By Abass Jalloh
The President of Guinea-Bissau and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and other international dignitaries on Monday paid a solidarity visit to Sierra Leone following last Wednesday’s violent protests that claimed dozens of lives including Police Officers.
In his prepared statement at State House in Freetown, President Embalo condemned the violence and expressed condolences to the bereaved families and condemned the August 10 incident, saying that “violence has no place in a democracy, particularly in a country like Sierra Leone that has made enormous progress in building and establishing democratic policy”, and is ranked one of the most peaceful nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
President Embalo said Sierra Leone has made great progress in the areas of inclusive developmental democracy and respect for the rule of law, assuring that the international community will continue to work with the country to build and consolidate its positive democratic development trajectory.
In line with the ECOWAS position, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has launched an investigation into the said incidents in a bid to bring culprits to book.
President Embalo, therefore, encouraged President Bio to continue to engage various parties in the coming days, including getting the Peace Commission to undertake strategic engagements with the use of the oppositions in various parts of the country.
“I was well shocked when I saw people killing the police. This kind of thing I do not think is going to happen in my country because the police are for us the civilians, to protect. If you have killed somebody who is protecting you, one day if somebody beats you, who will protect you? Nobody,” he said.
He said the people who killed the police are not good citizens, and urged President Bio to talk more with the opposition.
In his reaction, President Bio recalled and described the incident as a “very difficult situation”, noting that it bothered on security and violent attack on peace, democracy, and ordinary citizens which led to the death of policemen and civilians.
President Bio stated that the protests claimed the lives of officers and ordinary people.
People in parts of Freetown east, Waterloo, Lungi, Magburaka, Makeni, and Kamakwie, took to the streets, set up barricades, and then attacked the Police. Police stations were set on fire and Government properties were also destroyed. The initial reason given by the demonstrators for their taking to the streets was the rising cost of living. President Bio said it was an insurrection aimed at toppling the government.
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