asserted. Mr. Berewa pointed out that the SLPP was a national party, “Infact the only national party in the country ” , They have a very solid program , he explained, and he said that people will vote for the SLPP based on this solid program. He also mentioned President Kabbah’s legacy , which , he went on, was impressive and will also make people vote for the SLPP. About whether it was true that President Kabbah was planning an early retirement to give him chance to get a feel of national leadership, Mr. Berewa asked why Kabbah would leave prematurely when the constitution allows him to complete his full term and when his moral authority was very strong in the country. He affirmed that though Kabbah had a right to decide what he wants to do, the President would complete his term. The Editor asked him again : “So there is no possibility that Kabbah would retire early ? ” .In response, Mr. Berewa stated pointedly : Everything is possible, but there is no probability “. The Vice-President said that his victory at the SLPP Delegates Convention was fair and genuine and there were international monitors and foreign ambassadors and none complained that the votes were unfairly conducted. He debunked allegations that the votes were flawed, asserting that the delegates voted for him because they believed that he was the most competent to lead the country after Kabbah.
JOHN LEIGH TELLS COCORIOKO FORUM WHAT HAPPENED IN MAKENI YESTERDAY Tuesday September 5, 2005 John Ernest Leigh , the contestant whose loss at yesterday’s SLPP Delegates Convention left a bad taste in the mouths of lots of Sierra Leoneans, has bounced back to explain what happened in Makeni. Mr. Leigh appeared on the dynamic COCORIOKO FORUM today to respond to comments about his nomination loss and to set the story straight. Posted by John Ernest Leigh on September 05, 2005 at 08:32:30: In Reply to: Re: Re: WOULD JOHN LEIGH RECALL? posted by Double Barrel on September 05, 2005 at 03:37:12: Gentlemen: Bob Jusu got it all wrong. I am not packing my bags and returning to the US just because things did not go my way in Makeni on Sunday. Further, I know a lot more about african politics than the conclusions Bob rushed into. I have never in my life confused Africa with America: not in commerce, education, administratrion, science or politics, etc. for that matter. The two situations are totally different. Hence I told supporters, well-wishers, donors, etc. again and again that I do not expect to ever win the SLPP nomination because kalo kalo tactics are a must with the present leadership. For your information, what happened in Makeni was koro koro kalokaloism. Now the facts about the Makeni Convention. I had plenty of delegates supporting me. The ringleaders were inside the voting hall staring at delegates or telling them to stay put and away from the microphone. Simply put, the leadership was afraid of allowing my name to be put in front of the voters. By last Saturday evening, many delegates, observers and visitors viewed me as the front runner and the general opinion within the campus was that I am the clear favorite. Hence, the leadership had to go to work to avoid a likely defeat. Surveilance surrounded my every move. Hence I was barred from contesting by the blocking of my nomination. When the news burst into the public, you could hear the moaning and the grumbling. You could feel the anger and the dissappointed at the conduct of the leadership for their fear of competition. Large crowds surrounded me everywhere. The police gave me their LandRover so I may depart the premises in order to avert a breach of the peace by the crowd frustrated by corrupt practices. The police then brought me back into the campus to hold a press conference after the commotion had died down. Fortunately, everything was peaceful and I am very proud of the conduct of our police force on that occasion. Bio, Margai and Dauda were no threats to Berewa. So they let them participate in the voting. The leadership know neither of them was a treat. They dared not take such a risk with me. Therefore, Mr. Jusu, rather than your earlier asking me to go behind Margai, you should have asked Margai to come behind me as I am the one with the superior credentials. If you are sure any of the above non-government candidates – including Margai – is superior in achievements to me, please prove it and I will yield next time. But under no circumstances will I yield to parochialism or sentiments and, as always, I will yield only to the merit system. Makeni was a dissappointment, a setback, not a defeat or a disgrace to me. The disgrace lay with the crooks and their korokoro kalokalo conduct against the SLPP family and people of Sierra Leone. The whole experience is also a setback for genuine democracy in Africa. For your information, the people of SL are sick and tired of dirty politrics – if that’s what you mean by African politics. They want a change but the leadership is hell bent on blocking progressive change. Hence the atmosphere inside the SLPP today is like a funeral with sorrow and sadness everywhere, even some weeping here and there, for future of our party. In all this, my stock within the Party and the country as a whole has risen to a much higher level than it was before the crass kalokalo business described above. My telephone is ringing overtime for calls across the country – some expressing sympathy, some apologies and all pledging to support my future moves. None wants me to abadon the fight to re-civilize our country. Next time, Bob, please get your facts right before jumping to erroneous conclusions. Thank you. Sincerely, John Leigh
LIBERIA ‘S POST-WAR ECONOMY TO BE MANAGED BY FOREIGN ECONOMIC EXPERTS Friday August 2, 2005 The foreign economic experts whose presence caused so much controversy during the Samuel K.Doe era are returning to Liberia. A new arrangement being worked out between the interim government of Gude Bryant and international stake-holders and donor countries will ensure that the Liberian economy after a constitutionally-elected government is installed in October will be managed by foreign experts. Liberia’s stake holders are said to be very disappinted that despite all the wars and uncertainties the country has gone through, she has not been able to produce any government that was free from rampant corruption and economic management. The present embarassing incidents of large-scale corruption within the interim government and the misuse of funds so far have given no hope that the situation will change . Stake holders fear that any money that will be poured into Liberia to fund her post-war national reconstruction would go into private pockets and have decided on the scheme to have their representatives control all aid and other donor funds .The plan will see foreign experts planted in major ministries of the government and they will have to approve government expenditure. When the scheme was first announced , it riled members of the interim government and some leading public officers who protested in the Liberian press that the arrangement was akin to loss of sovereignty .They regarded the idea of foreign experts controlling expenditure in government as an affront. But according to reports from Monrovia, it appears as if the compromise has been reached in this .thorny issue . This is not the first time Liberia has had foreign financial experts in the country to help manage the economy. During the Doe era in the mid-1980s, the presence of these experts in Liberia was made a precondition for any more aid to be provided the country, in a move spearheded by the U.S. government. The experts however could not get along with the Doe government and after a fractitious working relationship over a couple of years, they were forced to return to the U.S. Their departure affected the volume of economic aid provided Liberia and this worsened the economic problems in the country.
Zainab unfortunately becomes another victim of the dangerous nature of life overseas. One usually moves over to Britain or the U.S. to escape the bullets of combatants and dictators but often one escapes one set of bullets only to confront the risk of another set of bullets overseas. Over the years, lots of African immigrants who migrated abroad to seek better security and economic and social opportunities have been killed painfully .In the U.S., African immigrants who are cab drivers have been slaughtered needlessly by hoodlums seeking quick money. Others have been killed through Police brutality while some others fell victims to hold-ups during which they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. But Saturday’s incident which led to the killing of Zainab Kalokoh was very unfortnate and puzzling for Sierra Leoneans because firstly, it is not a common feature for robbers to attack a jampacked party where people have gone to celebrate an event and enjoy themselves. Sierra Leoneans, for all their problems are a fun-loving people and frequently hold parties to either celebrate the birth of a kid , or to commemorate the death of a loved one. They also organize birthday and marriage parties on a regular basis. Often, these occasions are the only opportunities the immigrants have to socialize and establish new acquaintances in foreign countries noted for hard work, stressful lifestyles and bad weather. If robbers and gangsters start targeting these parties, they will end up taking waay from immigrants the only priceless opportunity they have to reduce the tensions involved in living abroad. As one of the party-goers told THE TELEGRAPH of London : “You do not expect something like this to happen with all these people around , including children. This was a christening. It is supposed to be about life. It is a godly thing and people were celebrating ” But even worse was the loss of a precious human life last Saturday. Zainab was the only unfortunate victim of the event but her death hit the Sierra Leonean community abroad very hard. She left Sierra Leone to seek a better life for herself and ofcourse the extended African family.People described her as a hard-working heath worker and a mother of a 14 year old girl and a 9 year old child who lived in Stratford, East London with her partner. She worked in a Disabled Persons” home and was described as a diligent care-taker who also loved children. Zainab did not only send money home to her extended family , but her friend, Osman Bangura , was quoted by the TELEGRAPH as saying : “She cared not just for her family but for mine as well ” Two young me, aged 14 and 16 have been charged with murder at the Camberwell Green Magistrate Court , Scotland Yard, but whatever punishment is meted out to them , if found guilty, will not compensate for such a colossal waste of human life , nor will it bring Zainab back. We at COCORIOKO extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family.
MAADA BIO’S SUPPORTERS FIGHT BACK Wednesday August 17, 2005 Letters purportedly coming from supporters of former NPRC Junta leader Julius Maada Bio have attacked the Concerned Citizens For The Restoration of Democracy in New Jersey for calling on President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to arrest and charge Bio with Treason. Yesterday, the Concerned Citizens of New Jersey made a vitriolic release in which they condemned Mr. Bio for allegedly threatening to overthrow the APC if it wins the elections and does the same things that caused it to be overthrown in 1992 by Bio and other soldiers who formed the National Provisional Ruling Council ( NPRC). The Concerned Citizens, led by Mortgage Banker , Mr. Foday Mansaray , described Bio’s speech as Treason and they called on Kabbah to arrest and prosecute the former military leader. But Maada Bio’s supporters have responded to the charges. READ THEIR COMMENTS BELOW : First_Name: Hashim Even Kabbah, Ernest and the rest of the world knows that the life long APC wrecked the country and multiparty only came about as a consequence of military intervention by Bio and party. Without them we would either be fighting the APC 99 game plans or still with one of these hoodlums calling themselves concerned Sierra Leoneans. Just a bunch of APC stalwarts making cha cha noise here and there. Bio like any othe Sierra Leonean has the right to a free expression, nothing more or less. If the APC supporters has nothing to offer as a potential alternative to the corruption wrecked Kabbah’s SLPP then let them just shut up or put-up. Instead of Ernest Kromah and these New Jersey based Krakatoas confused the electorates with thier nonsense Bio labo, let them attack the issues and show us the ‘good apc men’Madda mentioned in his radio talk. But this is just a continous manifestation of our shallowness as a people who pretend to advocate for change but has nothing to cause the change. But the noise this Madda Bios radio talk has generated within the sun party is completely a full blast of a misdirected excess of the african solar energy. Mr. Mansaray, you appear to be a strong fighter,but I would like to advise you to redirect that unstoppable energy and help Ernest and entire APC leadership to create an alternative to the corrupt ridden SLPP. Please do that and i’ll promise you my vote. Enough is Enough about this Bio this Bio that. By the way have you lately spoken to Eddie Turay and Sherry Kamal ? ANOTHER PRO-MAADA BIO LETTER RECEIVED BY COCORIOKO
Special Court to be protected by UNMILFriday August 5, 2005 By Tamba Borbor reporting from Freetowm The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to Sierra Leone- Ambassador Daudi Mwakawago has disclosed that the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) will be charged with providing security for the Special court after UNAMSIL’s exit in the country. This he said would form part of an extended mandate. The SRSG revealed this at a working lunch with journalists. Ambassador Mwakawago disclosed that after UNAMSIL leaves on the on the 31st December 2005, a new UN agency which he said would serve as a “follow on mission” would be established. This he said would be called- the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL). He explained that this new office will lack a military component, though it will have 10 Military Advisers and 20 International Civil Police officers who will advice and serve as a mentor to the Sierra Leone Police. UNMIL the SRSG said will make available a company of soldiers to take over security from UNAMSIL who are presently charged with the responsibility of guarding the Special Court. The UNIOSIL he explained further will have a life span of a year with a maximum of 2 years. The Head of UNIOSIL would no longer be the SRSG he said but an executive representative whose actual nomenclature has not been disclosed yet by New York. He will however be the premier UN personnel in the country who will be coordinating all UN programs and act in the capacity of the UN Resident Representative, as well as the UN Humanitarian Coordinator. All of this the SRSG explained, is contained in resolution 1610 which gave the final date of withdrawal of UNAMSIL as 31st December 2005. SRSG Mwakawago urged journalists to assure the people of Sierra Leone of the United Nations continued presence in the country even after UNAMSIL leaves, as long as Sierra Leone is a member of the UN family. UN missions in Liberia and Ivory Coast he disclosed have been upgraded to adequately respond to any security threats in Sierra Leone. He assured journalists that border patrols being undertaken by UNAMSIL, will continue to be carryout by the UN force in the sub-region.
Armed Robbers shoot Chinese at Rokel Wednesday August 3, 2005 Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown The Sino-Sima Town Development Association at Rokel was over the weekend attacked by armed robbers. According to reports, men dressed in clothes similar to the blue overalls worn by the Operational Support Division stormed the factory in the early hours of the morning when all the workers were asleep. The Chinese managers and their Sierra Leonean staff were put under gunpoint by the armed men, while they ransacked the rooms and took away all what they could lay their hands on. During this period one of the Sierra Leonean staff bravely overpowered one of the armed men and made a successful dash for the surrounding bush. This brave act resulted in sporadic shooting by the armed robbers who apparently felt threatened by the single worker’s escape. During this fracas two of the Chinese managers suffered gunshot wounds. Eventually the robbers reportedly made good their escape taking along a number of looted items. Reports say that the armed robbers scarcely left when a Police Landrover with ?real’ OSD personnel arrived. Eyewitness reports say that the OSD officers disclosed that they were patrolling around Kent village when they heard the sounds of gunfire. It was they who helped convey the wounded Chinese to hospital. One of them Li was shot on the head while the other Chung was shot in the stomach. He is presently admitted at the intensive care unit of the Goderich Emergency hospital where he is being treated by surgeon specialist Dr Roberto. Li was however treated and discharged. Police who are at present investigating the matter have reportedly sealed the industry, which is involved in regenerating used oil.
NPA Casual workers protest for end of service benefitWednesday July 27, 2005Tamba Borbor reports from FreetownAbout 50 casual workers of the National Power Authority (NPA) on Monday mounted a peaceful protest at the main entrance of the Electricity Building. According to one of the protesters, they have worked as “causal” for varying years and were promised by the Management of NPA to be made permanent employees after six months. “Some of us have worked for over five years upwards and still the Management could not transform our status to permanent employees,” he said. As a show of appreciation for servicing the NPA for all these years, another protester preferring anonymity said, “the Management then decided to sack all of us numbering over a hundred.” He stated that after being laid off since in January this year, Management did no pay them their end of service benefit up to date. “We have gone to the Labour Ministry and they told us that the Management of NPA is obliged to pay us our end of service benefit.” The protesters chanted slogans while they rendered songs targeting the Management of NPA. They seen holding placards; some of which read: “NPA Management is full of thieves”; “NPA Management cannot provide light- they should resign”; “NPA blackout Management- ACC should investigate”; “NPA managers say light no light it is not their concern. The Government is in our pocket.” As the protesters stood in front of the main entrance of the Electricity building, their Leader was sighted braving the steps leading to the floor which houses top Management officials. He is reported to have had a meeting with the Management although the outcome of such was not disclosed. Meanwhile, a truckload of Police personnel hurried to the scene; apparently to forestall any attempt by the protesters to breach public order. PA. SHAKI’S SON, JENGO STEVENS , SWINGS OUT AT KABBAH AND KANJI DARAMYThursday July 21 , 2005Tamba Borbor reports from FreetownIn the ongoing debate in Parliament on the President’s speech made during the State opening of Parliament, the All People’s Congress (APC) Parliamentarian, Honourable Jengo Stevens has accused President Kabbah of being a perpetrator of corruption. He pointed out that the President in his speech said that election rigging is the greatest form of corruption. Hon. Stevens stated that when it was ascertained that the 1996 election was rigged and the Electoral Commissioner by then- James Jonah pronounced corrupt, President Tejan Kabbah later appointed him Minister of Finance. Hon. Jengo Stevens described this as “the mother of compensation and corruption.” He also pointed to the Commission of Enquiry, which was set up by the SLPP to look into the affairs of the Sierra Leone Postal Services (SALPOST). Hon. Stevens noted that the Commission’s report disgraced the then Managing Director, Mr. Kanji Daramy. “But he now holds a very high office of Presidential Spokesman at the State House. “I then ask, is this not perpetration of corruption?” The APC parliamentarian described the President’s speech as “insensitive; devoid of change,” adding that he cannot see anything in it. He said the much-trumpeted issue of “development” does not trickle down to the masses. To illustrate, he quoted from a book: “World in Figures” which ranked Sierra Leone (SL) 7th for the highest crude birth dates in the world. This report he said also ranked the country 6th in the world for the highest teenage birth rates. Hon. Stevens said that Sierra Leone has been ranked the 3rd country in the world with the lowest Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while 1st for the highest purchasing power. On lowest economic growth, Sierra Leone is 10th and also 10th in highest foreign debt owed, the APC MP said. For the lowest percentage of labour force, the country ranked 14th in addition to Least Literate where it ranked 4th in the world according to Hon. Stevens. Regarding lowest life expectancy, he informed that Sierra Leone ranked 6th in the world in addition to that of highest death rate and infant mortality where it ranked 3rd and 2nd respectively in the world. Hon. Jengo Stevens pointed out that this is a grim statistics. He noted that there are 150 countries in the world with 53 in Africa amongst which Sierra Leone still ranks at the bottom. He said if the President is blaming the war for all this, “then, he is a bad workman quarrelling with his tools.” He stressed that other countries are war-ravaged like Rwanda, Mozambique and are still developing and doing better than Sierra Leone. The APC MP stated that even though Sierra Leone ranks 9th among countries in the world that receive both multilateral and bilateral aid, “we still have grim statistics.” He then asked: “were is all this aid money going. Is it misappropriation or corruption?”
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TOM NYUMA CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMAGE OF THE SIERRA LEONE ARMY Saturday July 16, 2005 Colonel Tom Nyuma has said that his primary concern was the image of the Sierra Leone army. The former NPRC Heavyweight , speaking to COCORIOKO recently when the Editor called him for clarification about many allegations made against the junta , exonerated the army from some of the charges that have been levied against soldiers . Nyuma, who was very respectful, and unfazed by the questions posed by COCORIOKO , said that he did not believe that the army joined forces with the rebels to commit atrocities during the NPRC era. “If they became sobels, it was after the NPRC,” Nyuma affirmed. Col.Nyuma asserted that during the rule of the junta, the military prosecuted the war with seriousness and dedication and they in the military government proscribed severe punishments for soldiers who aided and abetted the rebels in anyway. He told COCORIOKO that they took the battle to the rebels and he did not believe that soldiers connived with the rebels enmasse. Nyuma, who said he was more inclined to talk about the army’s image than the NPRC junta , defended the then RSLMFand said many of the allegations levied against the soldiers were untrue. KEEP A DATE WITH THIS PAPER FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TOM NYUMA ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THE 1992 MILITARY COUP AND THE NPRC’S OWN SIDE OF THE STORY FROM THE COLONEL’S PERSPECTIVE. IN THE SPIRIT OF PRESS FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY, IT IS ALWAYS ESSENTIAL TO LISTEN TO THE OTHER SIDE. DAUDA JOINS RACE FOR SLPP LEADERSHIP Monday July 4, 2005 The bitter battle for the SLPP leadership became even more intense last Saturday as Minister of Finance, Mr. Joseph B. Dauda declared his intention to join the contest. Dauda’s candidacy has not only made the race tougher but will further introduce a sense of consternation among the SLPP radicals who want to see young and dynamic Sierra Leoneans take over the party from the hands of the old, recycled politicians who are being accused of accomplishing nothing for the SLPP. Dauda is one of the old hands who has attracted lots of criticisms from SLPP supporters . A Dauda candidacy is however an advantage to candidates outside the government like Charles Margai and John Ernest Leigh for Dauda will divide the Pro-Kabbah votes that naturally would have gone to Berewa. . Though Dauda may not be a popular choice among SLPP radicals, his wife , the former Dr. Theresa Ganda, is said to be highly acclaimed by the people of the Eastern Province for providing them affordable medical care.
BUMBUNA HYDRO -ELECTRICITY PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED Monday June 20, 2005 By Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-Kanu Sierra Leone’s electricity problem will soon be a thing of the past as the World Bank has approved an International Development Association ( IDA) grant of US $12.5 million and an IDA partial risk guarantee of US $38 million for the completion of the project. A release from the World Bank sent to COCORIOKO said that the project aims at “Expanding the supply of reliable, lowcost, efficient, environmentally-friendly and socially-sustainable electric power and support reform of Sierra Leone’s power sector. “ The completion of the project will ensure round-the-clock supply of electricity throughout Sierra Leone and will accelerate the socio-economic growth of the country. Presently, Sierra Leone has one of the most erratic supplies of electricity in West Africa .The capital, Freetown, receives power outages daily and the whole city is often in complete darkness with home-efficient generators the only recourse for those who can afford them. Most of the countries main cities are also without light, but these situations will change with the completion of the hydoelectricity project. READ THE FULL RELEASE
ALEX MANSARAY PLANS MORE APPEARANCES AT BLYDEN’S FORUM Monday May 16, 2005 African American Air Delivery Services CEO Alex Mansaray told COCORIOKO today that he is willing to talk to any member of the Sierra Leone Open Forum to demonstrate his readiness to continue storming the forum to stop Sylvia Blyden from defaming innocent people in her forum. The OWNER of SLOP, Sylvia Blyden put the forum down this morning after some more obnoxious lies and assertions today , accusing the Editor of this newspaper of attacking her, using Mansaray’s name , and one Waraba of writing against her. Blyden made her usual empty threats of legal actions but gave no one chance to respond to her assertions. But talking to COCORIOKO on the telephone today, Alex Mansaray said that Blyden has not seen anything yet. He said he will meet more Sierra Leoneans to encourage them to come to the forum with their full names and addresses to help stop Blyden from using her forum as a vehicle to damage the names of innocent people. Alex said no ammount of threats from Blyden or bringing of relatives to back her up will stop him from his planned course. He said he was doing it in the national interest because Blyden had no right to set up a forum where she defames innocent people but deletes their replies when they try to point out her follies. The Editor of this paper, who once defended Blyden at other forums to his literal death but has now become the latest quarry of Blyden’s characteristic smear campaign online of anybody who disagrees with her, remains undaunted but promises all fans and readers of COCORIOKO that he will not bring himself down to Blyden’s level by exchanging tirades with her. Last weekend, some forumites praised the Editor for his exemplary display of maturity in keeping quiet in the face of Blyden’s provocation. Alex said that if his appearances at the forum did not disuade Blyden from her campaign of lies and false accusations on innocent people , using all kinds of masks , he will start meeting Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora physically to launch a campaign against Blyden’s website . “A website in the hands of people like Sylvia Blyden is a weapon of mass destruction , which will not only harm innocent people but will divide our countrymen and women and bring strife to Sierra Leonean communities , ” Alex complained. He said since the website opened it has divided innocent friends who are lured into useless arguments that lead to verbal fights, while Blyden works at the background with false names REKINDLING the fires of hatred and inciting more fights. Alex said nothing bothered him most than the fact that Blyden was too stubborn-headed and did not like to listen to advice .He said people on the forum have adviced her “To leave Kabs Kanu alone “since he had left the forum, but instead of heeding, she deleted their mails as some of them complained openly on the forum last weekend. “I will not sit down and allow somebody with a questionable political history to destroy a good man “, he went on. The Editor of this paper delinked COCORIOKO from the forum for the steady flow of pornography on the forum and he quit the forum after Blyden got nasty with people who disagreed with her , insulting them and deleting their mails. Blyden got mad when COCORIOKO questioned whether President Kabbah did the right thing by appointing Christiana Thorpe Elections Commissioner in view of the fact that she had already received a national honor from the President. Some forumites agreed with COCORIOKO pointing out that not only did Thorpe receive the award from Kabbah, but she was involved in a love relationship with SLPP Parliamentarian, Sam Maligie . Most forumites believe that Blyden did not support Thorpe on behalf of the SLPP. She is a known anti-SLPP and was even accused of designing the NINJAS WEBSITE for former RUF leader Foday Sankoh .She was also accused of having ties with the leader of the AFRC Junta, the late Johnny Paul Koroma. Blyden obviously supported Thorpe because of personal or other ties. She has never defended an SLPP position before . When she was being tormented online on these allegations, it was the Editor of this paper who defended her vigorously and got into verbal fights with members of different forums. Today, Blyden has decided to reward the Editor with ungratefulness and defamation, all because the Editor asked whether Kabbah did the right thing by appointing Thorpe. But the Editor wants to assure all readers, friends and fans that he will continue to be silent and get into no fights whatsoever with Blyden. READ THE OPINIONS OF FORUMITES IN WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY.
SIERRA LEONEANS BRACE FOR BITTER ELECTIONS DOGFIGHT BETWEEN TWO EX- JUNTA LEADERS Saturday May 7, 2005 If Sierra Leoneans thought that they had seen the last of their former junta leaders they did not consult the right political oracle. As a matter of fact, two of the nation’s most famous one-time military leaders are spoiling for a showdown in the forthcoming 2007 General Elections. Both Retired Captain Valentine E.M. Strasser and Brig. Maada Bio , who at various time led the National Provisional Ruling Council ( NPRC) , have announced their intentions to contest the elections as Presidential candidates. While Strasser plans to form a new party, the People’s Redemption Party ( PRP), Bio wants to be the standard Bearer of the ruling SLPP. What will make the contest between both men thrilling is the feud that blew apart their relationship when Strasser was the NPRC Chairman and Bio was the second-in-command. Bio accused Strasser of planning to succeed himself in the 1996 Elections that returned Sierra Leone to civilian rule and staged a palace coup against his boss. Sierra Leone returned to constitutional government under the Bio’s rule. Last week, Strasser made angry remarks against Bio during a press conference , accusing the latter of deceiving the Sierra Leonean people by accusing him that he wanted to stay in power, only for Bio himself to attempt to hold on to power before he was pressurized by the international community to proceed with the elections. While both men are busy behind the scenes trying to raise funds, one surprising fact that has emerged is that Bio enjoys a lot of goodwill from SLPP supporters in the diaspora, especially the intelligensia. While it remains unknown as yet what is the reason for the support, many of the SLPP men abroad have made impressive comments about Bio’s industrious output after he handed power that saw him earn a B.A. and a Masters Degree in the U.S. within a short pace of time. It is however not known yet whether Bio’s support base in the diaspora will continue once other potentials candidates for the Standard Bearer position in the SLPP announce their intentions. TAKE ME TO ANTI-CORRUPTION ! ! Screams Mayor Winstanley Johnson By Tamba Borbor in Freetown Monday April 25, 2004 Fuming over allegations of corruptly enriching himself with council funds, Mayor of Freetown Winstanley Johnson has challenged his councillors to write to the Anti-Corruption Commission. COCORIOKO gathered that some of the councillors had been planning to write a complaint to the ACC that Mayor Johnson had spent Le25 million on a generator without the approval of Council and that he had also spent another Le6m without Council being aware. When COCORIOKO sought to get his own side of the story, the Mayor said that he did not want to talk about it just yet but that “They should take me to the ACC which would short-cut moves by Councillors Bode Gibson, Herbert Williams and their ?Ashikpa’ Kaloko (Deputy Mayor) to collect signatures to impeach me which they have been trying to do every month since I assumed office,” The Mayor stated. He also hinted briefly at the attitude of some of these councillors who he said had been collecting about Le3m for fuel for 3 lorries involved in the cleaning of the city. Now that I have reduced their impossible 45 gallons a lorry to 25 gallons, they have been trying to sabotage the exercise but I will speak when the time comes. Meanwhile, it is alleged that the councillors who had been grumbling over the expenditure may reach a confrontation any day now
STRIKE SUSPENDED, ACCORDING TO LABOUR CONGRESS By Edmond Michael Thursday January 6, 2005 The Sierra Leone Labour Congress on Tuesday night announced that the nation-wide strike it declared last weekend had been suspended. During the day, the strike was widely observed, especially in the city centre. Two people who were in poda-podas yesterday morning told this newspaper the drivers were threatened and in one case the poda-poda was narrowly missed by a rock. People were put down before their destinations. In the evening some businesses were open but most appeared closed. Then last night the SL Labour Congress announced an end to the strike.This morning at 7:15 traffic was light but was heavier than yesterday. Whereas yesterday many more taxis could be seen parked along the roadside or at petrol stations, this morning more of them are driving and there are SL Labour Congress Pres. Mohamed A. Deen , speaking to Radio UNAMSIL’s Tea Break program said : “The government has accepted all our proposals, and if that is so there is no more need to g o on strike.” He said there were two more items to address: minimum wage and salary adjustment. The radio here isn’t clear when someone is speaking over a mobile phone.He appeared to say that if government gave increments someone(probably IMF) would stop supporting the economy ( paraphrase) and that would be bad for everyone. “All the other isses have been addressed, as I told you.” He said he had confidence in government to follow through on its promises, but didn’t say the strike was over, but that it was “suspended.” He said they were still concerned to resolve the remaining two issues. Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Alpha Timbo said “There is not going to be any dragging” on implementing the agreement, which he appeared to say would begin to be implemented by the end of January. He said: “Some of the issues were not unreleasable. ” He said that government was supposed to have looked into some of these issues but that with the lack of money it had been difficult to reach a consensus. Mr. Festus Minah, the Sierra Leone Teachers’ Union President, who is also spokesman for the Labour Congress , told the BBC :” The issue of negotiation, there is no winner, neither a loser. Our submission to government all received their blessing, and I think very serious attention was given to them. For instance, the end-of-term benefit, originally it was 10 million leones, as you have got it, the government now have agreed to let it go up to 20 million leones. The second one is that on the allowances, I mean rent, medicare and transport, they were not ready to make anything like salary adjustment, but we subsumed it under the allowances which we believe was really very good.”. By evening yesterday, Freetown had returned completely to normal. WHAT THE PUBLIC THOUGHT ABOUT THE STRIKE—Read tomorrow.
JJCs PAINT SIERRA LEONE CAPITAL RED, TELL ABOUT LIFE IN COUNTRY BACK ON ITS FEET AFTER DEADLY CIVIL WAR The city of Freetown is seething with them as they join the people to enjoy Chrismas. Stereotype or not, they have a distinguishing characteristic : T-shirts, baggy short pants sneakers , clutching water bottles and with towels around their necks. It is the Sierra Leoneans from the diaspora who have returned home this year to spend Christmas in their motherland. Their fellow countrymen and women call them “Johnny Just Comes” or JDs ( “Just Drops” ) .Because of the stifling heat in Sierra Leone after they left the cold, freezing temperatures of Europe and the U.S, the holidaymakers could not help putting on their skimpy dress and walking around with water bottles and towels. However, that is not all that is known about them. They returned home with the dollars and are helping to pump much-needed foreign exchange into the national coffers. But there is even more. They are having a wonderful time celebrating Christmas in more familiar settings and with long-lost friends and families .They have been sighted in night clubs like PADDY’S, BOOGIES and the parties and moonlight picnics. For fun, some have even joined the “Night-Beggars’ ( Those who go from house to house spreading Christmas joy by singing carols). These Sierra Leoneans , many of whom believe that some of the stories in the diaspora about life in post-war Sierra Leone are exaggerated, will be talking to COCORIOKO about their experiences and impressions. Keep a date with this paper for the interesting stories. BEREWA TO KICKSTART HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SOON Friday December 10, 2004 His eyes firmly set on wearing the crown, Vice-President Solomon Berewa is about to launch his Presidential campaign sooner than expected, a political insider in the Sierra Leone capital, Freetown, told COCORIOKO yesterday. Berewa is said to be working on a solid campaign team to help him win the Presidency. The political insider said further that Vice-President Berewa (Pictured left) will soon start meeting important interest groups in Sierra Leone to help launch his quest. Berewa is said to be snug in the belief that if he would encounter any obstacle, it would be more within the ruling SLPP heirarchy than outside where credible opposition parties capable of derailing his bid are not showing their teeth. “The Sierra Leone opposition is very disunited and disoriented and Berewa considers his own party more of an obstacle than other parties, “the insider intimated. But under vigorous questioning from COCORIOO, the insider conceded that the task facing Berewa will be monumental. He agreed with this newspaper that the Hinga Norman case has given Berewa many mountains to climb. .He however debunked talk in some SLPP circles that Berewa was a key figure in supplanting the former Civil Defence Force Commander, Norman, who is on trial at the Special Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.The insider said Berewa was an innocent man who had no hands in the Norman predicament. Another political informant, Issa Kabia, who also lives in Freetown and does not mind his name being used, told COCORIOKO that the ghost of the Norman dilemma, which will be exorcised during the 2007 Elections will haunt any candidate aligned with the present SLPP government. Kabia stated emphatically that many Sierra Leoneans in the South/East , where the SLPP has its traditional base, will have to be convinced first that the government did not behave ungratefully to Hinga Norman before any government-sponsored candidate will receive their support. Said Issa Kabia :” If the SLPP government has turned its back on Norman as many believe , they really did not do well. Hinga Norman is the hero behind the SLPP survival. His fight was primarily geared towards keeping the SLPP in power . All this talk about the rebels or other designs were secondary .Norman’s essential goal was preserving SLPP control and hegemony And he succeeded. And this is why SLPP supporters are mad that he is in captivity.” The political insider however expressed confidence about Berwa’s chances.He predicted that Sierra Leoneans would prefer continuity than see the future of their already destroyed country placed in the hands of unknown and untested aspirants who may not have the experience that Berewa has accrued. COCORIOKO/s take on the matter is that it will be too difficult to make any accurate predictions as yet about who will be Sierra Leone’s new President in 2007. One does not even know what the opposition parties have up their sleeves and speculation gaining currency that a strong, third force of a political party determined to break the SLPP-APC stranglehold over Sierra Leone’s politics was in the works, may yet create a dicey political dynamic that may result in surprises, especially as the new party is said to be formed by SLPP and APC defectees. GYUDE BRYANT DRAWS LIBERIANS’ IRE FOR FLIP-PLOP ON RICE PRICE From reports sent in by our Liberian reporter, Amos Togba Wednesday December 1, 2004 Though the overriding reason was the resentment for the Amerigo-Liberian settlers who were accused of suppressing the indegenous people, Liberia’s decades of chaos and instability started in earnest on April 14, 1979 when the nation brought the city of Monrovia to a violent standstill with wild protests over the proposed increase in the price of rice. .The Liberian loves his Pussawa rice so much that any glitch that will deny him the chance to have it on his plate everyday is met with strong protests. Rice politics was one of the catalysts of the chaos that eventuallu hastened the downfall of President William Tolbert . Interim Leader Gyude Bryant seems not to have learnt this lesson, if the complaints of the Liberian people are anything to go by. The Liberian Head of State has become the subject of bitter complaints from the Liberian people for the recent dramatic increases in the price of the nation’s popular staple food, rice. The government gave an initial good example when it reduced the price of rice and showed that it was determined to stop unscrupulous rice importers and sellers from bringing harship on the people by forming a committee comprised of officials of the Commerce and Justice Ministries and public individuals to scour the markets daily to ensure compliance with the then government-controlled prices of between U.S $ 17-18. But shortly after, the price of rice shot up on the Liberian markets to U.S. $25. This made it difficult for Liberians to feed themselves and their families as the minimum monthly salary was lower than U.S.$ 5. Frustrated Liberians were disappointed when faced with protests from the public, the government took no definite stand and rather vascillated its position now and again. .It was then learnt later that the government had changed its stance about controlling prices and sanctioned the increases by levying extra duties on the staple food, repeatedly to raise funds to rehabilitate Liberia’s roads , schools, hospitals and other infrastructure. Why their interim government would decide to use their favourite food to raise funds for development projects stunned Liberians. Liberians are accusing the government of conniving with importers and dealers to increase the price of rice at a time when the war-damaged country was in the throes of chronic economic straits , with jobs virtually nononexistent and salaries unpaid for months.
The veracity of the story below cannot be ascertained by this newspaper.However, we are publishing it verbatim as received from the source mentioned below it. JOURNALIST’S LIFE IN DANGER – FAMILY COMPLAINS Members of the family of controversial journalist, Similarly, Tarawalie’s parents in Makeni have What this press has gathered is that many people do What is at stake however is the principle of freedom Following the latest developments, this press has Prison and police sources are stating that Tarawalie In 1998, while Tarawalie was being sought after,and MYSIL
UN HELICOPTER PLUNGES INTO YENGEMA HILLSIDE, KILLING ALL 24 ONBOARD Tuesday June 29, 2004 A U.N. helicopter on a scheduled flight from Hastings to Yengema crashed in Sierra Leone this morning. All 24 people aboard, including 3 crew members, were killed. The helicopter, a Russian-built MI8-MT, registration number UNO-091, took off from Hastings Airfield at 8:00 a.m. At 9:17, ground controllers lost contact with the craft. Three aircraft were dispatched at 10:00 a.m. and they found the burning wreckage on a hillside five minutes from Yengema. The news of the crash today left Sierra Leone wrapped in shrouds of grief, with thousands speculating who the victims may have been. READ LATER FOR MORE DETAILS
TUSSLE OVER BO TOWN CHAIRMANSHIP In Bo, tongues are wagging over who should take over the reigns of chairman of the Bo Town Council. According to some research carried out, it was alleged that the SLPP has favoured one Dr. Osu Sannoh over Inez Betty Toma Elias who majority of the people of Bo favoured. Some said that she is the best person for the chairmanship of the council because she has served in the same capacity with vision and initiative. It was also alleged that the SLPP had frowned at Toma Elias because of her connection with the AFRC regime. Other people our reporter spoke with alleged that she was awarded an SLPP symbol very late due to pressure from the populace who said that she contest as an independent candidate they would vote for her. Toma Elias, most people said has made remarkable development in Bo town that none of her successors have done. However, they said “the issues that now seems to be dividing the party that will also lead to the party losing support come 2007, is the electing of Town Council chairman against the wish of us the people.”
BIG-MONEY POLITICS BY KABBAH’S CRONIES COST APC THE LOCAL ELECTIONS
John Oponjo Benjamin JOHN BENJAMIN TAKES ANOTHER THROW AT THE DICE Contests local council elections Sunday May 23, 2004 Former National Unity Party ( NUP ) Chairman, John Benjamin has taken another throw of the dice in his quest to join the Sierra Leone political rulership . He is one of the winners of yesterday’s local council elections, having been returned unopposed for the Kailahun Njaluahun Ward Constituency. John Benjamin, who stirred up the youths and radicals dying for a new political front to stop the dominance of the two unpopular bastions, the ruling SLPP and opposition APC, won the seat in Kailahun District under the banner of the SLPP, the party for which he declared two years ago , after his hopes of contesting the last General Elections as Presidential candidate for the NUP were jettisoned by the Northern faction of the party. This tribalistic act, which was roundly condemned by this newspaper, robbed Sierra Leone of the fulfillment of the wishes of many radical citizens–The advent of another political force to challenge the SLPP and the APC — though some SLPP supporters at Leonenet were unimpressed by Benjamin’s quest–asserting that he lacked a political constituency in the very South/East from where he hails. Benjamin’s involvement with the NPRC Military junta , which he served as Prime Minister and later as Chief Secretary , was always going to dog his steps and he often engaged in a war of words with one of his bitter critics, Lawyer Allieu Iscandri, who has been appointed Prosecutor of the UN-supported War Crimes Tribunal that starts sitting in Freetown, Sierra Leone on June 3. It remains to be seen if Benjamin will have a conspicuous role carved out for him in the political renaissance going on in Sierra Leone. Opinions were always fiercely divided also about his ability to govern, many pointing to his business acumen and success while others regarded him as inexperienced . However, before his collegues in the NUP killed his hopes for the Presidency, Benjamin had become very popular with the youths, especially students of Fourah Bay College and middle-level professionals looking for a fresh breath of air in the political landscape.
BRITISH JOURNALISM PROFESSOR DONATES NEW COMPUER, DIGITAL CAMERA AND BOOKS TO THE DAILY NEWS-INQUIRER : PRAISE BE THE NAME OF JESUS Thursday May 20, 2004 A British intellectual who lectures Journalism in one of the Universities in the United States has donated some very essential equipments to the DAILY NEWSINQUIRER. The Professor who does not want his name mentioned has donated a brand-new state-of-the-art laptop computer and a digital camera as well as recent textbooks on Journalism to the Editor of this newspaper for what he described as tokens of appreciation for the promising output of this paper. The oversized 17 inch COMPAQ laptop computer costs $1, 900 at Circuit City , East Brunswick and it has a CD burner , a DVD player and other features that will make it very useful to the smooth operation of this newspaper. The Finepix A 210 FUJI digital camera cost $ 550 at the same Circuit City and it is both a camera and a Video Recorder. The laptop will ensure that we update the newspaper from anywhere now. The Editor of this newspaper was mightily surprised and moved by these unexpected gifts from a man he came to know only through the internet after he read the DAILY NEWSINQUIRER and contacted the Editor to commend him for the interesting , educative and informative newspaper . The Professor has been a great mentor and on Monday, he called this writer and asked him to proceed to a Circuit City near his locality to receive the equipments. The books will arrive by mail this week. We are very thankful to God for providing for this newspaper through our British brother .God is really faithful and watches over his word to perform it. He has promised in Philippians 4 : 19 that he will provide our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. He has faithfully done his job. We want to assure the Profesor that the equipments will be used to help promote objective and responsible Journalism.
LIBERIAN REBEL LEADER TRAINS NIGERIAN ARMY Sunday May 9, 2004 Former Liberian rebel leader and Commander of the splinter Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia ( INPFL), Prince Johnson , who recently made an unsuccessful attempt to return home , has been allegedly hired by the Nigerian government to train the country’s army in guerrilla tactics. According to a well-informed source who called the DAILY NEWS-INQUIRER this morning, Johnson will train the Nigerian army in counter-insurgent tactics Nigeria , it must be noted, presently faces the serious danger of ethnic and religious explosions. Every now and again, clashes break out between rival ethnic and religious factions, leading to deaths and massive destruction of property. The government’s attempt to train its army in guerrilla and counter-insurgent tactics may not be unconnected with fears that a rebel war might explode in Nigeria in the near future. . A Nigerian embassy official contacted by this paper vehemently denied the news, asserting that the Nigerian army was already trained in all aspects of conventional and unconventional warfare and did not need a man like Pince Johnson to train them. “Prince Johnson is a refugee granted asylum in Nigeria. That is his present status. He is not eligible for employment in the Nigerian armed forces” , the official clarified. However, our source is insisting that the story is true. Prince Johnson is one of the Liberian rebels said to possess immense skills in guerrilla warfare and he , Ben Yeaten and Issac Musa were said to have contributed largely to the defeat of the former army of late Liberian dictator, Samuel Doe, whom Johnson’s forces tortured to death at Caldwell, near Monrovia in 1990 . He fell out with the leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia ( NPFL ), Charles Taylor and formed the rival INPFL which captured the western surburbs of Monrovia during the rebel onslaught to depose Doe in 1990. Johnson was also noted for remorceless brutality and human rights abuses and the Western press carried pictures of him killing people in cold blood. He returned to Liberia recently to mend fences with his people, but found the going dangerous as rival militiamen, whose relatives he had killed , planned to revenge by assassinating him. He fled back to Nigeria, where he had been in exile since 1991 , claiming that a brother the late President Doe tried to kill him.
CRANE TELLS HARVARD HE IS DISAPPOINTED WITH AMERICA OVER TAYLOR
SIERRA LEONE FACES INTERNATIONAL STIGMA FOR CORRUPTION By Soriebah Kalokoh NEWSINQUIRER STAFF WRITER Monday April 12, 2004 Sierra Leone is losing grounds in international credibility, the visiting Representative of the British Department For International Development ( DFID) , Mr.Ian Stuart, hinted in Freetown last week. Mr. Stuart ( pictured above ) exposed this negative development when he warned the SLPP government that there must be a concerted effort to reduce corruption for the benefit of all the people in the country if Sierra Leone were to maintain her credibility with the International Community. Mr. Stuart also warned that corruption umdermines all other achievements made by government . He condemned the practice whereby officials demand a fee to invest in the country. Said he : “It demoralises all of you and us who want to use the services that are legitimately and legally available without fear, or threat, that we shall need to pay an additional inducement before we can access these services.” Mr. Stuart is not the first foreign officials to warn the SLPP government about the direction that the nation was heading , with corruption infecting all the arms of government. Many other foreign visitors representing the British government or international organizations have been expressing grave concern about the intolerable levels of corruption in Sierra Leone. When the SLPP first came to power in 1996, it condemned the overthrown APC government for allowing corruption to flourish in Sierra Leone. However, well into the second term of the party, the SLPP has proved just as corrupt, if not worse than the APC. Prices of food and essential commodities have escalated beyond the means of the populace while government ministers and public officials continue to feast on the nation’s resources, including financial aid from international donors.
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SIERRA LEONE INCHES TOWARDS ONE PARTY STATE –Fears abound in divided capital
OKERE ADAMS CASE WILL DEFINE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE TO RAMPANT CORRUPTION 
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Editor of online edition : Rev. Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-Kanu , Esq.
| Cocorioko’s online edition is produced in Franklin Township , Somerset , New Jersey, USA . The Managing Editor is Rev.Leroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu. Other officials are : Mr. Alex Mansaray , CEO; Foday Mansaray, Assistant CEO ; Joseph Sherman, Asst.Editor ; Chernor Ojuku Sesay, Editor-In-Chief of the print edition in Freetown and Correspondent of the online edition; Olu Faulkner and Soribah Kalokoh in Sierra Leone , Jlateh Doe in Liberia and Mohamed Legally-Cole in the Gambia (Reporters ).
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