[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 48 (Tuesday, April 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E533-E534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ON THEIR FIRST MULTIPARTY, 
                DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN NEARLY 30 YEARS

                                 ______


                           HON. AMO HOUGHTON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 15, 1996

  Mr. HOUGHTON. Mr. Speaker, I've come to the floor today with some of 
my colleagues to introduce a concurrent resolution congratulating the 
people of the Republic of Sierra Leone who just held their first 
democratic, multiparty elections in nearly 30 years.
  On February 26, 1996, the West African nation of Sierra Leone held 
their first round of elections amid much uncertainty. There had just 
been a military coup less than a month before the election and a civil 
war that had displaced almost half the population raged in the 
countryside.
  Sponsored by the African-American Institute [AAI], a delegation 
visited Sierra Leone as part of a U.N. team of international observers. 
In that delegation were several congressional staffers who deal with 
African issues in the Congress, including Joyce Brayboy Dalton with 
Representative Mel Watt, Tim Trenkle, Senator Nancy Kassebaum, Michael 
Pelletier, legislative fellow in the office of Senator Jim Jeffords, 
and my legislative assistant Bob Van Wicklin.
  Despite some inadequacies, the group deemed the election to be free 
and fair. AAI issued the following statement after the election:

   Statement of the International Observer Delegation of the African-
                           American Institute

       Freetown, February 29, 1996.--The African-American 
     Institute (AAI), has spent the last three weeks preparing for 
     and conducting an observation of the presidential and 
     parliamentary elections of Sierra Leone. The AAI delegation 
     feels that the elections of February 26-27, 1996 were 
     transparent, open, and substantially fair. Despite certain 
     irregularities and disruptions due to breaches of security, 
     the delegation is convinced these elections reflect the 
     freely expressed choices of the people of Sierra Leone.
       Working in affiliation with the United Nations Joint 
     International Observer Group and funded by the United States 
     Agency for International Development, the 17-member AAI 
     delegation was deployed throughout Freetown and its environs, 
     Lungi, Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Kono. The AAI team observed two 
     crucial phases of the elections which were held on February 
     26-27, 1996.
       During the first phase, the delegation met throughout the 
     country with government officials, the staff of the Interim 
     National Electoral Commission, leaders of political parties 
     and major civic organizations, representatives of the media, 
     government officials, and other sections of civil, society 
     including organized labor. The delegation also carefully 
     studied the electoral laws, examined the relevance of several 
     training materials, scrutinized the voter registration 
     process and samples of voter registers, observed training of 
     electoral staff and domestic monitors, and attended civic 
     education programs in many parts of the country.
       During the second phase, the delegation observed the 
     electoral campaigning, the voting which began on February 26 
     and was extended through February 27, and the counting 
     process on February 27-28, 1996. In the

[[Page E534]]

     areas of their deployment, AAI observers visited over 250 
     polling places nationwide.
       AAI found that the elections were held under a cloud of 
     uncertainly and substantial logistical difficulty caused by a 
     lack of adequate infrastructure, minimal election experience 
     and training, and the displacement of sectors of the 
     population due to hostile military actions on or just prior 
     to the date of the elections. This situation often led to the 
     late opening and numerical overtaxing of many polling 
     stations and, in some areas, disruption of the vote and 
     count. Still, in the majority of the areas observed by AAI 
     delegates, the vote went forward in a procedurally correct 
     manner, with materials provided and correctly utilized. 
     Polling station officials, political party representatives 
     and domestic observers, in most cases, were adequately 
     prepared and conducted their duties in an exemplary manner. 
     In the, areas of the country observed by AAI delegates, the 
     difficulties cited above were overcome by the fierce 
     determination of an overwhelming majority of the population 
     to hold the elections on schedule, even in the face of 
     serious attempts to obstruct and disrupt the process.
       Despite these administrative inadequacies and certain 
     instances of violence and intimidation in Freetown, as well 
     as deadly conflicts between citizens and those seeking to 
     disrupt the election in Bo and Kenema, the electoral process 
     was largely peaceful and free of threats and confrontations. 
     Voting took place in are orderly fashion in most poling 
     stations. There was little evidence of fraud or irregularity.
       The AAI delegation wishes to salute the people of Sierra 
     Leone for their strong commitment to democratic practices and 
     their determination to hold elections on schedule. This 
     unflinching commitment to democratic values and procedures, 
     as well as the courage that the citizens demonstrated in the 
     face of great danger, augurs well for the future of democracy 
     in this country.
       The AAI delegation also wishes to congratulate the Chairman 
     of the Interim National Electoral Commission, Dr. James 
     Jonah, and his colleagues for their impartiality and 
     inspiring and tenacious leadership under difficult 
     conditions.
       Finally, the AAI delegation thanks the people of Sierra 
     Leone for their hospitality and warm welcome.

  On March 29, 1996, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the Sierra Leone People's 
Party was sworn in as the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. 
This peaceful transition of power from a military regime to a freely 
elected civilian government is a tremendous step onto the road to 
democracy, and I think will have a very positive effect on some of 
Sierra Leone's authoritarian neighbors.
  In fact, just last week, when United States citizens located in the 
neighboring country of Liberia were threatened by the ongoing violence 
in that country, the Government of Sierra Leone allowed the United 
States to use their airport to help with the evacuation of Americans 
and other internationals from the Liberian capital city of Monrovia. 
For this, we are very grateful, and thank the new Government of Sierra 
Leone for their cooperation and assistance.
  Also deserving special recognition are all of the United States 
citizens living in Sierra Leone, especially the people who work at the 
United States Embassy in Freetown led by Ambassador John Hirsch, a very 
dynamic individual who has given so much of himself to help the people 
of Sierra Leone.
  It seems that we hear so much bad news from Africa--it's good to be 
able to emphasize the good news when it comes along.
  With that in mind, I hope that all of my colleagues in the House and 
Senate will join us in congratulating the people of the Republic of 
Sierra Leone by helping to pass this resolution.

                          ____________________