Ambassador's Speeches

Ambassador’s Comments for Closing Ceremony

CCMR – Electoral Focus of Civil-Military Relations in Sierra Leone

11 August 2006 at 1200

Bintumani Hotel and Conference Center

Brigadier Nelson Williams, Lt Col Cromer, Conference Participants, Other Distinguished Guests, All Protocols Observed.

            I am pleased to have the opportunity to be here today to congratulate the participants and the organizers on the success of this conference.  I regret that I will have to dash to another event in a few minutes, but I do want to make a few remarks on this occasion because of the importance that I attribute to what you have been doing this week.

            During each day of this conference on the electoral focus of civil-military relations in Sierra Leone, more than forty people have participated.  This is a credit to the concern of the government ministries, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), the political parties and the media for having a viable and credible election on the 28^th of July 2007.  Although the election is nearly a year away, now is the time to be looking ahead and planning so that the election will be as free and fair as possible for all political parties and for the people of Sierra Leone.  For that to happen, the political campaign and the election itself must both be free of violence.  All elements of your democratic society: political parties, the media, traditional leaders, the NEC and PPRC, and civil society organizations, in addition to the police and military; will have key roles to play, but most importantly everyone needs to cooperate with each other.  This election is important for the future good governance of the country, but beyond that, Sierra Leone’s international reputation depends on the ability of Sierra Leoneans to demonstrate your ability to truly govern yourselves democratically and transparently through properly conducted elections.

            While you have gained insights into each other’s roles, both what they are and what they should be during the campaigning and election periods, you have only scratched the surface.  Now comes the real effort of communicating the concepts, considerations and principles taught by the Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR) to those who did not have the opportunity to attend this conference.

            You were charged at the beginning go the conference with entertaining new ideas and concepts, with breaking down barriers and walls between organizations previously unknown to each other, and with broadening your understanding of the roles of each organization represented here.  In that context, I congratulate you on the action plan that you have produced.  Now it is your turn to convey what you have learned to your colleagues.  To stand with your long-time colleagues in your organization’s meetings as a person knowledgeable about the people and organizations you met this week – your new colleagues.  You should be able to articulate the role of the military (defend the nation), the role of civil society toward the military (appropriate use within the bounds of the constitution), the options of military support to the election (which includes the support of neutrality).  You should be able to discuss why HIV/AIDS has the potential to be so devastating to the military and society as a whole, and why the professionalism of the men and women in the armed forces is paramount to addressing this scourge.

            The positive developments in Sierra Leone during the past few years have been remarkable.  But the work here is far from complete.  The nation needs continued international support, especially in the areas of civil-military relationship building, and can continue to benefit from seminars like this one.  The United States has made many contributions to the international efforts to support the transition to stability and democratic rule in the region.  We will continue to support the process.

            Thank you for your attention, I congratulate you, and I wish you well in your efforts as the election approaches.