Former Concord Times Editor Honoured in Liberia

Concord Times (Freetown)

1 June 2011

Freetown — In his capacity as Officer-in-Charge, Head of Field Office (HOFO), Sierra Leonean-born Osman Benk Sankoh was last Friday given what he considered the highest honour and privilege of his life when he read a message on behalf of the United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki-Moon and also laid a wreath for those peacekeepers who had lost their lives in the cause of peace.

This happened in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County where the former editor of Concord Times is currently serving as Sector Public Information Officer with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and during activities held in observance of this year’s International Day of Peace.

On the day set aside to pay tribute to the more than 120,000 military and police personnel and civilians serving the United Nations worldwide, the UN scribe in his message states, “The tragedies that have befallen United Nations peacekeepers already this year are a sobering reminder of the risks entailed in their importance work for peace.”

The message also hailed their accomplishments especially from supporting the Southern Sudan referendum, helping to resolve the post electoral crisis in Ivory Coast, patrolling the hills of southern Lebanon and also from supporting, training, capacity-building and institutional development of police in Timor-Leste.

Deputizing the Liberian president, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at the event was the County Superintendent, Hon. Christopher Beh Bailey who commended peacekeepers worldwide for their huge sacrifices in making the world a peaceful place to live. He also paid tribute to the dead and prayed that their loss did not go in vain.

At a hundred-man parade led by the Pakistani Battalion together with the Indian Formed Police Unit and the Chinese Medical and Engineering contingents, Sankoh and the Superintendent led all in standing while the Liberian national and UN anthems were played and the flag of Liberia, the UN and troops contributing countries in the region were being raised to fly to half-mast.

The wreath-laying and a minute of silence climaxed the solemn occasion that was followed a day later with a soccer match between the Indian and Pakistani troops that was won by the later 3-2.

AllAfrica – All the Time