Two important organizations—The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI ) of Sierra Leone and Amnesty International did not mince their words at all in suggesting that President Bio’s SLPP Government also contributed to the violent demonstrations in Sierra Leone last week that killed a lot of people, including police officers.
While the egoistic President Bio and his wrong-thinking SLPP Government have assumed the high horse blaming the opposition and describing the demonstrations as terrorist attacks, the two organizations have a message for the President and his government. The demonstrators had a constitutional right to assembly and demonstrate against the government. Also, both organizations questioned the harmful manner the government security forces handled the protests.
The CHRDI statement :
The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI ) would like to voice its concern and displeasure over the recent spate of violent encounters between the police and some citizens in several parts of the country and the capital Freetown.
A number of people and numerous police officers are thought to have been hurt during the mass demonstration, according to readily available accounts. May the souls of the deceased police officers and civilians rest in peace. CHRDI is deeply concerned about these deaths, which could and should have been avoided.
We want to remind the security services that everyone in Sierra Leone has the right to assemble under the country’s constitution and other international human rights legislation. Therefore, any illegal action by the security actors thereupon is neither acceptable nor justifiable in a democratic society.
A very concerning development for the nation’s cohesion and peace is the ease with which security personnel in Sierra Leone utilised live ammunition to disperse demonstrators in the streets of the capital city and other areas of the country.
Was the use of lethal force by the police justified? This is a poignant question that needs to be asked even as the nation deals with the fallout from this despicable incident.
We do, however, recognise that the police must use force when required to uphold the law. Such a mandate carries responsibility.
In light of the abovementioned issues, CHRDI believes it is appropriate to make the following observations: the security personnel must adopt a good community relationship and cease to use force in response to the slightest provocation; communities across the nation should try to avoid growing tensions in potential conflict-affected areas.
The concepts of democratic policing and justifiable force must serve as the norm for all law enforcement personnel. A police officer may only use lethal force after all other non-lethal options have failed or shown no possibility of producing the desired results.
Whilst once more decrying all intentional assaults on public and private facilities and the wrongful killing of civilians and security personnel, CHRDI requests that the Sierra Leone government launch an impartial investigation to identify and prosecute individuals who may be responsible for these atrocities.
The police should make sure that everyone is allowed to exercise their freedom to protest and should defend the demonstrators from harm.
Any security-related activity must be based on upholding human rights and working to put an end to impunity.
Campaign for Human Rights and Development International also urges the government of Sierra Leone to launch an immediate investigation into the lawlessness of individuals and security personnel.
As a group that advocates for human rights, we will transform this collective rage into effective policy responses that will not only make life safer for citizens but also restore trust in the police and give hope to the families and communities that have been left in despair as a result of this violent acts.
When the law is respected, and everyone in every community is treated with respect by the law, everyone in every community benefits.
We also want to call attention to the duty-bearers who must defend human rights and work to aid those trying to exercise their rights. We implore all Sierra Leoneans to maintain peace and tranquilly.
Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) is a rights-based social policy advocacy organisation. We draw attention to the responsibilities of duty-bearers to uphold human rights and seek to support rights-holders to claim their rights. CHRDI is in Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and accredited to several UN Agencies. (END).
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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL STATEMENT
Authorities must ensure robust, impartial investigation into deadly protests. In response to protests that erupted due to the high cost of living on 10 August in Sierra Leone where dozens of people have lost their lives, the authorities have promised to investigate the circumstances leading to the loss of life.
The commitment from the authorities to investigate the deaths and other harm caused during the demonstrations which turned violent is an important step in the right direction. It is essential to ensure the full independence and impartiality of the investigation to determine the circumstances and responsibilities for the loss of lives, including if force was used in accordance with international standards, and to hold accountable all those responsible, including those in command.
Michèle Eken, researcher at Amnesty International’s West and Central Africa office said: “When policing assemblies, security forces have an obligation to minimize harm and injury, preserve human life and exercise restraint in the use of force. Law enforcement officials should only use force where there is no other means of achieving their legitimate objectives, and when the use of force is necessary and proportionate to the situation they face. This role should always be carried out in a way that ensures full respect for the right to life, liberty, and security of all persons, including those suspected of committing a crime.
“Amnesty International recalls that international human rights law equally protects spontaneous assemblies, which must not be dispersed solely for the fact that individuals did not submit a prior notification to the authorities. Therefore, the organization urges the government of Sierra Leone to amend the 1965 Public Order Act to expressly include an exemption from the prior notification requirement in the case of spontaneous assemblies.
“Amnesty International is also concerned that the authorities cut off the internet sporadically between 10 and 11 August. Access to the internet, social media, instant messaging apps and other digital technologies are important tools expanding the ability of people to protest both online and offline, enabling people to gain access to information, distribute details about an upcoming protest, organize, and enable virtual engagement in a wide variety of ways. Therefore, disruption of internet access is a violation of the right to freedom of expression and access to information protected by international human rights law and can have a dire impact on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.
“Amnesty International heard reports of more than a hundred of people arrested. The authorities must ensure that bystanders and those who were protesting peacefully are not arbitrarily arrested simply for having participated in the demonstrations. If the authorities have enough evidence pointing to the use of violence by some individuals during the protests, they must guarantee their rights to due process and fair trial throughout the proceeding, including the right to representation.”
