Sam Gejdenson: “The connection between Sierra Leone and Connecticut is an old one, starting with the Amistad. It is sad to see the…”

“The connection between Sierra Leone and Connecticut is an old one, starting with the Amistad. It is sad to see the continued torture of the citizens of Sierra Leone, and therefore, the little effort that we are putting forth here, the United States involvement, to try to end the bloodshed, to try to immobilize and disarm the armed combatants. We need to make sure that the killing stops. Many of these soldiers are really children, and we have to work with those in the country to provide accountability for the victims to work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to make sure the guilty are pursued, that the rights of the victims are not forgotten. We must be the leaders here to promote peace in Sierra Leone, because as almost everywhere, the world looks to the United States. The international community is ready to make a significant effort here, but American leadership, as always, is critical. So I would hope we would have broad support for this resolution.”