Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement ( SLAM) calls strongly for electoral justice in Sierra Leone

Members of the Sierra Leone Advocacy Movement (SLAM), an advocacy movement of like-minded Sierra Leoneans, yearning for the socio-economic and political development of our beloved nation where justice, the rule of law, democracy and respect for the fundamental human rights of our compatriots prevail, would like to thank the International Community, Development Partners and Friends of Sierra Leone, especially those that have championed the cause of resolving the political impasse following the rigged multi-tier elections of June 24, 2023, which Local and International Observers widely described as “lacking transparency and accountability”.

We are most grateful for your collective efforts towards sending the many International Observers to oversee the referred elections of June 24, 2023, as well as your invaluable assistance/support and role in ending the 11-year brutal civil war in Sierra Leone that claimed over 50,000 lives, including foreign troops that fought alongside our local forces. Sadly however, most of the principal perpetrators of that brutal war, including the “de facto president”, Mr Julius Maada Bio, are illegally wielding political power in our beloved nation, to the painful dissatisfaction of the majority of our compatriots.

As you are aware, the work of the Tripartite Committee, established by the October 18, 2023 Communiqué, signed by the De facto Government of Sierra Leone and the opposition All Peoples Congress Party, witnessed by the International Community (the Commonwealth, African Union and ECOWAS), with a mandate, amongst others, to investigate the June 24, 2023 elections in Sierra Leone, was originally scheduled to complete its work and submit a comprehensive report on June 19, 2024. That deadline has painfully, but understandably, been extended to June 29, 2024. (Photo: ECSL Chairman Mohamed Konneh, left, and Maada Bio).

As provided for in the signed communiqué, the expected recommendations of the Tripartite Committee “SHALL BE IMPLEMENTABLE AND ACTIONABLE”. Learning from the difficult history in restoring and maintaining democracy, peace and stability in Sierra Leone and the sub-region, we believe that you, as MORAL GUARANTORS, must be on Standby to ensure FORCEFUL COMPLIANCE, if required. Drawing from recent developments in the sub-region, the former President of Ivory Coast, Koudou Laurent Gbagbo, had to be removed from power by an International Force after he lost elections in 2011.

This was to prevent a further humanitarian disaster after an estimated number of over 1500 people had been killed and over a million displaced in Abidjan alone. Former President of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, only left power in January 2017 when he lost elections after realising that an internationally backed ECOMOG standby force was ready to remove him should he fail to hand over power peacefully, thus securing the peace and security of The Gambia and the sub-region at that time.

We are certain that the citizens of Sierra Leone and, by extension, West Africa will be put off from voting in the future should we have anything short of “ELECTORAL JUSTICE” and the restoration of true democracy in Sierra Leone. We therefore trust that you will ensure that one of their fundamental human rights, expressed in their votes on June 24, 2023, is protected and would be something meaningful to them. (Photo: Foreign stakeholders in Freetown).

What is worth noting at this juncture is the level of patience that the Presidential Candidate of the APC Party, Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara, has displayed, even at the expense of his personal dignity/respect and threat to his own life and those of his party members and compatriots, coupled with the unshaken confidence/trust that he, his political party and majority of the people of Sierra Leone placed on the International Community. In view of that, anything less than the “ELECTORAL JUSTICE” that we are genuinely expecting and rightfully advocating for will be a disservice to our nation and a blatant betrayal of confidence and deception by the International Community.

With the escalating economic crises, relentless incarceration of political opponents and human rights abuses by the “De facto Government” of Mr Julius Maada Bio, and with ex-combatants amassed across the borders of Sierra Leone, we fear a return to civil war, if appropriate action is not taken. In our view therefore, it will be cheaper in monetary terms, as well as the potential cost to human life and suffering to have a standby force to ensure, as per the signed communiqué and the Terms of Reference of the Tripartite Committee, that the recommendations be fully actioned and implemented.

Please note, with serious concern, the worrisome pronouncements and inciteful messages trending in our motherland and its borders. Whilst Dr Samura M W Kamara is advocating for “ELECTORAL JUSTICE”, citing provisions of the TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION, established after the brutal 11 years civil war in Sierra Leone, as a guiding principle, Mr Julius Maada Bio is threatening “BULLET FOR BULLET”, boldly/publicly emphasising his determination to annihilate anyone that has left the country and attempting to return, contrary to “CLAUSE 4c” of the signed Communiqué that made provision for “supporting the resettlement of any political party supporters internally and externally displaced because of political intimidation, attacks and harassment…”

In light of the above, we call on the International Community, Development Partners and Friends of Sierra Leone to ensure “ELECTORAL JUSTICE” in our beloved nation, and to be proactive in fully supporting a contingency plan by way of a standby force to secure the peace, as well as ensuring that the freedom of expression and the rights of citizens to protest are upheld, should the need arises. This will guarantee stability and prevent any potential humanitarian disaster and civil conflict in Sierra Leone that would have a ripple effect in the sub-region. A stitch in time… (Maada and the foreign delegates in Freetown).

For and on behalf of SLAM-Global Members

SIGNED

Dr. Alfred A Veenod Fullah

CHAIRMAN

CC: