As concerns are being widely raised over the audio released by Sierra Leone people’s Party (SLPP) youth-Young Generation members inciting and calling for another war against Sierra Leoneans and members and supporters of the main opposition All People’s Congress there is every need by state authorities starting with President Julius Maada Bio to rightly condemn it and caution one of his party members.
The unfortunate incident attracted the attentions of all and sundry with loud condemnations from peace activists, good governance advocates host of well-meaning Sierra Leoneans as well as friends of Sierra Leone
Forum as a strong component of the national effort working towards consolidating national unity, peace and permanent stability, free speech and to a very large extent ensuring the sustainability of our growing democracy join the loud cry in denouncing the SLPP youth’s call for another war.
We say no more conflict in Sierra Leone and all we stand for are and constantly looking forward to seeing coming from our leaders; present and emerging ones are political tolerant from all shades of the diverse political ideologies.
These we urge must come along with sustainable development, promotion of human rights with full manifestation of regards for the rule of law and constitutionality and as well as upholding of modern democratic culture in Sierra Leone growing democratic dispensation.
Though the party came out with a position disowning the hate speech warrior Johnny and distancing itself from the act, yet more need to be done in that direction in ensuring that such does not in any form repeat in the political history of Sierra Leone.
And stronger action needs to come from higher authorities not just the one pager press release issued from the SLPP National secretariat by Secretary General, Umaru Napoleon Koroma, considering the gravity of the offensive statements regularly being uttered the same Johnny.
It could be recalled that in May this year the same Johnny was saw in a video at the SLPP National secretariat announcing to group of young people that the next general elections will be conducted in 2024, along with also some amount of war language. But the SLPP party made no move in handling that. His ranting was followed by regional minister’s threat to the people of Makeni city that they will kill and it had certainly accomplished by the Government and the party by extension. These early warning signs are not good for the peace and development of Sierra Leone and people in responsible of trust must there conduct themselves within the framework of the laws of the country.
For Johnny to call on the security sector to wipe off any opposition APC member who attempt at such action of taking to the street, is totally out of the way and he must be cautioned now by the hierarchy of the SLPP to desist from making hate speeches and inciting violence. For the peaceful and vulnerable people of this country will no longer take such intimidations.
Also condemning Johnny s militant sentiment expressed against the people of the main opposition and the general citizenry of Sierra Leone as a whole was the security sector.
The security sector through the Office of National Security categorically denounced and distanced itself from the incitement of violence and unleashing of hate speech by the ruling party operative, describing it as an action with the tendencies of disturbing the peace and security of the state.
The sector therefore in a prelease issued on Monday 24th August, warned against such act, and assured the nation of its avowed commitment towards ensuring the protection of lives and property as well as the integrity of Sierra Leone.
As a political party in governance, the SLPP should be leading by thorough examples, by refraining from tolerating indiscipline among and within the party irrespective of members’ social and political status, the party’s laws and guiding principles, by which the institution is truly governed. And everybody must be seen following and abiding by the laws of the party.
These are supposed to have been made clearly to Austin Joseph and others with similar characters, that no matter how closed they think they are to the powers that be must conduct themselves within the framework of the laws of the country.
Similarly so, the APC is not strange to such attitude as there are always regular audios from an someone called Adebayo even though the individual has on several occasion dismembered himself from the APC yet the opposition party members and supporters are religious listeners of his audios.
He has been accused of inciting demonstrations in certain parts of the country including Tombo, Lunsar, central prison, Makeni and other places where police high handedness has led to loss of lives. All of which must to brought to halt by the authorities in the APC party for those closed to Adebayo say he is an APC sympathizer.
What needs to be made clear to both traditional political parties in Sierra Leone is that they cannot continue to endanger the lives of people with their preachers of hate speeches and incitements of violence.
The SLPP and the APC must accept and own the utterances of hate speeches being unleashed by their verbal warriors and inciters of violence as the detriment of the greater majority of the citizenry of the state.
And denouncing and disowning Johnny and Adebayo are not enough solutions to solve these problems thus punitive actions must be followed with severe penalties moving to forestall the unwarranted unleashing of hate speeches and the incitements of violence. For such actions must be condemned by the party leaders from their various homes and not just by activists.
Hence both leaderships of the APC and the SLPP must embrace the problems and address them collectively. So that there will be no more Johnny’s nor Adebayo’s audios neither inciting calls for wars, for our people are fed up and tired of war. And there is no place for hate speech and violence in our communities and may peace prevail. Read on!
