Don’t Try Bio …TRC Chair Cautions Govt: A Rejoinder

It is rather unfortunate for a self proclaimed bishop, a member of the so-called Truth Commission to come out with a statement that is preposterous and ridiculous to the detriment of healing the wounds of those who suffered silently under the hands of hoodlums that took human lives for granted and looted the state coffers with impunity.  As chairman of the Truth Commission in Sierra Leone did you ever think of the families that were affected when you were conducting the quasi-investigations that resulted to lost of live in Sierra Leone? (Photo: Joseph Sherman, author)

What Pandora box is the APC government opening to investigate the barbaric, uncivilized, heinous crimes the undemocratic NPRC Junta regime has perpetuated to innocent people of Sierra Leone?   I thought as a so-called bishop you are equipped with wisdom to allow reasons to prevail.  I am totally disappointed at your statement and don’t expect a prelate as you purport to be to publicly utter such a statement without reasoning.

What are the differences between, RUF, AFRC, Kamajors and Charles Taylor whom the government of Ex-President Kabbah prosecuted for gross human rights violations to the NPRC junta who committed gross human rights violations?  It is unfortunate for a purported man of God to make frivolous statement that has the propensity of harboring hatred and discontent within the family of the affected victims of the NPRC onslaught on the innocent people of Sierra Leone.

As a Christian and a believer, I am ashamed of you Bishop Joseph Humper, because you are displaying what we called bias and gross insensitivity to the family of the murdered victims by the NPRC.  Remember, we are in a new era where pseudo- morality has no place in today’s legal system.  The truth has to come out from collaborators and perpetrators of these heinous crime committed by the NPRC.   The culture of silence and impunity can not be compromised with the right to know and later with pure repentance, forgiveness will follow.

Ideals of so-called unconditional forgiveness, of turning the other cheek, loving one’s oppressor, could be understood as actually conditional in various ways. In the absence of the other’s willingness to atone, we may forgive evil when we believe that there are special or extenuating circumstances which will allow us to view the perpetrator as less culpable the sinner knows not what he does. We can say the other was blinded or deluded, led astray. Our offer of grace is then subtly hostile, both an embrace and a slap. We offer our love as a reward, hoping thereby to un-cloud the other’s conscience so as to enable them to discover their culpability. In opening our arms, we hope the prodigal son will return chastised, suddenly aware of a need to be forgiven. As the forgiving one, we are proud of our `courageous and `compassionate response, but the important term here is response. To forgive is to acknowledge willingness to change one’s attitude of condemnation only in response to and acknowledgement of indications of potential repentance, at a conscious or unconscious level, on the part of the sinner.

Finally the word of God is constant in its truth and its message does not change. God looks upon today’s Christian’s disobedience the same as He looked upon Jonah’s, and  brings out the fact “That God responds to disobedience by making circumstances oppose us.” God’s Word in 1 Peter 5:5 speaks about God resisting the proud and giving grace to the humble.”   If Christians disobey because of having too much pride to reach out to todays “then God will bring about circumstances to change our hearts. God knows what is required to cause a change in our hearts and behaviors.  Today’s Christian can well learn from Jonah’s disobedience and avoid going down the path that he went.

Joseph Seidu Sherman. Washington, DC, USA

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