Too many attacks on human rights
Contrary to recent pronouncement made by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and leader of the All Peoples Congress Party that his government has never held captive any political detainee since he assumed the office of the presidency in September 2007 has been struck with recent arrests made on political patrons of the main opposition SLPP.
In recent times, the Ernest Koroma led government under the directives of the head of the “PA EN YAI” machinated the burning down of their party head office in the Southern District Headquarters of Bo and was quick to point fingers at the SLPP and its membership. This unfortunate event saw the massive arrest of key political figures who were imprisoned for not committing any criminal offence against the state but for being political stakeholders and supporters of the SLPP. In a rather bizarre and shameful way, the APC led government put up a brave face in arresting and incarcerating a sitting Member of Parliament, Honorable Foday Rado Yokie for violation of any of the Public Order Acts but for simply being a political stakeholder in the SLPP.
In their usual way, the APC led government has turned the Pademba Road Prison into the safest of havens to quiet their political opponents and frustrate not only the principles of democracy but deliberately acting in contravention to the 1948 Universal Declaration Human and Peoples right and section three of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone.
In the recently conducted elections in constituency 104 Ward 369 where the APC was voted out of their local government seat, major players of the SLPP in the persons of Mohamed Kanu Mansaray the newly elected Councilor of Ward 369 and Abdul Aziz Carew the SLPP Constituency 104 chairman are all held behind bars. The simple reason was that they strategized the defeat of the APC in their constituency thereby unequivocally sounding the opinion of the people of Ward 369. In the most shameful disregard to the Rights to Association, Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Opinion and Right to Assemble as they are being arbitrarily kept at the Pademba Road Prison without serious justification and denied bail on five occasions.
This singular event poses a threat to the lives of the people of Sierra Leone as their elected representatives who are not members of the ruling APC government cannot serve their capacity neither can the expectation of the people be met.
To make matters worse, all other political stakeholders should see themselves as political prisoners heading to the maximum prison hence you are advocating the wishes of Sierra Leoneans and not the APC.
In the most peculiar circumstance, the Attorney General and Minister Justice together with the Director of Public Prosecution and their entourage are prosecuting a matter as trivial as wounding to the extent of commuting such matters to the High court. These are all the old tactics of the APC to silence their critics.
If this can happen in a state where the democratic institute is presumed to be held in high esteem I doubt the credibility of those that called themselves government. To make matters worse however, on appearance dates the surrounding to the Court building is barricaded as if hard-core criminals or drug traffickers are appearing in court.
On a personal note however, I believe it is an intimidation to justice and the rule of law and a blatant suppression of the right of Fair Hearing and freedom of Expression which inadvently run foul of the Universal Declaration of Human and Peoples Right Act of 1948.
The big question now is when will the APC adopt the changes of the modern world and inculcate the habit of democracy and human rights into their AGENDA FOR CHANGE?
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