By Bampia James Bundu
The sixth annual Human Right Commission of Sierra Leone report has called for the passing into law of a Freedom of Information (FOI) Law and for the Sierra Leone Police to review its rules of engagement in maintaining law and order in the country.
In her address during the launch of the commission's report at its Tower Hill office, Commissioner Daphne Olu-Williams said the paramilitary Operational Security Division (OSD) of the police used disproportionate force in the dispensation of its duties resulting in the loss of lives in Bumbuna, Freetown and Kono.
She said the commission was concerned over such loss of life and she therefore called on the police to review its rules of engagement in the maintenance of public order in the country. She however, described the general human rights situation in the country for 2012 as satisfactory.
Commissioner Williams pointed out that the seditious libel provision in the 1965 Public Order Act continued to undermine the work of journalists and human rights activists, as access to freedom of information is being impeded by the non enactment of the Freedom of Information Bill. “We call on the government to expedite the passing of the FOI Bill,” she said.
She noted also that considering its broad mandate and increase demand for its service, accessing adequate resources for the commission to effectively carry out its mandate and maintain its ‘A’ status accreditation remained a serious challenge.
“The government's budgetary ceiling has resulted in the non appointment of additional key staff, which is critical to our operation and the strength of our regional offices,” Commissioner Williams noted.
She concluded by stating that one of their significant achievements during the course of the year was Sierra Leone's membership to the United Nations Human Rights Council, which she said made it incumbent on the government to increase its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights in the country and to also strengthen state institutions, particularly the Human Right Commission of Sierra Leone.
© Politico 15/08/13
