By: Ilyasa Baa
The Launching of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion today at the Bintumani Conference Centre will attract a host of local and foreign dignitaries being manifesto promises made in 2018 by His Excellency, Dr Julius Maada Bio.
The core mandate of the Commission is to maintain peace and national cohesion having set up a three years strategic plan; a road map to prevent conflicts and main the peace the country has enjoyed since the end of the eleven years rebel war.
Several reasons led President Bio’s administration to set up such a permanent body with a mandate to mediate and make recommendations to relevant authorities for the peaceful settlement of disputes within the country.
Following the setting up of the Board, a sizable team was put together to run the affairs of the Commission.
The Director of Communications at the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, Fatmata Kamara Jalloh has said with help from ECOWAS, they are currently training, Para Mount Chiefs, the Office of National Security and the Sierra Leone Police on conflict resolution skills ahead of the elections.
She stated that similar capacity-building training was carried out by a team from the African Union (AU) which lasted for five days. She said the training covered how to set up and operate a situation room. She noted that the Peace Situation Room, they have set up a permanent structure mediating and resolving conflicts among citizens. She added that the Commission will also engage Members of Parliament on peace and national cohesion.
The Commission has engaged cross sections of the population such as artists and executives of political parties to talk to their supporters about the need to maintain peace and national cohesion.
In its bid for peaceful electioneering, the Commission has placed banners in public spaces preaching peace and sanity to Sierra Leoneans. The Commission frowns on the tearing of posters during the campaign period.
Established by an Act of Parliament (2020), the main slogan the Commission has been chanting is “I stand for peace” with Peace Monitors deployed across the country to give early warnings on conflicts.
It could be recalled that the setting up of a Peace Commission was a recommendation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The 898 toll-free line is operated by the Commission for members of the public to call and report issues.