By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
Regarding the controversial nature of the 26th November failed attempted coup, the Institute for Government Reforms (IGR) has on Monday 11th December 2023 at it headquarter office unveiled its investigation report, in which they concluded that the event was merely an attempt by known violence entrepreneurs who wanted to capture the state in ways similar to 1997 for their self-regarding ends.
In the report titled ‘Violence Entrepreneurs – Understanding the Actors and Incentives Behind the November 26 Failed Coup’ the Institute for Government Reforms argued that although individual political party members might be named as suspects, there is no evidence that the 26 November incident was carried out by a political party, ethnic or regional grouping.
“We believe the event was merely an attempt by known violence entrepreneurs who wanted to capture the state in ways similar to 1997 for their self-regarding ends. Political party sentiment, ethnicity and economic hardship are simply tools exploited to gain public support for their cause; shielding their real desire to control and loot the state,” IGR noted in its report.
As part of the evidence leading to IGR’s basic conclusion, the Executive Director Andrew Lavali revealed that despite the plea by coup leaders for people to joint them to end the economic hardship, civilians in opposition-dominated Freetown refused to cooperate. “Instead, civilians arrested and turned attackers in to law enforcement agencies. This thus begs the question, who do the coup suspects represent?” Lavali asked.
Adding to its evidence, Lavali highlighted opinions gathered by institutions and individuals from different groups in relation to the failed attempted coup. From one angle he said the incident occurred due to the deep seated political divisions while other groups also believed that the incident was as a result of hard living conditions and economic instability.
From the deadly and controversial incident, IGR highlighted four lessons, which were, “A potent network of anti-democratic forces at home and abroad are willing and capable of disrupting the peace and security of the country for their personal ends, access to information technology and social media is creating more transnational opportunities for deception, coercion and violence, demand and supply of violence is party and region neutral, and profound weaknesses in Sierra Leone’s security sector 20 years after the war.”
In order to build a robust and resilient system and prevent the reoccurrence of such an incident, IGR proffer three recommendations to the government, political parties, international community, civil societies and the media. The institute made a clarion call on the government to maintain professionalism in prosecuting and punishing individuals behind the violent crime, in line with the rule of law, constitutional principles and human rights standards and not to target any political party.
IGR in its report further made a call to political parties to reflect on their loss of image and leadership when they create space for violence entrepreneurs. The institute called on the international community to recognize the reality of politics-veiled crime and begin to respond to crimes perpetuated by individuals rather than political parties, and to also support the capacity of the state to hold violence entrepreneurs to account.
The report also made a call on civil societies and the media to recognize that they themselves can be instruments of polarization and hate and recommended that they use their resources to develop and rollout public education campaigns including through online media to engage the Sierra Leone diaspora and local groups on building movements for peace.