The IMC/PPRC press release; also Xenophobia?

I pride myself in that in my public life I do not lose my temper or get angry very easily. Perhaps that is one reason why I am able to control my blood pressure successfully, albeit with appropriate medication. Recent events and statements by two bodies that are supposed to be independent and even more importantly impartial are working me up rather uncomfortably.

Last week, both the Independent Media Commission (IMC) and the Political Parties’ Registration Commission (PPRC) issued separate but identical press releases. They contained warnings with not so veiled threats against the editors of the pro APC newspaper the Torchlight and the official mouthpiece of the opposition SLPP newspaper Unity respectively. Both were accused of carrying editorials or comments that were in the opinion of both commissions inciting with a tendency to cause social unrest or words to that effect.

I have no quarrel with the statements but with the manner in which the newspaper publications were handled, and I must say that it was not the first time either. This time the Torchlight newspaper had carried a commentary alleging that the SLPP party was an all Mende affair. Again it was not the first time that the newspaper had indulged in such outright finger-pointing provocation and tribalism. The Unity newspaper responded appropriately by referring to the ‘so so’ Limba/Loko government, with conspicuous exclusion of the Temnes.

It was only then that the IMC and the PPRC deemed it appropriate to issue their threat which to me smacked of absolute hypocrisy. Why didn’t either of them put out a statement immediately after the Torchlight’s publication rather than wait until after the response of the Unity newspaper? What kind of funny game are the leaderships of the commissions up to? Of whom are they afraid or whom are they straining to please? Former President Siaka Stevens who would have asked, “Where did it begin?” but it did not matter to our so-called independent authorities that the Torchlight newspaper had started it all. They very probably would have paid no heed had the opposition Unity newspaper remained silent.

We continue to make it abundantly clear that the days of passive resistance are over and that as in the theme song of the film “Anything you can do I can do, better” we shall now defend ourselves particularly in the face of unprovoked assault where we are the victims. It is our people that get arrested. The vicious attack on our party headquarters in March 2009, the bye-elections in Pujehun and Kenema are examples. Cannot we run our affairs like a civilized and tolerant society? We expect much better than retroactive actions from authorities that are supposed to be independent and impartial rather than them playing up to the party in power.

The information minister said on the SLBC tea break programme yesterday that “in the whole of Africa, no other government is has been more tolerant of press freedom than this government.” Really IB? What about the 11 year old government which you succeeded only three years ago. That statement was surely an exaggeration.

A dangerous incident is raising its ugly head and once more Paul Kamara’s for-di- people newspaper is lending active support to it rather than condemning it and asking that it be nipped in the bud. The youth of Marampa chiefdom or of Lunsar to be precise recently set up road blocks on the main Masiaka to Makeni highway because they felt that the London Mining Company was discriminating against them in favour of people from other regions in their employment practice. David Keilie the company’s Managing Director is being accused by the youth as recruiting his Mende ethnic group. The for-di-people newspaper has been very loud in that accusation, using invectives and lies against the poor man. Do these people want to introduce XENOPHOBIA in their region? Are some of the misguided youth aware of the ethnicity of the work force that was previously in NDMC, or currently in Rutile? Were they aware that during the operations here of the road construction company ABU most of its work force came from the north even where they operated in the south and east?

Should the oil industry develop off Sulima or Bonthe would they be happy if recruitment was restricted to those two districts?

I am disappointed that the political leadership of the area has not come out with a strong condemnation of the youth’ or of the newspaper. XENOPHOBIA? Don’t even dream about it. “E nor go bon good pikin. Nar ya”

Despite the confusion and anxiety that its reckless and irresponsible publication about former Vice President Solomon Berewa had caused the African champion newspaper has expressed no remorse. On the contrary it only stated that the man was alive. What characters indeed!

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