Jeff, I think that just as each locality in the American West was given the responsibilty for maintaining law and order (the local sheriff was usually the "fastest gun" in the area), the countryside in Sierra Leone will be only cleared of bandits when the local authorities are given the means to defend themselves. Each chiefdom, in my opinion, should regularize its now-dormant Chiefdom Police Force into a well-trained, appropriately-armed militia. Jeff, remember that the Kamajoi brigade (a band of local hunter-volunteers) that the late Dr. Lavalie headed in Kenema was instrumental in keeping the RUF from Kenema. Until they clashed with the army, and were disarmed by the NPRC, much of the countryside around Kenema had become safe precisely because the local hunters knew their turf much better than the army personnel, on the one hand, and were better motivated than the army personnel in seeing that the RUF does not take Kenema. In fact, I have been told that in some battles in Kenema District, the Kamajois were generally the advance team. It was only when they determined that they could not take out a band of rebels that they chanced upon in the bush that they would send for help from the regular army.
I am convinced that locals are going to be more interested in defending their homes, families, culture, and way of life than regular RSLMF personnel. I continue to be reminded and guided by a conversation a friend in Washington told me he had with a vacationing RSLMF officer. After my friend told the officer that he was from Tunkia Chiefdom, the officer said: "Ar sabi Gorahun. We been do dey for fet for una." My friend reminded the officer that as a member of the RSLMF, he did not go to Tunkia "for fet for una". He had gone "for fet for Sierra Leone, for do in job." This alone, even without including the Sobel menace, is enough reason to give more power to local people to defend themselves.
Happy New Year...
Kelfala M. Kallon