The proposed inquest should not distract us
In as much as the proposed inquest is necessary for Sierra Leoneans, more especially for those family members whose relatives were killed in cold blood in December 1992, it must not distract us from pursuing our developmental plans as a nation.
As it is now, only history will tell us whether or not the proposed Commission of Enquiry to be set up by the APC would be in the best interest of every Sierra Leonean. As for those who have apt knowledge about our war history could vividly recall that post independence Sierra Leone to 1991 was characterized by sad and happy moments. Therefore, trying to derail or divert the rightful course of history is like doubting what God will do the next moment in administering His creation.
In retrospect, when the rebel war broke out in March 1991 to 2002, many innocent people who may be ignorant about power dynamics equally suffered irreparable loss. Some people are still bearing the brunt of losing a whole family in the hands of ruthless ‘sobels’ as they came to be known during the war.
Those Sierra Leoneans who bore the greatest loss in the war are still in our midst today, uncomplaining. But who knows even if they are aggrieved and complaining who is there to hear them and give them solace. Afterwards, when a poor man dies, there are no comets seen, but when a rich man dies everybody wants to attend his funeral. This is how we demonstrate love in this part of the world.
In the same vein, deliberating on the nitty-gritty of the necessity of the inquest are issues of grave concerns but at the same time should not be a deterrent that seems to deviate us from thinking of what is good for this country. Our angst in trying to unearth the truth about those who did extra- judicial killings during their stewardship in power would be quenched only if full procedures contain in our law books are given thorough consideration. In fact, some political pundits are with the opinion that the inquest is a kind of ploy in the making to distract us from achieving our developmental plans.
People in civilized nations have their main motive of voting for a democratic government in order for them to realize their developmental desires. However, it is anticipated that the elected government should strive by any means possible to change their lives by giving them basic infrastructures-such as good roads, constant electricity supply, education, health and sanitation are among the few goods that are to be delivered to the people in return. Interestingly, what people call development and developmental aspirations vary from one country to another. Some countries like Iran, USA and South Korea have their developmental aspirations tangled around nuclear proliferation and space discovery and not the obvious basics like pipe-borne water and the counterfeited electricity scheme as the average Sierra Leonean would think.
When the three decade construction of the much talk about Bumbuna Hydro Electric plant was about to be launched in this country, the loudest noise was made by those who are too myopic to see beyond their noses. Today, due to the irregular supply of electricity to its schematized places all that noise about the Bumbuna has been silenced by the very enthusiasts.
We as a nation must always learn to appreciate things that are durable not only for us, but for our progenies yet unborn. In other words, our legacies to be inherited by our children should be of outstanding qualities and not counterfeited ones. Moreover, it is of good essence to ignite the memory of every Sierra Leonean that countries like America built their nation on a solid foundation. Probably this is why the Americans are progressing tremendously in every effort they make in life. Obviously, if only our copy cat democracy has been borrowed from them (American or British people), we as a nation must give thorough cognizance as to what they did in making theirs happen the way it is happening.
In reiteration, in as much as the inquest is geared towards making those who killed other’s loved ones to demonstrate signs of remorse, it must also not be seen in the light that are our attention is being driven from what we hope to achieve as a nation. Sierra Leone as a post conflict nation has developmental goals, such as education, better health facility for all, good roads, pure drinking water, regular electricity supply and many more, yet to be fulfilled.Â
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