SIERRA LEONE-POLITICS: OLIVE BRANCHES BEGIN TO FLY

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

FREETOWN, Nov 26 1994 (IPS) - PEACE OVERTURES FROM SIERRA LEONE’S MILITARY GOVERNMENT AND REBEL LEADERS HAVE RAISED HOPES OF WAR- WEARY CITIZENS THAT A CEASEFIRE COULD BE ANNOUNCED SOON.

FOR THE PAST WEEK, POLITICAL OBSERVERS HERE SPECULATED ON HOW THE YOUTHFUL JUNTA WOULD REACT TO PEACE PROPOSALS MADE BY THE REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT (RUF) TO END HOSTILITIES.

“IF THE RUF ARE SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING THE WAR, IT MUST DECLARE AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE, ANNOUNCE ITS POLITICAL AGENDA, DENOUNCE TERRORISM AND BANDITRY AND RELEASE ALL FOREIGN HOSTAGES,” PRESIDENT VALENTINE STRASSER, 29, SAID IN A BROADCAST LATE THURSDAY.

LAST WEEK RUF TROOPS TOOK TWO BRITISH VOLUNTEER WORKERS HOSTAGE IN THE REMOTE NORTHERN TOWN OF KABALA, ABOUT 350 KM NORTHEAST OF FREETOWN. THEY SAID THE PRICE OF THEIR RELEASE WOULD BE THE OPENING OF DIALOGUE WITH THE TWO-YEAR-OLD NATIONAL PROVISIONAL RULING COUNCIL (NPRC).

RUF LEADER FODAY SANKOH SAID HE WANTED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNISE HIS MOVEMENT AS A POLITICAL FORCE AND ALLOW IT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTRY’S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.

THE QUESTION OF ACCORDING THE RUF POLITICAL RECOGNITION BY THE STRASSER’S MILITARY REGIME HAD ALWAYS BEEN A STICKING POINT IN ATTEMPTS TO END HOSTILITIES.

THE NPRC HAS ON TWO OCCASIONS, OFFERED THE REBELS AN AMNESTY AND A POLITICAL ROLE.

STRASSER’S FIRST OFFER WAS SOON AFTER THE APR. 29, 1992 COUP WHICH OUSTED CIVILIAN LEADER JOSEPH MOMOH AND LAST YEAR WHEN RUF INTENSIFIED THEIR VIOLENCE, TERRORISING CIVILIANS ON HIGHWAYS AND LOOTING PROPERTY.

THE REBEL GROUP NEVER ACCEPTED THE GOVERNMENT’S AMNESTY GESTURES BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SURE WHETHER THE NPRC WAS REALLY COMMITTED TO PEACE.

ALSO THERE WAS NO ARRANGEMENT ON HOW THE REBELS WOULD BE INTEGRATED AND NO GUARANTEES THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE KILLED BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS.

THE CAPTURE OF THE TWO FOREIGN NATIONALS SEEMS TO BE OPENING THE WAY FOR PEACE TALKS. AT LEAST THREE ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING THE MULTI-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL FOR PEACE AND THE PAN AFRICAN UNION, HAVE OFFERED TO MEDIATE.