𝐁𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐡.
The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party Members of Parliament yesterday called for the setting up of an independent committee to investigate the deaths of the August 10 violent insurrection in parts of Freetown, Western Rural, Makeni, and Kamakwe.
Speaking in Committee Room 1 in the House of Parliament yesterday, the Opposition Leader, Honourable Chernor Maju Bah alias Chericoco endorsed the call to set up an independent committee to speedily and conclusively investigate events of the August 10 demonstrations and the aftermath.
But he said the composition and conduct of the proposed committee should be credible and non-partisan as part of an effort to provide truthful findings that will proffer recommendations that will seek redress for the families of the victims.
“As the nation grieves, let me state that I strongly condemn violence of any form and believe that there are much more progressive and constructive approaches to communicate our concerns,” Honourable Chernor Maju Bah said during the delivery of a press statement in the House of Parliament at Tower Hill in Freetown.
Meanwhile, he said citizens should have a right to demonstrate their concerns in a peaceful and law-abiding way,” adding that the events on August 10 indicated that: “We have not succeeded in using constructive means of dialoguing to maintain peace, stability, and social cohesion and security in our country.”
Hon. Bah called on the Government to publicize the number of people killed during and after the violent demonstrations and that their corpses are handed over to their families for dignified burial rites and to provide information about all those incarcerated during and after the demonstrations.
Since the demonstrations, he said more lives have been lost including that of an APC member, Hassan Dumbuya (Evangelist Samson), and also said citizens, including Mohamed Kamara (Med Kay) of the All Peoples Congress was arrested before the demonstrations and is still in detention.
Elsewhere, the Opposition Leader implored the Inter-Religious Council, civil society organizations, Council of Paramount Chiefs, and community leaders to mobilize and take the right steps to engage all relevant stakeholders to help promote reconciliation, healing, and social cohesion in the country.
