DIASPORA FOCUS GROUP
UNITED KINGDOM
Contact: 07405653736
[email protected]
Dated: 1st May 2020
PRESS RELEASE
CALLING ON THE ICC TO INDICT PRESIDENT JULIUS MAADA BIO AND HIS GOVERNMENT FOR MASS KILLINGS/WAR CRIMES AND VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SIERRA LEONE!
We are calling on the International Criminal Court to indict the government of Sierra Leone for war crimes for the killing of over 14 innocent civilian prisoners on 29th April 2020 during an alleged prison riot at the maximum Pademba Road Prisons in Freetown.
We have noted with disbelief the killings carried out by state officials on the northern tribes of Sierra Leone and the abuse of power by the government during a time when the world is fighting to protect its people against the Covid 19 pandemic.
We have collected evidence of great importance for the prosecution to the effect of these grave violations of human rights against vulnerable women/opposition female politicians and children.
The state-sponsored genocide perpetrated by the government of President Julius Maada Bio against the civilian population and members of the opposition and their family members should not go unpunished.
These war crimes are in gross violation of the Sierra Leone constitution and are further in breach of Article 8 and 7 of the ICC Statute to which Sierra Leone is a member.
The violation of national and international human rights through systematic victimization of the opposition in Sierra Leone as a government policy to eliminate members of the opposition are acts of war crimes.
THE SITUATIONAL REPORT IN SIERRA LEONE 2020:
1. Unlawful imprisonment of members of the opposition: Since the Sierra Leone Peoples Party government came to power, they have arrested over 7 key members of the opposition without following the due process of the law in violation of international human rights and the Constitution of Sierra Leone. Those unconstitutionally arrested includes; Former Minister of Defence, Rtd. Major Paolo Conteh, former Mayor of Freetown, His Worship Herbert George Williams, Daramy, Koita, etc.
2. Unlawful declaration of STATE OF EMERGENCY in breach of the Constitution of Sierra Leone: The Sierra Leone constitution made provisions in Chapter III, Section 29 (3), (4) of the Constitution. Only Parliament can ratify such procedure, however, the government of Maada Bio unconstitutionally refused to allow the Parliamentarians to perform their function and declared a state of emergency at a time of the Covid 19, global pandemic, resulting to the suffering of the innocent civilians to access basic food and water.
3. Unlawful arrests/detention of women family members of the opposition 29th April 2020: Following alleged prison riot, the innocent wife of the former Minister of Defence was alleged arrested, molested and almost raped by the government military and police officers/ special task force of the president. Further, on the 1st of May another female politician Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden was allegedly arrested – information subject to be fully confirmed.
4. Unlawful appointments of political offices, including the speaker of parliament and the Anti-corruption commission: Since the SLPP government came to power, all governments positions are occupied by the southerners and Mende tribesmen. This action has polarised the country around tribal lines.
5. Unlawful setting up of a Commission of Inquiry against the northers: Most of the names that were named on the COI Report are from the north, against two tribes, i.e Limbas and Temnes, whilst all Mendes and Sherbro despite a report showing that they too were allegedly corrupt were not named on the report.
6. Unlawful use of donor funds and Nassit pension for pensioners: It has been confirmed that the government of Julius Maada Bio has borrowed the pensioners’ funds from the Sierra Leone Bank. This is a recipe of chaos should the pensioners not being paid in due course.
7. Unauthorised and unconstitutional seizure of properties: The government has been seizing lands and properties belonging to the Krio community and members of the opposition.
8. Unlawful use of Consolidated funds by the President of Sierra Leone: At a time that the world is battling against Covid 19 and governments across the world fighting to care for its citizens, the government of Sierra Leone, recklessly bought a submarine amounting to millions of dollars for personal use with monies belonging to the consolidated funds and donors.
9. Unlawful Killing by the Police Force mandated by the government of President Bio: It has been confirmed by the Human Rights Report of 2019 that the Killings by the Sierra Leone Police Force was state-sponsored by the Maada Bio Government.
10. Unlawful intimidation of the journalists and the Barristers Bar of Sierra Leone: A journalist named FAYIA AMARA FAYIA, was investigating a suspected Covid 19 case in the north, was tortured, detained and now imprisoned by the special task force of the Sierra Leone government, in violation of human rights.
We have faith in the International Community and we urge you to act now before the situation deteriorates further leading the suffering of the masses.
This is why we are hopeful that investigations will begin as soon as possible to these alleged killings and war crimes. Benjamin Franklin once said that, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are”.
Long Live the International Community!
Long Live DEMOCRACY, JUSTICE AND PEACE!
God Bless Us ALL!
The Diaspora Focus Group Representative
ML Wurie
CC
⇒ Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom
⇒ The CommonWealth of Nations
⇒ European Union
⇒ World Bank
⇒ The United Nations (UN)
⇒ The Organization of African Unity (OAU)
⇒ Prime Minister United Kingdom
⇒ Prime Minister of Canada
⇒ President of France
⇒ President of the United States
⇒ The German Chancellor
