Parliament [Monday, June 25]

Three Ministers of Parliament sat in the lounge's plush red chairs as they perused a government document. The woman's colorful African dress contrasted starkly with the bland western suits of her two male counterparts. A photojournalist posed them for pictures, but these pictures were not for his newspaper. He was taking the pictures as gifts for the MPs, as this was their last day in Parliament before it closed for election campaigning.

Satellite TV receivers were stacked behind them on the wall as CNN International declared "Paris Hilton to head home;" the journalists and MPs laughed, unable to comprehend the imported American celebrity. The coverage switched to Baghdad explosions. My journalist friend Edward from ABC television shook his head. I waited for words of sympathy for the Iraqis thrown into war, as the images from Baghdad couldn't be all that different from Freetown in 1999 as the RUF invaded with the mantra "No Living Thing."

As his face displayed his disappointment with the violence unfolding on the screen, Edward said "those Iraqis are crazy - they like to die" as if he was reprimanding a misbehaving schoolboy. There was no sympathy but instead simple disbelief that such tragedies are still unfolding today, as Sierra Leone has already learned the lesson of the futility of civil war. While in most of the western world Sierra Leone is assumed to be violent, people here fail to fit into that mold. They fought a war for a decade which laid waste to everything - and everyone - they had, but now they've moved beyond that and simply want to get on with living. They're disillusioned with violence and conflict, and even if life isn't exactly spectacular - Sierra Leone ranked second to last on the most recent Human Development Index, the UN's measure of quality of life - the vast majority are demanding reform through the democratic process, not violent revolution.

I was at Parliament for the official closing ceremony that released the MPs to go home to campaign for the August 11 elections. As Parliament is on Tower Hill overlooking central Freetown, the walk from town up the hill along OAU Drive and Independence Avenue is a bit tiring and I was in no mood for the hassles of the security screening I was expecting.

Edward went up to the police officers standing outside the building and casually chatted about the days events before displaying his ABC TV badge. It began to rain and the officers motioned for us to come in under the overhang with them. Edward explained that I was with him and I waited for a dreaded questioning concerning my lack of a press pass and demands for a passport that was back in town.

She merely pointed to my backpack and asked "What's in it?" "Cameras" I replied and she waved us through with a smile, not even pausing to inspect my bag. At first I was horrified by the lack of security, but then I realized that when a country isn't waging global warfare, then x-ray scanners and bomb-sniffing canines are probably unnecessary precautions. Upon entering the building, Edward said "make yourself at home" and went to charge his camera battery (he doesn't have electricity at home), leaving me free to roam through the House of Parliament as I waited for the closing ceremonies to begin.

After a few hours, the Speaker came out and informed the crowd of journalists that Parliament session had already informally closed over the weekend and there would be no official event today. It was a little upsetting, as apparently the press people that I know were not notified that the event was cancelled, although I must admit my Krio isn't good enough to understand exactly what he was saying. The MPs who were still around went over to the snack bar for lunch while others gathered their Sierra Leone flag and name placard before departing for a month and a half of campaigning in their districts.