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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.
It’s really painful to see our beloved ones who were victims of the then Sierra Leone civil war, but it also a good thing to forgive our own brothers and Sisters who served as perpetrators in the then civil war. As we all know, “To err is human but to forgive is divine” 🙏🙏
Na so genera Issa say oo😭
Oh raka rakson, may God almighty forgive your sins from buying gold in makong to makoth and what happened during the senseless war. You are not the only one to blame even those presently ruling the country were killers and destroyers to the that great nation. Yet they forgive and gave them a second chance. Today you are prisoned for 52 years while they continue to destroying the country for free. You are a freedom fighters to save Sierra Leone from bad leadership. You deed gave your life for Makeni against the rebels attacked they forgot all about it. When criminals are making the laws that always favors themselves that’s why the innocent are sentence to jail and they continue to carry on their activities.