Date: Wednesday, 07-Feb-96 09:26 PM
From: Saffa J. Kemokai \ PRODIGY: (GUGP07A)
To: Leonenet \ Internet: (leonenet@mitvma.bitnet)

Subject: Bio Talks with Foday Sankoh (Reuter)

THE HOPES, THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH..
Wednesday, 07-Feb-96 02:45 PM Reuter reported:
>FREETOWN, Feb 7 (Reuter) - Sierra Leone's new head of state Brigadier Julius Maada Bio on >Wednesday had his first radio contact with the leader of Revolutionary United Front rebels. Bio talked >to rebel leader Foday Sankoh from the military headquarters in Freetown in the presence of journalists >and told him he was ready for peace talks anywhere at any time.

In the quest for for solution, justification, men of seeming nobleness sometimes step too deep before the could realize they are walking on a quick sand but the appeal or peace gesture from Maada Bio in attempt to salvage his country is glaring. I hope he put on a swift skating board to the meeting.

Wednesday, 07-Feb-96 02:45 PM Reuter reported:

>Bio suggested talks in Burkina Faso or Ivory Coast, whose leaders have offered to help set up contacts, >but Sankoh said he would prefer to meet inside Sierra Leone.

Well, preferring not, or declining from meeting place of Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast for his home country claiming it to be an internal matter is intriguing to say the least. After all, one would think he has quite a support in these two places more than he could ever hope for in Sierra Leone. To the extent that foday sankoh sees himself as a nationalist or destroying SL for the good of SL to opt for a peace conference there, one wonders what kind of security he envisionsfor this meeting. I thought he would have preferred Burkina Faso or Ivory Coast to SL OR is this the so-called two-tier strategy delayed January present Gollie talked about..?

Wednesday, 07-Feb-96 02:45 PM Reuter reported:

>``This is an internal matter and we must solve it without bringing foreigners into it,'' >he said.

I remember watching a documentary long time ago about the South-East Asia, Cambodia, Vietnam war etec.., an army general was asked why for heaven's sake his troops were engaged in burying children, women (some pregnant as well) alive. His answer, "to save them from becoming communists. This 'internal thing', is a cheap propaganda stunt and leaves a lot to be desired. I pray the meeting goes well without body-bags. Maybe some or all of those politicians vying for elections should lead the way to the meeting. Oh..!, I forgot, the meeting is supposed to create peace which equals delaying elections. They won't be interested in that.... Would they?

Just a thought....

Saffa Kemokai @ Browns Mills, NJ


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