Colleague blogs from Sierra Leone

Erica Bonanno of our sister Conflict Resolution MA program is in Sierra Leone doing a program assessment for Search for Common Ground. From the first post to Erica’s blog:

My project here is to do an evaluation of the radio program dealing with children and youth issues, called Golden Kids News (here is a description of Golden Kids News on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_lFFJaMc4w). In order to evaluate the impact of this radio program on listeners, I will be spending the next few weeks traveling around the country. I will be spending a week in Kabala, a small town in Northern Sierra Leone where Search has a second office, and then another week in Bo, another rural area where we have our third office in the country. My short time in the offices will be spent talking to the producers of Golden Kids News. I will then spend about a month traveling around to villages where I will be interviewing, holding focus groups (which are pretty much group interviews), and giving out surveys. The rural areas are supposed to be much safer than Freetown. These tools, which I will be designing this week, will help to collect data about how the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of listeners may have changed as a result of listening to Golden Kids News. I will then spend my last few weeks back in Freetown, where I will write up my report and present my findings to the Directors and staff.

“I really want to commend all citizens for a job well done.”

I really want to commend all citizens for a job well done.

Those were the words of Ernest Gborie after the recent presidential elections in Sierra Leone.

Earlier in the week I posted a brief item on the Sierra Leone election results. I really have to hand it to the BBC sometimes in terms of the coverage they provide on some stories that do not normally even get picked up by America’s best sources for international coverage.

I recommend checking out their page on the Sierra Leone election, they just posted some interviews with ordinary citizens about the recent election results and process. They interviewed these people before and after the election poll to give a snapshot of local views about the contest.

Democracy Daily Briefing – 9.17.07

President General Musharraf Announces Plan to Step Down from Army

According to the BBC, Pakistani President General Musharraf indicated that he would step down as chief-of-staff of the Pakistani army by November 15, 2007. This would occur after he was reelected by the sitting Parliament to a new term as president. This announcement will be unlikely to quell opponents who continue to submit challenges to the supreme courts seeking the disqualification of Musharraf as a presidential candidate. The Supreme Court begins to hear cases today on six challenges to Musharaff’s candidacy. In related news, former Prime Minister Bhutto announced she would return to Pakistan on October 18, 2007 and supporters of former Prime Minister Shariff who were arrested during his attempted return to Pakistan were released from police custody.

Opposition Candiate Wins Sierra Leone Presidency 

In a run off election this weekend, Ernest Bai Koroma ,the opposition candidate, won the presidency by 9 percentage points over his opponent from the ruling party. Mr. Koroma received 54.6% to 45.5%. The ruling party announced that it would dispute the election results as invalid. International observers have commended the newly formed electoral commission which carried out the election, the first since the United Nations left in 2005.

Ruling Party Wins Slim Victory in Greece

In snap elections, the ruling party maintained a slim majority.  While the New Democracy party will retain 152 seats out of 300, a significant decrease from the previous parliament. The major opposition party also lost seats as three smaller parties increased their representation.

Accused Murder to Top Party List in Russia

Former KGB agent Andrey Lugovoy and accused murder of fellow former KGB agent and vocal Putin critic Alexander Litvinenko announced that he would accept the number 2 spot on the Liberal Democratic Party list for the up coming parliamentary elections. The Liberal Democratic Party is an nationalist, pro-Kremlin party  run by controversial leader Valdimir Zhirinovsky. Members of the Russian Parliament are immune from prosecution.

Guatemala Presidential Race Heads to Runoff

Two candidates emerged from a field of twelve to face off in an November 4, 2007 runoff election. Alvaro Colom received 28 percent of the vote and former army general Otto Perez Molina carried 24 percent. Violence had marred the election season with more than 50 candidates and campaign workers being killed. The vote was mostly peaceful and turnout was over 50%. The runoff is expected to be tight as the candidates vie for the support from their defeated opponents.