SIERRA LEONE: ACTIVISTS FOR DEMOCRACY AND

UNCLAS FREETOWN 000215 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DRL/SEA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL SL SUBJECT: SIERRA LEONE: ACTIVISTS FOR DEMOCRACY AND DISSIDENTS OUTREACH REF: STATE 44903 ¶1. The Chief of Mission, working closely with the embassy team, is pleased to report significant progress in efforts to achieve the President's Freedom Agenda. As reported recently in the 2007 Human Rights Report, the Advancing Democracy and Freedom Report, and the Advancing Democratic Values Act Strategy Paper, Sierra Leone is currently enjoying relative stability following a transparent, democratic, and peaceful national election in 2007. While there are no known dissidents living in exile or seeking asylum here, the cadre of democracy and human rights activists is growing regularly. Both the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission have made continual outreach efforts through meetings and/or speeches before members of various non-governmental and international organizations, as well as Members of Parliament, Government of Sierra Leone representatives, and members of the press corps. Mission team members seize upon every opportunity to discuss democratic principles and human rights issues. ¶2. The political/human rights officer is responsible for examining human rights in Sierra Leone and has done an exhaustive job in researching various issues and conducting regular outreach with organizations. Since January, poloff has had in-depth discussions with a number of organizations, including: Faith Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons; International Rescue Committee; Center for Victims of Torture; Alert International; International Organization for Migration; 50/50 Club; Talking Drum Studio; Peace Volunteers Corps; American Bar Association; CARE International; Center for Safe Motherhood Youth and Child Organization; Defense for Children International; Search for Common Ground; Katanya Women's Development Association; National Democratic Institute; Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance; and Youth for Human Rights International. Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, and poloff have met with representatives from relevant international organizations as well, including UNICEF, UNDP, and ICRC. The poloff also closely monitors the activities of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, which is setting an international precedent for bringing some of the most heinous human rights offenders in recent history to judgment in the country where the abuses took place. ¶3. One important element of post's strategy to support democracy and human rights in Sierra Leone is through the Ambassador's Democracy and Human Rights Fund, which currently supports 5 active projects and will potentially award 6 more in the coming months following a vetting process of 25 proposals. Ambassador has visited several DHRF projects, including a prisoner visitation program operated by Prison Watch and Sierra Leone's court monitoring program. ¶4. Embassy Freetown is strongly committed to supporting strengthened democracy and human rights. Although this is a generally tolerant society where activists are seldom harassed, there is a need to encourage all citizens, particularly women, to be vocal about the critical issues affecting them and their communities. The Ambassador's consistent message regarding the need for a strong and independent civil society, as well as a transparent governance system, is advancing the further entrenchment of democratic principles and support for universal human rights in Sierra Leone. PERRY