News of a shooting incident in Wellingara in the West Coast Region involving a soldier, who allegedly shot at a commercial vehicle after a feud with the driver has made it necessary for us to once more call for cordial relationship between the military and the civilian population.
As reported in our yesterday’s issue, the incident happened along the Wellingara road leading to the Kombo Coastal road on Saturday evening.
It has always been our view that the relationship between the military and civil society should always be cordial for the betterment of any nation.
There is no gainsaying that in tackling terrorism and other security threats, such a relationship could always bear fruit.
As the saying goes, “security is everybody’s business.”
Promoting and safeguarding national security is the responsibility of all, including the civilian population.
Of course, protection of any country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is the primary function of the military, but the civilian population could also help.
In any country, where there is mutual collaboration and trust between the military and the civilians, there would be peace, security and development.
Essentially, a healthy civil-military relationship needs a military with standards distinct from those of the general society, and a society that appreciates the need for the difference, even if it does not always approve of the military’s views.
Whereas as we urge the military, in particular, to always build a good rapport with the civilian population, we equally urge the civilians to at all times appreciate the efforts of the military, and treat them with respect to bring about cordial ties between them.
It is a challenge for all democratic governments to ensure a more cordial civil-military relations, since such a relationship is healthy for every nation.
In peaceful environs like ours, it is always good for us to maintain a very good relationship between the military and the civilian population, as it would further strengthen peaceful co-existence.
“To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage.”
Confucius