Office of the former elected vice president of the republic of Sierra Leone
Chief Alhaji Samuel-Sam Sumana II
30th November,2023
MESSAGE FROM FORMER VICE PRESIDENT ALHAJI CHIEF SAMUEL SAMSUMANA
Fellow Sierra Leoneans, our nation is at a crossroad facing another bellingerent challenge to our fragile democracy, good governance and the Rule of Law.
The unwarranted sad event that took place on Sunday 26th November, 2023 by certain citizens of our nation that attacked the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces armory at Wilberforce, Murray Town barracks and the breaking and illegal release of inmates at the Freetown Maximun Correctional Center, have again placed our nation in the ugly eyes of the international community.
Our country has had a very difficult past especially with our unenviable eleven years of sensless civil war that took away the lives of over 45,000 of our compatriots, destroyed properties and leaving behind the unimaginable trauma which we have been struggling to put behind us.
It is my firm conviction, in quoting Dr. Martin Luther king jr. that " morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees may not change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless". Therefore, acknowledging the realities that our peace cannot be merely achieved on distant goal that we seek, but with our patriotism it is a means through which we could arrive at our destination.
It is common knowledge that one should learn from the past and better situate ourselves for Peace and Unity. Our acceptance of the dictates of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been abrogated at a time when we should be continuing to focus on the rebranding of our motherland.
This unfortunate event has deepened the political, ethnic and regional divides that need to be mended. Our patriotism should surpass our individuality holding to the responsibilities of making our nation a better place for us, our children and even the unborn.
I stand with fellow peace-loving and law abiding citizens of our nation to advocate the fostering of Peace and Unity throughout our nation. We may have our differences on diverse situations in society but in our strength to resolve lies the reason for our survival and true existence.
Let me applaude Dr. Martin Luther King jr. when he once said, "we must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of diginity and discicipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degerate into physical violence". Peace is priceless and once earned should be maintained with the observance of the Rule of Law and perseverance to love our nation first away from individualism or partisan affiliation.
As a Global Peace Ambassador, let me conclude by thanking our gallant men and women in uniforms and all other security aparatus for their swift response in dealing with this ugly situation. In that same vein, I sincerely extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives.
