An umbrella group of various organisations called Bombali District Human Rights Committee (BDHRC) has issued a statement in which concerns were raised over events surrounding a protest by angry residents in the city of Makeni last month.
The incident reportedly claimed five lives.
While acknowledging the efforts of President Julius Maada Bio to address the concerns, the Committee pointed out that there was still ‘’an uneasy calm, state of fear,” and that an “atmosphere of uncertainty has persisted in the city of Makeni’’.
Concern was particularly expressed over what the committee described as the inhumane manner of arrests of two persons, one of whom was alleged to have printed t-shirts with the inscription “Makeni Lives Matters”. The Committee observed that the security forces could de-escalate the situation but are doing the contrary which might undermine the efforts of the president.
BDHRC also requested for autopsy on the victims be done and the bodies handed over to their families for burial, saying the delay has become a traumatic experience for their relations. The Committee said the security forces continue to parade the streets of the municipality, displaying heavy weapons which was tantamount to intimidation and had created fear in the minds of the people. BDHRC says such show of force was unwarranted and called for an immediate end to what it says was an unprovoked show of force. The Committee further requested that those arrested in the protests be charged or released.
The two days of violence on the 17th and 18th July, following the relocation of a standby thermal plant from Makeni to the Lungi Airport by the Energy Ministry, led to the loss of lives and damage to properties, including the regional headquarters of the ruling SLPP. President Bio immediately set up a Presidential Committee to look into the disturbances.
On Thursday, 6th August, a group of parliamentarians from the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) staged a brief protest in the premises of the House over the issue. The MPs, wore black T-Shirts with the inscription ‘Makeni Lives Matter”, demanded for action towards ensuring justice for the victims.
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