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The Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, His Excellency President Umaro Sissoco Emballo of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, has come and gone. He came to Freetown on a solidarity visit after the violent insurrection of August 10 that killed innocent citizens including at least five law enforcement officers (Police officers).
President Emballo, in no uncertain terms, condemned โthis act of gruesome violence where law enforcement officers have been brutally killed in cold bloodโ.
The ECOWAS Chairman said, โI want to encourage the President (President Bio) to engage with various stakeholders in the coming days, including getting the Peace Commission to undertake strategic engagements with youth groups and opposition parties in various parts of the countryโ.
The visiting ECOWAS Chairman reminded Sierra Leoneans that, โThe international community like ECOWAS has invested enormously to bring peace to Sierra Leone as this country has made enormous progress since thenโ.
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The Abidjan Peace Accord was signed on 30th November, 1996 to try to bring an end to the civil war spearheaded by Foday Sankoh. When Ahmad Tejan Kabbah was elected President in March 1996, his first major task was to bring an end to the civil war.
The peace process was actually started by Chairman Julius Maada Bio after he overthrew Valentine Strasser in a bloodless coup on 16th January, 1996.
It has to be stated clearly that, it was Chairman Julius Maada Bio that made extraordinary effort to locate and bring the enigmatic RUF leader, Foday Sankoh from the bush. Before then, no one knew who to negotiate with in the RUF. Chairman Julius Maada Bio brought him out of the bush and convinced him to engage in a constructive dialogue with both the Government of Sierra Leone and the international community.
Credit should be given to Chairman Julius Maada Bio for that extraordinary effort. That singular effort made by Chairman Julius Maada Bio laid the foundation for lasting peace in Sierra Leone.
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We support the idea of a regular engagement with civil society, political parties and youth groups. That is the beauty of democracy! The President has always been engaging with political party leaders and civil society groups both formally and informally. That is the best way to deepen democracy.
Some people have started putting undue pressure on the President to form a government of national unity. They have not given any convincing reason for the President to do so. Their only argument is that, only a government of national unity will unite the country. The question must be asked: why do we conduct elections at the end of every five years?
The APC conducted the 2018 Presidential and Parliamentary elections and lost. Why do they want to use the backdoor to gain entrance into government? With less than ten months to Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections why canโt they organize themselves and convince the electorate to vote for them in June 2023? Using any other means other than the ballot box to come to power is totally unacceptable.
We support dialogue. But we are implacably opposed to any form of negotiation or power sharing. The electorate voted for Julius Maada Bio to govern the country. Let us allow him to govern in peace. Thank you!
Whether one likes it or not, Julius Maada Bio is the architect of peace in Sierra Leone!
