Government condemns incidents of political violence

Freetown, October 28, 2012 – The attention of government has been drawn to incidents of political violence Saturday, October 27, 2012 in Kono district following attacks on the chairlady of the All People’s Congress party in Korquima, Madam Haja Bintu Kabba and the residence of Mr. Ali Khalil aka Baylaybaylay led by supporters of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party championed by one Numu Jabbie, brother of the women’s leader of the SLPP.

Since the government has made a firm commitment for the conduct of the November 17 elections to be peaceful and in an environment free of any form of intimidation, the government would further want to remind the public of the following:

1. That government condemns in no uncertain terms any forms of violence, especially those that are politically motivated, since they stand to undermine our hard-won peace;
2. That whilst the government commends the timely intervention of the Sierra Leone Police in curbing the perpetuated violence in Kono, it would further call on the law enforcement agency to continue to maintain law and order throughout the country and bring to justice anyone found culpable of fermenting chaos before, during and after the elections;
3. That the government hereby calls on all political parties to respect the clarion made by His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma to be politically tolerant and show leadership that would mitigate against any forms of violence;
4. That government further condemns the removal of the portraits of His Excellency the President from prominent locations particularly across the western area since such acts have the potential to create chaos;
5. That government is appalled that some members of the SLPP are heaping insults on the late mother of the president as such an act that has the potential to provoke disaffection and chaos;
6. That government calls on all political parties to refrain from the use of invectives against other political parties since  that would only further polarise and sow seeds of discord in the country;
7. That government renews it commitment to continue to support the National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and other stakeholders as they continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities to conduct the November 17 elections peacefully;
8. That government hereby congratulates the leadership of the All People’s Congress party for calling on their supporters to exercise restraint and not to retaliate over the attacks their supporters suffered in the hands of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party in Kono.

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