Posted by HP on January 10, 2009 at 12:20:21:
Is this the voice of a democratic political party?
Below is reproduced an announcement from the front page of Cocorioko today regarding the closure of its forum. After the most disgusting outbursts of tribalism and allegations of cannibalism by the proprietor himself on his own forum yesterday, preceded by numerous deletions of any and all posts that dared raise the issue of corruption in Government, Kabs Kanu has appointed himself 'Big Brother,' and will only make his forum available when he can personally monitor the discussion, which must conform to unqualified praise of the APC.
He states that this is necessary because Salone people do not do as they are told and therefore need constant monitoring to ensure good behaviour. This is a grievous insult to people exercising their right to free expression; the old colonialists could not have said it better! Is Kabs really a Sierra Leonean?
The actions of the Cocorioko proprietor are of course in perfect line with the policies of the APC government he represents, which employs a murderous and fascistic Task Force to "watch over" (terrorize)Salone citizens and keep the loyal opposition at bay. It is painfully clear to anyone with half a brain that the mission of Kabs Kanu and Foday Mansaray at Cocorioko is to suppress at all costs exposure of the blatant and endemic corruption, nepotism, and thievery on the part of the APC government.
Written by Cocorioko Newspaper Limited
Saturday, 10 January 2009
There have been many complaints about personal attacks, defamation , libel and vicious character-assassination on our forum. To supervise the forum to ensure that objectionable posts are deleted immediately, I have had to spend sleepless nights before the computer monitoring it. I have advised people against making personal attacks on the forum until my voice is hoarse. Sierra Leoneans do not listen and do only what they want to do.
As a result of the defamation of the good names of innocent people by disobedient, lawless Sierra Leoneans, the forum will no longer be left in operation while there is nobody to supervise it. Whenever I need to be away from the forum for long spells, I will disable it and subscribers will not be able to post. When I am available, the forum will be operative.
This is a big inconvenience to innocent people who enjoy the forum and love using it to share their ideas with others. But we have been forced to implement these measures.
We also wish to express disappointment at the increasing use of internet cafes and network computers to wreak havoc on the forum. iT WOULD APPEAR THAT MOST OF THE TROUBLEMAKERS ARE FROM CERTAIN INTERNET CAFES OR NETWORKS. It is easier to detect that a troublemaker is operating from an internet cafe. The preponderance of the same first three digits in the the IPs of a maniacal mischiefmaker gone wildl on the forum is a clear indication that he/she is using computers in an internet cafe or a work place or university. Some of the internet cafes and network systems being used to create mischief on our forum are known to us and our technicians. We even know some of the culprits. Some are outside the United States and we are studying how we could legally make these internet cafes liable for the problems they create on our forum.
We will resume normal business as soon as we have somebody who can help me monitor the forum.