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Sierra
Leone - We must continue our support
 Cheltenham's
MP Nigel Jones was the only House of Commons observer of the elections
on May 14th 2002 in Sierra Leone. He reports back on the situation
in that war-ravaged country.
I have been wanting to lose a stone in weight since
Christmas, but I didn't realise that a week in Sierra Leone would
do the trick. Not, you understand, because of the dreaded heebie-jeebies,
but simply because there was so little to eat.
Following a day of briefings in the capital Freetown, the sixty
of so EU observers were deployed to all corners of the land. Some
stayed near the capital to which the majority of the population
had been drawn during the civil war. Martin Tooley, latterly chairman
of the Liberal Democrats in Brussels, went to the diamond fields.
I went to Kabala and Fadugu in the far north where the Revolutionary
United Front (RUF) had destroyed most of the infrastructure in
their pointless attempt to take over the country. Building after
building was in ruins, and we heard countless tales of destruction,
deaths, injuries, and the resulting shortages.
The presence of large numbers of local and international observers
was appreciated by everyone we met. It was important to see fair
play and for the election to get a tick in the box. The EU had
the largest team of observers. The Carter Centre sent twenty,
although Jimmy was otherwise engaged in Cuba. The Commonwealth
sent half a dozen, and there were scores of local observers supplied
by various organisations including the churches.
The elections were broadly free and fair, although voter education
had been poor. Many voters knew their ballot papers were important
but did not know what to do with them. Many papers were void because
they had no mark on them at all.
In the presidential election, a run-off would have been necessary
if no candidate gained 55% of the votes to win on the first round.
President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah won first time round with 70%.
The parliamentary elections were based on a regional party list
system. Fourteen regions each elected eight MPs. Voters put their
thumb-print next to a closed party list. Most parties offered
sixteen names with the last eight acting as substitutes for the
first eight. President Kabbah's Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)
will have a comfortable overall majority in the new Parliament.
The main opposition will be supplied by the All People's Congress
(APC), while the RUFP based on the rebel forces failed to make
any impact.
It was important that the House of Commons sent an observer to
these elections. It was an uncomfortable privilege to be chosen
to be that person. Now that the elections are over, the world
must not turn its back on the people of this war-ravaged country.
Pulling out troops in the short term could well lead to further
conflict and a reluctance of the international community to get
involved again. That scenario might lead to terrorism finding
a new base from which to plan further atrocities.
Two-thirds of Sierra Leone's infrastructure is in ruins. Many
roads need repairing. Water supply is non-existent in many regions.
Electricity pylons and telegraph poles stand forlornly, missing
the cables which once supplied energy and communications. And
children, some disabled and many of them orphans, need to be educated
so that they can make a better future in what ought to be one
of the most prosperous countries in Africa.
The United Kingdom has a key role to play in
the reconstruction of Sierra Leone, whether it be by reintegrating
former combatants into education and work, or by involvement in
infrastructure projects like the rebuilding of Kambia Hospital
with which my constituency has a 10-year old link.
The people of Sierra Leone, including the Speaker
of the Parliament whom I had the privilege of meeting, are hugely
grateful for Britain's contribution so far. That help continues
to be justified to build on the new and still fragile democracy.
The British Council is doing good work in Sierra Leone providing
education in good governance and supplying the only library in
Freetown. There is a vital role for perhaps the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association to undertake in training the new MPs. The British
High Commissioner and the 400 or so British troops are seen as
key players in building on the peace which still requires a UN
force of many thousands.
I appear to have adopted (or been adopted by) the village of Bendukoro.
Chief Pa Sorie Sesay wrote me a charming letter explaining the
dire plight of his villagers. Their stock of seed rice was destroyed
in the conflict and they have little food. He urgently requested
supplies. At the High Commission I spoke with a Lieutenant Colonel
whose mother lives in my constituency. He will do a recce and
let me know what they will need and how much it will cost.
Back home, my wife Katy was hoping that there would be a second
round in the elections so that I might lose another stone. But
President Kabbah saved me from that fate. Now he faces the challenge
of rebuilding his country, and it is vital that the international
community, including Britain, continue to help.
Nigel Jones MP for Cheltenham 21 May 2002
www.nigeljones.org.uk |
