Eclipse Charles
Eclipse Charles
Violence in Sierra Leone Elections: a Response to "charles Margai's Take on Democracy in Sierra Leone-continuity or Change"
In addressing the substance of Mr. Margai’s proposals and recommendations in the recent Standard Times Newspaper, it is instructive to highlight what concerns and issues have necessitated, even by his own standards, such a self-acknowledged undemocratic prescription. The legitimate grave concerns of violence, indiscipline and corruption especially during elections however cannot be the basis for the sort of radical undemocratic change being espoused and advocated by Mr. Margai in his article.
The central tenet of Mr. Margai’s proposals, “that future party representation in parliament be based on the three parties, the APC, SLPP and PMDC selecting their representatives to meet the quota allotted them…., the parties concerned would come up with their representatives using internal party procedures to select these representatives”, not only fails to address the issue of violence endemic in our elections, but only serves to highlight Mr. Margai’s propensity for undemocratic institutions and processes.
Mr. Margai argues that “it is my view that the above if adopted will eradicate if not minimize:
a) violence and indiscipline at elections
b) corruption at elections
c) that tense atmosphere which normally eclipse elections will no longer be present
d) ethnicity will no longer feature at elections.”
While many Sierra Leoneans and I naturally disagree on policy grounds and principles with Mr. Margai’s proposals as relates to establishment of a “quota system” for representation in parliament; the role of parties in the selection of such members of parliament and the election of the President by the selected members of parliament, I however welcome the debate his article has and is sure to engender.
In addressing Sierra Leone’s democratic dispensation, Mr. Charles F. Margai, the leader of the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), provides not only an insight into his political thinking of how our “democracy” should evolve and progress but must be commended as a harbinger, if nothing else, for his policy and political thought articulation, which all political leaders must be encouraged to emulate by putting forth creative ideas and initiatives on policy issues confronting our motherland.
It is however my considered proposal that several alternative measures designed to change the entrenched practices of political parties campaigning methods and tactics need to be addressed by the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and the Parliament. With a slate of PMDC Members of Parliament and in a coalition with the APC, Mr. Margai would be better able to address the central thesis of his article, the eradication of violence in elections, through the legislative and regulatory processes that the NEC and the PPRC can be made to bear on such an issue rather that dragging the country through a referendum.
Specifically, the practice of very large crowds of party supporters parading down streets of major cities and towns, dancing and provoking opponents with incendiary songs must be banned and relegated to the dustbin of our political history. Throughout our electoral history, this practice has only served as the fuse that has lead to violence during elections. There is actually no electoral redeemable value to such public processions and quite frankly very few if any people are swayed by which party or candidate to vote for by such displays.
The tense atmosphere permeating elections that Mr. Margai decries and seeks to eradicate can easily be minimized simply by outlawing the practice of political party rallies on public streets. Political rallies of course can be held in enclosed areas such as stadiums, court barrays and halls and members made to peaceably disperse after such gatherings.
My observations and experiences during the last 2007 elections, where mobs of youths in the employ of political parties consistently used the occasion of political rallies to destroy property and met out violence against their opponents, while under the spell of drugs and alcohol, have only served to reinforce the need to ban public political processions. Large scale political intimidations and violence perpetuated against opponents during the electioneering period were all too common spanning the entire length and breath of the country.
The use of the mass media as the primary vehicle and mode of campaigning in elections must be highlighted and effectively utilized by political parties and candidates in future elections. In this regard the use of radio during the 2007 electioneering period shall serve as a model of how local issues can be addressed through the several community radio stations throughout the country. The once single government owned and managed SLBS no longer has a monopoly on radio transmission and ownership in the country. In fact the limited range of the SLBS during the last elections rendered it virtually ineffective, as for example Radio Wanjie in Pujehun was able to provide coverage specifically to the Pujehun electorate.
The establishment of a national TV would also enhance the visual message that political parties and candidates can effectively communicate without the need for the large public street rallies and hence the atmosphere for violence. It is regrettable that after 47 years of monopoly on television rights by the government SLBS, the country except for Freetown has had no television penetration. Efforts in providing private licenses for television transmission throughout the country must be stepped up not only for its entertainment value but to ensure the sustenance of our fledgling democracy.
Finally, it must be noted that the current system and paradigms underpinning our social, political and economic developmental aspirations have failed and the challenge facing us all is the formulation and expression of alternatives to address policy issues such as violence in the electoral system through the competition of ideas that would forestall the monopoly of barren and unprogressive political thought and practice that has so far been a hallmark of our political discourse. To this end I applaud the efforts exhibited by Mr. Charles Margai in initiating this debate.
About the Author
The author, Mr. Kortor Kamara has over 25 years experience in the insurance industry both in Sierra Leone and the United States. He is a Chartered Property & Casualty Insurer and holds the Workers Compensation Claims Professional (WCCP) designation. He is a Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (London); Certified Self-Insurance Claims Administrator-State of California; Registered World Bank Consultant and has served as a Consultant on various Insurance initiatives in Sierra Leone, including design of the country’s first Title Insurance Policy.
In addition, Mr. Kamara is a graduate of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, 1978-1981; studied Law at both the Univerisity of West Los Angeles School of Law and the California Southern School of Law in Riverside. He is currently a Doctoral Candidate in Insurance and Risk Management.
Through association with Saddleback Re, were he serves as the Regional Manager, Africa Division, Mr. Kamara is intimately involved in the provision of reinsurance coverage, policy design, loss control, training and risk management services to the African Insurance marketplace. Mr. Kamara can be reached at Kortorkamara@yahoo.com.
www.saddlebackre.com.
Chuck Berry Statue Installed in U City
Dedication Set for July The week started with controversy over the new Chuck Berry statue in University City, Missouri. Supporters actually seemed grateful to the detractors of the new tribute to the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll". Earlier this week, activist Elsie Glickert told the University City council Chuck Berry had a criminal record and should not have a statue on city owned property.
Eclipse Charles
Eric Dolphy - Eclipse
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2012 what will be going to happen
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2012 is going to be a busy year.
The year 2023 is by many separate accounts seen as being a portal into what some people call the Golden Age. 2012 marks according to the The Mayan Calendar, the ending of time as we know it. The Mayan calendar has proven to be one of the most accurate time keeping systems known to human kind. It has tracked without fail every solar eclipse every lunar eclipse and even takes into account changes in the rotation of the earth and the speed of the rotation of the earth to accommodate for this.
The Maya also predicted that in the year 1996 an inter-dimensional network would be created and that would enable everyone to see and communicate with each other thousands of miles away. Could this be Internet web cams?
Scholars have known for decades that the 13-baktun cycle of the Mayan calendar system of timekeeping was set to end precisely on December 21, 2012, the winter solstice. That this system was put in place some 2300 years ago is an astonish fact. How was it that ancient Mesoamerican skywatchers were able to pinpoint a winter solstice that far off into the future?
The book 2012: "Mayan Year of Destiny" claims that the Maya may have been instructed in their wisdom by disembodied entities from Orion and the Pleiades. Contact was maintained through shamanic rituals conducted in accordance with the movements of planets and stars.
2012 is sometimes claimed to be a great year of spiritual transformation (or apocalypse to some). Various sources interpret the completion of the thirteenth B'ak'tun cycle in the Long Count of the Maya calendar occuring on December 21 to mean there will bemajor change in the world order.
Why Did They Choose The Year 2012?
The date December 21st, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), represents an extremely close conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun). The ancient Maya recognized this as the "Sacred Tree". This is an event that has been coming into focus very slowly over thousands of years. It will all come to a conclusion at exactly 11:11 am Greenwich Mean Time.
Things That Will Happen in 2012
The works of James Joyce will enter the public domain.
433 Eros, the second-largest Near Earth Object on record is expected to pass by earth in a near miss.
If she is still on the throne, Elizabeth II will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
The United States Census of 1940 will be released to the public.
On April 17 The United States will cede control of the military of the Republic of Korea after 50 years of control.
On July 27 the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics will begin in London at 7:30 pm.
On October 19 the Earth will be home to 7 billion people, according to the US Census Bureau.
The Replacement Eastern Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge will open to traffic, replacing the old Eastern cantilever span that was damaged in the Earthquake in 1989, almost a quarter century after the span was damaged.
California's ban on the production of foie gras is scheduled to take effect.
NASA's new Orion spacecraft is scheduled to become fully operational for International Space Station support flights.
The Freedom Tower in New York City is scheduled to be finished by 2012 on the site of the World Trade Center.
Charles Manson will be eligible for a parole hearing again.
According to the 1997 book "The Bible Code" certain algorithms of the Bible code reveal that a meteor, asteroid or comet will collide with the earth. Could this be 433 Eros?
The book "The Nostradamus Code" speaks of a series of natural disasters caused by a comet (possibly as above) that will allow the third Antichrist to disperse his troops around the globe under the guise of aid in preparation for a possible nuclear war.
The book "The Orion Prophecy" claims that the earth's magnetic field will reverse.
Some proponents of a peak oil catastrophe place major events in 2012. Richard C. Duncan's book "The Peak of World Oil Production and the Road To The Olduvai Gorge" claims that the Olduvai cliff will begin and permanent blackouts will occur worldwide. Several studies predict a peak in oil production in or around 2012.
Is the clock ticking on the end of the world? Or the end of the world as we know it?
About the Author
prathiksha kini
still a student
studying 10th
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Black Samuran: Agent for Dragon [VHS] $4.23 ... |
Eclipse Charles
