By Musa Paul Feika
The All People’s Congress MP who doubles as a the party Parliamentary Spokesman in the Sixth Parliament Dr. Umpha Gbesay Koroma has urged the rulling SLPP to make or enact laws that will safe guide and protect the citizens or laws that are in the interest of the people.
Hon. Koroma continue by saying this is so because his party and its supporters have been described and lebaled as terrorists by the incumbent party led by President Bio.
“As lawmakers, we have the right to make laws are responsible for the people, laws that will protect the citizens,” the Lawmaker stressed.
He made these statements in an exclusive interview in Parliament while stating his party’s position in respect of the Bill titled “Counter Terrorism Act 2024” which has been passed into law. He called on the ruling party to look into the law thoroughly before implementing it.
The opposition leader in the Sixth Hon. Abdul Kargbo during an interview with journalists, he stated that the initially when the Anthony General and Minister of Justice tabled the bill in Parliament, the opposition party opposed the definition of terrorism and terrorist which is broad.
“It talks about persons that involves in violence against other persons, persons that involves in serious damage to property, persons that endanger the lives of other persons,” Hon. Kargbo stated, citing the Africa model of the counter Terrorism Act, which is almost similar with the one that have been brought in Parliament of Sierra Leone, he pointed out, noting that the Africa model gives exemptions to the provisions of advocacy, protest, decent and industrial action.
Hon. Abdul Kargbo maintained that their position as opposition party in Parliament of Sierra Leone was for the Government of Sierra Leone to copy the definition and leave the exemptions, adding as lawmakers they thought it fit that they won’t have the exemptions because they need to get safe guards so that laws won’t be used against the opposition.
Responding, the SLPP MP who is also the chairman of the Legislative Committee in the Sixth Parliament, Hon. Suliaman Marry Conteh said the Counter Terrorism Act will prevent people who want to commit terrorist acts against innocent citizens, noting that the law itself is national and cuts across the country.
The SLPP MP maintained that the people have the right and liberty to protest, but if the people do it with the intention to cause certain damage to properties and the rest of it all, it fell with the law. He said the government will not make a law that will hunt or affect its citizens, but rather to maintain national peace and security.
The Bill that has already been passed into law continues to be criticized by many Sierra Leone including human rights organizations who continue to maintain that the law will undermine and infringe on press freedom and freedom of expression which are cornerstones for a democratic society.
The law absolutely and completely condemns prohibition financial support of terrorism and considered it to be an offence. It also makes provision for the offenses of Terrorism and Terrorism related acts to provide for enforcement measures of terrorist funds and other assets to provide for the prohibition of financial support.
The Act has penalties attached to it and would also levy fines against whosoever intend to plan or to carry out a terrorist act.