Sierra Leone Telegraph: 3 July 2022:
Sierra Leone’s democracy is under serious threat tonight, as one of the country’s leading female opposition politicians is barricaded inside her house, facing arrest by armed police, accused of inciting a group of women who are planning to stage a peaceful protest againt rising cost of living and growing poverty.
Dr Femi Claudius Cole is the Chairperson of the opposition Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP) in Sierra Leone. She is also the founder and leader of the Unity Party.
Her house was today surrounded by dozens of armed police and military personnel who arrived in trucks to arrest her without a warrant. Tonight, as the Sierra Leone Telegraph goes to press, it is understood that Dr Femi Claudius Cole has been arrested and detained at the CID headquarters, along with the chairman of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Party – Dr Dennis Bright who went to the CID to offer support to Femi.
Both Femi Claudius Cole and Dennis Bright are no strangers to the police, given the frequency with which they have been frog-marched to the CID for questioning under bogus charge of inciting public unrest.
As Sierra Leone’s economy grinds to a halt and cost of living bites, people are becoming anxious and desperate for change.
Elections in Sierra Leone are due in June 2023, and President Bio is now using the poorly trained, trigger-happy and unprofessional police force to clamp down on the opposition, including innocent women who are planning to protest against the government.
Tonight there are demands for the international community to call on president Bio to reign in his police and army, and to sack the Inspector General of Police who is a paid-up member and grandee of the ruling SLPP party.
Writing in response to today’s police action, this is what civil rights lawyer basita Michael said:
You can watch Dr Femi Claudius Cole speaking below before her arrest:
Mr. Africanus you are right to suggest the truth hurts .But until we learn to confront the truth about what is happening in Sierra Leone chances are we going to continue to live with the same lies until sunset. During the hight of apartheid South Africa, the Nationalist government of Voster , later succeed by PW Boatha , introduced the Group Arears Act no 41 which “forced physical separation and segregation between races by creating different residential areas for each race .Implementsion started in 1954 when people were forcibly removed from living in what the Nationalist government considered living in the wrong areas , leading to the destruction of their homes and taking over their lands ” To me the colonial era laws that stop the Krio tribe from owing lands in the provinces doesn’t only mirrors this apartheid law that dictates which part of the country they are allow to live and call their home , or which school their children can attend,but it goes against the grain that we as citizens of Sierra leone we should enjoy and be protected by the same laws and principles that we are all equal in the eyes of the law as is embedded in our Constitution.Maybe if this colonial era law never existed we will see Krio families living side by side with other communities around our country .
Right now as it’s stand outside of Freetown you will be hard pressed to find krio families living in the provinces .And some of our Krio brothers and sister will be born and raised up in Freetown but never gone beyond Calaba town or the toll road at Hastings or God forbade as far as the interior of Sierra Leone will take them Waterloo , never mind the rest of the country. Better still Mrs Mansaray how many krio children you went to school with in Makeni , Portlocko, Bo , Kenema , Kono ,Falaba ,or Kabala the last unknown frontier for our Krio brethern.Because naturally the laws of the country have told them Freetown is their home .Any attempt to reside in any other part of the country should be considered as a temporary residency or is forbidden by the laws of the land .If we wants to over come our prejudice we need to look at some of our laws that are designed to create division in our country .
The Bio government abolished the death penalty , so was the 1965 colonial era sedition and libel act .So if his government wants to look at this law that stop the Krio community that wants to move or relocate in the provinces is within his power to do so I can hear you say if a Krio man or woman wants to relocate from the hustle and bustle of Freetown life and wants to live quietly in the provincs nothing is stoppingg them. But even if they can afford to relocate in the country side they will be paying rent not owing the land they want to call home for the rest of their lives .But Bio’s track record with the Krio community doesn’t inspire much confidence .Where there is will there is always a way .You also suggested justice James Babatunde as the poster boy for Bio’s natural instinct of inclusivness. I think the Chief Justice was appointed to his position for his merits not because he was a school friend of Bio , as the case of the majority of his appointments .And this is not me trying to make it up , it comes from the horses mouth Bio himself .He only appoints people he knows not what they know .
What a plethora of absurdity and disingenuousness being observe here by Ms. Aminata Mansaray, spewing nothing but propagandist rhetoric, that at best can be describe as hook, line, and sinker, designed to be outrightly swallow only by delusional PAOPA supporters, many of whom for God knows best, have been brainwashed to work against their own personal and family interest, worshipping and protecting the very criminal political cabal, mostly responsible for their ever increasing untold economic hardship and other life challenges.
Talking about incitement and lawlessness, hmm let’s take a look, can Ms. Mansaray shed light on the following past and recent events. Caught on tape instructing arm police and military personnel to shoot to kill any civilian sabotaging PAOPA government, later carryout by arm police/military killings of civilian in Makeni, what actions till date have the government taken against residence minister North Abu Abu for such reckless utterance, that have resulted to lost of innocent lives? Beside the shooting of a young man outside his house gate, and being caught on camera, bulldozing his way on his official vehicle, along the APC party office route, with his bodyguards aiming guns at civilian on broad day light; what actions have been taken against the infamous inciter, Lahai Lawrence Leema, known for his arrogance, with a mindset of being above the law, whose uncontrollable impulses always get the best of him, storming national radio stations on the slightest chance. spewing hateful and degrading language against the leadership of the APC?
Talking about LAJ and lawlessness, what about the lawless menace gang of PAOPA, with a so called name ‘ Soja team’, who are on payroll by your party for terrorizing and inflicting fear on innocent civilians. What do you have to say about that Ms. Mansaray? Oh, did i mentioned state lodge presidential bodyguards, on military fatigue, spewing inciteful utterance against APC supporters, threatening to shoot to kill any civilian who dare sabotage the dear leader. I could go, on and on, in exposing your hypocrisy, Ms. Mansaray, however, i will rather urge you to do yourself a favor, by avoiding further expose to ridicule.
“For your information, LAJ is in court for Robbery with violence. He is accused of snatching the bag containing monies and a mobile phone of a Petrol Attendant . The Second count against him and the driver of the vehicle is that they asked the petrol station attendant to pump fuel into their car and they drove away without paying. You know you will not dare do that in the USA or UK or whatever western country that you are domicile in.”
As a stickler for the truth and for someone who lives overseas, your comment shouldn’t pass without any respones. I have done something similar to LAJ though not intentionally. I fuelled my car and just drove off thinking i have already used my card and the transaction has been pre-authorised. You have the option to fuel and then pay the cashier or alternatively you could use your card or an app and pay at the pump. Because i use both options interchangeably, on that day, i got it all wrong. Guess what happened?
It was not a big deal as the fate befalling LAJ. The station attendant just calmly called the police and from my car registration the police visited my address and gently knocked on the door. I was very shocked to see them. They asked for me to confirm my name and then patiently explained the purpose of their surprise visit showing me the CCTV clip of me fuelling and driving off without paying.
I just apologised profusely for the silly mistake and promised to go back immediately and pay for the fuel. That was it. No drama. No heavy-handedness. The police certainly have other big fishes to fry than wasting their precious time and using big hammers to kill little flies like people who have not paid for fuel.
As you alluded to, LAJ is a famous Sierra Leonean musician and surely has the money to pay for his fuel. Any thing otherwise is just trumped-up akin to charges of sexual misconduct against your namesake Mohamed Kamraingba Mansaray- a strong critic of both the past and present Government. Those ludicrous charges are just their to discredit them because they are not in the good books of the authorities.
“Thank you Mr Jalloh, the truth is hard to stomach. LAJ may have misbehaved, however, a murderer was released from prison. Another young man was shot and nothing happened. So why is LAJ being singled out for a tussle with some petrol station attendants.” Leo Africanus
For your information, LAJ is in court for Robbery with violence. He is accused of snatching the bag containing monies and a mobile phone of a Petrol Attendant . The Second count against him and the driver of the vehicle is that they asked the petrol station attendant to pump fuel into their car and they drove away without paying. You know you will not dare do that in the USA or UK or whatever western country that you are domicile in. And here you are calling it a tussle between him and a petrol attendant! Please go and testify as his defense witness if that is the evidence that you have.
LAC a murderer was released based on a poor judgement and God knows what by the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice Anthony Brewah. And he was sacked immediately and an Inquiry instituted against him and other committee members. The result will come out soon. Is that a license for LAJ to go rob a Petrol Station and physically assault the Petrol station attendant in the process? From your take it is like you think he is justifiable.
“Mrs Mansaray, your argument is a straw man’s argument. Please let us not use words, we do not understand. Incitement to do what?”- Leo Africanus
Since you are living in ‘lala’ land and you do not know the case of alleged incitement for which Dr. Femi Cole was arrested, I will refer you to take away your partisan lens and read the Press Released from the SLP dated 6 July 2022 which this noble News outlet has published for us all to read. She is accused of Inciting women to come out and demonstrate illegally and that if they were stopped, they women were to attack and kill Police and Military Officers. I do not have the ability to post the video message of her meeting with the women where she uttered such words. But I am sure that you must have seen it and that you are just feigning athat you do not know what transpired. Further, please read the WhatsApp message from Dr. Sylvia Blyden a Krio on the same issue and maybe that will bring you to reality.
“Do you know what happened in Rwanda? Where is the audio calling for the deaths of the cockroaches? Where is the interahamwe?- Leo Africanus
Yes I know what happened in Rwanda. I know that after multi party was introduced following the RPF attack on the county several political parties including the MRND (which was the sole party since 1973 when General Habyarimana took power) , MDR, PSD, PL PDC and much later the CDR were formed. All of these smaller political parties had youth wings (what we called in Sierra Leone Party Marshals) such the Impuzamugambi , Abakombozi and the Inkuba etc. and these marshals were physically confronting the MRND members. In 1992 the MRND formed it youth wing called the Interahamwe. The term cockroaches that you used above, in Kinyarwanda it is called Inyenzi. This name was first coined in the first Rwanda Genocide in 1959 which sent a lot of Tutsis including then five year old Paul Kagame and his family into exile. On the establishment of the RTLM by some extremist Hutus in 1993, the RTLM propaganda was aimed at lumping all the Tutsis into one group that is, that they are all “Inkotanyi’. This was the Kinyarwanda name for the RPF fighters and it is a name that also dates back to 1959 during the Tutsi struggle. The RPF incited the Hutus to believe that all Tutsis were Inkotanyi. This succeeded in splitting the other political parties such as the MDR. PSD, PL and all the extremist Hutus formed the Hutu power and their youth wings (marshal) started operating with the Interahamwe. The RTLM popularized the term cockroaches and would incite Hutus to kill the Cockroaches. During the genocide you would not distinguish between the different militias as they were all referred to as Interahamwe.
Indeed it was just an embarrassing for the musical industry and the supporters of the gentleman ” LAJ”. Folks, we just have to speak the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. After I have learnt something relevantly new about Mr. Bah this afternoon, it was obvious enough for someone to learn from his or her mistakes, because, mistakes are made for us to learn from, if someone fails to learn from it, then that person is stupid and don’t be stupid. Can someone tells us here that, the gas-station attendees deserved what happened to them that night? let’s assume that one of them was killed during the incident, what could have happen today?. Alagba peoples congress(APC) removed an elected vice president here in this country and replaced him with a convicted ” felon”, nobody comes out in protest to put APC in to understanding that, this is illegal.
We always say, education and wisdom are quite difference. Here’s my take for the meaning of the word” incitement”.(the action of provoking unlawful behavior or urging someone to behave unlawfully.
“this amounted to an incitement to commit murder) a real Sierra Leonean who love this country and praying for it peace and prosperity, this is the wrong time to incite any types of strike or demonstration. Now both Ms. Femi and Dr. Dennis Wright are in custody, what have you done for them? demonstrate?.
The outside world the donors watching us, wondering after the 11 year civil war had dragged us in to the most poverty, without mistake, we are the #1 poorest country in the world. Let’s not talk about any of our mineral resources like diamond, iron ore, bauxite and so on. The whole world is suffering not only Sierra Leone, why should we use this as a political byte? because of we hate someone, we are even defending the criminals against the gov’t, what a heck!?. Folks you can not find this kind of noise in North Korea, do you?. The truth of all is, Mr. LAJ’s decision is unheard off, it’s out of totality and disgraceful. A year ago when the first lady’s younger brother was murdered, what was the reactions of the enemies? insult, provocation, using indecent languages against the family while they are in pain, this won’t take us forward
folks.
Thank you Mr Jalloh, the truth is hard to stomach. LAJ may have misbehaved, however, a murderer was released from prison. Another young man was shot and nothing happened. So why is LAJ being singled out for a tussle with some petrol station attendants.
Mrs Mansaray, your argument is a straw man’s argument. Please let us not use words,we do not understand. Incitement to do what? Do you know what happened in Rwanda? Where is the audio calling for the deaths of the cockroaches? Where is the interahamwe?
A call for a strike about living conditions equated to the Rwanda genocide just shows the mediocre and negative mindset that you have.
This brilliant intelligent, intellectual, fair, firmed and consistent Mansaray family, I don’t know how proud I am, with this unique family, you just made my day for me thank you. Ms. Aminata, can you say this if you’re related to Mr. Abdulai Mansaray please?, don’t be offended. Whenever I read your articles in this noble platform, I don’t need to use dictionary for understanding, may God continues to bless this family. Amen. Today we have learned something new about the singer “LAJ” that most of us never come across, or having knowledge about. My fellow Sierra Leoneans, let’s be very careful in our actions, what we do home and abroad, friends and colleagues have records of us folks. Samuel Sandy was unlucky at the time, he was suppose to be appointed as the leader of then” NPRC” and head of State. But he was shot at his back by one of the APCs loyalist” Sim Turay”, his mother’s boyfriend.
Most of the writers on this noble platform always blaming H.E. Bio for the failure of this country, for how long Bio been in power? Ayanga peoples congress( APC) rules for over 26 years, from Siaka Stevens to J.S. Momoh, then added Ernest Koroma 11 years of broken promises. People just wanted to throw all these trashes on Bio?. This man being calling with names, just setting up the Krio not to cast their votes for him APC, this is not the right way to win the hearts of the voters. Again thanks to the Mansaray family
Totally understands why Mrs Mansaray will question my use of the word ethinic cleansing.The word was first coined and used during the break up of Yogoslavia in the 1990s .When the Serb nationalist government decided to waged war on the Muslim enclave of Bosnia and Herzegovina to stop it becoming an independent Muslim state in the Blakans .Thank goodness our country is not at war. But spare a thought for the Krio community in Sierra Leone that constitutionally are not allowed to owe any lands in the provinces ..A colonial era law that is still in our statue books At the same time the lands that belongs to Krio families for generation in the Freetown peninsular has been forcefully taken away from them under Bio’s watch .Ethinic cleansing can also mean can mean different thing to different scenarios. For the suffering Krio community under Bio’s watch is the perfect example . According Andrew Bell-Failkoff in his 1993 article “A brief history of ethinc cleansing” Published in the Magazine Foreign Affair ethnic clensing is the “campaign of expulsion of ” undesirable population from a given territory due to religion or ethnic discrimination, political , strategic or ideological consideration or combination of both “Which is the very life some krio families are enduring by taking away their lands and selling it on to the highest bidder.
And majority of people detain or put out of work during Bio’s tenure is Krio .So how do you explain that ? Any other tribe is free to owe lands in Freetown the home of the Krio community. So how do you square that injustice .Well let’s call it Apartheid.The worst thing that can happen to any minority community in a country is when the political leaders of that country sets their eyes on you and think you are the enemy within .Now here is where my ethnic cleansing description comes to play.Since Boi came to power whether it is accident or designed he has actively being going after Krio leaders and public servants in our country . You talked about the Fulah progressive Uinon .The reason why it was formed is to defend the rights and interests of Fulanis that were discriminated against by the Stevens APC government.
Now here is a question for you did you ever heard about the Mende , Temene , Kurankoh , Limba , or Yanlunka progressive unions ?They don’t exist because they are not in fear that the government of the day will discriminate against them.But minoritie that are always discriminated by their own government will finds ways to form organisations to defend their interest .The Fulas and the Krio community share one thing in common,that’s why they have their own unions .
“The irony of all ironies the track record of the Bio government against the Krio tribe or for better choice of words , politicians and civil servants from this community have been in the crosshairs of the Bio government since he took office back in 2018 is not a record to be proud of or defend by any stretch of the imagination .Instead it should be called for what it is , ethinic cleansing the Bio way masked with hypocrisy”. -Abraham amadu Jalloh.
I can’t believe that Sierra Leoneans or persons of Sierra Leone decent currently enjoying the western life can condescend to such level. Mr. Jalloh do you know what is ethnic cleaning? I believe you do not but in your desperation to paint the President Bio in bad light you are no longer selecting your words wisely.
Can you honestly lift up your hand and say that all the persons whom you have mention in your response above did not fall afoul of the law. This is the second time that both Doctor Dennis Wright and Femi Cole have been arrested at the CID and in both case it is for incitement. You might not know what incitement can do a nation. But for the incitements aired serially on the Radio, Television on a Thousand Hills (RTLM) against Tutsis and moderate Hutus, the Rwanda genocide could never have succeeded. President Habyarimana thought nothing of it. Unfortunately when his plane crashed on 6 April 1994, the incitements bloomed into what is today called genocide against Tutsis.
Recently some ill motivated members of the Fullah Union put the organization into disrepute when the release a press statement defending a perpetual criminal (LAJ) and calling it tribalism. I wished that they had said the same to the USA government when the same LAJ was arrested for similar but lesser criminal acts in the USA for which he was incarcerated for 7 years and subsequently deported. In Sierra Leone the allegation of robbery with violence is a very serious crimes and not tribalism.
In 1992, SAJ Musa, Bio, Tom Nyuma and Samuel Sandy drove all the way from the front line to confront President Momoh at state house. When Momoh fled, Captain Strasser who was in Freetown but had come out to support them was appointed Head of state. It was not tribalism at all despite the fact all of the ringleaders mentioned above where from the South East. Today, you are citing Strasser’s case as an example why you think Bio hates Krios. In 2018, when Bio took power as a democratic president after the one week sojourn of Charles Margai as Attorney General, he appointed Ms Priscilla Schwartz as Sierra Leone First Female Minister Of Justice and Attorney General and also Judge Babatunde Edwards as Sierra Leone Chief Justice. The latter has stayed of controversies and he is doing his work remarkably. Ms Priscilla Schwartz on the other hand ill advised the President and pursued treason charges against an opposition member charges she was unable to present evidence on, and you think sacking her for incompetency is tribalism against Krio, I can cite many more examples but I have to respect the forum rules to keep comments short.
I respect your views on this matter, Yei. I had a problem because Dr Femi Claudis-Cole said that the women came to her asking for her support. She did not call them to her house to organise any meeting. Correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t understand how we should say she orchestrated the strike or incited people. However, let’s wait and see where the police investigation will go.
Let’s forget about Dr Femi Claudius-Cole and look at the plight of the lady they matched out of State House. I don’t know what she did, but we should all condemn the act of brutality against her. Remember that such clips go viral and tell on our country’s reputation. I believe that they should walk her down CID if she has committed any crime. Are you comfortable with such a scene, Yei? That was one of the reasons I called on some of these respected ladies in our society to say something. We can’t just show disrespect to women in such a way. It’s wrong, and everyone must condemn it.
Many audio, video and WhatsApp groups give all kinds of information. Some people are biased against the past or present government in my view. Sometimes, you don’t know whether what they say is fact or out of jealousy or grudge. This one of the biggest problems now in social media. We should engage in these types of discussions if we want our country to develop and prosper. We might have different ways of seeing things, but at the end of the day, we must respect each other’s views and move forward. That’s what good citizenship is all about. Thanks for the information, and may God bless you.
Sahr Maturie, you are asking some of our women politicians as to why they did not come out in support of Dr. Femi Cole. The reason is simple. They do not support her motives. Hers is not for the nation but a personal fight against the first gentleman. Even her former running mate Ms. Naansu Fofanah recently resigned her post on the claim that Dr. Femi Cole is a dictator. Read the WhatsApp post from Dr. Sylvia Blyden and you will know why she in concert with Dr, Denis Bright are upto. You cited Ms. Finda Konomanyi. Did you mean Diana Konomanyi. She was just returning favour that Femi rendered her when she was invited to the CID for inciting citizen of Nimikoro to not participate in the mid term census.
Finally, the article state that the women brought the business city to a halt. Indeed people were scared that an un control demonstration in the guises of peaceful demonstration can lead to looting of their goods and properties. But if less than 300 women took to the street for a national problem, it indicate that whosoever organised the demonstration did not get a consensus from the majority of the women and women organizations and prominent women politicians. Does that tell you anything?
Alusine, I could not agree with you more. The opposition in Sierra Leone will search for any opportunity to inflict mayhem in that country. Why in the world would any sensible person want to stage a demonstration against global inflation? Not even the rich and powerful nations of the world are free from rapidly rising prices. So, why would the opposition want to blame the Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) for something that the GOSL has no control over?
The police did not grant a permit to the protestors because the police had always believed that the proposed demonstration was all about politics. Second, the police had every reason to believe that a protest led by lawless and disgruntled members of the opposition would turn violent as the opposition is always bent on portraying Sierra Leone in a very negative light.
We are less than a year to general elections and these guys (opposition politicians) have still not gotten their acts together. Seeing the writing on the wall that they would spend another five years in political wilderness, they succumb to their natural instincts – lawlessness and mayhem. Shame.
This is all orchestrated distractions by the leaders of 6.2% political parties, who unfortunately have been used by former President Koroma after the successful launching of our new currency and the appeal court’s decision.
They have received the brown envelopes and now hoping to make our country ungovernable.
They have also been accused of trying to once again spread terror in Freetown by sending threatening messages through WhatsApp to burn vehicles and passengers alive.
Lawlessness and unpatriotic citizens should be investigated and prosecuted.
This look like peaceful demonstration, the hike in fuel price that always resulted to increase in prces to other commodities is disastrous to our present economic situation. So people voices need to be heard and we need immediate response from the government.
It’s sad to witness what is happening to our country. Why should we be intepreting our constitution that suits the police and the government of the day? The constitution is our problem because the problems keep repeating. In my view, the framers of the 1991 constitution were working on behalf of the government and their interests at that time(1991).
The police are talking about the public order act of 1965, whilst lawyers are talking about quotes under the 1991 constitution. Where are the recommendations of the constitutional reviews of the following commissions – Dr Peter Tucker, Justice Edmond Cowan, Justice Tolla Thompson, N.D. Tejan-Cole and James Blyden Jenkins-Johnson?
Successive Presidents have refused to implement the reports. Why?
Trust me. If you pick 15 lawyers at random and ask them about our rights to protest, all of them will give you different views. This tells you that our constitution has expired. If the constitution is not fixed, this problem will continue. It does not matter who becomes President.
Secondly, I have advice for the following women – Ms Yvonne Aki Sawyer, Ms Fatmata Sawaneh, Mrs Francess Bio, Ms Taylor Pearce and Ms Yei Kamara of C4C. Why did you not speak out on behalf of Dr Femi Claudius-Cole and the women who demonstrated yesterday? I included Mrs Francess Bio because she can play a role in uniting our country. I strongly believe in that. Ms Finda Konomany came out and supported Dr Femi Claudius-Cole and the women. But I did not hear from Ms Yvonne Aki Sawyer, Ms Fatmata Sawaneh, Ms Francess Bio and Ms Yei Kamara. Do you expect us to support you whenever you want to bid for the Presidency or Vice Presidency of Sierra Leone? Your role in our society will be the first mother. You are all potential Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, but you have started to scare us away from you.
I don’t know any of you, but I believe in what you as a woman can do for our country. I’m appealing to all of you not to stay silent when supporting women? Will you please say something on behalf of the women like what Ms Finda Konomanyi has done? Mrs Francess Bio must start positioning herself as the former wife of President Bio to let us know her views. Not being the First Lady is not an excuse. Don’t tell me you are not a politician. Everyone has become a politician by “Compra” in Sierra Leone. Honestly, many Sierra Leoneans, including myself, are not happy with all of you right now. Did you hear what Dr Femi Claudius-Cole said? Two of her statements shocked me. “Den nor Day Engage we” and “Ah Day Pack Black Pants…”. “Talk half lef half”. Heartbreaking stuff!
I had to shed tears. Sad. God bless Dr Femi Claudius-Cole, all the women arrested, our brave and courageous women. Amen and Amen. Father God.
Lawlessness will not stop whilst PAOPA-SLPP-Bio are in power because they constitute the pimary source of lawlessness!
“Avoid people who try to diminish your ambition, for even the vicious war is an evil that must be averted by the wisdom of the nation”.
Democracy is the government of the people and of the people and by the people. We all are the people. With the current trend of happenings around the world from corona virus saga to the on’-going Russia-Ukraine war, we should give peace a chance.
Western world pattern of demonstrations is far better than Sierra Leone. They are a civilized nation cos they are always focused on issues and not personalities. In Sierra Leone, you give people a chance to demonstrate, they will go off-course of their entire goals. So therefore, in order to enjoy a peace, we have to maintain a peaceful environment.
First of all why Femi should incite the Public? During the eleven years civil war in Sierra Leone I was a little boy, one of my uncle’s was brutal killed right in front of my naked eyes, may the souls of those that was killed during the war rest in perfect peace. As a patriotic youths now, I do not want such to repeat in my beloved nation.
Most of our elders here in Sierra Leone are just thinking of their parties for their selfish interest and their children, instead of thinking the interest of the country. When their is war they will flew with their families while the poor will remain killing each other. Femi should be investigated thoroughly. We the patriotic youths are not interested in war but we are thinking of development for future generations.
What Femi Cole have done to this nation? John F Kennedy was said asked not what your country can do for you, asked what you can do for your country?
I cannot understand your point. Would you care to elaborate further. Incitement is quite a serious allegation.
Who is to say our country is not steeped in corruption , tribalism and political vandalism from this one directionless Bio government.As one contributor suggested that we should stop writing about the real issues affecting our country ,instead concentrate our efforts on playing the part of cheer leaders to a government that is increasingly feeling the anger of the voting public.Clearly this out of touch Bio government have seen the writing on the wall that their days are now numbered as we approach the 2023 presidential elections. Mr Emmanuel Bylden suggested he doesn’t want to read anymore negative vibes coming from concerned Sierra Leoeans about the direction of travel our country has taken .The irony of all ironies the track record of the Bio government against the Krio tribe or for better choice of words , politicians and civil servants from this community have been in the crosshairs of the Bio government since he took office back in 2018 is not a record to be proud of or defend by any stretch of the imagination .Instead it should be called for what it is , ethinic cleansing the Bio way masked with hypocrisy. The brutal irony of it ,our national news organisation are silent on this particular issues affecting the community and Krio leadership in our country.
The constant harrasment of Krio leadership in what ever capacity they hold in the country and proposed Zimbabwe land reforms style around the Freetown peninsular is just a way of taken lands from the Krio community .Bio might have been straight with the Sierra Leoenan voting public to insert in his SLPP manifesto back in 2018 , that if he was voted in office , he will be targeting the Krio community .Surely the Sierra leonean public will not have voted for him .Ginetta Sagan said “Silence in the face of injustice is complicity with the oppersor”.The list of Krio politicians that have received the hair brush treatment from Bio and the thuggish elements within his inner circle that see them as a threat to his government has not gone unnoticed by some of us. Unfortunately those Krio leaders that have fallen foul of Bio’s tribalistic instinct can be traced back from the time he removed captain Valentine Strasser , to the 2020 detention of Dr Slyvai Bylden , the targeting and sabotaging of the hard works of the Mayor of Freetown, Mrs Akin Swayer, to the firing of Lora Pearce Taylor the former auditor general , the hiring and firing of Ms Priscilla Schwartz as Attorney General and Minister of justice in office from June 2018 to July 2020 for widow dressing purposes.
Majority of Bio’s tribes men that were fired for gross misconduct were rehabilated and given new appointments in the Bio circus .Hon Abu Abu , resident Miniter for Northern province that was caught on tape making incendiary statement against youths in Makeni was fired after a public outcry , but was not left out in the cold for long , he was back on thee leash because he is the Bio’s attack dog ,trained purposely to put the fear of God to his political opponents.And he always live up to expectation .Hon Abu Abu has his rough edges and he is a nasty piece of work and never fail to disappoint. Then the list of Krio political luminaries continues to be detain on pretentious charges .More recently Dr Femi Cole and Dr Bright one of the leading political hopefuls for the next presidential elections. And now she is facing the full wrath of Bio and his henchmen. Who suggested our country is free?Maybe they should revisit their theories and beliefs about our country .
Thankfully we have a very strong government that takes it’s responsibilities seriously. The only way to stop this assault on our civil rights is for us all to refrain from lawlessness. Once the lawlessness stops, our human rights will not be violated anymore.