PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DEPARTMENT'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000288

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SL
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DEPARTMENT'S
HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT


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Classified By: Ambassador Thomas N. Hull for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) On April 18, the Ambassador opened a one-day
seminar organized by Sierra Leone's Parliamentary Committee
on Human Rights. The seminar's agenda was based on the 2006
State Department's Country Report on Human Rights in Sierra
Leone. Convened for the third consecutive year, most speakers
viewed the report as accurate and fair and commended the
Embassy for its work outlining human rights issues in Sierra
Leone. The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and Chairman of the
Council of Paramount Chiefs took exception, criticizing the
report as being biased, inaccurate and unbalanced. Some
participants felt the report did not adequately cover issues
of housing rights, discrimination against people with
disabilities, the death penalty, human rights abuses and
violations in the mining sector, and the protection of
environmental rights. Chairperson of the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) Mrs. Jasmina King announced that the
NHRC would draft a national human rights report by December

2007. Stakeholders emphasized that Sierra Leone's own Human
Rights Report should be sensitive to traditional societal
values and customs when assessing the status of human rights
in the country.


2. (U) Attendees included a cross-section of senior-level
Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) officials, members of the
new National Human Rights Commission, religious leaders,
members of Parliament, political party representatives,
paramount chiefs, international organization (IO)
representatives, media representatives, and other civil
society stakeholders. END SUMMARY.

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AMBASSADOR ADDRESSES HUMAN RIGHTS SEMINAR
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3. (U) On April 18, the Ambassador, DCM, and PolOff attended
a one-day consultative meeting organized by the Parliamentary
Committee on Human Rights to review the 2006 U.S. Department
of State's Country Report on Human Rights in Sierra Leone.
This is the third consecutive year that Chairman of the
Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Dr. Alusine Fofanah
has organized this event. Dr. Fofanah commended the Embassy
for the report. He explained that he was first struck with
the idea to hold a human rights seminar after he received a
copy of the 2004 U.S. Department of State Human Rights report
from Ambassador Hull.


4. (U) In his opening speech, the Ambassador said, that
while there is increasing respect for human rights in Sierra
Leone, many obstacles remain before human rights will be
fully protected. He emphasized human rights abuses in Sierra
Leone are not systemic and, compared to many other African
nations, Sierra Leone's record is quite good. However, he
noted that many problems still exist, which reflect partly
the lack of sufficient resources and capacity constraints, as
well as the broader issues of extreme poverty and corruption.
The Ambassador challenged Parliament to continue to pass
legislation to meet the international human rights standards
that it has already committed to by treaty.

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PARAMOUNT CHIEFS AND POLICE CRITICIZE REPORT
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5. (U) The representative from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP)
and the Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs
criticized the report saying it was inaccurate and biased.
The SLP representative attacked the report for the manner in
which portrayed the SLP as unprofessional and with no
observance of the rule of law. He complained that, although
the report insinuated that police malfeasance was treated
with impunity, the report highlighted instances where
appropriate action was taken by the Complaints, Discipline
and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) against
members of the organization for misconduct. He said that this
was misleading and contradictory.


6. (SBU) The Paramount Chief representative was critical of
the report for it representation of certain aspects of
traditional laws as violations of human rights. He said that
people misunderstood that forced initiation and restrictions
on the right of association were parts of the mode of
operation of traditional society (Note: This was taken as a

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defense of FGM). He emphasized that it was important for
traditional leaders to support and uphold the authority of
the central government.

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CIVIL SOCIETY APPLAUDS REPORT
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7. (SBU) Most civil society members in attendance commended
the report for heightening awareness and understanding of
human rights and for raising important issues including women
and children's rights, forced early marriage, and political
intimidation. Many speakers took the opportunity to criticize
the GOSL and the Parliament for an apparent reluctance to
pass critical legislation on child and gender rights.
(Comment: Currently, both sets of legislation are stalled;
the Child Rights legislation in committee in the Parliament
and the three gender bills are still with the Attorney
General's office. Although President Kabbah has authorized a
certificate of urgency to force a parliamentary vote to
expedite legislation, there is speculation that Parliament
will not pass the legislation before it dissolves on June 25.
End Comment)


8. (SBU) A few speakers felt the report failed to adequately
address housing rights, environmental rights, rights for
people with disabilities, and human rights violations in the
mining sector. They encouraged the Embassy to expand the
report in these areas.

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NHRC TO DRAFT OWN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
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9. (SBU) The day long meeting also introduced the members of
the recently installed National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC),an independent body recommended by the Truth and
Reconciliation. In her keynote address, Dr. Jamesina King,
the newly elected NHRC chairperson, expressed concern about
the challenges the NHRC has encountered since it was
officially appointed in December. King noted the NHRC's
financial difficulties of trying to secure funding to make it
fully operational. So far, UNIOSIL has provided training and
support, such as temporary office space, for NHRC members,
and a plan has been drawn up to use Peace Building Funds for
start up costs. While the GOSL has provided limited financial
support, the Commissioners still had not been paid and
approval of the five commissioners' salaries was still
pending before the Ministry of Finance.


10. (U) King said that the NHRC intends to write its own
human rights report by December 2007. Seminar participants
held a discussion towards the end of the session to solicit
input on what issues stakeholders believe the report should
address. Ideas included building SLP capacity, addressing
youth unemployment and poverty, and conducting
awareness-building seminars.

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VICE PRESIDENT RESPONDS TO REPORT
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11. (C) In a previous, separate meeting with the Ambassador,
Vice President Berewa said he had read the HRR and had some
objections. Although he agreed with certain areas, he felt
that the Embassy's description of prison conditions, land
ownership issues and criminal libel laws was inaccurate. He
pledged the GOSL's commitment to improve on human rights
failings, but urged the Embassy to share incidents with the
GOSL instead of just reporting them. He explained, "We are
answerable to what is in the report" and "the facts are
correct, but it is the way they are painted that matters."
The Ambassador expressed his appreciation for GOSL concern.
He noted that Sierra Leone came out well in the report
compared to other countries and encouraged Berewa to convey
the GOSL's views on the weaknesses of the report more
formally so that the Embassy can re-examine them as it
prepares the next report.

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COMMENT
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12. (C) As was noted during the seminar, this year's report
showed that the GOSL is making progress addressing human
rights abuses in Sierra Leone. It also is encouraging that
the report appears to be widely-read by stakeholders thanks
to targeted distribution. Marked improvements during the year
included the launching of the National Human Rights

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Commission, continuing capacity building among the ranks of
the Sierra Leone Police and ongoing support for the TIP
National Task Force to combat Trafficking in Persons.
However, Sierra Leone continues to struggle mightily under
the weight of capacity issues, poverty, corruption, and
strong traditional values resistant to outside pressure to
conform to international human rights standards. The NHRC's
announcement of its intent to produce its own human rights
report and the valuable work of the Parliamentary Committee
on Human Rights are encouraging signs and will continue to
boost dialogue on human rights in Sierra Leone. END COMMENT.
HULL