By Mabinty M. Kamara
The much-talked-about protest that happened on Wednesday in the east of Freetown and parts of the north of Sierra Leone left at least 27 people killed among them six police officers, according to officials.
Mortuary and hospital sources told Politico that the police officers were killed in Freetown, Makeni and Kamakwie.
The protests which the security sector and government officials have described as “faceless”, was planned to have lasted for three days starting on 8 August, according to text messages, videos and audio messages that were circulated on social media. But the security sector headed by the Office of National Security said they didn’t get any request from any group or individual in respect of the said protest and therefore assured all to go about their normal businesses which was the case for the 8 and 9 before the protesters finally struck yesterday.
The protesters on Wednesday mainly in some parts of the northern region and the east end of Freetown, expressed dissatisfaction over the current economic situation, corruption and police brutality as they chanted “Maada must go, We want peace”.
Many local and international organisations have condemned the action while calling for an investigation into the cause and perpetrators of the violence to be brought to book.
The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in a press statement “strongly condemns the violence that occurred and in many locations in Sierra Leone and has led to the loss of lives. ECOWAS calls on all to obey law and order and for the perpetrators of the violence to be identified and brought to justice, in accordance with the law,” the statement reads.
In the same vain, the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone similarly condemned the action, calling that “the IRCSL vehemently…[and] unequivocally condemn all forms of violence and riot, and therefore calls on the government to investigate thoroughly the root cause (s) of this uprising and bring its perpetrators to book,” the statement reads.
Campaign for Good Governance, a local civil society organization, also in their statement noted much as they recognise the rights of citizens to engage the national leadership, such engagement or demand for accountability should not take any violent or subversive force. “The killing of police officers and burning of public buildings and private residences is not a legitimate form of expression of dissent by citizens,” the statement reads.
The former President Ernest Bai Koroma in a tweet, urged for calm and restraint over the issues, saying “violence is never the answer to anything and should be condemned.”
On behalf of the government, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on the day of the incident declared a nationwide curfew as part of security measures to put the situation under control. The curfew takes effect from 7am to 7pm indefinitely effective last night, 11 August.
Most businesses have been closed in Freetown since the start of the week for fear that their businesses would be targeted by protesters.
Speaking to Politico, a shop owner along Sandas Street in Freetown said that she couldn’t dare to open her shop from Monday despite assurances from the police that people should go about their businesses saying: “I know this country. Most people do not think well. They are easily carried away by anything. And mostly when it happens, we the businesspeople are the ones who suffer looting and nobody cares about our loss after all. We heard they looted some businesses in Waterloo where would those people go to for help, nowhere,” she lamented.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (12/08/22)
