News / Press Statement by the SLPP on the recent incidences of violence by APC supporters in Sierra Leone

Press Statement by the SLPP on the recent incidences of violence by APC supporters in Sierra Leone The political situation in Sierra Leone is getting grave. On Sunday August 26, 2007, at about 5pm some SLPP supporters on their way home from a meeting at the Party’s Office were attacked by some women traders along Sani Abacha Street known to be supporters of the APC. The SLPP supporters were brutally assaulted by their assailants. The banner of the SLPP Leader was torn down by opposing APC supporters at PZ round about. The SLPP supporters withdrew to the Party’s Headquarters and called in the Police who were able to quell the situation after much effort. Arrests of some APC supporters were made. Later, when we thought that everything was under control, thugs of the APC led by Idrissa Kamara (alias Leather Boot) materialized at the scene with six vehicles loaded with thugs to fiercely attack the security personnel guarding the SLPP office. They were stoutly resisted and in the process two of the thugs were captured and handed over to the Police who currently have them in custody. Also a gray BMW vehicle with registration number ACY 085 was also seized as an exhibit of the violent attack that members of the SLPP suffered yesterday night at the hands of APC thugs who are bent on wreaking havoc on members of the SLPP and its Leadership. As of the time of this press briefing, the APC’s Rising Sun radio has been announcing that Kamajohs have been brought into several locations in Freetown to disrupt the peace and quiet of the city. This is not only a blatant lie put out by the APC to create panic to our people but it is also one of the APC’s ploys to divert the attention of the public from their desperate activities. In a separate incident, it is now known that at least two members of the SLPP living in Waterloo arrived this afternoon at the party’s office with serious stab wounds all over their heads as a result of an assault by APC hoodlums. It is now a known fact that when ever the APC wants to carry out an unholy act, they first attribute it to the SLPP. This is a diversion to enable them carry out their vicious acts. Some of the so-called independent newspapers have taken upon themselves to drum up the false alarm of SLPP intention to carry out violence during the Presidential run-off election in league with the APC. This is not an accident. It is part of the APC’s grand plan to prepare the ground for rendering the state ungovernable. To effect this they should be able to justify that is was the SLPP that started the violence. The APC has maintained that they will accept nothing short of an announcement that the APC has won the election. In addition, there are reports reaching us that SLPP supporters in Kono are currently being attacked and scores of them being hospitalized. We are again reiterating that Politics is not war but a contest between forces that must of necessity have the same objective to develop the State and her People. We therefore condemn every act of violence so far perpetrated by the APC and call upon the Leadership to warn its supporters to desist from using violence as a means by which they can attain Power. It will be proper for the APC to educate its supporters that the run-off is a constitutional provision and that the outcome must be respected. They should therefore not be given the impression that any one of the candidates will be the next President irrespective of the outcome of the result. We all must, as a matter of duty, stop those who are threatening the state with brutal and murderous war and genocide.   ONE COUNTRY, ONE PEOPLE