OCTOBER POLITICAL ROUND-UP - FREETOWN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000434 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W (JHUNTER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SL SUBJECT: OCTOBER POLITICAL ROUND-UP - FREETOWN REF: FREETOWN 392 Classified By: Political/Economic Officer for reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (U) Summary: October highlights include an investigation into acts of political violence and intolerance, concern over the Bankole Thompson Commission of Inquiry report on the March riots, intra-party tensions, and new commercial interest in Sierra Leone from the Iranians. The country hosted a Brazilian delegation, and hopes to improve its fisheries sector through help from the World Bank and the possible termination of the EU ban on Sierra Leonean fishing exports. End Summary. -------------- POLITICAL VIOLENCE INVESTIGATED -------------- ¶2. (U) President Koroma established an Independent Review Commission to establish the facts relating to incidents of political violence and intolerance that occurred during the month of March 2009 in Gendema (Pujehun District),Freetown (Western Urban) and Kenema (Kenema District). The committee will determine the roles and responsibilities of political parties, law enforcement agencies or any other persons or groups in inciting or carrying out acts of violence. The committee will also recommend measures to be taken and mechanisms to be put in place to effectively prevent the occurrence of any such incidence in the future. -------------- - POLICE DENIED SLPP WOMEN PERMIT TO DEMONSTRATE -------------- - ¶3. (C) The Women's wing of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) application to the Inspector General of police for permission to stage a peaceful demonstration on October 6 was denied. The wing planned to protest the Bankole Thompson Commission of Inquiry report, which determined that the charges of rape related to the March political riots at SLPP headquarters were untenable in law (reftel). The police reportedly refused the request because of other events taking place in the area that day, but the SLPP claimed that it was a deliberate APC conspiracy to prevent their voices from being heard. The demonstrations were intended to be carried out in the four regional headquarters towns, to urge the government and the international community to ensure justice for victims of the March 2009 rape incident. Comment: The delayed SLPP response to the report was vitriolic and inaccurate. For example, the SLPP stated that the Commission stated categorically that rapes did not occur on March 16, though the report only said that charges of rape were untenable in law - likely because neither the victims nor witnesses could identify the alleged perpetrators, the evidence was scant and contradictory, and the current rape law provides no latitude with which to prosecute individuals who encourage or support others to commit acts of sexual assault. The SLPP claim to have the interests of all rape victims at heart, but have politicized this report so much that they have failed to accurately criticize real issues of concern: for example, the report said that charges of rape could not be proven in a court of law, but did not state that this does not mean that rapes did not take place. Some legal advocates for gender-based violence victims worry that the report relied too heavily on medical evidence, which is unsophisticated in this country, and that future cases could be thrown out of court if medical evidence presented is inconclusive. While the APC government has seemingly buried the Commission's suggestion to continue the police investigation and potentially prosecute individuals under different laws, the SLPP have buried meaningful issues in their attempt to demonstrate that the Commission's determinations are a result of a political conspiracy against them. Both parties have lost their opportunity to use this case as a means to add meaningfully to the discourse surrounding gender-based violence that needs to be had in this country. End Comment. -------------- IRANIAN TRADE FAIR IN FREETOWN -------------- ¶4. (C) On October 18 the ARIAN Trade and Investment Group started a three-week trade exhibition in Freetown. The Manager of ARIAN Trade and Investment Group said his 19-man delegation from Iran brought more than ten exhibition goods to organize the trade fair. Dr. Mofidi said Sierra Leone is an ideal investment destination, but advised that the country needs to partner with international businesses in order to increase its exports. He said an Iranian delegation will shortly visit Sierra Leone to help develop plans for the FREETOWN 00000434 002 OF 002 setting up of a variety of industries. Comment: The Iranian focus in Sierra Leone has largely been cultural and spiritually-oriented to date: post is unaware of any Iranian-owned businesses currently operating in the country, or Iranian investors. This visit signifies a potential change in the bilateral relationship between Iran and Sierra Leone. End Comment. -------------- SLPP GRIPPED BY CONSTITUTIONAL IMBROGLIO -------------- ¶5. (C) Following their loss in the 2007 Presidential election, the SLPP decided to re-energize the party by revising its constitution. The revised draft, now publicly available, stipulates that members of the national executive are ineligible to contest for the position of Presidential or Vice Presidential Nominee. It also gives enormous power to the Executive, including over candidates and elected officials. There is now a call by Dr. Abass Bundu (former foreign minister, former Executive Secretary ECOWAS, Constitutional lawyer, consultant and leader and presidential candidate of the now defunct Peoples Progressive Party) for the revised constitution to be handed over to the Political Party Registration Commission PPRC to prevent current party leadership from tampering with it. Dr. Bundu has threatened to sue the party if it fails to submit the revised constitution to the PPRC. National Party Chair John Benjamin accused Bundu of mischief, calling the threat "most unfortunate." The Deputy National Chairman said the Party will not submit the revised constitution to the PPRC because the process by which it was adopted was "flawed." Discussions about how to revise the constitution continue. Comment: Some within the SLPP fear that Benjamin will keep the current constitution to enable himself to stand as the presidential candidate in 2012. Though Benjamin has claimed in media reports to be uninterested in the position, his failure to move the revised constitution suggests otherwise. The SLPP has been wracked with in-fighting in recent months, despite gaining new members from the still-dissolving PMDC party. Benjamin has proven to be an unpopular and ineffective leader for the floundering party. End Comment. -------------- BILATERAL RELATIONS -------------- ¶6. (U) Ambassador Bockarie Stevens signed a 15 million dollar agreement to support the Sierra Leonean fishing industry on October 2. Ambassador Stevens signed the loan agreement with the World Banks, International Development Association (IDA),which will strengthen the capacity of the government to target certain economic threats, like illegal fishing, while increasing the local value-added to fish products. The funding was approved under the West Africa Regional Fisheries Program. ¶7. (U) The government hosted a delegation from Brazil on the 14th and 15th October in Freetown. This followed President Koroma's State Visit to Brazil at the invitation of President Lula in August 2009. During that visit, both presidents committed themselves to strengthening the economic cooperation and diplomatic ties between the two countries, including the establishment of resident missions in both countries and promoting investment by Brazilian firms in the Sierra Leonean economy. The 22-member delegation was led by Brazil's Vice Minister of Commerce, Ivan Joao Ramalho, and included officials from both the government and private sector. The delegation engaged public and private sector officials in the country with special interest in priority sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and health. ¶8. (U) An EU Inspection Team arrived at the end of the month to evaluate and examine whether the country's fisheries facilities meet the criteria for exporting fish and fishery products to the EU market. While speaking at a meeting on the Joint Maritime Committee (JMC),Minister Haja Afsatu Kabba said her ministry has complied with most of the EU requirements for fish exports, including water quality tests and the completion of a pre-questionnaire. She spoke about a five-year World Bank fisheries project on governance and deterring illegal fishing in Sierra Leone. Minister Kabba also commended a recent joint operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Sierra Leone Navy resulting in the capture of some illegal vessels in the country. FEDZER