In our last edition, Politico ran two contrasting articles on Sierra Leone’s decision to deploy troops in Somalia after the Islamist group, Al-Shabab warned of unspecified consequences should the country send troops to meddle in their conflict. Below are synopsis of the two arguments and a press release issues by State House apparently reacting to our stories. We will start with Tanu Jalloh’s piece in favour of RSLAF’s deployment in Somalia.
- It was Chinua Achebe who warned us in his classic novel Things Fall Apart that those of us whose palm kernels were cracked for them by a benevolent spirit must not forget to be humble. Sierra Leone, a beneficiary of global peacekeeping efforts, has got every reason, as a benefactor to participate in peacekeeping in countries like Somalia. If the country was isolated like it seems very much the case with Somalia today, and if nobody dared to intervene irrespective of the costs in terms of human lives, wealth and energy, Sierra Leone could be reeling in anarchy today.
- With Sierra Leone now a beacon of peace, transitional justice, reconciliation and post-war recovery, the country still keeps that history of how she suffered in the hands of her people. Today she represents probably the most successful unique hybrid approach to conflict resolution on the continent.
- In times of need Sierra Leone was not abandoned to fight and finish the war in isolation. From as close as Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria to as far as India and Pakistan, governments and people all sacrificed their lives so that Sierra Leone could live to share the glory of being thy neighbour’s keeper. Sierra Leone is a testimony to regional and global peace keeping efforts. Thus, on the list of the UN’s feat and in its history of world peace efforts, Sierra Leone has been rated the most successful peacekeeping operations since 1948. Are we counting the heads today? No, we are celebrating them.
- War weary, yes, but as a beneficiary of global peace efforts, Sierra Leone must come out of her brooding bay now to console and, if need be, fight for regional stability. So when the protracted suffering in Somalia became a global issue, Sierra Leone who knew war and had lived with war for eleven years would always pray that no country sees war. Sierra Leone is history and would want to be read as a pioneer in the war for peace.
- From as crude as a small ill-trained military before the war, RLSAF is now transformed, capacitated, reoriented and sophisticated...Today, the troops train and operate in the same manner as their British tutors, a respected organisation attracting global attention…Now, with the republic’s growing stability and the assistance of foreign military mentors, her armed forces are ready to take part in peacekeeping operations. For nearly ten years, the British International Military Assistance Training Team (IMATT) has been mentoring the military with a view to preparing them for peacekeeping operations. The soldiers seem determined now to put their education to good use, both on home soil and in support of their African neighbours.
And this was Isaac Massaquio’s piece articulating his opposition to RSLAF’s deployment in Somalia:
- I concede the point that our international reputation as a promising democracy with a commitment to contributing to world peace will be greatly enhanced. I also concede the point that our nation will look too ungrateful if we turned our backs on our African brothers when they call for help in much the same way we behaved when we were at war with ourselves. I also agree that the troops that will make up the Sierra Leone contingent will receive personal financial benefits that could transform their lives and that of their families forever.
- However, I ask of you to consider the following points as we conclude this debate: The Somalia problem is not just a war for the control of people and resources as it was in Sierra Leone. It has ethnic, tribal, religious, regional and super-power geo-political underpinnings that make it extremely intractable. AMISOM even with UN help will need significant support from Arab and Middle Eastern countries. The state has fragmented badly – Somaliland, Puntland and other lawless fiefdoms, making it the world’s worst political cesspit. That did not happen in Sierra Leone.
- The UN mission in Sierra Leone was significantly helped by the United Kingdom diplomatically and militarily to turn things on the ground. The Americans are not coming back to Somalia. The British will certainly not put boots on the ground. Will this mission succeed? Al-Shabab and its allies will definitely attempt to punish Sierra Leone - no doubt about that.
- How prepared are we as a nation for this. Al-Shabab is a key plank of Al-Qaeda operations in the Arabian Peninsula. They are linked to other militant franchises in the Islamic Maghreb, the Sahelian countries and it is thought that Boko Haram in Nigeria is the new franchise in our region. So like “objects in the mirror”, Al-Shabab are closer to us than they appear. We pray it doesn’t happen but what if Al-Shabab operatives were to launch spectacular attacks in Freetown like they did in Uganda and are doing in Kenya, will Sierra Leone be able to deal with that?
- Think about our security network and the ability of the intelligence agencies to track down and deal with potential threats to national security. It’s not a bad idea for government to ask all to be vigilant in the same way they spoke to the nation when Sankoh came through our doors. No trouble with people helping the security forces with intelligence but the reality is that most people are too busy looking for food and water – two precious commodities nowadays - to feed their families rather than caring about joining the frontline fight against Al-Shabab.
- Finally, the government’s strategy in communicating this message should be well planned. Let’s not get carried away with this gung-ho approach to political decision-making – this is very important.
Below is State House’s Press release on the issue:
- The attention of the Government of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has been drawn to media reports that the Al-Shabab group has threatened to attack the contingent of RSLAF personnel scheduled to be deployed in Somalia as part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
- Government therefore wishes to remind the public that its participation in the deployment of troops under the auspices of the AMISOM was not just as a result of Sierra Leone being a member of the United Nations and the African Union, but a fulfilment of her responsibility to contribute to international peace and security just as how other countries around the world had contributed their troops to UNAMSIL and ECOMOG to help keep peace in Sierra Leone during our civil war.
- Government further wishes to inform the public that the Al-Shabab threat directed at RSLAF is taken seriously and that necessary security measures are being put in place to ensure a successful mission by our deployed troops.
- Government therefore wishes to renew its unflinching commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security whilst re-assuring citizens and foreign nationals that Government’s security apparatus are fully engaged and will provide the necessary security in ensuring that the lives and properties of our deployed troops are fully safeguarded.
- Recognising that the security of the state is also the collective responsibility of all Sierra Leoneans and foreigners alike, the public is therefore encouraged to cooperate and collaborate with the security forces and agencies by reporting any suspicious activity that may compromise the interest of our national security.
Conclusion:
After reading the two arguments for and against RSLAF’s possible deployment in Somalia, and the State House press release in reaction to those stories, my take on the issue are as follow:
I agree with Tanu Jalloh that it is payback time since Sierra Leone received support from its neighbours and other far away African countries during the dark days of its internecine war.
I also agree with my colleague that Sierra Leone has some experience it should share in international peace keeping because of its relative sophistication in warfare.
I agree with State House that the “Al-Shabab threat directed at RSLAF is taken seriously and that necessary security measures are being put in place to ensure a successful mission by our deployed troops.”
I support the Government for renewing its “unflinching commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security whilst re-assuring citizens and foreign nationals that Government’s security apparatus are fully engaged and will provide the necessary security in ensuring that the lives and properties of our deployed troops are fully safeguarded.”
I support the Government’s position that “the security of the state is also the collective responsibility of all Sierra Leoneans and foreigners alike,” and that “the public is therefore encouraged to cooperate and collaborate with the security forces and agencies by reporting any suspicious activity that may compromise the interest of our national security.”
Be that as it may, I wish to categorically register here that deploying in Somalia can be a deadly risk for our troops. I learnt the other day that Sierra Leone lost some troops in Darfur when they went in search of firewood; and the JEM rebel movement did not in any way come closer to the notorious Al-Shabab when it comes to striking fear in their enemies. But even if our troops can adequately protect themselves in Somalia, which I trust they could, their deployment there risk exposing Sierra Leone to lethal attacks by the many Islamist franchises littered in the West African region. And like my colleague pointed out in his argument against the deployment of RSLAF, many people are too busy trying to keep body and soul together and would therefore have little time to search for and give intelligence report to our security forces. And even with countries like Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda with a relatively sophisticated intelligence network, they cannot prevent the terrorists (Boku Haram and Al-Shabab) from striking a deadly blow on innocent people. Let’s call a spade a spade, two suicide bombers in different parts in Freetown are enough to destabilize the entire country.
We are a peaceful people living in a peaceful country even if we are struggling to make ends meet. I will therefore urge the government to think again before deploying our troops to a war that has no end in sight and with a party to the conflict that does not recognise the laws of war and armed conflict. I rest my case.
