Subject: Re: Ethnic organizations - Evil or good????
Thanks Mondeh:
Your rejoinder spoke for most of us that earlier stepped in but later stood aside. Most people had reacted to the existence of Tegloma and likes as the ONE BIG stumbling block to unity in SL. That makes me wonder what is the ideal organization for unity, support services and what have you as evident from the numerous postings in variety of forms on this issue.
I sympathise with Kelfala for the diligent efforts he has made to put this issue into perspectives but maybe be we merely read them as something coming from another ethnic being. In most cases, the discussion has lost sight of the human need theme we discussed in the summer. We have very certainly not paid attention to history when various ethnic groups are coerced into one being like in the making of the former Soviet Union, the existing Chinese Empire.
We are forgetting that the peace we supposedly now have is the direct making of ethnic groups here, elsewhere, and in SL. I remember my small chiefdom decendants here sending money every other week to support the Karmajors and I know of many other groups here that did the same.
Like you said, a question of the refugee and their settlement during the president's last visit here was asked by one of us, and the answer, "get into a group(s) and send help for your people - send them money." The point you made is well taken for if we were to go around asking those man-made humanly correct individuals from SL for help, I think the war will still be at its best heights but a relatively safe Soro-Gbema as I hear from there, is now the place you could find everyone with money to buy plots for mining. Could they have done so without ethnic support... I doubt it.
Close to 10 years ago, we formed an organization (Sierra Leonean-American National Organization - SLANO) here in NJ and really tried/still trying hard to secure enrollment from every one. The membership is still under 100 people but we can get on the air with the unity cry to chastise the ethnic groups beacuse we perceive eliminated from membership one way another. How do we form this supper group/organization really with our various attitudes short of creating another SL.. !!
Another thing you touched on which is that, it is much easier to deal with small groups than larger one or the whole and very truly, Dr. Hinton's call will be better answered by addressing the individual groups and let the leadership of those groups bring the call to their membership. And for those of you looking for a national organization, don't form one, you can join one now by contacting:
I could send you a brochure on the organization for the asking. I promise it is devoid of any ethnic notion. The challenge is yours.
Saffa Kemokai @ Browns Mills, NJ
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On Monday, 13-Jan-97 08:51 PM, Sama Mondeh wrote: