COLONEL JUXON-SMITH ADDRESSING NEWSMEN AT CONFERENCE, AND GENERAL SCENES IN FREETOWN.




Initials RM/V/CCT/SGM



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Background: THE CHIEF AIM OF THE NATIONAL REFORMATION COUNCIL (NRC) OF SIERRA LEONE IS TO REMOVE TRIBALISM, BRIBERY, CORRUPTION AND NEPOTISM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ANDREW JUXON-SMITH, SAID ON WEDNESDAY. HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE DAILY PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE NRC AT THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN FREETOWN.

ADDRESSING ABOUT 20 LOCAL AND FOREIGN JOURNALISTS, COLONEL JUXON-SMITH SAID THE WORD "TRIBE" HAD DIED A PERPETUAL DEATH AS FAR AS THE NRC WAS CONCERNED. EVERY SIERRA LEONEAN, HE SAID, HAD EQUAL RIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF HIS TRIBE.

THE CHAIRMAN WAS ASSURED BY MAJOR BLAKE A MEMBER OF THE NRC, THAT THE COMPOSITION OF MEMBERS OF THE NRC WAS NOT MADE ON TRIBAL BUT REGIONAL BASIS. COLONEL JUXON-SMITH THEN WARNED THAT THE LAWS PASSED BY NRC WOULD BE RIGIDLY ENFORCED UNTIL THE COUNCIL HANDED OVER POWER TO A CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT.

(TODAY -- FRIDAY -- COLONEL JUXON-SMITH WARNED PEOPLE PLANNING TROUBLE AGAINST HIS REGIME THAT THEY FACE MILITARY COURT MARTIAL WITH A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD. HE SAID: "IT HAS COME TO OUR NOTICE THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE PLANNING TROUBLE" -- AND WARNED THEM THAT MARTIAL LAW WAS STILL IN FORCE.)