As we put together our special edition on the war in Sierra Leone 25 years after it all started in the east of the country, Tanu Jalloh talked to former head of a state, Brigadier (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio about the role he played during the war, peace process, elections and how far we have come. Read on…
What do you think about the war?
I think it is one of the darkest chapters in the history of Sierra Leone. We are left with very bitter memories and we hope we will never repeat that history again. It divided a once united country. The numbers of atrocities committed are still to be calculated. We are still having to deal with both the physical and psychological scars of the war.
What is your advice because some of the antecedents that eventually led to the war seem to be still around?
I think we should use this period for deep reflection and introspection as a nation and look at those things that led to the war. Bad governance and mismanagement of our economy are to blame. Therefore we should do everything in our power to manage the strategic mineral resources that we have in our country and make sure that we give space for liberal democracy to thrive in our country. In my view I believe that as a nation and as a people we should work together with which ever government is in power…civil society and the press to make sure that we don’t go back to that moment when Sierra Leone was in war again.
What do you think about your role in the whole of the process of the war?
I think for me it was my responsibility as the person at the helm at the time and I thought that it was necessary to avoid ending the the war using military means. Instead of causing more harm to the people of this country, Sierra Leone, I thought it was necessary to approach it through peaceful means. So I initiated the process but the credit for finishing it definitely does not lie with me. There were a lot of actors, both national and international. Basically, locating Foday Sankoh, where he was and getting him out of the bush and initiating the peace process. After which I left. So my role was actually initiating the peace process. Several actors in Sierra Leone, West Africa and around the world have played their parts and think I want to say bravo to all of those who played their own roles in ensuring a peaceful nation.
You said you just initiated the process and left. Did you leave because you believed in the process or you left because of some pressure from some quarters?
Well I had already given myself time to leave office and I didn’t want to use the process to stay in power. I had preside over the conduct of the first democratically elections in nearly thirty years and I was confident that whosoever was going to win could take on the peace process and complete it, and that was what happened. I had already given my word and I didn’t want to renege on that.
Finally, who and what led to the war in the first place and who ad what ended the war?
Like I said earlier I think bad governance is to blame and the APC was in power at the time. Therefore it was the bad governance that they instituted, perpetuated for a long time in Sierra Leone that led to the war. As to who finished the war – it was the people of SL and supported by our international partners and various actors that finished the war. It was not until the United States, the UK and other international actors that we were able to finally get a peaceful settlement which ended by the Lome Peace Accord. I think we should pat ourselves on the shoulder, as a nation.
(C) Politico 23/03/16
