Armed Sierra Leone Police yesterday surrounded the home of the Chairlady of the Unity Party and Co-leader of the Coalition of the Coalition of Progressive Political Parties ( COPPP) , Mrs. Femi Cladius Cole , threatening to break down the doors if she did not surrender . Police ultimately stormed the residence and arrested the outspoken opposition leader and with two truckloads of armed officers, carted her to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID ) for questioning in connection with a request she made about a permit for a group of aggrieved women to stage a demonstration in Freetown today against the worsening economic situation.
Shortly after Mrs. Claudius Cole was detained at the CID, the Chairman of the opposition National Grand Coalition ( NGC) and Leader of the Consortium of Progressive Political Parties ( COPPP ) , Dr. Dennis Bright, went to the same CID to provide moral support and was himself arrested and detained, in what looks like a new wave of crackdown by the SLPP Government on dissent in the country.
The arrests of the two political leaders in Sierra Leone soon set social media on fire, with Sierra Leoneans gnashing their teeth at the SLPP Government and once again condemning the junta-styled governance tactics of repression of the opposition and illegal arrrests of anybody who questions the manner they are being ruled by the government. As is now characteristic of them, SLPP supporters found nothing wrong with the repressive actions of the government and justified the arrests.
Mrs. Cole told a BBC reporter in Freetown that she was approached by a group of women who wanted to stage a demonstration against the economic situation in the country, which has gone from bad to worse .
As the economic situation in Sierra Leone continues to tumble, with prices of food, basic commodities and fuel going off the roof, while irritating blackouts have left the city in pitch darkness due to the failure of the SLPP Government to pay the Turkish powership that supplies electricity off the waters of the Sierra Leone River, the nation is on edge, with Sierra Leoneans questioning when the government will deliver on the NEW DIRECTION it promised while campaigning for power in 2018.
Here is how some angry Sierra Leoneans responded yesterday to this latest act of political repression by the SLPP Government :
How can a bird that is born for joy sit in a cage and sing sorrowful songs.We the downtrodden minority we are not safe in this nation. the law is only previllege for the majority.
Even if she ask for permission you and I know that they will not allow her. This country there is no freedom of speech or expression. We are tied of this national economic inflation, because it is not global.
Top journalist like you need to publish the current happening in your country sir.
I just finished reading a recognize website via wikipedia, Sierra Leone is the first country in West Africa to increase the price of gas thrice within one month. We are not politicians but we also feel the pain.
This is very sad for our nation citizens don’t have the right to protest against government if things are not going well them. where is our democracy ?
Just four years plus. The democracy of Sierra Leone is under threat. How can a democratic elected president tend to freeze the right and liberty of his own people.No freedom of speech and etc.I hope the Western Leaders paying more attention from this Man, but if not there’s another tyranny president has emerge in West Africa.
SL News Blog one thing you are failing to understand is that the people of Sierra Leone are not fools and any government should be aware of how they tampering with the rights of the people. APC and SLPP both understand this I presume, when it comes to the nation’s freedoms and rights the people of Sierra Leone are no jokers. We made the laws, so this not a time to teach people the laws of the land. Twisting and bending the laws to sound okay in subverting peoples right and freedom is unacceptable. APC had applied this method it had never yielded good result. So let be mindful and allow people to speak and demonstrate for something they feel is not right. I think the police can use this as a test of their trust, apparatus and tools. We are not on a marshal-law era or are we? Let government agencies also follow the laws and take the matter to court rather to make arrest if they think the demonstration constitute a threat to the peace. Why not the other way round. We do not elect government to settle scores of the past but to alleviate the suffering and create an environment that would be better for our children tomorrow.
Sierra Leoneans be aware that the politics of Sierra Leone as we head towards 2023 is like traveling to the sun. It gets heated as you get closer. Someone want to hold on to power by any means necessary. The end of it all, that change will come as the people desire it, nobody will stop it.
The President is fully aware of the brutal actions of the police to the people they should defend.This is not surprising because it is always what you get when you vote in dictators.The fundamental human rights of the citizens are always in shamble.
One day the people will rise and they rise no one will be there for them ( bad and wicked leaders) the oppression is too much we will one day take of a rampage…
One day the people’s power will fight back trust me. why the police officers continue to intimidate people? This is not good for our democracy . The common Sierra Leoneans nor get rite for express e dissatisfaction? Salone na sad nation meh . No freedom of speech anymore
Where is the father of Democracy? Where is our freedom of expression? Where is our freedom of speech? This government is making things worst every day. Sierra Leone under this economic tensions, chronic hardship and a lot more, people are not allowed to express their dissatisfactions about this ugly situation. People are dying of hunger, starvation and many more.
It’s their right to make a protest, hence a peaceful one as she claimed.
Two trucks of police was a bad approach.
Even in the use people protest. In Sierra Leone, this government will see any opposition as a threat and they will do everything in their might to put_fire.
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is the first country in West Africa to increase the price of gas thrice within one month. We are not politicians but we also feel the pain.
for my country no freedom of speech again, God save us from the hands of wicked politicians
