MAC-P Creates Harrassment in Kailahun
The ordinary citizenry in Kailahun have expressed dissatisfaction in the way and manner the Military Aid to Civil Policing (MAC-P) has been misused, resulting in soldiers and police harassing and extorting money from motorists as well as civilians in Kailahun town and its environs, Sierra Express Media has been authoritatively informed.
Residents of Kailahun are being harassed including farmers and traders moving with their wares and the acts of the police and the soldiers have already caused serious concern in the town.
Pa Mohamed Swarray an elderly resident of Kailahun Town has informed Sierra Express Media that they are now existing similar to the days of rebel threats and harassment.
E“This MAC-P has become a new terror to us and we are tired of this same attitude from these soldier boys who have no respect for the people here,” he said.
Pa Swarray has called on President Ernest Bai Koroma to order an immediate stop to the operation as it is of no use “because the same people who are the robbers and thieves and have the guns are again the ones who have set up check points to harass and steal our produce and money,” he lamented.
Alpha Kallon, a teacher also confirmed that police and soldiers are threatening and harassing people at check points and said in a typically farming community like Kailahun, this practice will impact negatively on the people. Mr. Kallon described instances wherein farmers, tired after a long days work in the field are forced to repeatedly queue at all the check points and even where there are over five check points, they are still forced to go through the same process. “Some farmers have stopped going to their farms, claiming they are forced to hand over their produce and other effects as a way to avoid being subjected to indignities by the armed soldiers and police,” the teacher said.
Gina Moiwo, a business woman in Kailahun said they are really disappointed with President Ernest Koroma for unleashing what she called old rebels on them. “We know some of these SOBELS and they know us and we know they have been responsible for the killing of a lot of our people so we do not want them to set up check points as they used to do during the rebel war,” she said.
Brima Fayia, a builder has also said the presence of the soldiers and police and their actions in harassing people at their check points has been seen as a matter of concern in the whole of the district, and that the same practice that brought the war has again been brought back. “Harassment and intimidation is believed to be one of the causes of the past war and this new operation reminds us that whatever we are doing we must not forget the fact that the war has just ended and that there is no need to open old wounds,” he said.
According to Mr. Fayia, the spate of armed robbery in Freetown and other major towns and cities in the country “has caused serious unrest in the city but for us in Kailahun armed robbery is not the order of the day, because we in Kailahun very rarely experience armed robbery, so for very peaceful citizens to be harassed, molested and embarrassed in the name of Freetown armed robbery is completely unfair and this is tantamount to security risk as almost everybody are going about their normal business, where everything is calm and the security is under control,” the construction man said.
Forty seven year old Mojama Banda, a housewife said the most peaceful area in the country seems to be Kailahun which she said, is very contrary to what Freetown is showing to the whole world . “However the war almost turned Kailahun upside down and the indelible marks of the war can be still seen broadly written in the face of each and everyone within the vicinity so it make no sense to be carrying arms and disturbing the peace of peaceful citizen in the country,” she said.
A concerned resident of Kailahun who pleaded for anonymity said the image portrayed by some electronic media that the opposition is organizing and implementing the current spate of armed robbery in the country particularly in Freetown and its environs is myopic and archaic.
The concerned citizen claimed that the declaration of a MAC-P protocol is a game by the APC to create a situation of fear and said it is another plan of the government to remain in power. “The armed robbery in the country was caused by the APC boys as part of a deeper plan to ensure that fear remains in the country, while taking away the minds of the people from the bad governance” he said.
“The main problem facing this country is the lack of jobs and therefore there are young men and women who do not have anything to do but to steal and may even intend to destroy life as long as it takes to survive,” he maintained, stating: “Let us call a spade a spade, I personally will never buy that archaic and useless idea saying it is the SLPP that is behind the current spate of arm robbery in Freetown.”
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