SORGHOR SAYS NRM-APC IS ILLEGAL AND SHOULD DISBAND
We believe that even Sorghor himself knows that he is making a very big mistake by trying to make the NRM, a movement that is dedicated to reforming the Red Camp from within, look bad. Yes he knows that.
We hold no brief for the NRM but we think they are making interesting noises about the kind of reforms they want to help usher into the Red Camp with the overall objective to make the party completely democratic, taking into consideration the generational change taking place in Sierra Leone politics and that of the Red Camp in particular. But, in a typical Communist style, Sorghor is attempting to smash the reform movement and keep in place the status-quo of which he is an integral part. Is that a clever thing to do?
With your permission great Sorghor we want to raise some issues with you. Please bear with us.
1. Do you honestly believe that those behind NRM would simply fizzle out because you have declared them an illegal organization? Or that they will drop the ideas that brought them together in the first place because you don’t think they should exist?
2. How come the NRM movement you now tell the police is not recognized was invited by you to take part in drawing up your constitution? So they are legal today when you need them and illegal tomorrow when you think they want change.
3. Sorghor do you know the real people behind that movement? In fact, we have spoken to people in the Red Camp who think you are probably a member of the NRM but you have to create the elaborate impression to hide that fact. Is that true sir?
4. Would it be a better approach to speak to the NRM now to avoid an all-out Civil War in the Red Camp?
5. Sorghor why don’t you just resign after so many years doing the same job? The Tories in England have just elected their leader, why are you so scared of DEMOCRACY to determine who leads your movement?
MUSA TOMBO TEARS UP SWEDISH CONTRACT AND FLIES HOME
So a day after the Sierra Leone Premier League awards, celebrating exemplary players in different categories in the last league with pomp and pageantry came news that one of the players who emerged from that league as the highest goal scorer has done something really interesting and unbelievable. By nightfall, it became clear that Tombo had torn up the contract he had signed a few days earlier with a Swedish second division club and was in fact airborne headed back home. The whole nation woke up from sleep asking the question: is this some kind of an April fool’s joke in August or what?
Tombo is one of three players from the same team that left for Europe to take their chances in professional football in Europe after the league, leaving behind a proud nation. He has tried to explain his action to a few friends, talking about not being able to cope with the cold Scandinavian weather and all that. The point is Sweden has always been a good starting point for many Sierra Leonean internationals, some of whom actually tried to help Tombo settle in. And the weather is hot at this time – it is summer, you know! This is what we think moved this guy to tear up his three-and-a-half year contract:
1. Actually, Tombo prefers going to Europe by way of Temple Run. He has heard a lot of stories about how those who enter Europe by that route end up making it big out there.
2. He wants to be able to play in the finals of the Portuguese Town league in Freetown. For him that’s a better league.
3. Tombo wants to go on an open top bus parade with his highest goal scorer trophy in the coming days. Watch out for that.
4. When he heard about the flooding in Tombo and the suffering of his people, he decided to leave Sweden to lead the relief effort in the Freetown peninsula.
5. Just after signing the contract, Tombo heard that a footballer colleague was about to steal his girlfriend and decided that MUST not happen. Welcome brother Tombo, that’s a wise decision.
AUGUST 18, 1997 – RED TERROR DAY IN FREETOWN
Twenty-two years ago the students of this country took a stand against a hated, criminal and undemocratic government of the fugitive called Johnny Paul Koroma. Some say he is now dead. We are waiting for conclusive proof. Otherwise he remains an indicted war criminal who doesn’t want to have his day in court to face justice. Even on that day students and ordinary people who joined the protest were brutalized, some of them were killed. As a nation we should never allow that day to pass with rubbing those ugly events in the faces of those who championed them. Today many of them have appeared in different places pretending to be democrats, preaching change.
While we understand their rhetoric we call on them to speak the TRUTH and apologize to the families and friends of those who were killed, jailed or maimed. That will be a good starting point for reconciliation. Young people with big aspirations and a lot of promise had their lives cut short because they stood up against evil forces in society.
For those who at the slightest provocation go on the rampage attacking people and properties, the lesson to learn is that violence will never win. Johnny Paul Koroma who thought he would subdue the nation with guns and missiles saw people resisting with bare hands and winning. He is nowhere to be found – either dead or hiding in some hole somewhere on planet earth.
ATTACKING MAGISTRATE BONNIE’S OFFICE: WHAT’S THE POINT?
For how much longer should we sit by and watch the Ministry of Internal Affairs and our so-called Force for Good continuously mess things up and possibly compromise the safety of key state actors and public property? We will not provide any list of other recent breaches because we are sick to death with having to report the same thing every other week.
We read in the local newspapers last week that Magistrate Hannah Bonnie complained in open court about threats made against her over the matter involving The New Sheriff in Town and others about violence at an election rally in Hamilton and the destruction of property. The threats came from abroad via social media and there are local and even direct ones too. So we have something to tell Principal right now.
1. If your convoy and siren minister and police boss can’t perform well why keep them in office? Is there anything we should know sir? We are completely fed up now.
2. Please let’s not wake up tomorrow morning to news that unidentified people went to the home of Magistrate Hannah Bonnie for God knows what.
3. Why is it so easy to go into a place like a court building to carry out a criminal act like this? Is there anything on CCTV? Is there anything like a CCTV in that place? And what happened to state security personnel that we expect are deployed there.
4. Chief Justice should know that cleaning up the courts and assigning judges is just one of his roles. Keeping those judges safe and free of threats is fundamental.
5. Is Principal telling us that there is nothing we can do about people sitting in Western capitals and issuing direct threats against our country? We have heard people calling on their friends and supporters to burn our important state buildings and such things. Is there nothing we can do about that as a country? Social media is good for interaction but surely now, this handshake is beginning to reach the nation’s elbow.
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