By Saidu Kaye Sesay in London.
If it is not scandalous enough to be told by expatriates advisors that Sierra Leoneans, should take care of their own, it is disgusting as it could get, pointing to doom, to learn that those entrusted with the welfare of their people are failing. I am here referring to the Major Musa Bangura’s saga; courtesy the vigilance of Standard Times Newspaper. Before delving into the issue, let me doff my hat to the courage of Standard Times and FM98.1 for taking up this good cause.
The press as we all know should be a mirror of society, entrusted with the responsibility to inform, educate and entertain. But for too long, as members of the fourth estate, the majority of the news organ in Sierra Leone (both resident and in the diaspora), have indulged in whirl winds of caricatures, rather than tackling vital issues. It is about time that we stand up and be counted. In as much as some of us would want to dismiss Phillip Neville, epitomizing Standard Times, as “there he goes again”, we should discern the humane aspect in this matter. To push it into oblivion, will be a crime against humanity. We are here talking about a compatriot who helped forestall disaster for the little pride we had left i.e. the ancient city of Freetown. We are advocating for a fighter of democracy. We are reliving the life of a valiant hero who defended the British frontier at “West Side”. And what has he got back in return? A kick on the backside and left to rot?
I worked closely with the military during my press days in Sierra Leone, and if my memory serves me right, Major Bangura was one of the few qualified engineers in the army. That he could have come in handy for Operation Barass was by no means a fluke. Was he being exploited by the British? From stories I have read so far, yes he was. Where is the nonmalefecence of the British legions abroad? As part of IMMAT, the British were sent to Sierra Leone to right some endemic wrongs. Wrongs that witnessed the politicisation of our military, resulting in inadequate logistics, poor medicare and lack of self belief. It was against this background that Sierra Leone was brought to its knees, when an hitherto unknown Corporal Gborie dare usurp power, justifying his actions by the apparent neglect of the army.
The quest of the army to establish their constitutional rights and pride witnessed subsequent running battles that even intermittently transformed the heart of the city into a battle field. Still not satisfied with the attention they were receiving from the then Kabbah government and indeed the international community, some members of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) joined ranks with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to way lay travelers and peace keeping troops at the strategic zone of Okra Hill. The West Side boys as they came to be known, like the proverbial dying lizard, unleashed carnage on their compatriots and all those who dared ply that route. IMMAT and other peace keepers stood aloof whilst this nonsense continued, until British troops were held hostage on the 25Th of August 2000. Maj. Bangura answered the call to duty, (or was he “conscripted?”), and together with a determined British force, Sierra Leoneans woke up one morning to a rescue mission that would have made an Hollywood blockbuster.
It is a shame that the British realised the need for medical treatment for their troops, whilst Maj. Bangura was left to perish. It is equally unprofessional for them to make fortunes from documentary, without having the conscience to as much as give credit where it is due. Okay, Col. Veruou has played the blame game, scapegoatising the RSLAF. We all know that the RSLAF is a long way from what could be called “restructured”, but where is the dignity in all of these? Where is the medal of bravery for Maj. Bangura? Col. Veruou certainly knows that if such matters are brought to the attention of law makers in Britain they won’t suffer a still birth. So why are they taking advantage? When the Rt. Hon Tony Blair made a stop over visit to Sierra Leone, as part of his last official duties, it was because he had always paraded the case of Sierra Leone in the Houses of Lords and Commons as the British government’s foreign success story. Major Musa Bnagura and the other unsung heroes are certainly part of that success story.
The British should be made to be aware that the life and well being of Major Musa Bangura is as important as the life of any British subject that has suffered abuse either in a war situation or some back-packing trip. The case of Major Bangura begs for urgent answers. Answers that will exonerate the setting up of the TRC in the first place. I am encouraged by the fact that the Honourable Capt. (Rtd) Abdul Rahman Kamara and a few good men in parliament have taken up the matter. I am equally saddened that officers of the RSLAF could attempt to mislead investigations into the matter. The Minister of Defence Paolo Conteh should keep a clear head in this investigation. He should not be snared and smeared by the likes of Col. Dr. Ansu Sankoh, who seek to twist the truth. Maj. Bangura was not just another “mercenary”, but a bonafide member of the army who should be given his dues. What he requires is his human dignity and justice.
To continue to prolong this matter will only bring shame upon a once noble institution. Human rights activists and the entire press corps are therefore enjoined to petition the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma should intervene in the matter. This is the opportunity for him to prove that he is the president of all Sierra Leoneans, an action that will serve as a starter for unity.
Comments