By Kemeo Cham
The party of former fighters in Sierra Leone’s eleven years brutal civil war has appealed for the release of their jailed colleagues in the interest of national reconciliation.
The Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) made the appeal in the context of efforts by the government to establish a Peace and National Cohesion Commission.
“To consolidate and promote the cause of national reconciliation, the membership of the RUFP Sierra Leone are kindly appealing to the people of Sierra Leone, the government of Sierra Leone, the moral guarantors of the Lome Peace Accord, the International community and the United Nations, to grant free pardon to our brothers serving jail terms in Rwanda,” a statement jointly signed by the party’s spokesman, Andrew Kambay and the head of its Elders Committee, Mrs Fatmata Sesay, said.
The RUFP was transformed from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel forces as part of the long search for peace in the conflict that ended up in the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement in Togo.
The RUF, initially headed by Foday Sankoh, waged a brutal war against the government from 1991 to 2002. Over 50, 000 people were believed to have died as a result, and over two million displaced.
A hallmark of that war was the serious human rights violations that characterized it, including indiscriminate amputation of the limbs of innocent civilians.
At the tail end of the war, Sankoh had died. And the RUF was headed by one of his generals, Issa Sesay as interim leader.
As part of efforts to seek lasting peace and justice, a United Nations backed special tribunal sought to try those who bore the greatest responsibility for the crimes committed, and Sesay was among about 15 people who were eventually convicted and sentenced to various terms for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
A total of 23 people were indicted by the court. With the exception of former junta leader Johnny Paul Koroma, proceedings against 22 were completed. Out of this eight were sent to Rwanda to serve their jail terms.
While some died either before the conclusion of trial or while serving their terms, about eight finished their sentences. About three others were acquitted.
Former Liberian President, Charles Taylor, became the first head of state to be tried by a UN tribunal, after he was convicted for his role in the Sierra Leonean war. He is currently serving a 50-years jail term in the United Kingdom.
Out of the eight people sent to Rwanda, one died and two have since been released after they were released on parole. They are Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa.
Sesay and four others, including Moriss Kallon, Augustine Gbao, Santigie Borbor Kanu, and Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara, are serving between 25 and 52 years. Sesay and Kanu are serving the longest terms - 52 and 51 years, respectively.
The RUFP, in its statement, recalls the sacrifices made by the group and the efforts played by particularly Sesay to bring the war to an end. It said Sesay, as interim leader of the group, showed himself to be committed and trust worthy.
“He lived up to the promises he made to the ECOWAS Heads of state by demonstrating commitment to the implementation of the RUFP’s part of the Lome Peace Agreement,” the statement said.
Andrew Kambay, the party’s spokesman, stressed that Sesay’s release is important in the interest of peace as he is still their leader.
“He is the interim leader and if the peace process is to continue he will have a role to play,” he said.
Kambay said they were also expecting the other members, especially Gbao, who are serving shorter terms to have been released by now, noting that among those released on parole none are RUF members.
Both Fofana and Kondewa were members of the Civil Defence Forces, which fought alongside the government forces in the war.
The RUFP’s appeal coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Lome Peace Accord, and the party said it wanted to use the occasion to reaffirm its commitment to the peace pact. And it called on the government to revisit its content and ensure its full implementation.
The former rebels also said they are “genuinely” sorry for the pains and grief their fighters caused Sierra Leoneans and therefore appealed to the public to “put all our hurts behind us and forge ahead” in the interest of national development.
“We want to assure the general Public [that] the RUFP is still committed to establish sustainable Peace and Security. We pledge forthwith to settle all past, present, and future differences and grievances by peaceful means, and refrain from the threat and the use of armed forces to bring about any change in Sierra Leone,” the statement said.
“As the government of Sierra Leone is intending to establish the Peace and National Cohesion Commission, we are requesting for the Revisit of the Lome Peace Accord, for the government of Sierra Leone to implement it part with integrity and in good faith,” it added.
© 2019 Politico Online
