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16 May 2000

Text: Jesse Jackson Clarifies Misunderstanding on Sierra Leone

(Insists Sankoh and RUF solely responsible for crisis) (730)
U.S. Special Envoy for the President and the Secretary of State for
the Promotion of Democracy in Africa, Jesse Jackson, made plain May 16
that "Foday Sankoh and the RUF alone are responsible for the current
crisis in Sierra Leone."
Jackson, as he prepared to leave this week on a mission to seek an end
to the latest violence in Sierra Leone and try to secure the release
of detained United Nations peacekeepers and civilians, said Sankoh
"has discredited himself in the eyes of the people of Sierra Leone and
many in the international community. The people of Sierra Leone seek
peace and justice and understandably hold him accountable."
Jackson also sought to quell a misunderstanding created in comments he
made in a May 12 telepress conference in which he discussed his
upcoming visit to Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Mali and Nigeria.
"There must be no misunderstanding about what I meant to convey when I
mentioned the African National Congress (ANC) in my comments. The
purpose was not to compare the RUF and the ANC. There is no
equivalence between the two. My intention was merely to note that the
ANC became a part of the political process. Nelson Mandela is a
statesman who left prison after nearly three decades and successfully
led his people to national reconciliation, democratic elections, and a
future of hope."
Sankoh, on the other hand, left prison and has led Sierra Leone "to
the crisis it is in now -- divided, destroyed, and dejected. There is
no comparison there. If the RUF wants to play a long-term role in
Sierra Leone, it must disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate itself into
Sierra Leonean society as a political party."
Following is the text of Jackson's statement:
(begin text)
MAY 16, 2000
I would like to clarify comments I made on Friday, May 12, which have
apparently been misunderstood in Sierra Leone and elsewhere.
First and foremost, I would like to make it clear that Foday Sankoh
and the RUF alone are responsible for the current crisis in Sierra
Leone. I condemn fully and unequivocally the violations of the Lome
Agreement by the RUF, their taking of hostages, and the recent
violence against unarmed civilians.
Unfortunately, Foday Sankoh has discredited himself in the eyes of the
people of Sierra Leone and many in the international community. The
people of Sierra Leon seek peace and justice and understandably hold
him accountable.
There must be no misunderstanding about what I meant to convey when I
mentioned the African National Congress (ANC) in my comments. The
purpose was not to compare the RUF and the ANC. There is no
equivalence between the two. My intention was merely to note that the
ANC became a part of the political process. Nelson Mandela is a
statesman who left prison after nearly three decades and successfully
led his people to national reconciliation, democratic elections, and a
future of hope.
After years of struggle against a repressive government, the ANC could
do this because it held the moral high ground and had the support of a
majority of South Africans. The RUF has neither.
Foday Sankoh left prison and led Sierra Leone to the crisis it is in
now -- divided, destroyed, and dejected. There is no comparison there.
If the RUF wants to play a long-term role in Sierra Leone, it must
disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate itself into Sierra Leonean society
as a political party.
The Lome Peace Agreement offered the RUF a window of opportunity to
participate politically in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of
his country and help bring peace to all the people of Sierra Leone.
Yet, the RUF has wasted that opportunity. However, the RUF can still
demonstrate an interest in peace by releasing all detainees, offering
an effective cease-fire, and disarming its forces. The RUF must listen
to all the people of Sierra Leone. They are tired of war and tired of
living in fear. They are tired of RUF depredations.
We cannot and will not give up our efforts to help bring about a
political solution to the problem in Sierra Leone. But it is up to the
people and government of Sierra Leone to decide the contours of that
solution. In my view, it is never too late for peace and justice,
despite the armed confrontations of the past week.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)