Britain's future in Sierra Leone

Blair: British and Sierra Leonean troops should be proud

		By Mark Doyle BBC West Africa correspondent

When President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone walked up to British Prime Minister Tony Blair's jet to greet him, he was flanked, along with several ministers, by two white men in uniform.

The two men were Brigadier Patrick Davidson-Housten, President Kabbah's British security adviser, and Keith Biddle, the British Inspector General of the Sierra Leonean Police.

Ten years of devastating war means our institutions need rebuilding, so we have found the best people to do the job for us for now

Sierra Leone Information Minister Cecil Blake

The presence of two British citizens - paid for by Britain - in such high positions in the Sierra Leone Government, illustrates the commitment of the UK to the country.

It also shows the dire state to which key Sierra Leonean state institutions have fallen as a result of the decade-long war.

In many countries you would expect local people to resent the presence of foreigners at the top of government.

But in Sierra Leone, after years of corrupt misrule, the opposite is the case.

"Thank You Britain", said one of the banners greeting Tony Blair when he made a whistle-stop tour of Mahera village near the airport.

"Thank you for helping end the war."

Recolonised?

Britain sent troops to Sierra Leone in mid-2000, ostensibly to evacuate British nationals when rebels responsible for appalling atrocities against civilians threatened to overthrow the elected government.

The rebels finally began disarming late last year

But it quickly became apparent that there was a long-term plan, and Brigadier Davidson Housten now heads the team that has re-trained and re-armed an 8,000-strong government army.

Britain and other Commonwealth countries had been fulfilling a similar role for the police force for several years.

"The people actually want to be recolonised", said Zainab Bangura, a political activist and publisher of the first serious political opinion poll in Sierra Leone.

"Now 70% of the respondents to our survey, all of whom were in Freetown, said they would like Britain to assume trusteeship of Sierra Leone until a new political dispensation can be worked out."

Recolonisation is of course out of the question, however President Kabbah has, in effect, gone halfway to doing this by appointing British advisers to top positions and welcoming the largest United Nations peacekeeping force in the world.

The British troops can be proud of what they have achieved, but so can the Sierra Leonean soldiers who have joined the new army

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair

"This is not a normal situation", said Information Minister Cecil Blake. "When we have found competent Sierra Leoneans to do these jobs, we will appoint them."

"Ten years of devastating war means our institutions need rebuilding, so we have found the best people to do the job for us for now," he said.

Economic rebuilding

On the streets, ordinary people agreed. "We wan' Tony Blair and de white people-dem for help-we", said a young man speaking in the Krio language, meaning: "We want Tony Blair and the people from the rich countries to help us, please".

"British man good-oh. We gladee", said another, meaning: "The British are good. We are happy that they came".

Many children became targets during the civil war