POLITICS: Donors Apathy Worries Sierra Leoneans

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, Sep 29 1999 (IPS) - With the apparent slowness of the donors to provide funds for disarmament of an estimated 45,000 ex- combatants, ordinary Sierra Leoneans, scared of a return to the bloody conflict which devastated their country for eight years, have taken up the challenge themselves.

Last week, the Citizens Fund for Disarmament was launched in the capital Freetown, by the Minister for Presidential Affairs MOMODU Koroma, on behalf of the government.

The idea of the Fund, came about as a result of radio phone-in programmes in which Sierra Leoneans called for the mobilisation of local resources to kick-start the disarmament, demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants.

“This is a practical and progressive initiative,” says Koroma. “Whilst we appreciate the assistance given to us by the international community, we should be seen to be taking ourselves seriously”.

According to a peace deal signed between rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the government of President Tejan Ahmed Kabbah, in Lome, Togo, on July 7, the DDR programme was supposed to have started on Aug 18. But the programme has been delayed, thus casting a dark shadow over the fragile peace process.

With guns still in their hands and growing splits within the rebel forces, there is certainly the threat of an explosion of the situation, if the disarmament programme is delayed further, analysts have warned.

This has been demonstrated by the taking hostage of United Nations peace-keepers, civilians, aid workers and journalists, by splinter rebel factions. Even more dangerous are the rebels persistent demands for food, medicines and money, before they would consider disarming.

As a result, the ever-tormented Sierra Leonean civilian population, have been mobilising thousands of dollars to expedite the process.

Dr Kadie Sasay, chairman of National Commission for Human Rights and Democracy, who is the prime mover of the fund, says “it is encouraging to note that more than eleven million leones have been pledged by citizens”.

“We are expecting more funds from the public who are eager for the DDR to start,” he says.

One US Dollar is equal to 2,100 leones.

A DDR committee member says up to 35 million US Dollars are required to effect the project. “But the funds are simply not there, as we are waiting for the international community to help us,” he says.

He says a number of DDR centres have been established around the country, for ex-combatants to report. But it seems response from the rebels is prety slow.

In a recent visit to the war-ravaged West African state of 4.5 million people, Britain’s minister for International Co-operation and Development, Claire Short, urged Sierra Leoneans “to take the initiative in resolving their differences and start the process of reconciliation and rebuilding.”

Short said: “Britain, like the rest of the international community, can only help”.

It seems, though, that help is still slow to come in, leaving the peace process to hang in the balance.

The ordinary Sierra Leoneans who, for eight years, became targets of rival combatants, are wary. They are not sure what move the unpredictable rebels might take, the next moment. Thus, their enthusiasm in donating money, even barest amounts, to the Trust Fund.

“I have parted with 200,000 Leones, all that I have made in my business as turnovers, since the rebels impoverished me last January (when they invaded Freetown). But I am willingly donating because I want the cycle of violence to end,” says Sam Konneh, a 40-year old businessman, who lost four members of his family and witnessed his house burnt down.

Given the volatile situation, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, proposed to the Security Council Monday, the sending of some 6,000 UN peace-keepers to Sierra Leone to implement the proposed disarmament of the ex-combatants.

Some analysts see the UN move as face-saving by the world body which has been criticised for not giving the same urgent attention to the Sierra Leonean conflict as it did, for instance, in the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo.

“It’s been double standards all the way. We can’t wait for the UN to solve our problems. We are Africans and of less strategic interests to them so let’s start the ball rolling ourselves,” says Joseph Bundeh, a high school teacher in Freetown.