Few days ago the Libyan leader Col. Muamar Gaddafi called for all African countries to sever ties with Israel because according to him, Israel is responsible for all the atrocities in Africa.
I don’t know what the position of our president and his government is, but I would be happy if they can make a statement soon. Will they issue such statement, I doubted it as they are benefiting from Gaddafi’s handouts.
Listening to the BBC Network Africa programme made me very angry to hear a Leopard criticizing the Tiger for woes he committed in the last 20 years. Did Gaddafi ever think that this day would come when he will be advocating for a United Africa?
In the eighties, was it not Gaddafi who opened training camps in Libya to train all nationalities across Africa and beyond to use violence to overthrow their respective governments? What was the Green Book about? Where did Foday Sankoh come from to attack Sierra Leone? Was he in Israel or Libya?
Who bombed the Pan Am plane over Scotland, was it the Israelis or Libyans? Has Gaddafi ever apologized to Sierra Leoneans or pay reparations for what he did to us?
It is rather unfortunate that because Sub Saharan African leaders are mis-managing our resources, that is why Gaddafi is dumping leftovers and telling us what to do and what not to do.
If our parliamentarians can take Gaddafi into our sacred Parliament and crown him Honorary Parliamentarian because they want to beg from him, then he can tell us who to be-friend and who to drive out.
I am aware of the fact that he has been helping us lately with buses, tractors, cash and other vehicles, but that should not give him the authority to make such pronouncements to us in Sub Saharan Africa.
Before he started helping us, he helped kill thousands of our compatriots, maimed thousands and after failing with the guns and bombs, he is now using his wealth to capture our leaders who can turn to anyone regardless of what he has done in the past.
But I want to assure Sierra Leoneans that what Israel did before 1973 when Africa severed ties with them can be seen everyday in the city.
It was the Israelis who built the same Parliament building that they took him (Gaddafi) to and crowned him Honorary MP. It was the Israelis who built our Post Office, Ministerial Building and the Bank of Sierra Leone.
If it was the Chinese telling us to sever ties with Israel, maybe I would have been a bit more cautious with my approach. Why, because they are the other country whose works we can see all over the city and beyond.
When Israel was helping us, they didn’t build a Synagogue or a Church, but they put up structures that everybody, be you Christians or Muslims will make use of. Their policies are not to colonize us or to turn the country into a one Religion state, but their aim was to make Sierra Leone viable and strong economically, socially and morally.
When the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) called for Africa to sever ties with Israel in 1973 because of Egypt, what did Egypt do later? Were they not the first to open diplomatic ties with Israel after only six years? Was that not a big blow to OAU who were left in the cold by the one they were supporting?
I want to see how many African countries will listen to Gaddafi’s call. I know most African leaders are not crazy or that callous to even think of that call. He will only mention such statement to us from sub Saharan Africa and not to his brothers around him; I mean Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
We know that Gaddafi does not recognize the state of Israel so he too like the Iranians would want to wipe them off the map of the world, but they should remember Psalm 121 verse 4: ‘Behold he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep’. And also whosoever thinks they can match into Israel and wipe them out will definitely face the wrath of God and ‘the Star of David’ will never fall.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has been touring the world; from South America now he is in Africa, not preaching violence, neither religion, but he is talking about friendship and the economy. He is not telling African leaders to disrespect Gaddafi or talking about Judaism – he is in Africa for economic and cultural exchange.
Well the presence of Israel will soon be felt once more in Sierra Leone as they are coming to change the course of the country. They knew our problems before they left and they are coming to help us fix it. Problems with our airport, housing accommodation, our agriculture and problems with our diamond industry; they are coming to help fix it and not to give us pittance.
Kenya who has diplomatic relationship with them knew all what they have been receiving from Israel, and I too would want us to get such economic privilege from them rather than the aid coming from the West with lots of attachment to it.
I want President Koroma to embrace the Israelis and give them the opportunity to finish what they started, I believe on their arrival, they might even try to finish the Parliament building they left half way done.
I also believe the Lebanese community would be fighting from all fronts for this government not to allow Israel back into the country, I say to them it is a big lie. We fought an 11 year war and at no time did we receive a message of sympathy from Lebanon neither Lebanese joining our military in the fight.
Let Israel come back, with the Israelis and the Chinese to help us, I am very optimistic that Sierra Leone will be a better place with jobs, viable economy, enough housing facilities and above all security.
We will never be fooled any longer by leaders who make careless, reckless and irresponsible statements. If Gaddafi means what he is saying, let him show something for it. The people of Sierra Leone are still waiting for an unequivocal apology, not to use rice, Mosque and buses to make us forget. We need reparation and restitution and meaningful words and effectual deeds.
Let freedom reign in our hearts, in our homes, schools and in our offices. We are looking for true friends, friends that have respect for us, friends who will not kill us and later bribe us with rice and buses. We want true friends like Israel who believes in knowledge and who will work by our side to development.
By Austin Thomas