Fifteen years ago today, as Saturday rolled into Sunday a band of soldiers, wearing green military tunics covering red APC t-shirts stormed the central prison at the heart of Freetown - Pademba Road and released all those awaiting justice. They ranged from hardened criminals, armed robbers as well as rogue soldiers who had committed grave human rights abuses against the civilian population in their various areas of operation. All were given arms, deadly weapons of war as confused residents tried to work out what was going on amid the sounds of heavy guns and automatic weapons fire. By daylight, roaming bands of soldiers and armed men could be seen racing about town in commandeered vehicles pillaged from owners' garages as well as from the homes of international non-governmental organisations serving various sections of the Sierra Leone community.

And so was the Armed Forces Revolutionary Force, the AFRC formed on a May 25 date which Africa celebrates as Liberation Day - turned on its head by a band of savages in military attire who believed that once their masters, the APC, was handed power, the incoming civilian government of the APC would absolve them of all their crimes and make them heroes - for the rampant and random murder of civilians, the rape of women and girls and all those who crossed their bloody trails.

It must be stated that not all soldiers warmed up to the idea of another coup as they realised that soldiers had been given their marching orders to the barracks by civilians who welcomed them after the April 29, 1992 but would rather have them now back in the barracks.

Seeing that they were not getting the kind of support they witnessed when the NPRC was formed, the clearly disoriented and frightened soldiers as well as their supporters turned to their arch enemy, an enemy they had been fighting for six years - the Revolutionary United Front, the RUF of Foday Sankoh.

Using peace and dialogue as the pretext while in reality wanting to have more men join their ranks, the new man at the helm of affairs, one Johnny Paul Koroma invited the RUF to come out of the bush and to form their so-called Peoples' Army as mounting resentment from civilians continued.

The rest as they say is history - but what we all would not like to happen is to see that awful history repeating itself.

Then there is the man who presided over the comprehensive looting of the Central Bank, the self-styled Dr Christian Kargbo who has instituted an official policy of cleansing all institutions employing suspected non-APC members and in one instance relating to the dismissal of one member of staff, a Mr Peter Kuyembeh, wrote that he was acting on the advice of one Khadija Sesay, the OGI Director whose duty, among others is to precede the President whenever the magician goes abroad.

 "I had in the past spoken and written letters to the Director General about my observations at the Mission. This Mission is flocked with Anti-Government Operators. Until all of them are removed, the purpose for which we are sent out here will NEVER be achieved. They have a fixed mindset. No matter what we do or say makes no difference. I have been saddled with them for over three (3) years now and I know them all”.

The police is now an instrument of repression, oppression and murder aiding and abetting crimes against the opposition as impunity rears its head once more. The recent episode relating to one Aziz Carew who has been convicted of crimes only Gestapo Chief Munu knows best about is a clear indication that all is not well and unless and until the international community puts a halt to the creeping excesses of the Ernest Bai Koroma awful horror, Sierra Leone would be back to the same atmosphere which led to the country's first armed open rebellion since the country's independence in April 1961.

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Friday May 18, 2012 - Four African leaders invited to the G8 meeting on food security by President Obama - and the smoke and mirrors President of Sierra Leone is not among those African leaders believed to be serious about ensuring food security for their people. Is there a message for President Dr Dr Dr and more Dr Ernest Bai Koroma - that the international community is becoming disenchanted with his smoke and mirrors tactics?

Today Friday marks the beginning of the G8 2012 meeting of the world's most powerful economies to be hosted by US President Barack Obama at Camp David and today the G8 will be looking at food and nutrition security and how this can be achieved in Africa. To help this meeting of like-minded individuals concerned with food security on the continent, President Obama has thought it fit to invite four African leaders who could well be seen as serious people when it comes to achieving food security for their people.

This page gives a brief profile of the speakers at this important meeting. President Yayi Boni of Benin, the present African Union Chairman will be joined at the G8 food and nutrition security meeting by Ghana's President John Atta Mills, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Under the theme - "Advancing Food and Nutrition Security at the 2012 G8 summit" this Chicago Council on Global Affairs meeting held in collaboration with the World Economic Forum will hear from, among others US President Barack Obama, the four invited Presidents, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as from key interest groups and actors dedicated to making Africa really food and nutrition secured.

According to the organisers of the meeting, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs it is hoped that this meeting of similar minds - "will bring together senior global leaders to discuss new G8 efforts on food security and the opportunity and benefits of private sector investment in African agriculture and food sectors. Sessions will identify ways business, civil society, and international organizations can complement and amplify G8 action on agricultural research and innovation, markets and trade, and nutrition."

US Secretary of State Clinton did not mince her words - going straight to the point as to why President Obama and his administration are putting the emphasis on food and nutrition security.

Tuesday May 8, 2012 - With the right leadership any nation wracked by war and terrible suffering can rise again from the ashes to even greater heights in all fields of human endeavour - from political emancipation through sport to accounting to the people  on how the country's resources are utilised for the common good. This is the story of a country called Rwanda - a country that was failed by the United Nations, failed by the international community - a country seized by mass murderers who executed more than half a million Tutsis in just ninety days.

Sierra Leone's very own documentary film reporter and researcher is at it again - bringing the good news about Africa - telling it like it is. Exposing corruption wherever found and giving praise to deserving countries as is to be witnessed in a new documentary soon to hit the international media scene. Rwanda-17 - Healing a Nation is, according to the makers - a compelling African success story, told through the inspirational journey of its youngest rising stars: the Rwandan Under 17 football team. Born just after the 1994 genocide, they overcame enormous odds to qualify for the 2011 Under-17 World Cup in Mexico. The first Rwandans to reach this level of world-class football, these young players – more than half of them orphaned by war – show how discipline, determination and uncompromising team spirit leads to the success that can inspire a nation. Their story represents Rwanda’s breathtaking evolution and hopes for a better future, with good leadership and unity at the heart of not only sporting success but also a nation’s efforts to achieve reconciliation and prosperity.

Wednesday May 2, 2012 - Those smoking guns and war weapons - why was the contract for these weapons given to a civilian company? Who is behind the company and how much did it really cost the tax payer? Like the reckless and thieving APC of Stevens and Momoh so it is with the smoke and mirrors President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Thanks to members of some sections of the press reporting on events in Sierra Leone, the Ernest Bai Koroma government has been exposed as a lying, self-serving and ruthless entity that would do any and everything to re-introduce the APC tactics of yester years to remain in power - and not only that but to continue the massive and unprecedented looting spree as exposed by the Auditor-General's office. According to those leaked documents, the Inspector-General, the Gestapo Chief Francis Munu would want us to believe that the award of that contract to a particular company was above board, that the award was transparent and in line with regulations relating to the award of contracts. He wrote and we quote

"The Supplier, Messrs Amylam, Sierra Leone Limited, who won the contract on CIF terms, has informed me that the vessel NV AN NING JIANG, is presently at high seas under the shipping agency of OBT Shipping Limited and is expected to arrive by 19th/20th January 2012."

We beg to differ and would want a further clarification on the matter as the UN arms embargo on Sierra Leone had been lifted paving the way for the government to directly use the country's end-user certificate and authority to buy these items from the Chinese manufacturers Norinco. And who, may we ask heads or has links to this new invention called Messrs Amylam? We believe that one Khadi could well have been resuscitated to begin yet another rape of the country's finances just as he did during the Momoh era and during which he gained access to all ministries and key personnel in government to siphon off the tax payers' sweat into his accounts while giving kickbacks to his contacts in government. Kindly take a look at this report involving his operations in the acquisition of fire engines for the Fire Force.

This was just the tip of the iceberg in the massive corruption that reigned then and just to ensure that Sierra Leone is not been taken to the cleaners again using all and any surreptitious means, we would urge the Gestapo Chief Francis Munu as well as the Ministry of Finance to publish all details relating to the tender documents and what informed the government to award such a contract to Messrs Amylam, Sierra Leone Limited. We need to know under what circumstances the stated company was given such a contract and who received the kickbacks that normally are a part of such "contracts".

We are raising this issue because as far as we can see, despite the fact that the Auditor General had published reports highlighting thieving and gross financial malpractices in government, government-related organisations and others, State House, headed by Ernest Bai Koroma has not thought it fit to put in the recommended remedial action that would recover the multi billion leones and more in foreign currencies theft that is now a label of this government. A government that has failed to account to the people, a government that is of the view that the finances of Sierra Leone are easy and should be such a prey to its many thieving and dishonest operatives. The contempt so far displayed by the government for the reports of the Auditor-General hearkens to the days of the Stevens and Momoh era where the badge of good statesmanship and accountability got converted into a vile competition as to who steals the most from the coffers of government.

Allow us to give you a sampling of what was unearthed during the NPRC investigations into contracts - this is a part of what was discovered at the National Elections Commission at Tower Hill in Freetown

Thursday March 22, 2012 - UN Security Council meets on Sierra Leone - hears concern over ugly developments in Sierra Leone that could scupper the hopes of the UN, Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone as an example of a success story of a country making a full and admirable recovery after years of a brutal and devastating war. Despite progress made in getting the country on her feet again - questions raised over the recent importation of millions of dollars worth of war weapons for the armed wing of the APC parading as a "police force", the OSD. Calls on the main opposition SLPP to rethink action over the boycott of Parliament and other crucial meetings. Shears-Moses report must be made public.

The United Nations Security Council meeting in a crucial session on Sierra Leone has heard the final report of Michael von der Schulenburg who, until he was forced out of the country by the Ernest Bai Koroma regime, was the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the country and head of all UN operations in Sierra Leone. He praised and indeed paid tribute to the people of Sierra Leone for their many admirable qualities and "for their resilience and their extraordinary ability to forgive and reconcile. Today, victims and perpetrators live side by side in communities all over the country".

Settling on the challenges facing Sierra Leoneans as they get ready for the November 17 General Elections Mr Michael von der Schulenburg expressed grave concern over the importation of weapons worth millions of dollars to equip a section of the police, the OSD noting

"...reports that the Government has imported assault weapons worth millions of dollars in January of this year to equip a recently enlarged para-military wing of its police, the Operational Services Division (OSD), are of great concern. Sierra Leone is under no arms embargo. However, given Sierra Leone's progress in establishing peace and security throughout the country and its relatively low crime rate, it is not clear why the police would need such weapons – especially as this shipment, according to a leaked Bill of Lading, appears to include heavy machine guns and even grenade launchers. I would urge the Government to fully clarify these reports and, if true, explain the intended use of these weapons.

An enlarged, heavily-armed and allegedly also ethnically imbalanced OSD risks undermining the good work that has been done by the Sierra Leonean Police in creating a modern and operationally independent police force serving the people of Sierra Leone – a people-oriented police was one of the important pillars of the successful Security Sector Reforms after the civil war. Because of the country’s painful experience, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had suggested that Sierra Leone abandons all forms of para-military police force. Such lessons from the past should be taken seriously.

Sunday March 4, 2012 - The interesting, very interesting Africa Debate held in Freetown on land grabbing by multinational companies in Africa - is it an investment opportunity that benefits the people or is it just another exploitative gimmick that ruins communities, the environment and traditional way of life? Who benefits from it all? The strange but not so surprising loud, very loud silence from the Ernest Bai Koroma (read AFRC Mk2) apologists.

Friday February 24 was a big day for the media, the government and the people of Sierra Leone - for on that day the BBC World Service was in Freetown to broadcast LIVE one of it's Africa Debate series. It was an opportunity for all those concerned about the issue of land being mortgaged to multi-national companies and how this impacts on communities and the ordinary man, woman and child. It was quite a lively and interesting debate with environmentalists and civil society groups on one hand and government agents on the other hand laying out their side of the debate on who benefits from such deals that have seen vast tracts of land in Sierra Leone practically given away to the industrial production of materials that would feed the energy needs of the West.

Into this scenario came traditional rulers, APC mouthpieces and government "parrots" and there was even one man who claimed to be the adviser to President Koroma in the matter of land acquisition and benefits for the affected communities. It was a truly defining moment as students, interest groups and others repeatedly claimed that while investment was good for Sierra Leone, the way and manner in which it was done and continues to be done was just not good enough with Deputy Agriculture minister, one Alie Badara Mansaray admitting that the whole process had flaws that needed to be looked at anew. He conceded that the whole concept being a new programme needed a review that would address the concerns of the people affected.

What emerged from that lively debate was that there was a lack of transparency and consultation with the people directly affected. One woman activist noted that in all of the arrangements, women were kept on the sidelines and were forced to accept the decisions of their men folk who never consulted them noting that women who are the backbone of subsistence farming have not been catered for and that in all the arrangements the social and cultural impact of land use involving rural communities where women play a great part had not been taken into consideration.

However it would appear that the bee in the bonnet of the government functionaries came in the form of Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute, and she, according to one blog article continually pressed the government for concrete figures on the benefits brought to the country. "I think there's debate ...that this kind of investment will lead to food security, will create jobs," she said. "I would love to hear concrete numbers – how many jobs have been created. ...Our research shows that in Sierra Leone till January last year (just in agriculture) over 500, 000 hectares of land were leased. I would love to know what kind of revenue has been contributed to the national budget and where that money is being used." No figures were provided by the government during the debate.

Among the environmentalists taking part in that crucial debate was one Joseph Rahall of the Green Scenery organisation. Joseph Rahall has been one of the enduring activists who had always drawn the attention of various governments to the hazards of unplanned use of land. He was among the first to warn of the massive deforestation and land degradation that was taking place around Freetown that has seen forest covers depleted, catchment areas destroyed and contributing not only to land erosion problems but creating water deserts that are adversely affecting the capital Freetown and its environs. Joseph Rahall has never given up hope on the need to educate people on the hazards of treating the environment with contempt. He has taken his campaign to schools, community groups and quite recently his group Green Scenery did a write-up titled - The Socfin Land Deal Missing Out On Best Practices - Fact-finding Mission to Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District, Sierra Leone.

On the whole this debate should not be seen as an attack on the Ernest Bai Koroma government (hence the silence from his praise singers) but what should have been done, open peoples' participation before any of these deals were entered into - more so when the general feeling was that the beneficiaries from such deals are government agents, their sub-agents and the land grabbing investors. The need for consultation, transparency and consensus.

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The frenetic pace at which the Ernest Bai Koroma "wheels of justice" appear to move when it involves perceived enemies, especially members of the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, the SLPP while operatives of the ruling APC as well as their allies caught up in such illegal acts of violence, intimidation and intolerance appear to be enjoying immunity from the courts - thanks to direct orders from State House itself is worthy of note. Again we would remind the government of the constitution, a section of which states

(4) The State shall protect and defend the liberty of the individual, enforce the rule of law and ensure the efficient functioning of Government services.
(5) The State shall take all steps to eradicate all corrupt practices and the abuse of power.

Let us again remind the government of how it has been subverting justice to suit its own agenda - contrary to the provisions of the constitution which it claims to respect and honour - "The All Peoples Congress Party affirms its belief in the supremacy and inviolability of the constitution of Sierra Leone and the sovereignty of our people. As a government we are committed to the strict observance and enforcement of it provisions." - a part of that constitution contains (4) and (5) which is referred to above.

We bring this once more to the attention of the government, Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone as well as the guarantors of our fledgling democracy and somewhat fragile peace that these were the same types of manipulation of the constitution that led to our troubles. And this created hell on earth for Sierra Leoneans in their own God-given country and we would not want to go back to a situation where an armed rebellion was the only option left for the oppressed to bring their worries to the attention of their overlords.

We do not want to go back to those days of selective justice, political intolerance and unbridled violence against all those who spoke out against the excesses of the Siaka Stevens, Joseph Saidu Momoh APC governments as well as the awful horror known as the AFRC/RUF coalition of evil known as the beasts and who were routinely brutalised, incarcerated and in the case of the junta subjected to torture, rape, murder and other forms of extreme violence and intimidation.

It is now obvious to everyone except the blinkered that Ernest Bai Koroma is on a mission to prove that he is indeed an apologist for the human rights abusing AFRC/RUF junta. He has never publicly criticised the junta's excesses and while talking about how Sierra Leoneans fought for their rights - has never, ever mentioned the struggle of the people against the brutal junta. He has refused to acknowledge the horrors of January 6, 1999 during which junta forces murdered more than five thousand civilians as punishment for not supporting the junta while they held power from May 25, 1997 to February 1998 until they were forced out of their illegal, vicious, brutal and murderous hold on power.

Ernest Bai Koroma has never acknowledged the struggle of Sierra Leoneans against the murderers and rapists of the AFRC/RUF junta.

On Tuesday October 18, 2011 we raised this issue of selective justice because of real fears that if Ernest Bai Koroma is allowed to get his way, he would think nothing of plunging this country into another conflagration as long as he gets his second term - a venture that he is ready to move all things, do all things to achieve after a rather disastrous first term.

Again, we would remind the government that despite calls for implementation, the Shears-Moses report has not been acted on due to a large part, we suspect, that it holds key ruling party operatives responsible for the mayhem visited upon opposition party members not only at their headquarters in Freetown but in other areas of the country.

A report of the violence involving intra-APC supporters as witnessed in Kono lies gathering dust even though it was he, the President who ordered such an investigation.

Allow us to bring to your attention the worries and fears of the man who would be representing the main opposition party, the Sierra Leone People's Party, the SLPP - Rtd Brigadier Julius Maada Bio. This is his recent statement as carried on the pages of some internet outlets and we would urge all Sierra Leoneans, friends of Sierra Leone and the international to pay heed to concerns he has raised.

This is not the first time that he has thought it fit to do so. Here is one interview broadcast by the BBC Network Africa programme in which he stated that he had observed what he called " a recession in democracy" under the watch of President Koroma.

And just before we go - we leave you with this commentary by another "enemy of the state", the one and only Lans Gberie on matters he thinks needs to be addressed as the country prepares for the 2012 polls. Ah - by the way Lans did another article in the recent edition of the BBC Focus on Africa magazine. The magazine has a picture of the the smoke and mirrors exponent wearing his party colours - red - and holding a microphone. We are not told what he has been saying - oh sorry, he was talking about tackling corruption. Yes - corruption.