Close to five years without much on the ground, politicians of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) are pointing fingers of blame to opposition politicians. Once in their constituencies and political heartlands, SLPP politicians would not hesitate to inform their people that they are responsible for the backwardness of the country.
The finger pointing, to many politicians, is a mere ploy to distract the people’s minds from issues of the day. While addressing chiefs in Freetown, President Julius Maada accused those he referred to as bad politicians particularly the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) of exposing the country’s negative side.
The politicians, the President went on, sell the country negatively by castigating him as a killer and a despot. “As long as the country is exposed negatively, it is difficult for investors to come into the country and invest,” President Bio said. He said without investment, there can be no jobs. The world, he went on, was going democratic and that no country would be supported if she is portrayed as undemocratic.
Little wonder that Sierra Leone has lost the necessary support and cooperation of other countries with liberal democracies. Democratic states in the world will never work with countries where the people’s rights are constantly abused and violated.
Sierra Leone is one of those countries where human rights matter less to government. The President went on to inform Sierra Leoneans that highly civilised countries would continue to shun Sierra Leone as long as politicians continue to sell the country negatively.
While President Bio was in the United States recently, blood-stained photos were flashed at him and shown to the American government by a group of Sierra Leoneans. Bio is reminded about the killings that took place in various parts of the country, and the field day enjoyed by the killers is the worst side of the situation.
Almost invariable, a group of demonstrators, few days ago, also took to the streets to express their anger against President Bio for absence of democracy in Sierra Leone. The demonstrations took place while President Bio was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York in which Bio and his men were humiliated.
Opposition politicians however defend their position saying that the President must blame himself and his government for the abnormalities that hallmark the country’s body politic. Local community activists have not held their criticisms and condemnations of government’s brutality which, they say, have forced most people into a revenge-seeking force.
Ibrahim Bangura, a teacher in one of the secondary schools in Freetown and a local activist blamed government for turning a blind eye to most of the “nefarious” activities government officials unleash to opposition politicians. Bangura spoke about brutal attacks reportedly carried out in Pujehun district against party agents belonging to the APC.
He also did not lose sight of a recent arrest of Councillor Sheku Turay on his way to the airport in Lungi. Councillor Turay with the mayor of Freetown municipality, Yvonne Aki Sawyer were going to attend a UN general meeting when he fell in the hands of the police.
The offence for which he was arrested remain unclear, but sources say it is linked to the August 10 violence in which several police officers and civilians lost their lives. Opposition politicians however say the arrest was without basis as the councilor committed no offence.
The mayor’s appeal for the councillor to be released from custody falls on deaf ears. The police would likely drag him to court in days to come, and the court is sure to toe the line. The arrest of the councilor is among the latest government has effected in post- August 10 violence.
Many Sierra Leoneans suspected to be APC sympathisers have been arrested and sometimes harassed and intimidated on mere finger pointing usually without much evidence to support the waves of arrest. A number of opposition politicians have bitterly criticised government for the incessant sprees of arrest and intimidation saying there is no basis for such government moves.
To many Sierra Leoneans, the arrest is to instill fear in the minds of the people so that they could run away from registration centres. The running away would offer a definite political advantage to SLPP. Bio would also not condemn the intimidation since it is done to members of the opposition as he hopes and prepares to consolidate and project power.
The violence still continues as over 20 of APC supporters were reportedly kidnapped, and the ambassador to Liberia, Eddie Massally has been implicated.
But, government, Bangura said, would do nothing about it as long as the violence is directed at APC men and women. Reports gathered by this press also indicate that several APC agents have been arrested and currently held at Ross Road Police Station over what the police say a forgery of accreditation cards.
The arrest has also been condemned by the founder and leader of Unity Party, Femi Claudius Cole saying such act is arbitrary. Via media platforms, Cole informed Sierra Leoneans that the cards were issued by Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, a body responsible for conducting and supervising registration and elections in Sierra Leone.
By the issuance of the accreditation cards, it is legal for APC agents to be at registration centres, and monitor the process as longs their conduct is within the confines of the law. The Unity Party leader has appealed for the immediate release of those arrested as the arrest is illegal to the core, but it will be very difficult for the police to listen to the release call.
Cole who also heads COPP (Consortium Of Progressive Political parties) herself has been arrested times without number, and sometimes blocked on her way home and to official places without justification. COPP is a breakaway group from the APPA (All Political Parties Association), the parent and umbrella body of political parties in Sierra Leone.
Most of the recent killings and brutality perpetrated by Bio’s government was also brought to mind. Former Minister of Public works, Kemo Sesay was arrested and detained when he spoke about massive killings carried out by President Bio and his men in the country’s North-West regions, strongholds of the main opposition.
Sierra Leoneans witnessed the shooting dead of close to 20 people in the northern capital of Makeni when youth resisted an illegal transfer of an electricity generator from Makeni to Lungi also in the North. Government’s figure of the number of fatal injuries was six, but it was later challenged by Honourable Zainab Catherine Tarawallie during the launch of a report authored by one of the peace commissioners, Valnora Edwin. Honourable Tarawallie put the number at 20.
The actual number was discovered after those arrested during the riots were released by the courts. The transfer of the machine which brought about the conflict was widely seen as an illegal move, and the consultations prior to removal were not properly held.
Sierra Leoneans also saw another spate of violence in the mining town of Lunsar where dozens of youth were also gunned down by the police. Their bodies were reportedly deposited in a dam few kilometers away from the town.
The youth’s protest came after government shut down the mines, an action that brought about untold hardship to the community. No one talks of peace where livelihood is threatened.
In Mile-91 in Tonkolili district also in the northern region, a raid for cannabis by police and army turned into a terrible nightmare for the residents. Dwelling houses were vandalised and property allegedly carted away by security operatives, and None was made to face the full force of the law.
Local Unit Commander at that time who attempted to reveal the truth about the illegal raid was dismissed for no just cause. Tombo fishing community in the Western Rural district also saw SLPP’s violence.
A number of the residents there were shot dead when they took to the streets to protest against an illegal fishing ban. President Bio has also been blamed for the brutal actions as government officials stopped the fishermen from going for their daily bread on the high seas.
Government officials say the move was to prevent the spread of Corona Virus among fishermen. What an absurd logic? Sierra Leoneans are not convinced by government’s justification. It became worse on government’s side when the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Emma Kowa Jalloh denied issuing such order.
Doubts poured into the controversial issue as to where the ban came from. Although situation is slowly returning to normalcy, police crackdown continues making President Bio a fiend and not a friend of the people of Sierra Leone.