Alpha Amadu Jalloh (The Fox): Sierra Leone Telegraph: 14 April 2024:
President Julius Maada Bio’s recent actions and appointments are pushing Sierra Leone dangerously close to the brink of tribal and regional division. The chain of command displayed in a letter approving a campaign against Kush by the House of Happiness, dated March 27, 2024, signed by ACP Ismail for the Inspector General of Police, highlights a concerning trend of tribal favouritism within the police system.
This trend is not isolated; it permeates other institutions like the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and the Military.
The alarming reality is that President Bio’s administration seems to be prioritizing tribal allegiances over competence and national unity. By disproportionately appointing individuals from certain regions, particularly the Mende people, to key leadership positions, President Bio is not only fostering resentment among other ethnic groups but also jeopardizing the stability of the entire nation.
This dangerous game of tribalism has far-reaching consequences. It divides communities that have historically been united in their diversity, eroding the very fabric of Sierra Leonean society.
President Bio’s actions risk alienating the people of the South and Southeast, creating a climate of mistrust and animosity that could potentially lead to violence.
While President Bio continues to sow seeds of division, other pillars of Sierra Leonean society remain eerily silent. The parliament, judiciary, elites, and religious leaders, who are supposed to be the moral compass of the nation, have failed to speak out against this blatant tribal favouritism. Many of them appear to have been co-opted or intimidated into silence, prioritizing their own survival over the interests of the nation.
Even the media, once a beacon of truth and accountability, has been compromised, serving as a mouthpiece for the government rather than holding it accountable. The police, military, and other state security apparatus have become tools of oppression, used to suppress dissent and intimidate those who dare to speak out against injustice.
In this climate of fear and oppression, the people of Sierra Leone are left vulnerable and powerless, at the mercy of a government that prioritizes tribal loyalty over the welfare of its citizens.
President Bio’s actions threaten to tear apart the very foundations of our nation, plunging us into chaos and conflict.
It is imperative that we stand together against this dangerous tide of tribalism and regionalism. We must demand accountability from our leaders and refuse to be divided along ethnic lines. Only by embracing our diversity and working towards a common vision of unity and progress can we hope to build a better future for all Sierra Leoneans.
When you speak the truth, others will say you don’t want peace. But they failed to realize that Bio has set the stage for war. What Bio has done within this 5 years, is worse than the evil that the Margais and Sheika Steven has done that led us into the 11 years civil war which brought to us by the SLPP. What I’m telling the international community and Bio is that, Foday Sankoh is just a corporal, but he led the RUF. Now you have Brigadiers, Colonel, Lt Col, Majors, Captains and other ranks whom he has dismissed unlawfully. We are waiting for the tripartite to come up with the findings that Bio indeed rigged the 2023 election, Bio his cohorts and bad politicians will ever remain to regret it. We are going to set a precedent that has never happened in the world. Embassies will close, foreigners will be repatriated for their safety. We are ready to liberate our people. Once again let our people rest assured, in less than 3 months Bio will go and face justice.