DATE=10/3/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SIERRA LEONE - SANKOH (L)
NUMBER=2-254612
BYLINE=JOHN PITMAN
DATELINE=FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
INTERNET=YES
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: In Sierra Leone, the country's two main rebel
leaders returned home today (Sunday) bringing symbolic
closure to an eight-year long civil war that ended
officially in July with a peace agreement. As V-O-A's
John Pitman reports from Sierra Leone's capital,
Freetown, the two men apologized to the country for
the destruction caused by the war - but it remains to
be seen whether their apologies will soothe the
victims' anger.
TEXT: It has been nearly three years since Foday
Sankoh has walked on Sierra Leonian soil as a free
man. Just a year ago, he was facing a death sentence
for treason. However that sentence was repealed in
July when Mr. Sankoh won an unconditional pardon in
exchange for his participation in the peace process.
On Sunday he raised his arms in a victory salute as he
emerged from a Nigerian government jet that brought
him to Freetown from Liberia.
Mr. Sankoh had reportedly hoped for a hero's welcome
in Freetown but had at the same time feared for his
personal security. As it happened, Mr. Sankoh was
greeted by a small crowd of cheering supporters at the
airport. But he was also surrounded by a larger crowd
of his own security men and heavily armed West African
peacekeepers.
Mr. Sankoh was followed off the jet by Johnny Paul
Koroma, the leader of a short-lived military
government, which overthrew President Ahmad Tejan
Kabbah in 1997. /// OPT /// Dressed in a conservative
grey suit, Mr. Koroma descended form the aircraft
holding his young daughter's hand. /// END OPT ///
Both men were quickly flown across Freetown Harbor to
the presidential mansion, where they met with
President Kabbah and read prepared statements.
In his statement, Mr. Sankoh apologized to all of the
war victims and said the country was witnessing what
he called the dawn of a new era. He said those who
had been victimized during the war had every right to
be bitter. But he begged the country to forgive and
forget, promising that he and his followers would do
their part to implement the July peace agreement.
/// SANKOH ACT ///
We are no longer in a state of war. We are in a
state of peace. And our presence here today is
a testimony to a full implementation of the Lome
Peace Accord. We have come to stay and to help
consolidate the peace. We want all fears to be
removed from our society starting from today.
/// END ACT //
In addition to apologizing, Mr. Sankoh said his
movement would release all the prisoners of war it
captured during the war, and asked the government to
respond by lifting its state of emergency and
nighttime curfew in Freetown.
Under the terms of the July peace agreement, the R-U-F
and its allies from Mr. Koroma's military junta are to
transform themselves into a political party. Speaking
for both groups, Mr. Sankoh announced on Sunday that
the former military allies would remain together under
a political grouping called The Alliance for Peace.
For his part, Mr. Koroma echoed Mr. Sankoh's appeal
for forgiveness, but he added a veiled warning, saying
if we don't forgive one another, we cannot implement
the peace process.
/// KOROMA ACT ///
I want to assure the people of Sierra Leone that
the time for the barrel of the gun is over. It
is now time for all of us to sit down as
civilized people and resolve our problems
peacefully.
/// End Act ///
/// OPTIONAL ///
Sunday's homecoming was delayed for 48 hours because
of internal disagreement between Mr. Koroma and Mr.
Sankoh regarding, among other things, the status of
the soldiers who supported Mr. Koroma's 1997 coup.
On Sunday both men said they had resolved their
differences. Mr. Koroma announced that all of his
followers would be reinstated into the new Sierra
Loeonian army.
/// END OPT ///
President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah spoke last, offering a
carefully worded welcome to the two men who were the
sworn enemies of his administration just six months
ago. Responding to Mr. Sankoh's request for a lifting
of the state of emergency, Mr. Kabbah said he would
consider it but would not act immediately. "I'm not
doubting your commitment to peace", he told Mr.
Sankoh, "I'm just being cautious.".
/// OPTIONAL ///
Mr. Kabbah did respond favorably to a request Mr.
Koroma made that he re-open the country's land border
with Liberia. Mr. Kabbah said the land border would
be re-opened to allow free movement of people between
the two countries. The border was closed during the
war to combat rampant weapons smuggling.
/// END OPT ///
As he extended an olive branch to his former enemies,
Mr. Kabbah also said responsibility for the war should
be shared equally.
/// KABBAH ACT ///
We have had very, very nice words said by my two
compatriots, Mr. Fofday Sankoh and Johnny Paul
Koroma. And first and foremost they have both
apologized to all of us for all what happened.
I want to assure you both gentlemen, that it
takes two to tango. This society that we live
in was sick at one time and in that process a
lot of things happened. All of us have our
share of the blame. And we should all say we
are sorry for those innocent victims,
particularly the children.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Kabbah ended his speech with an appeal to the
Sierra Leonian people to put their country's needs
ahead of their own.
Reaction to the rebel leader's return has been muted
somewhat here in Freetown by a widespread public
desire to see what the two men will do once they start
working in their new government positions.
Under the terms of the July peace agreement Mr. Sankoh
will chair a special commission on strategic minerals.
A spokesman for President Kabbah says a decision on
Mr. Koroma's post should be made within the next week.
/// REST OPTIONAL ///
While many Sierra Leonians favor this "wait and see"
approach, arguing that Mr. Sankoh's presence in
Freetown was a requirement to end the war, others say
they are having a hard time accepting Mr. Sankoh back
in their midst.
Ishmael Dramane is a 42-year-old truck driver who had
both of his hands cut off by rebel soldiers. He
considers Mr. Sankoh his enemy and says he finds it
hard to listen to the rebel leader's apologies.
Mr. Dramane says the only way his anger toward Mr.
Sankoh might be satisfied would be to see the former
rebel leader stand trial for war crimes.
While Mr. Sankoh's return gives the July peace
agreement a much needed confidence boost, the rebel
leader's reluctance to return home and his
unpredictable personality has also raised questions
about his ability to manage the country's mineral
wealth.
There are also concerns about his temper, which flared
briefly on Sunday during a question and answer session
with journalists. Pressed by local reporters on the
abduction of children during the war, Mr. Sankoh
growled, "Don't provoke me". (Signed)
NEB/jp/ENE-T/gm
03-Oct-1999 18:41 PM EDT (03-Oct-1999 2241 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
