SWIFT SACKINGS IN THE ARMY BUT WHAT ABOUT SOJA WELFARE
There are lots of questions to ask about the recent sackings and “compulsory and voluntary retirements” announced by Pallo Conteh, the Minister of Defence who believes he is still a major in the Sierra Leone Army backed up by political power. He puts on army combat fatigue, he moves around guarded by military men, very much unlike other ministers and he takes decisions like a commander whose troops are about to be routed from a strategic location.
For Pallo Conteh to call a news conference only to tell journalists he wouldn’t comment on specific cases on the sackings is totally unhelpful and there are quite a few people who left that conference in regret for attending.
The soldiers, who’ve been sacked, have returned home licking their wounds. But for the thousands more who remain, the question of their welfare was not well treated. At all Soja barracks, hurriedly-constructed mud extensions to existing housing units are going up everyday. We don’t think Pallo Conteh gets the message those unauthorised extensions are sending to him.
Our army has been at peace for at least 10 years now and soldiers whose family lives were disrupted by their involvement in the war are now busy trying to have children and put their families back on track. Children of Sojas who by age requirements are not allowed to continue staying in the barracks are still hanging in there because their parents aren’t able to move them on quietly in dignity.
We call on Pallo to concentrate on these issues as the picture all over the country is simply unacceptable, even disgraceful. Please remember to make this an item on the agenda at the next DEFENCE COUNCIL meeting and not just on AOB.
SHOOT TO KILL ORDER FOR MUNU POLICE: MASSIVE COVER-UP
The whole country is slowly coming to terms with the reality about our so-called “Force for Good”. Let’s face it; the force is badly led from the point of Francis Munu serving as Inspector General.
Let’s remind you once again about some incidents in which our “Force for Good” have proved to be either incompetent or are badly trained in crowd-control matters. In no particular order:
1. Munu Police shot and killed two “Neighbourhood Watch” boys in the Wellington area. With that killing the people’s fight against armed robbery collapsed and the robbers launched “Operation Well Done Police".
2. Munu Police shot and killed people during Maada Bio’s rally in Bo just before the elections. Those officers were clearly identified in an official inquiry report alongside other ordinary Sierra Leoneans. The officers were spared but the civil society people and a few politicians are still on trial.
3. Munu Police shot and killed people along circular road in Freetown, even as we write, we don’t yet know what happened to the police men who killed those young people.
4. Munu police killed a woman in Bumbuna as they demonstrated against a mining company. They returned to Freetown and quickly accused the opposition SLPP of creating the atmosphere for the killing to take place. Very Daring!
5. Now they’ve killed a man who according to Munu Police was wielding a pistol threatening ordinary people. New evidence now emerging about this issue paint an absolutely different picture and it’s up to the police talk to us again.
We can’t line up all incidents in which our police have shot to kill on the orders of Munu. Some other shootings may have happened in dark corners. Already we have presented what looks like a charge sheet that even an inexperienced lawyer can use to successfully prosecute Munu at the ICC.
By the way, the Human Rights Commission press release wasn’t well researched. It didn’t give the correct name of the deceased. How can the Human Rights Commission praise the police for accepting that they killed the man? Who else was involved in the incident?
We are desperately waiting for the new Independent Police Complaints body that Shekito has been talking about. That body could potentially be the most fantastic achievement of De Pa's government. Even more than Wilkinson road.
CORRUPT QUOTA SYSTEM FOR TRAFFIC WARDENS AND POLICE
Traffic Police Officers and Wardens are creating real hell on the roads for ordinary people looking for something to eat. We’ve been told that each day a police officer and warden are given a certain quota on vehicles they should arrest and escort to Central Police. They are asked to arrest and turn over three vehicles daily from which the big man will make a few pennies. Once that is done, the Police and Wardens are on their own and they do whatever they like.
If you own a car, be honest with us and say how many times police officers have stopped you at junctions in Freetown for this and that offence and then opened the possibility of a bribe. And it’s so disheartening that people don't really have a way of challenging such lies on our streets.
The traffic warden are causing too much pain. The idea that their salaries and allowances must come from what little money they collect on the roads is not a bad idea but if they are going to try and grind it out daily even when people try to stay within the law, they will be making a big mistake that will inspire calls for wardens in particular to be withdrawn from Freetown’s streets.
Wardens came with a big reputation as totally incorruptible. Now that reputation is gone for good. The wardens are more corrupt than the police.
BABABODE AND THE CRUEL VICTORIA PARK ALBATROSS
How are you today Mayor Bababode? We are here again to bother you. Please bear with us; we are products of the democracy that brought you to power.
What do you plan to do with that concrete jungle we call Victoria Park in the heart of our city? Our information is that your predecessor struck a deal with a shadowy company to build some imaginary structures inside that natural park but the deal went bad, the company owners fled and Morgan Heritage took away good money that should have been used to complete the park project or build toilets in our municipal schools.
What are you going to do with this project sir? The fact is that we don't want a concrete jungle in the middle of Freetown.
Your predecessor didn't bother to consult the people of the city and we have no evidence you spoke out against it in your days as an ordinary councillor. You hung in there snugly praising Herbert as the Great Leader of Freetown, now the albatross is hanging on your neck and we need to hear something from you now about this concrete jungle.
In a much more general sense, we don't know who's with us on this; just one week after De Pa declared Operation WID, Freetown has returned to its former state of chaotic street trading; nothing has changed. Only motorists are at the receiving end of police and traffic wardens.
Bababode, you know that winning an election is one thing and delivering on your political promises and meeting the expectations of your people are completely different matters. That's where we are now.
