FEBRUARY POLITICAL ROUND-UP - FREETOWN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000081

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER/ESPRUILL)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM EAID SL
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY POLITICAL ROUND-UP - FREETOWN

REF: A. FREETOWN 48

B. FREETOWN 61

C. FREETOWN 65

D. FREETOWN 78

E. FREETOWN 79

Classified By: Ambassador June Carter Perry for reasons 1/4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with President Koroma
February 27 and elicited a positive response in a pending
request to expel wanted criminals and needed informants to
the United States. Koroma reshuffled the cabinet after months
of rumors, creating some controversy but largely satisfying
Sierra Leoneans who appear to value action and change
regardless of the type or consequence. The debate over FGM
reached a crescendo when four female journalists were
abducted by members of a secret society for allegedly
criticizing the practice on-air. The Special Court for Sierra
Leone issued a judgment in the RUF case, and also hosted a
visit from the Management Committee. Diplomatic ties with
countries in Asia, Europe, and South America have increased
and Sierra Leone continues to enjoy donor support from Japan,
Germany and Italy. End Summary.

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AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT KOROMA
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2. (C) On February 27, Ambassador Perry met with President
Koroma to discuss pending bilateral issues and the new
administration's policy priorities (reftel D). The
conversation substantively covered: economic aid; security
and defense issues; human rights; the potential return of
Peace Corps volunteers; the still-unsigned Status of Forces
Agreement; and the pending request to expel three individuals
to the U.S. Koroma was a cordial host, amenable to discussion
on all topics, but only made concrete promises in relation to
honoring the expulsion requests. This is a significant
development, since post has been waiting for a final decision
on this issue from the Sierra Leonean government for six
months. Koroma also indicated that this is a prescient time
to go after other Sierra Leoneans involved in the narcotics
trade (reftel C).

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KOROMA FINALLY RESHUFFLES THE CABINET
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3. (C) After months of speculation, Koroma reshuffled his
Cabinet on February 27, firing five ministers outright,
moving underperformers to less prestigious positions, and
rewarding his cronies (reftel E). The Foreign Minister,
Attorney General, and Minister of Defense are among the
notable few who kept their posts, while friends of the
President assumed the roles of Minister of Mineral Resources,
Energy and Water Resources, and Finance. The reshuffle has
angered some members of civil society, because it decreased
the number of women in the Cabinet from three to two, while
others have criticized what they perceive to be increased
regionalism benefiting Koroma's home area in the north. The
PMDC party, which aligned with the APC for the 2007
Presidential run-off in return for Cabinet positions, saw
their ministerial representation drop from five posts to two;
their threats to resign from their Cabinet posts in protest
have yet to be carried out. The opinion of the general public
is that the reshuffle proves Koroma is a strong,
action-oriented leader. Comment: In reftel, post questioned
why corrupt ministers, such as David Carew and Haja Afsatu
Kabba, remained in Cabinet positions. The latest hypothesis
is that Koroma wanted to prove to the international community
that most of his initial selections were good ones, but that
their talents were being underutilized in their positions. By
transferring these individuals, including his friends Carew
and Kabba, he believes he is demonstrating that his original
judgments were sound. End comment.

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FEMALE JOURNALISTS ATTACKED BY FGM PRACTITIONERS
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4. (C) On February 7, four female journalists in Kenema were
captured by Soweis (traditional FGM practitioners) and other
members of the Bondo secret society for allegedly attacking
the practice of FGM on radio (reftel A). The Women's Leader
in Kenema and head of the Bondo Society, Haja Massah
Kaisamba, said the journalists were taken into custody
because of their unfavorable public statements, vowing they
would not allow anyone to speak out against FGM. The
journalists have all denied any wrongdoing, claiming that
they did not participate in radio campaigns. One of the
journalists reported that she was stripped naked in the bush

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and was later paraded on the streets of Kenema before being
set free. This action was condemned by the Sierra Leone
Association of Journalist (SLAJ) in a press release and the
incident sparked a huge debate on FGM across the country.
Comment: FGM continues to be a very sensitive subject in
Sierra Leone, and the government has failed to date to take a
definitive stand against the practice. Ambassador told the
President on February 27 that FGM, as a gender equality
issue, will factor heavily into future decisions related to
eligibility for MCC or similar entities. Koroma responded
that the government will continue to fund public awareness
campaigns, and added that security forces were instrumental
in securing the journalist's release. End comment.

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SPECIAL COURT RUF JUDGMENT AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
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5. (U) The Special Court for Sierra Leone issued a judgment
against the three defendants in the RUF case (reftel B) on
February 25. Two of the three were found guilty of 16 of 18
charges, while the remaining individual was found guilty of
14 of 18 charges. The judgment marks the end of the trials
sitting in Freetown, with only the Taylor trial in The Hague
remaining. Sentencing for the convicted RUF defendants will
likely take place in March, and an appeals process is
expected to follow.


6. (U) The Management Committee for the Special Court made
their annual visit to Freetown February 17 - 20. The
Committee met with Court staff, and also paid a brief
courtesy call on President Koroma. Legacy and residual issues
were discussed, as was the importance of adhering to the
completion strategy and timeline. The two U.S.
representatives making the trip, Brendan Doherty from S/WCI
and Mark Simonoff from USUN, reported to the Ambassador that
the budget situation at the Court is dire, and that funding
to ensure that its mandate can be met is desperately needed
(Note: Post has requested Department's thoughts on funding
mechanisms. End note). Further, funding for legacy projects
and, possibly, residual mechanisms is also being sought.

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SIX ENVOYS PRESENT CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT KOROMA
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7. (U) President Koroma received letters of credence on
February 24 from Miguel Perez Cruz of Cuba, Miroslav Kremek
of the Czech Republic and Saad Almutaizi from Palestine. On
February 27 President Koroma received three more letters of
credence from the Ambassadors of Denmark, Israel and
Switzerland. The Danish Ambassador is Stig Barlyng, the
Israeli Ambassador is Giden Beharand, and the Swiss
Ambassador is Dominik Langenbacher. Comment: None of the
countries have an in-country diplomatic presence. End
comment. (Note: UN/ERSG Michael van der Schulenburg also
presented credentials on February 28. End note).

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BILATERAL RELATIONS
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8. (U) The Ministry of Health and Sanitation, in
collaboration with UNICEF, received a USD 2.9 million grant
from the government of Japan. The Japanese Ambassador, Mr.
Kelichi Katakami signed on behalf of the Japanese government,
and stated that the grant will be used to enhance the
capacity of the Ministry of Health, District Health Teams,
and NGOs to deliver cost-effective interventions that will
reduce mortality rates among children under five and pregnant
women nation-wide.


9. (U) The government of Japan also provided a grant of USD
87,299 to the Rokupr Agricultural Research Center to
facilitate rehabilitation work at the Rice Research Station.
Rokupr Rice Research Station is one of the oldest such
institutions in West Africa.


10. (U) The German Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Rolf
Saligmann, donated ten new XL bikes and handed over keys for
the newly rehabilitated quarters at the Ross Road Police
Barracks to the Inspector General of Police. At the
handing-over ceremony, Saligmann said that this fulfills the
promise made by the German Embassy to the UN to support law
enforcement and provide assistance beyond their traditional
development cooperation. A GTZ representative said that
strengthening the capacities of police forces in African
countries is a new priority of the German government, and
outlined completed projects like the rehabilitation of the
Hastings Police Training School, and construction of a police
station with accommodation in Potoru.

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11. (U) The visiting Italian Foreign Minister, Franco
Frattini, disclosed his government's plans to support the
second phase of the Bumbuna hydro-electric project. He made
this disclosure during a courtesy call on the Vice President
on February 12. Frattini said they are ready to fund the
project, which would provide 200 additional megawatts to the
Makeni-Freetown corridor, and that he and his entourage came
to Sierra Leone to inspect other Government of Italy-funded
projects. Frattini stated that the Italian government has
interests in agriculture, infrastructure, health, and
security and also plans to help train the Sierra Leone Police
on combating drug trafficking and other illicit practices.
Comment: The Bumbuna Dam is being constructed by an Italian
company. End comment.

PERRY