POLITICS-SIERRA LEONE: Peace Deal Signed To End Civil War

By Lansana Fofana Reprint | | Print |

Lansana Fofana

FREETOWN, Jul 8 1999 (IPS) - After nearly a month of negotiations between the government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in the West African state of Togo, a peace deal to end the conflict in Sierra Leone, has finally been struck.

Brokered by Togolese President Gnassinege Eyadema, the deal provides for a power sharing arrangement, between the adversaries.

The signing ceremony, which took place in the Togolese capital of Lome on Wednesday, was witnessed by the Presidents of Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Liberia, as well as by officials of the United Nations, and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

The RUF, which took up arms in March 1991 to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone, has been offered four cabinet posts and its leader Foday Sankoh, a former corporal in the Sierra Leonean army, put in charge of gold and diamonds, which form the economic lifeline of the West African country.

Furthermore, Sankoh’s sentence to death in 1997 for treason has been nullified and his rebel Movement allowed to be transformed into a political party.

In the proposed government of national unity, the RUF would also be put in charge of a number of state parastatals.

In signing the agreement, President Kabbah dedicated the occasion to an 8-year-old girl, Maimuna Mansaray who suffered amputation of her arm, shot by rebels.

In an earlier address to the nation, Kabbah said, “I have embarked on this peace journey so that we would put behind us this senseless war and start the process of rebuilding our country.”

The agreement has, however, not been welcomed by everyone. “I am disappointed at this power-sharing deal with the terrorists and murderers,” said Marie Bangura, a housewife in Freetown, just after the signing of the accord Wednesday.

“I cannot understand why these heartless rebels could be rewarded for the atrocities they have committed against our people,” she said.

Sahr Moigua, a 25-year-old amputee, whose writs were slashed off by the rebels, using machete said, “This is a dangerous precedent. Surely some other set of power-hungry people could go out to the bush to start another rebellion hoping to be compensated.”

Yet thousands of civilians took to the streets Wednesday to celebrate the long-awaited peace. They were joined by police officers and the military, whose participation indicates that Sierra Leoneans are fed up with the wars of boundless cruelties.

Up to a quarter of the country’s 4.5 million people are scattered in neighboring countries as refugees, according to aid agencies. And more than 30,000 have died as a result of the conflict. Several towns and villages have also been burnt down.

Although the peace pact has been signed, it is still early to speculate how the process of disarmament and reintegration would be facilitated.

Samuel Kamara, a sociologist in the capital Freetown, told IPS that Sierra Leoneans would find it hard to simply “forget the past and forgive” the architects of the country’s destruction.

“I do not think the thousands of victims of rebel cruelties would simply forget and forgive. The events are still fresh in their minds and the scars are all around. I fear that the cycle of violence has not ended,” said Kamara.

Nonetheless, the peace accord has also been welcomed by Western envoys. “The signing of the peace deal is a positive step forward,” said a Western diplomat in Freetown.

“I think it is time now for the international community to help rebuild this country,” he added.