Freetown — President Ernest Bai Koroma has condemned but observed that the spate of violence in Freetown, that saw the offices of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party vandalised between March 13 and 16, 2009, was never political.
"The violence was no longer an issue between APC and SLPP supporters but rather a confrontation between criminals and the forces of law and order," said the president, who returned on Sunday from a routine medical examination in India.
He described the ugly incidents as an attempt by a small number of unscrupulous and unpatriotic people to disturb peace and progress. He however, made it clear that he has the constitutional mandate to ensure that the full force of the law is brought to bear against any individual found to have committed criminal acts.
"We will not allow anybody, be they APC, SLPP or PMDC members, to hide under their political party as an excuse to incite chaos, hatred and sedition. Being a political party activist is no license to incite people against legitimate authority, or against the peace and stability of the country.
"My Government is committed to ensuring freedom of expression; but we have a greater commitment to protect lives, ensure stability, and promote development," he said.
He stated that "democracy is about peaceful disagreements, not violent confrontations. As a nation, we cannot and will not allow the actions of a small minority to undermine the progress that we have made."
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy has issued a statement to denounce what it said was "politically-motivated violence."
"Embassy officials have met with leaders from the APC and SLPP parties, as well as government representatives, to stress the need for responsible leadership from all sides."
The embassy said it was making every effort to promote a proactive dialogue to ensure that violations against people and property stop immediately, and calls on all sides to renounce violence, respect human rights, and resolve disputes legally and democratically.
"As March is Women's History Month, it is particularly egregious that allegations of rape have surfaced. Rape has been strongly condemned by the international community as an instrument of war and inhumanity.
"A nation fractured by political tension is distracted from the governance and social issues affecting the everyday lives of its people. Leaders must promote unity between political parties to ensure their collaboration to achieve the overarching interests of Sierra Leone and its citizens."
The embassy called on the people of Sierra Leone to do their part to restore and maintain tranquility and civility to the country.
"Mediation, rather than retaliation, is the hallmark of peaceful democracies," the statement stated adding that the US government stands ready, both as a bilateral partner and as a member of the multilateral community, to assist the government, parties, and people to preserve the peace and stability so hard-won in this country.
In a nationwide address Tuesday evening the President called on leaders from all sides of the political spectrum to stand together and affirm their support for peace, democracy and development.
"I believe that now is the time to move past our differences and deal firmly with the violent actions of the few who seek to resist progress. I am confident that, together, we can move forward to make Sierra Leone the united, peaceful and prosperous nation that we all know it can be," he concluded.
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Vandals?
Both the APC and the SLPP are worse than vandals; worse than the most depraved Vandal who helped sack Rome.
The soupist President of the APC argues that the violence and rapes are not "political." Yet, a phony opposition party's headquarters was in flames.
Mr. President, you are stupid. Non-political violence is called petty theft, and similar manifestations of bad breeding.
To argue that the violence that offed in Freesmell was non-political defies logic; and you guys, bootlickers, in INVADER UK support this joker, this absurdity of a human being, this donkey---this human wreck?
You "encourage" rapes? Perfidy beyond perfidy. No wonder you are marooned in INVADER LAND.
We have argued consistently in this site that the carnage of 1991 to now was no civil war; a war between the soupists in Liberia and Sierra Leone, it was, and nothing else.
A good as gold civil war is in the air in the occupied territory of Sierra Leone. And, we carry no brief for its negation: the APC and SLPP structure and its foundational SOUPIST STRUCTURE need to be decimated by the people.
Would that the "vandals" had vented their justified angst at State House and the headquaters of the equally soupist SLPP.
You "Sierra Leoneans" are the crap of Africa; even Somalians are more manly: you take crap from these limpy political 'parasites parties': all day you APC and SLPP and, at night, you drink omolay, and sniff your favorite drugs. And, on Fridays and Sundays, you chirp: "God dae."
Jokers, God deserted your territory after you let the BRITISH INVADERS get away with their land grab: silly, and now you want "democracy."
Do you imagine that democracy is a panacea for a rotten cultural fabric, a sick cultural tradition?
Dream on, walking stiffs.
I know for sure that,Ernest koroma is still far better than any so call democratic leader in our nation.I am in support in the motion of banning any thing in that nation,that propagate and regenerate violence in our beautiful motherland.I am against one of the comments i read in this site,where someone is abusing the president as the one who created the violent.I want to tell that person to go to freetown and tell His excellency those same abusive languages.I assure you,you will not be able to recognise yourself.You are not a Sierra Leonean by saying those words.I pray for peace,love,tranguility,and harmony for my belove motherland Sierra Leone.