By Millicent Senava Mannah
In the early hours of 26th November, 2023, we were woken up by unabating gunshots, which generated fear right across the country. For some of us who were privileged to have been born before the war, know that the sound of guns, is a sound of doom.
This nation has suffered from a ten-year war, which eventuated to the loss of lives of thousands of Sierra Leoneans, and also the destruction of properties. This recent attempt of Coup d’état in the country made citizens to reminisced what happened during the civil war.
The Constitution provides with the separate role of armed forces. It is a fact that the military protects the country from external aggressions, internal disturbances, emergencies etc. but in a democratic country even though there is equal distribution of powers, there is a restricted role of armed forces in the context of regulating the country. Coup d’etat or civil war is never the right way of removing a democratic government no matter what.
William Gaddis once said, “power does not corrupt people, people corrupt power”, the thirst of power at all costs can lead people to make erroneous or unlawful decisions. Military Coup is gradually eating the fabrics of our democracy in the region.
The present hardship in the country is undeniably true, however a peaceful nation with hardship, is still better than a nation of plenty with unrest. The actions of these military men are totally out of place, and it is condemned in all forms without any justification.
The breached in the Sierra Leone Correctional Service facilities and letting dangerous criminals out has endangered the lives of citizens in this country. Though many progresses have been made to track down these prisoners, there are still dozens out there roaming about.
Since after the peace dialogue between the ruling party and opposition, there had been no apparent signs of trouble in the country before these renegade soldiers struck. Actions like these only cause the nation to retrogress instead of progress.
Everyone is complaining about the state of the economy in the country, and events like these can scare away indigenous business men and investors in the country.
When the late ex-President Tejan Kabbah came to power in March 1996, he turned the economy around from a negative growth rate of minus 6.4 per cent to a positive rate of 6 per cent in just a year, a short while after, in 25thMay, 1997, renegade soldiers struck again, crumbling everything.
Every sober-minded citizen of this nation will not opt for war, no matter what their political or tribal differences may be.
On behalf of the patriotic citizens of this nation, I wish to tender my heartfelt sympathy to the families of our fallen heroes, who died in the cause of saving our nation from aggressors.
To all, we have one Sierra Leone, there is no place like home. We must earnestly and jealously safeguard the peace of our nation. No more war, all we need is peace all the way!!
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Monday, December 4th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
