PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, 26 March 2021
As a right based organization, we have noticed and documented with keen interest an audio making rounds on social media about a bigotry proclamation made by the sitting Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Mrs. Yvonne Aki Sawyer, which contravenes Chapter 3 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone which states that “Whereas every person in Sierra Leone is entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, has the right, whatever his race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, color, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and the public interest, to each and all of the following…”
Sierra Leone is a nation founded on principles of Unity, Freedom, and Justice for all. We treasure our freedom, our commitment to equality, and our democratic values. These are the values that we have enjoyed as a nation for the past 60 years.
Individual Sierra Leoneans can, and often do, agree to disagree with each other on issues of national concern either small or large. Differences should be respected, and our freedom of speech and other rights enshrined in Chapter 3 of the 1991 Constitution are among our most cherished freedoms in Sierra Leone.
Our diverse and pluralistic nation has endured and thrived for decades because we have been able to reject the forces of tribalism and bigotry that could tear us apart. The country has a long history of striving to be more united. In the face of challenges and division, we have stood together for the past 60 or more years, though we are a country with people of different cultural orientation, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, and political persuasions, but nonetheless, we have found ways to move forward as a nation.
On this end, we are calling on the Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Mrs. Yvonne Aki Sawyer, to publicly apologize to the people of Sierra Leone and must continue to be the beacon of inclusion, tolerance, and respect for all. We encourage her to create stronger cultures for kindness and compassion in our communities and expect the central government and development partners to join us in this endeavor.
NMDHR’s mission is to promote human rights and governance issues through training, dialogue, advocacy, lobby, and campaigns to change the mindset of the people and increase people’s participation in governance so that development and peace can take place.
– Abdul Karim Habib, Executive Director, NMDHR