Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08FREETOWN300
2008-06-20 12:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Freetown
Cable title:
ELECTORAL PRESSURE BEGINS IN SIERRA LEONE
how-toVZCZCXRO4255 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHFN #0300/01 1721253 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201253Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1998 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000300
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2018
TAGS: KDEM KWMM PGOV SL
SUBJECT: ELECTORAL PRESSURE BEGINS IN SIERRA LEONE
Classified By: AMBASSADOR PERRY REASONS 1.4 B/D
(C) Summary: Rumors and news reports of candidate harassment
prior to Sierra Leone's July 5 local elections appear
accurate. USG, UN and NDI employees met with female
candidates in the country's Northeastern region where they
heard reports of intimidation from several female candidates.
Disturbing threats of house burning and personal attacks by
the country's Vice President or his henchman in the ruling
All Peoples Congress, (APC) gives pause to the government's
stated objection of equity and democracy. There were also
reports that former Vice President Berewa's car was attacked
by youth. Strategic action by the international community is
under way by the U.S. and UK Chiefs of Mission as well as by
the UN's Special Representative. The independent Political
Party's Registration Commission (PPRC) held a June 19 press
conference condemning the incidents and called for peaceful
elections. Ambassador Perry met with Vice President Summana
June 19 to protest the treatment of candidates and urged the
GoSL to speak out. What is so far lacking is government
leadership from the top to quell the tensions. END OF SUMMARY
--------------
Candidate Intimidation in Kono
--------------
2.(C) Following a spate of newspaper reports of candidate
harassment, NDI's team leader gave post's USAID contractor a
heads up late June 15 that a scheduled women's debate the
next day could be accompanied by threats or retaliatory
action directed at participants. Embassy, NOI and UN
representatives traveled to the Northern section of Kono June
16 to show visible international support for the female
candidates. They were told that current GoSL Vice President
Samuel Sam Summana, who has ties to Kono, had been in the
region over the weekend and had allegedly told his people to
threaten independent female candidates with rape, house
burning, and killing of family members. Also threatened were
paramount chiefs who were ordered to abandon their allegiance
to the ousted Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) or lose their
authority. The women also related that the sister of Sierra
Leone's First Lady, who comes from Kono, issued threats as
well.
3. (C) The presence of foreign observers encouraged women to
go through with the broadcast debate. However, fear of
retaliation kept the women from returning to their homes late
in the day. Most disturbing are the repeated reports of the
Vice President's involvement in this district that faced
violence during the 2007 National Elections. The Vice
President denied such involvement in June 19 discussions with
Ambassador Perry, said he supported "the rule of lawa" and
that he would have the Sierra Leonean Police follow up on the
reported cases.
--------------
Planning a Strategy to Diffuse Tensions
--------------
4. (C) To begin mapping out a strategy to urge GoSL President
Koroma to take a leadership stand, Ambassador met June 17
with the UK High Commissioner. The proposed plan, discussed
with the UN's Special Representative Michael v.der
Schulenburg the same day is to have a public statement on UN
radio and in the press emphasizing peaceful and free
elections. The core donor group (U.S., UK, EC and UN) will
seek an urgent meeting with President Koroma when he is in
town. Consequently, the U.S. funded Political Parties
Registration Commission (PPRC) is working in all electoral
districts to counter act potential harassment of candidates
and to encourage them to stay in the race. The National
Electoral Commission (NEC) Chair, Christiana Thorpe is aware
of the situation and told DCM she will consider her actions
after reports from the Political Party's Registration
Commission (PPRC) which has the legal mandate to monitor the
conduct of the political parties.
--------------
PPRC Condemns Violence
--------------
5. (U) On June 19 the PPRC held a press conference to
express concern about the "confirmed reports" of the
incidents in Kono, which had been reported to them by various
sources, including written complaints from those intimidated.
The PPRC Acting Chairman Roland Ceasar emphasized the need
for a peaceful election and announced that the PPRC would be
traveling on June 20 to Kono on a fact finding mission (note:
the trip is being facilitated by UNIOSIL).
6. (U) Ceasar reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a
FREETOWN 00000300 002 OF 002
level playing field and he tasked the press to sensitize the
public to the need for a peaceful electoral process. The PPRC
press release called upon political party members "to cease
and desist from such unacceptable conduct We have come a long
way from venting our feelings through violence. The PPRC
condemns a all actions that are likely to disrupt the
peaceful conduct of the forthcoming local council elections."
While the message was generally well received, SLPP and APC
party members present clashed verbally during the question
period.
--------------
Comment
--------------
7. (C) The Kono area was the site of some violence during the
2007 National Elections. It will be critical for the current
government to speak out against intimidation and harassment.
Institutions set up to diffuse tensions, such as the PPRC
have a key role to play and it is encouraging to see that
they are speaking out. We note that the Sierra Leone Police
(SLP) Inspector General has announced that he will make a
week-long tour of the country to deliver the message that
violence will not be tolerated. This suggests that the Vice
President did follow up on our conversation as he had
promised. However, it would be helpful for the President to
step forward and make a similar public statement,
particularly to encourage his party followers to respect the
independence of all candidates and voters. The APC ran on a
platform that emphasized the Sierra Leone's need for
democratic governance and a break with the previous regime.
Adherence to those promises is essential to the GoSL's
credibility. End comment.
PERRY
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2018
TAGS: KDEM KWMM PGOV SL
SUBJECT: ELECTORAL PRESSURE BEGINS IN SIERRA LEONE
Classified By: AMBASSADOR PERRY REASONS 1.4 B/D
(C) Summary: Rumors and news reports of candidate harassment
prior to Sierra Leone's July 5 local elections appear
accurate. USG, UN and NDI employees met with female
candidates in the country's Northeastern region where they
heard reports of intimidation from several female candidates.
Disturbing threats of house burning and personal attacks by
the country's Vice President or his henchman in the ruling
All Peoples Congress, (APC) gives pause to the government's
stated objection of equity and democracy. There were also
reports that former Vice President Berewa's car was attacked
by youth. Strategic action by the international community is
under way by the U.S. and UK Chiefs of Mission as well as by
the UN's Special Representative. The independent Political
Party's Registration Commission (PPRC) held a June 19 press
conference condemning the incidents and called for peaceful
elections. Ambassador Perry met with Vice President Summana
June 19 to protest the treatment of candidates and urged the
GoSL to speak out. What is so far lacking is government
leadership from the top to quell the tensions. END OF SUMMARY
--------------
Candidate Intimidation in Kono
--------------
2.(C) Following a spate of newspaper reports of candidate
harassment, NDI's team leader gave post's USAID contractor a
heads up late June 15 that a scheduled women's debate the
next day could be accompanied by threats or retaliatory
action directed at participants. Embassy, NOI and UN
representatives traveled to the Northern section of Kono June
16 to show visible international support for the female
candidates. They were told that current GoSL Vice President
Samuel Sam Summana, who has ties to Kono, had been in the
region over the weekend and had allegedly told his people to
threaten independent female candidates with rape, house
burning, and killing of family members. Also threatened were
paramount chiefs who were ordered to abandon their allegiance
to the ousted Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) or lose their
authority. The women also related that the sister of Sierra
Leone's First Lady, who comes from Kono, issued threats as
well.
3. (C) The presence of foreign observers encouraged women to
go through with the broadcast debate. However, fear of
retaliation kept the women from returning to their homes late
in the day. Most disturbing are the repeated reports of the
Vice President's involvement in this district that faced
violence during the 2007 National Elections. The Vice
President denied such involvement in June 19 discussions with
Ambassador Perry, said he supported "the rule of lawa" and
that he would have the Sierra Leonean Police follow up on the
reported cases.
--------------
Planning a Strategy to Diffuse Tensions
--------------
4. (C) To begin mapping out a strategy to urge GoSL President
Koroma to take a leadership stand, Ambassador met June 17
with the UK High Commissioner. The proposed plan, discussed
with the UN's Special Representative Michael v.der
Schulenburg the same day is to have a public statement on UN
radio and in the press emphasizing peaceful and free
elections. The core donor group (U.S., UK, EC and UN) will
seek an urgent meeting with President Koroma when he is in
town. Consequently, the U.S. funded Political Parties
Registration Commission (PPRC) is working in all electoral
districts to counter act potential harassment of candidates
and to encourage them to stay in the race. The National
Electoral Commission (NEC) Chair, Christiana Thorpe is aware
of the situation and told DCM she will consider her actions
after reports from the Political Party's Registration
Commission (PPRC) which has the legal mandate to monitor the
conduct of the political parties.
--------------
PPRC Condemns Violence
--------------
5. (U) On June 19 the PPRC held a press conference to
express concern about the "confirmed reports" of the
incidents in Kono, which had been reported to them by various
sources, including written complaints from those intimidated.
The PPRC Acting Chairman Roland Ceasar emphasized the need
for a peaceful election and announced that the PPRC would be
traveling on June 20 to Kono on a fact finding mission (note:
the trip is being facilitated by UNIOSIL).
6. (U) Ceasar reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a
FREETOWN 00000300 002 OF 002
level playing field and he tasked the press to sensitize the
public to the need for a peaceful electoral process. The PPRC
press release called upon political party members "to cease
and desist from such unacceptable conduct We have come a long
way from venting our feelings through violence. The PPRC
condemns a all actions that are likely to disrupt the
peaceful conduct of the forthcoming local council elections."
While the message was generally well received, SLPP and APC
party members present clashed verbally during the question
period.
--------------
Comment
--------------
7. (C) The Kono area was the site of some violence during the
2007 National Elections. It will be critical for the current
government to speak out against intimidation and harassment.
Institutions set up to diffuse tensions, such as the PPRC
have a key role to play and it is encouraging to see that
they are speaking out. We note that the Sierra Leone Police
(SLP) Inspector General has announced that he will make a
week-long tour of the country to deliver the message that
violence will not be tolerated. This suggests that the Vice
President did follow up on our conversation as he had
promised. However, it would be helpful for the President to
step forward and make a similar public statement,
particularly to encourage his party followers to respect the
independence of all candidates and voters. The APC ran on a
platform that emphasized the Sierra Leone's need for
democratic governance and a break with the previous regime.
Adherence to those promises is essential to the GoSL's
credibility. End comment.
PERRY