The Executive Director of League of Democracy Advocates (LoDA) has issued a very strong message about the forced burials of the 23 victims of the August 10, 2022 protests in Sierra Leone.
“League of Democracy Advocates (LoDA) has been informed by the bereaved families about the Government to unlawfully and clandestinely bury the remains of their loved ones. LoDA raises concerns with analyses of such plans by the Government.
“Conducting a mass burial is not only described as dumping dead bodies in one grave or separate graves, it is simply by conducting a burial of many dead bodies in one day, one cemetery and with one ceremony for all.
“There are Due Processes and Rule of Law for a state to bury dead person (s) without handing over the body to the bereaved family. The state can only take such action, in any of the Following:
1. An order from court
2. The body is criminalized( convict)
3. The body is infectious
4. The body cannot be identified by an owner
“If any of the above mentioned doesn’t exist for such action to be taken by the state in conducting a burial without the handing over of such remains to the family, that action is deemed to be unlawful and a gross human rights violation.
“Drawing the distinction amongst the many, the action to bury those civilians who lost their lives in the Agust 10th protest without handing over the dead bodies to their families is unlawful and gross disrespect to the Rule of Law.
“Those bodies where practically identified by owners and none of them falls amongst the many reasons for state funeral. In the case of Hassan Dumbuya (Evangelist Samsom ), his remains doesn’t fall amongst the many reasons for state burial neither on AUGUST 10th insurrections, so any attempt to include his remains without handing over to the family for the family to carry out a dignified burial will be unlawful and will be challenged in the court of law.
“We urge the government to obey international human rights treaties that Sierra Leone signed to and to also follow the due process of the law, Rule of Law and best practices of Democracy.
“LoDA condemns all attempts by the government to bury the remains of those who are not amongst the legal and procedural reasons for state’s burial. We hope the government will revisit its plans to do such unlawful plans of human rights violation.”
FORMER SIERRA LEONE MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL, Hon. Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara , has also condemned the action of the government :
OPPOSITION LEADERS CHERNOR BAH OF THE APC AND FEMI CLAUDIUS WILLIAMS ALSO CONDEMNED THE ACT :
