By Kabs Kanu
President Maada Bio is such a polarizing and divisive politician that his election has poisoned the relationships between Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, concerned Sierra Leoneans told COCORIOKO over the weekend.
Many concerned Sierra Leoneans complained to COCORIOKO that Sierra Leone is not the only place Maada Bio’s junta -styled , hateful, bullying, violent and tribalistic politics have divided dangerously. Even the diaspora is not the same since President Bio came to power in 2018. Bio’s junta -styled political repression, horrendous human rights abuses , bullying of opposition supporters and gutter political tactics and propaganda against APC public figures have seriously divided Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora.
Sierrra Leoneans used to have their political differences but mutual respect, love and the spirit of oneness and cooperation reigned in diasporan communities. Nobody cared whether you were Mende, Temne, Fula, creole or Lokko, Northerner, Westerner or Southeasterner. Sierra Leoneans went to social functions to enjoy themselves.
Today, however, SLPP ‘s kind of politics since President Bio came to power has divided communities in the diaspora. People who once cohabited peacefully , in spite of their political differences, are now at loggerheads with one another, because of President Bio’s high-end politics .
“When APC was in power, we lived peacefully in our communities, “ Margaret Kamara of New York told CCORIOKO . Everybody supported their political parties, but there was no rancor among us. Why should things change now when SLPP are in power ? “ , Aunty Maggie, as she is fondly called , asked .
Sierra Leoneans explained that things changed due to the intimidating, bullying, abusive and paopa behaviors of Maada Bio supporters. “ APC supporters loved their party and promoted it, but they did not intimidate, threaten or polarize us but den people ya, me daddy, power nor good for dem “, Mammy Sama Sesay, who was brought to America to babysit her grandchildren , complained to COCORIOKO. “ As soon as they came to power, things changed. In the past, it was not a crime to support the opposition party, but today under the SLPP, it is a crime to be an APC supporter .
Mr. Sorie Thulla said that SLPP criticize former Presidents Siaka Stevens and Joseph Saidu Momoh and the APC but he asked , “Can you imagine what the state of our country would have been if SLPP had been the only party ruling Sierra Leone since Independence ? APC ruled us for over 30 years but we did not dislike one another on political lines . But since these people came to power, they have divided our country and divided even our communities in the diaspora, “ Mr. Thula fumed.
Mr. Amadu Conteh said he will not be surprised if he hears that some Sierra Leoneans take pistols with them secretly to public functions. “ The harassment, provocation and intimidation by SLPP supporters are too extreme . At times, you are afraid to go to functions for fear of being attacked by these wild, rude and ruthless Paopa boys. “ He said that he was at a function once when police had to be called to quell confusion caused by an SLPP Paopa supporter. “These things never used to happen before in our communities in the diaspora. We had our political alignments but we were not at war. But SLPP has brought war in our midst. You are no longer free and safe to support your party . Ooose kind trouble meet we country so ? “
MEANWHILE, hundreds of Sierra Leoneans will be traveling from all parts of the Continental USA on Wednesday September 21 to take part in a massive demonstration against President Bio at the UN Headquarters in New York during the UN General Assembly. The demonstration has been called by the People’s Power in Politics ( PPP ).
