By Amara Thoronka
The Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has, based on its research and observation, said that the November 26 security incident, which later turned out to be a coup attempt, was carried out by persons – violence entrepreneurs, commonly known as thugs – who wanted to capture the state for ‘self-regarding gains’, and not necessarily by political parties operating in the country.
The IGR’s report, which was released last week, and titled “Violence Entrepreneurs- Understanding the Actors and Incentives Behind the November 26 Failed Coup” argued that, despite the mentioning of some party members as suspects, it did not find evidence that the 26 November incident was carried out by a political party, or ethnic, or regional entity.
“We argue that although individual political party members might be named as suspects, there is no evidence that the 26 November incident was carried out by a political party, ethnic or regional grouping. Rather, we believe the event was merely an attempt by known ‘violence entrepreneurs’ who wanted to capture the state in ways similar to 1997 – for their self-regarding ends. Political party sentiment, ethnicity and economic hardship are simply tools exploited to gain public support for their cause; shielding their real desire to control and loot the state,” IGR stated in its report on the incident.
The report stated that “background checks of the main suspects arrested or killed in the failed coup reveal characters with history of reliance on the ‘sale of violence’ to make a living”.
IGR reported that the coup leaders pleaded with civilian members of the public to join them, but that they [civilians] refused, citing that they believe in democratic means in changing a government.
“Despite the plea by coup leaders for people to join them to end the economic hardship, civilians in opposition-dominated Freetown refused to cooperate. Instead, civilians arrested and turned attackers in to law enforcement agencies,” the report noted. It is against this backdrop that the IGR argued that the said perpetrators did not act on behalf of any political party, adding that, “A cursory investigation of the backgrounds of known individuals reveals an organised violence entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone,” the report stated.
The report cited and profiled some suspects including Amadu Koita, Kabba Dumbuya, Idrissa Kamara [Alias Leather Boot], Mohammed YeteyTuray [Alias YeateyYeatey], Sorieba Kamara and Sheriff Alpha, who were closely associated with providing security in the past and recent past for former President Ernest Bai Koroma, who is currently under house arrest as a suspect of the alleged coup.
IGR emphasized that political sentiments, ethnicity and regionalism were tools used by the alleged ‘coupists’ to mobilise civilians to support the move.
“The ethno-regional and political party ties that connect those that allegedly led the failed coup, are merely social capital exploited for political mobilisation of the civilian populace. Essentially, they exploit the polarisation created by political parties who routinely advance tribalism, regionalism, and party identity for their upward social and economic mobility,” the report explained.
Citing the works of authors like Yusuf Bangura andJimmy Kandeh, on security issues in the 70s and 80s, leading to full-blown instability in the 90s, the Institute for Governance Reform submitted that:
“Such use of violence by elites for the survival of regimes is somewhat different from that employed by subalterns on November 26, 2023. In Nov 26, subaltern exploited the disillusionments created by political elites in their campaign to control the state. Therefore, linking them to a political party or an ethnic or regional group will only complicate a straightforward case … organising and executing a violent crime. And politicising the November 26 will only make party supporters normalise coups as part of the strategy of failed political parties and will lay a foundation for future instability.”
On lessons learnt, IGR observed that the“localised violence on November 26 revealed that Sierra Leoneans are fighting enemies that live in the same communities with them”, adding that “the release of prisoners, including some dangerous ones, on the street of Freetown further shows the scale of vulnerability of the country and the weakness of institutions to provide peace and security”.
The advocacy and research-based civil society organization pointed out that it is now clear that “a potent network of anti-democratic forces at home and abroad is willing and capable of disrupting the peace and security of the country for their personal ends”.
Information technology and social media are cited in the report as “transnational opportunities for deception, coercion, and violence”, adding that “ICT and social media have enhanced the capacity and speed of subalterns to organise and wreak havoc”.
The report further observed that “not every opposition supporter supports a coup or instability in Sierra Leone and not every supporter of the coup believes in the opposition APC’s avowed commitment to take power through open and transparent elections”.
IGR noted that, 20 years after the eleven-year civil war, there is still ‘profound weaknesses’ in the country’s security sector, citing attack of the armoury at Wilberforce Military Barracks, the Pademba Road Prison and state security personnel accused to have been part of such acts.
Recommending what needs to be done to address reoccurrence of similar security anomalies, IGR proffered immediate, medium- and long-term solutions to government. On immediate term, IGR called on government to maintain professionalism in prosecuting and punishing individuals behind the violent crime in line with the rule of law, constitutional principles and human rights standards and not to target any political party. For medium and long terms, IGR recommended that government should promote greater reform in the security sector through rapid recruitment of personnel and providing training in ethics, inclusivity, and professionalism to the current serving men and women.
A peacebuilding expert who prefers anonymity told this medium that efforts should also be made to ensure ethnic and regional inclusion in the recruitment of security personnel at all levels.
The IGR Report also called on political party leaders to reflect on their loss of image and leadership when they create space for ‘violence entrepreneurs’; develop platforms for engaging and mobilising voter on policy proposals; resist the use of violence and division as a political mobilisation strategy; and begin to support the actions of the State to hold ‘violence entrepreneurs’ to account.
IGR called on the international community to recognise the reality of what it called ‘politics-veiled crime’ and begin to respond to crimes perpetuated by individuals rather than political parties and support the capacity of the State to hold ‘violence entrepreneurs’ to account.
Recognising the significance of non-state actors, the IGR report noted that, because civil society and the media can be instruments of polarisation and hate, they [civil society and media] should use their resources to develop and rollout public education campaigns, including through online media, to engage the Sierra Leone diaspora and local groups on building movements for peace.
Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Wednesday, December 20th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
