REVIEW OF SIERRA LEONE MEDIA REPORTS – 3 March 2008

REVIEW OF SIERRA LEONE MEDIA REPORTS

Public Information Office (PIO) of UNIOSIL – 3 March 2008

 

[Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from print media and news agency dispatches. UNIOSIL cannot vouch for the accuracy of the media reports].

 

Government to take over UN Radio – claims Information Minister

Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, has told a group of stakeholders in the United States of America that the government of Sierra Leone and it’s partners are to take over the United Nations Radio when the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) comes to an end in September this year. The Minister said he has already discussed the issue with “a partner in the UN” during a conference in Washington D.C. Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo said President Ernest Koroma had no intention to stifle press freedom in Sierra Leone as the government has every plan to promote good journalism and press freedom. The Information Minister was in the United States on the invitation of the Carter Centre of Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss issues affecting access to information in an attempt to promote excellence in information dissemination. The Minister disclosed that in keeping with government’s commitment to promote the concept of a free press a draft bill for the transformation of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) into a private corporation had been tabled in Parliament pointing out that the process will reportedly ensure that the opposition has access to the national radio station to enhance information dissemination, The New Citizen, Concord and We Yone report.

 

Sierra Leone has the worst social indicators in the world, UNICEF boss claims

UNICEF Executive Director, Ann Veneman has said in Freetown that Serra Leone has the worst human indicators in the world but that her organization is determined to significantly reduce infant and maternal mortality rate in the country. Addressing journalists at the Bntumani hotel to round-off her three day working visit in the country, Ms.Veneman said Sierra Leone is still ranked the lowest in the UNDP Human Development Index, noting that 60% of youths in the country are unemployed, uneducated and unskilled. “Women and girls are still vulnerable to abuse and exploitation and that many are prone to gender based violence, early marriage and female genital mutilation which has a prevalence rate of 90%,” she pointed out. The Head of UNICEF observed that a child in Sierra Leone has more than one to four chances to die before age five whilst women have a one in eight life time risk of maternal mortality, underscoring that her organization aims at maintaining strategic plans to help save the lives of women and children in the country, New Vision and Concord Times report.

 

Gender inequality a threat to Sierra Leone’s progress, UN specialist suggests

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Programme Specialist, Gaia Toshi, has said in Kenema over the weekend that gender inequality is a key challenge to development in Sierra Leone. Speaking at the Gender Validation workshop on Gender Equality in Local Development, Gaia Toshi, said, although some progress has been made regarding gender equality in the country, much needs to be done in order to bridge the gender divide. She expressed the United Nations commitment to gender equality in the country, which explains why they are allocating enough resources to ensure that they address the gender gap in the country. Deputy Chairman, Kenema District Council, Margette Sheika, called for gender equality in the decision making process at the local councils pointing out that women contribute about 90% of council revenue as most of them are traders, Concord Times reports.

 

Charles Taylor trial: Witness flown from Pademba Road Prison to The Hague

Legal arguments are vigorously being advanced by Charles Taylor’s lawyer, Courtnay Griffiths QC, as to why his client should not be tried by the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Griffiths said Taylor’s trial is not based on justice but on politics noting that if he is convicted it will be a sad day for Africa, The Exclusive reports. The Special Court on the other hand wants to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that there is enough evidence to indict Charles Taylor. Stephen Rapp, Chief Prosecutor, stated that the case rests on what he called linkage. “We have to show the connection to Taylor, that he knew the RUF was targeting civilians for murder, for mutilation, for rape, and sexual slavery, that they were recruiting children under 15 years to commit horrible acts. If he knew that and he nonetheless aided them, then he is guilty,” Rapp submitted. Rapp argues that if Charles Taylor goes down, it will be an important signal to African Leaders. Determined to prove their cases against Charles Taylor, the Independent Observer reported in its front page that a serving prisoner at the Pademba Road Maximum Prison had his ten year jail term commuted and flown to The Hague to testify against Charles Taylor.

 

Ex-President Kabbah roped in Special Court trial

Ex-leader of the defunct Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Issa Sesay, had reportedly requested the Special Court to subpoena ex-President Tejan Kabbah to give a pre-testimonial interview to enable him declare his innocence regarding the charges against him, The Exclusive reports. Counsel for Issa Sesay, Wayne Jordash, revealed that the purpose of the evidence is to establish the fact that the accused did not order an attack or coordinate attacks against UNAMSIL troops underlining, “Kabbah has full knowledge of the innocence of Issa Sesay and in this regard, Issa Sesay directed all activities of the RUF and thereafter maintained the continuance of the widespread attacks during relevant time as stated in the indictment.” The defense further argued that his client did not plan, instigate, order, commit or otherwise be in the planning, preparations or execution of any of the alleged crimes against UNAMSIL. He continued that the accused did not fail to prevent or punish any subordinate for any of the aforementioned crimes. The story concludes that the defense had made several attempts to meet with ex-President Kabbah but to no avail recalling that two other attempts had earlier been made by indictees of the Special Court to subpoena the ex-President.

 

President Ernest Koroma launches three year reproductive health plan

In his determination to address the appalling health situation in the country, President Ernest Koroma over the weekend launched a three year reproductive and child health strategic plan for Sierra Leone. The strategic plan running from 2008-2010 is expected to reverse the worsening health situation in the country within the three-year period, Awareness Times and Awoko report. According to the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Arthur Williams, the plan emanated from the decline of the health delivery services and the increase in child mortality rate in the country. Health and Sanitation Minister, Dr. Soccoh Kabia, lauded UNICEF, the World Bank and other stakeholders for their technical and financial inputs in drafting the plan underscoring that government was committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He also highlighted that one of the major benchmarks in achieving the MDGs was the formulation of a strategic plan for reproductive child health, a blue print that will be implemented. The Health Minister said, the country is moving from an emergency response phase to a more sustainable development orientation which makes the Ministry more active in the successful implementation of the plan. “The World Bank has provided the sum of US$30 million for a period of four years, DFID US$100 million for a 10 year period while the African Development Bank will make available US$28 million for a four year period,” the Minister concluded. President Koroma guaranteed that his government would monitor the plan nationwide in addition to increasing budget allocation to the health sector to implement provisions of the plan for the protection and development of Sierra Leone’s children.

 

APC targets NASSIT funds, newspaper alleges

A front page report in the pro-SLPP New Vision quote a source from State House as saying that the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) is under pressure from the ruling All People s Congress (APC) to help cushion its financial obligations. The report alleged that senior officials of NASSIT were summoned to an emergency meeting at State House where a request for a loan was made for the payment of salaries of public workers and to reduce the financial burden of the National Power Authority (NPA). The report however did not confirm whether the request by the government was accepted or rejected by NASSIT.

 

 

(Compiled by UNIOSIL, Public Information Office)