Our Ref: Diaspora Unity Campaign 14.12.2021
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Noon of Monday December 13th, 2021, in Freetown Sierra Leone, the Inspector-General of Sierra Leone Police IG Ambrose Sovula invited Madam Dianna Finda Konomanyi; a politician, member and Chair of the Eastern Region for the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) for an interview in relation to a video she put out echoing her party’s stance on a so-called midterm census proposed by the Government of President Julius Maada Bio.
Those who accompanied her, including Madam Femi Claudius-Cole; Leader and Presidential Candidate of Unity Party (UP) & current Chairperson of the Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP) comprising of the major 13 opposition political parties in Sierra Leone, Mr. Karamoh Kabba Deputy Organizing Secretary of APC and at least 3 others are all reported to be detained on the instructions of the police chief in connection with their views on the census.
We are following reports that the said midterm census has suffered irreversible technological, financial, and popular setbacks at home and abroad. Traditional stakeholders such as the major opposition political parties, the European Union and civil society groups have advised against this unprecedented midterm census.
The World Bank: its main financier withdrew technical and financial support describing the exercise as lacking in “several critical action points {that} require further technical work to be satisfactorily addressed…to minimize the risk of inadequate and poor data quality.”
Statistics Sierra Leone, the government agency responsible for the conduct of the midterm census has repeatedly acknowledged huge problems conducting the said census following the government’s insistence on proceeding, nonetheless.
In the spirit of national solidarity, many political parties issued statements against the midterm census and called on their members to stay away. It is in line with that messaging that Madam Konomanyi in her capacity as Chair repeated that message to her followers and her friends accompanied her to the police.
Femi Claudius-Cole has repeatedly been harassed by the Sierra Leone police and their surrogates for the work that she does as Chair of COPPP while Mr. Kabba has been sent to prison more than once before without a charge. At the moment, Femi is leading a consortium whose members account for around 59% of the electorates of the last elections. We view her detention and the rest of her colleagues as harassment and a violation of their right to free speech guaranteed by law.
Sierra Leone Diaspora Unity Campaign (DUC) calls on authorities in Freetown to immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested in relation to speeches they made to their followers regarding the census and indeed all other political prisoners in custody some of whom have been incarcerated for over a year. We further demand that the location of Karamoh Kabba and the other detainees be disclosed to their relatives, attorneys, and colleagues without delay.
DUC also calls on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Commonwealth Office and Amnesty International to intervene in the decaying political situation in Sierra Leone. It is worthy to note that since the election of President Bio, there has been increased violence and insecurity throughout the country as well as unwarranted loss of life, political grandstanding and intimidation, massive corruption, nepotism, and little respect for the rule of law.
On the premise of this press statement, referencing our position on several unfortunate events in the country since April 2018, we will continue ask President Julius Maada Bio to show respect for the constitutional rights and liberties of citizens and to honour his oath of office. We remind government that its responsibility is to treat all Sierra Leoneans equal before the law and that only the law is above all the citizens. We assure the Sierra Leonean public that we will continue to work with our partners and affiliates to bring justice to all victims in Sierra Leone and that it is our sincere hope that peace loving Sierra Leoneans will remain law abiding and operate within the remits of the law for the peace of the country.
Signed
The Sierra Leone Diaspora Unity Campaign
