By Umaru Fofana
Sierra Leone’s security forces – especially its military and the police – have come a very long way since the bloody civil war days. Considering where we were just a few years ago, it is a huge transformation even if there still exist some teething issues to be addressed.
With specific reference to the army, they have been fantastic owing to the huge assistance Britain, Nigeria and other friendly countries have been doing especially through the International Military Advisory Training Team (IMATT). It is heartening to remind oneself sometimes that from where I write this piece, Kenya, there is so much talk about how Sierra Leone’s armed forces are helping with global peace and security both directly through the security institutions especially peacekeeping, and not so directly in the private capacity of some former servicemen and security sector experts including from the Office for National Security. Is it heartening when we remind ourselves that what used to be a rag-tagged army that turned on its people just over ten years ago is what it is today – a, by and large, professional force made up of men and women of honour and patriotism!
That said, there is a situation, which, if not nipped in the bud presents an all too familiar clear and present danger that could reverse all of these gains made over the years by the army – namely partisan political interference by members of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), either at the behest or not of politicians.
I was pleased to learn sometime last year that a serving member of the army had been de-enlisted from the force because he publicly celebrated when the Supreme Court threw out of court the matter involving the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party. This soldier, however junior in rank, had no business to show such open support for any political party. He should not just have been struck off the army roll but should also have been dealt with severely. I am not sure what the army code of conduct says about such but it must be tackled.
It is with this in mind that every decent Sierra Leone must have been shocked to learn that members of the RSLAF came out on the streets on Easter Monday as part of the annual celebrations of the resurrection of Jesus Christ if you believe in Christianity. And in Sierra Leone where religion does not divide us at all, belief in the resurrection is not what determines who celebrates Easter or not.
Serving men and women who were mostly clad in their military attire were behind their Soja Debul or the RSLAF Mask Devil. Despite being clearly clad in their military uniform, they repeatedly chanted in support of the candidacy of President Ernest Bai Koroma in November’s presidential election. No one can tell me these were not serving soldiers. After all it is illegal in our country to be dressed in a military camouflage let alone do so behind an army mask devil. This is open involvement of the army in partisan politics. It behoves any serious military high command that is not sucked into partisan politics itself, which they should not be, to have immediately and openly condemned this action and taken disciplinary action against the men and women just after it happened, and then de-enlist them as they did the soldier who celebrated when the SLPP case was thrown out by the Supreme Court.
I have been reading the website of the most powerful army in the world – the US military. Interesting that the US Federal Law (Titles 10, 2, and 18, United States Code), Department of Defense (DOD) Directives, and specific military regulations clearly and strictly specify the participation of an active military duty person's participation in partisan political activities.
DOD defines "partisan political activity" as "activity supporting or relating to candidates representing, or issues specifically identified with, national or State political parties and associated or ancillary organizations." I have made attempts, without success, to secure the RSLAF code to know what it says about the involvement in partisan politics of active servicemen and women. But one of my contacts says it is forbidden. If this is true, as I assume it is, it is encouraging. But what is discouraging is that it seems to be only being implemented when it has to do with the opposition.
Is it not also open partisan support by these same soldiers when their wives set up Support Groups for a presidential candidate as some are busy doing at the moment? They even come out and dance with banners and placards. Agreed these wives are not serving members of the army, but it is given that since their husbands are, they must not be encouraged to come out and do such for that can lead and leave people to assume on whose side their husbands are. It is compromising for the military, to be honest. I bet if these wives were to set up such Support Groups in favour of an opposition candidate their husbands’ continued stay in the military would be in jeopardy.
What politicians especially those in power should do to win the hearts and minds of the army, is not to make them feel a part of partisan politics. Rather to build their dilapidated barracks. Provide them with toilets so they avoid using the so-called Mobile Toilets. Provide them with clean, drinking water. Treat them with the humanity and dignity they deserve. The army, like other members of the security services, must be respected. I believe it is a noble profession. Theirs is the only job one voluntarily goes into prepared to die so others can live. But it is very bad for any government to make the army, especially at the top, have the feeling of any sort – rightly or wrongly – that they can wield political power or can feel safer or better off if a certain candidate or political party is in power. It is worse even for any military command to buy into any such impressionism. When that happens the very politicians, plus the civil populace, are in deep shit. If politicians play politics with soldiers, soldiers will play both soldier and politics with politicians.
It is amazing also what is happening at the Office for National Security without anyone seeming to notice or take action. The mass resignations at ONS are a cause for concern. It seems to be being run like a Government Parastatal. Have we asked ourselves why, when Kellie Conteh resigned, the successor head of the ONS did not come from the ranks or a retired intelligence officer did not succeed him? There were and still are definitely competent people who worked under him. And now the institutional memory is vanishing with those leaving or on the verge of doing so. I have spoken to some of them since and even though they were reticent it was obvious the institution, on which so much was spent and so much is still being spent, is being allowed to flounder. Morale is very low. And with elections coming that should be at its uppermost. For once why can’t governments in this country allow public institutions to operate without political interference!
Funding for the ONS to perform comes in dribs and drabs, according to my sources. Their emergency service response unit is well underfunded; in fact it barely exists. Their offices in the regions lack some of the most basic tools and equipment, never mind adequate staff. Like the SLPP wanted to transform it into and almost did, many of the workers at what should effectively be a spying outfit for the state seem to be doing so for political party interest if only to survive and climb the ladder when it is unmeritorious. We must all secure our security forces by being honest in our dealings with them and the masses.
(C): Politico Newspaper