News Story

FREETOWN: NEW PEOPLE EDITOR WITH EXCERPT FROM AWARENESS TIMES CORRESPONDENTS: The commitment of Britain and the United States to their stated principles of good governance and political pluralism as the basis of a thriving democracy in Sierra Leone is being compromised by the seeming indifference and silence of these representatives of two of the world's most powerful democracies to sundry, frequent, and egregious acts of violence against the political opposition.

Is it that these two representatives find it acceptable for opposition offices to be looted and burned down with regularity? Is it that they are comfortable with the ruling APC government sending in violent thugs and conspicuously outfitted party militia to disrupt legal party political meetings and other gatherings and to harrass opposition members? Or are these two representatives comfortable that the fundamental principles of social harmony and internal peace are being compromised by the blatantly unfair and undemocratic acts perpetuated by the APC?

What has the United States government done to act on its own Country report on APC's record on the core issues of governance, human rights, justice, and other core issues? The US State Department Country Report is clear that "there were serious problems in a number of areas, including: security force abuse, including rape, and use of excessive force with detainees, including juveniles; police theft and extortion; poor conditions in prisons and jails; official impunity; arbitrary arrest and detention; prolonged detention, excessive bail, and insufficient legal representation; restrictions on freedom of speech and press, although fewer than in the previous year; government and chiefdom detention and harassment of journalists; forcible dispersion of demonstrators; harassment of opposition party supporters by ruling party members; widespread official corruption; societal discrimination and violence against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse; trafficking in persons, including children; forced labor, including by children; and child labor."

The alarm bells are ringing. The current atmosphere is not conducive for participatory politics and for nurturing the democracy in which the UK and US have invested so much. The political opposition may chose to defend itself at a point. But the UK and US envoys need to speak at greater length and depth about these issues and they should be ready to ask the very tough questions of the APC President, Ernest Bai Koroma. . . and they must demand answers and emphasise the core values of good governance, respect for human rights and the rule of law, and other issues that the UK and US have vowed to upkeep.

Following is an Awareness Times Report on the latest spate of violence unleashed on the political opposition in Kono. AGAIN, WHAT DO THE US AND UK ENVOYS HAVE TO SAY?

AWARENESS TIMES REPORT__________________________

However, the event that climaxed the entire last few days of shame has been the total intolerance of the APC towards the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) holding a meeting in Kono two days ago on Saturday April 12th 2008.

Youths believed to be APC party thugs on that day attacked SLPP members in the city of Kono in broad daylight. SLPP Members of Parliament including party stalwarts from across the country were in a meeting at the Kumba Satta Memorial Centre when at the close, some hooligans stormed the premises and pelted stones at them and as the SLPP members fled in panic, they were chased out of town by not only cutlass and knives bearing APC partisans dressed in red but by an astonishing sight of women who had undressed themselves. Many of the women wore only pants on but two of the women actually undressed themselves to their bare skin with absolutely no clothes on. They stood on the main highway just after the big Cotton Tree next to the Rokel Commercial Bank in Kono and proceeded to display their naked buttocks and their private parts which naked buttocks they turned upon anyone wearing green or SLPP paraphernalia.

Shamelessly, these women were loudly telling anyone who wanted to listen that they were doing this to show the extent to which they were prepared to go in support of the sitting Vice President who is a son of the soil in Kono.

These women who were in the company of cutlass wielding thugs who harassed and intimidated SLPP supporters in Kono were seemingly angry that the SLPP Meeting called by the seven SLPP Parliamentarians and the SLPP Councilors brought out a bigger crowd of Kono people than the one which came out in support of VP Sam-Sumana less than a month ago.

Although they had to flee Kono for dear life, the SLPP MPs were very pleased with themselves at the turnout for the Meeting. Many of the fleeing MPs and other Party Leaders called up Awareness Times on the telephone

The essence of the meeting according to Hon. Dr. Bernadette Lahai was to thank the people of Kono for their massive turn out in last year’s general elections to vote for the Party. They also used the occasion to admonish party supporters in the district to be law abiding and remain steadfast in their resolve to see democracy thrive in Sierra Leone.

"In as much as they should respect the government of the day, they must not forget to stand for their rights and also protect the interest of the SLPP. That was also the reason we convened the meeting," Hon. Lahai stated in a telephone conversation she made from Kono as she was fleeing.

According to Hon. Eric Komba Kodeoyoma of Kono, at about 3:30pm when the meeting was about to end, some rag-tag boys started pelting the departing delegates with stones. "Even though we were earlier informed that some misguided individuals had intention to disrupt our meeting, we were not expecting any attack because it was not a clandestine gathering. Besides, we had notified the police ever since for this day," Hon. Kodeoyoma intimated over phone. Asked whether any damage was done, the Honourable had this to say: "Yes. Some people sustained injuries and Hon. Tunduneh’s vehicle was badly damaged". He however said that the police put the situation under control at the Hall by throwing tear gas canisters to disperse the mob. "They wanted to resist the police but they were not given chance. Whenever they mustered themselves in to a group, they were repelled from the Kumba Satta Hall. It was only after we have left the Kumba Satta Hall that they had a chance to attack our supporters along the main streets which led to the closure of shops," he revealed.

For his part, Hon. Fasuluku especially deplored the indecent act of hooliganism that has resurfaced.

"We thought that the APC has changed with the so much talk of attitudinal change by the president, but it appears APC of yester years and today are the same," adding "We are really worried that democracy may be reverse. The APC is shaming the democratic culture that the country has inherited from the SLPP.