Opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party has lodged formal complaint with the British government, UN, African Union and the Commonwealth following closure by the ruling All Peoples Congress government of its Unity Radio station in central Freetown .
Meanwhile, chairperson of the independent media commission Mrs Bernadette Cole has expressed hope for a peaceful resolve ahead of today's high-level meeting summoned by Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana to broker peace between parties to the conflict.
Written by the SLPP UK and Ireland branch, the letter dated May 11, 2008 and addressed to Rt. Honourable David Milliband MP, Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London , has described moves by the ministry of information and communications as a “threat to democracy in Sierra Leone .”
“I wish to draw your attention to worrying signals pointing to a threat to the nascent democratic gains made in Sierra Leone, gains that have been possible thanks to a very large measure to the support by the British government,” it stated.”
So far secretary general of APC Victor Bockarie Foh has declined to comment on the issue but a press release from the ministry said the SLPP Radio did not go through the right procedures in terms of registration and that the ministry was not legally informed with regards the operations of the radio.
It also claimed that the SLPP Radio went ahead to install an antenna across other antennas at Leicester Peak using private engineers without the knowledge of the ministry of information.
"The installation of the said antenna caused disruptions in the transmissions of existing radio stations. These radio stations filed official complaints to the ministry of information, which caused Government to intervene," it said.
However, Harold B. Saffa, chairman of SLPP UK and Ireland branch recalled how his party lost in the controversial 2007 general election and observed that: “Whilst the SLPP had great reservations regarding the conduct of those elections especially the role played by the Chief Electoral Commissioner, the SLPP nevertheless acquiesced to the results principally because we wanted to maintain our hard-won peace and stability.”
He argued that it was a matter of regret that since the APC's assumption of power in Sierra Leone there has been systematic and calculated harassment and intimidation of supporters and sympathisers of the opposition SLPP.
“The APC government has now decided to take its political intolerance further by closing down the SLPP radio station.
“We view this with the utmost seriousness as it is a calculated attempt to muzzle the Opposition and render it ineffectual. During their years in opposition the APC operated their radio station which they used to a great effect to propagate their messages to their supporters without hindrance; the SLPP deserves no less.”
