3 Cedar Road
Haringey
London
N17 8NB
United Kingdom
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+447958702108
14th September 2023
Parliamentary office
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Dear Representative Rt Hon Mr David Lammy,
Before I start my letter on behalf of all Sierra Leoneans both home and in the diaspora, I would like to offer condolences to the grieving families who lost their loved ones in the September 11 2023 protests in Sierra Leone. The extrajudicial killings of citizens (including families with children); arbitrary arrests of citizens without charges; harassment and intimidation of citizens; the use of firearms against defenceless civilians when protesting against the illegitimate government is abhorrent. When will this impunity come to an end in Sierra Leone?
Since 2018 to date laws permitted by the undemocratic SLPP government have supported crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, resulting in massive damage to our country and it’s institutions. Treaties, agreements and civil lawsuits have all failed to prevent this in our nation. It is time to change the rules. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (The ICC) needs to take serious action against these crimes against humanity, alongside genocide and war crimes. This will provide a simple, effective deterrent for those in positions of responsibility, enforceable within existing international criminal justice systems.
Once again and with a profound sense of fear in my heart regarding how things are unfolding in Sierra Leone, I write to inform all world leaders about the current situation and about the self-proclaimed President Julius Maada Bio’s stubbornness as he continues to commit more and more crimes against defenceless civilians, including women and children. I just want the International Criminal Court (The ICC) and the International Community to know that intimidation, harassment, extrajudicial killing, unlawful imprisonment, torture, rape and violence have no place in the democracy that we fought for.
The human rights violations of citizens which is currently taking place in Sierra Leone; unlawful arbitrary killings; cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment and severe punishment by Mr. Maada Bio and his government officials including the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) with harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful protests is allowed under the regime of Mr Julius Maada Bio. Hundreds of Sierra Leoneans have been displaced and live in exile in different countries due to the August 10 2022 state sponsored massacre and beyond. In light of the above, for us living in the diaspora our names are in the red book of the SLPP government because we demonstrate against the Maada Bio led illegitimate government. A colleague – human rights activist by the name of Mr AbuBakarr Bangura told me that he is in deep fear of his life because he protested against the illegitimate government in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium on July 24 2023. In this regard Mr Bangura has no option but to live in exile. I too am placing myself in great danger by writing letters such as this one.
Why should demonstration or protest become a capital offence in Sierra Leone? The despotic, nepotistic and egocentric regime of Maada Bio and his undemocratic government does not allow its citizens to protest or demonstrate freely. There may be a time when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest against any government in Sierra Leone for doing the wrong thing in our country. But when we protest or demonstrate we are intimidated, arrested, imprisoned, tortured and even killed. How can our voices be heard as citizens of Sierra Leone?
Please convey my request to the Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth Secretariat, Minister of State for Development and Africa, the International Criminal Court (The ICC) and the International Community, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of the United States, for the British government to publicly decry the current situation in Sierra Leone.
As your constituent, I look forward to your confirmation in writing that you have done this on my behalf.
Sincerely,
Mohamed Salieu Kamara
Electronically signed,
Mohamed Salieu Kamara
UK-Based Human Rights Activist campaigning for democracy, human rights and justice
CC;
1. The International Criminal Court (The ICC)
2. Delegation of the European Union to Sierra Leone
3. The United Nations
4. The UK Parliament
5. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
6. The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) Chairman Mohamed Kenewui Konneh
7. All International Partners both home and in the diaspora
8. All Foreign Embassies in Sierra Leone
9. The Amnesty International UK
10. The American University School of International Service Dean’s Office
11. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of Switzerland
12. The Human Rights Council Branch Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
13. ECOWAS Parliament
14. European Parliament
15. Office of National Security (ONS)
16. The Sierra Leone Police IG Fayia Sellu Williams and the Head of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)
17. Sierra Leone Parliament imposed the Speaker of Parliament for the second time Dr Abass Bundu
18. The main opposition member of Parliament Hon Chernor Maju Bah
19. International Human Rights HE Rev Dr. Momodu Conteh
20. The Sierra Leone House of Parliament
21. All Foreign Diplomats
22. Mr Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone from 2018 to June 24, 2023
