Transparency International (TI), the global human rights watcher, has damned Sierra Leone’s three leading political parties as “not serious” over issues of concerns to Sierra Leoneans especially their security.
The TI damnation of the SLPP, APC and the PMDC, came following the parties’ absence at a programme it had organized in which political parties were to discuss concerns of Sierra Leoneans including security in the wake of the 2012 elections. Only the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) were present at the discussion programme, in which the parties’ representatives presented their positions on the spate of violence in the country. They also discussed the expected roles of political parties in the registration process which starts today.
The Board Chairman of Transparency International, Emil Carr, noted in his introductory statement that the absence of the three political parties was a clear indication of the “lack of seriousness of these political parties about the current state of affairs in the country”, and charged, “the APC and SLPP are the only parties always named in incidences of political violence in the country.” He expressed regret for their absence in what he said was “a very important national forum to state their position on violence and what they are doing with regards the registration exercise.” The programme however continued with representatives of the NDA and UDM making statements of commitment.
Spokesman for the NDA, Chernor Alpha Bah recounted incidents in the country in the past 50 years “is nothing to be proud of” he noted, pointing out that instead, the half Century has been marred by lack of developments in the economy and other sectors and accused the SLPP and APC as the political parties responsible for the “backward and decadent state of the country,” he stated.
Mr. Bah also charged the APC and SLPP of “running away from taking responsibility for their wrongs” and rather engaging in “unnecessary blame game for what they are guilty of.” According to the NDA Spokesman, these political parties should be developing models as to how violence in elections can be eliminated. He said instead of them addressing such a crucial issue, they are bent on accusations and counter-accusations as to who was where and not; or to blame or not.
As the NDA, he asserted that they want violent-free, free, fair and transparent elections and condemned in no uncertain terms violence in all its forms. He assured that the NDA will abide by the communiqué recently signed by political parties in their quest for elections that express the will of Sierra Leoneans through the ballot box.
Peter Mustapha, representing the UDM, endorsed the elections monitoring mechanism adopted by Transparency International, and suggested that a separate monitoring mechanism be adopted especially for the police, noting that “the police are especially at the center of all politically related violence in the country.”
Launching the TI Elections Programme, Mr. Victor Kabia, a member of the Transparency International Board said the one of the main causes of political violence in the country is the lack of knowledge of most people about certain national issues. He called strongly for a massive national education exercise on as many issues as possible that affect the lives of ordinary people.
“People need to be guided as what is wrong. They want peaceful, free and fair elections. They also do not want violence in elections. They only need to be educated about the negative impacts of violence marred election on national development,” Mr. Kabia noted, adding that the idea will not benefit the people alone, but the political parties and political players as well.
The TI Election Programme include, monitoring of the activities of NEC, PPRC and the registered political parties, holding of consultative meetings and dialogue fora with registered political parties and their flagbearers; monitoring political parties’ sources of funding and engaging in community sensitizations and outreach campaigns targeting the general citizenry.
By Betty Milton
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