Saturday: Diaspora Sierra Leoneans Push Back Against Emerging Tyranny At Home Via Global Teleconference

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President Bai Koroma feels the heat on emerging autocracy

The history of any Nation is always filled with moments some of which inspire, while others deflate. May 16, 2015 represents one of the inspiring moments in the post-independence history of Sierra Leone. A fractious country effectively balkanized into ethnicities and regions, post-independence Sierra Leone has been a Country in need of a Nation. That is why the Global Teleconference Meeting organized by Concerned Sierra Leoneans—Global, is the beginning of the nurturing of a Sierra Leonean Nation. A new History was born on Saturday, May 16, 2015.

Following the successful spontaneous global protests against President Ernest Bai Koroma’’s unconstitutional firing of the elected Vice President, Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana, members of Concerned Sierra Leoneans around the world, motivated by the need, as Mustapha Wai puts it, “…to better organize, collaborate globally, and effectively coordinate our interventions regarding those pressing national issues…” called for a global teleconference.

On May 16, 2015, Concerned Sierra Leoneans—Global, motivated by the fundamental principles of justice, good governance, accountability, and democracy, convened a global teleconference with the aim of mobilizing their disparate energies into a united front to protect the sanctity of their national constitution, and to promote justice, democracy and the rule of law as reflected in their motto, “Liberty and Justice for all.”

The teleconference was attended by members from the UK, Canada and the USA. Members in Australia and Brussels could not attend due to circumstances beyond their control. The conference agreed to adopt “Concerned Sierra Leoneans—Global” as the name of the global organization. But the most inspiring aspect of the conference is the package of unanimously agreed upon principles that will guide the organization. The organization is a non-partisan and all- inclusive outfit that focuses purely on advocating to maintain the sanctity of Sierra Leone’s national constitution, and promoting good governance, accountability, democracy, liberty and justice for all. The conference made it abundantly clear that this is not a fight against the All Peoples Congress party; it is a fight against injustice and autocracy. The conference also made it a mantra that no political agenda or message will be encouraged.

Pursuant to the organization’s goals, it was agreed that the current agenda items of the organization are the following demands: 1.That the President re-instates the democratically elected Vice President, Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana; 2. That those who embezzled the Ebola funds be brought to book; 3. That no extension of term limits be encouraged in Sierra Leone; 4. That the medical state of emergency be lifted; 5. That all political prisoners be released.

What is new about this global mobilization of Sierra Leoneans is the diversity it attracts, and the apolitical nature of the organization. Here, all ethnicities, political parties, regions, religions and other persuasions are brought together by the singular desire to build a better Sierra Leone. Here, the loyalty is to country and not to ethnicity, region, family, religion or the like. This unity around a national cause by Sierra Leoneans of all ethnicities and political affiliations has been absent in Sierra Leone for half a century. In that regard, Concerned Sierra Leoneans has begun a “revolution” of the Mind that may lead to a “transformation” of Sierra Leone.

Concerned Sierra Leoneans—USA will hold its first face-to-face meeting on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Maryland. The purpose of the meeting is to lay out a structure for the organization and map out the way forward. A global webinar is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 30, 2015.

 

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