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A former senior commander of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Colonel Issa Sesay, has publicly appealed to Sierra Leoneans for forgiveness as the nation marked Remembrance Day in honour of victims of the country’s 11-year civil war.
In an emotional video message shared on Saturday, January 17, Sesay expressed remorse for the suffering caused during the conflict, which claimed the lives of over 50,000 people and left many others maimed and displaced.
“To the people of Sierra Leone, please forgive me. I sympathise with all those who were killed and those who lost their limbs,” Sesay said, visibly emotional.
He also commended President Julius Maada Bio for officially recognising Remembrance Day as a national moment to honour the souls lost during the brutal war, which ended in 2002.
Sesay used the occasion to urge Sierra Leoneans to reject violence and embrace peace, warning against a return to conflict.
“I want to advise Sierra Leoneans never to resort to war,” he said. “War is not good and only leads to destruction.”
Sesay served as the interim leader of the RUF in the later stages of the conflict and was later indicted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL). In 2009, he was found guilty on 16 of the 18 counts against him, including terrorising civilians, unlawful killings, rape, and the recruitment and abduction of child soldiers.
He was convicted on February 25, 2009, and formally sentenced on April 8 the same year. Sesay is currently serving a 52-year prison term at Mpanga Prison in Rwanda, where he is expected to remain incarcerated until at least 2061.
His appeal for forgiveness comes as Sierra Leone reflects on the horrors of its civil war and reaffirms its commitment to peace, reconciliation and the collective memory of those who paid the ultimate price.
