By Foday Moriba Conteh
At least four people, including a teenager, were killed and 10 wounded when police and soldiers opened fire on protesters in Makeni, a health official and witnesses stated.
Hundreds gathered on that rainy day to try to block the movement of a power generator to another town, fearing it would jeopardize the area’s electricity supply, five witnesses said.
When protesters began throwing rocks, the authorities opened fire, said Matthew Kanu, a department head at the University of Makeni. “They began by firing into the sky and people started running away … but after that, when people kept throwing stones, they started shooting into the people,” he said.
A police spokesman did not immediately comment. An army spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement late on Saturday, the Government said it was aware of a “potential loss of life”, without providing details.
It said that any attempt to undermine public peace would be met with “the fullest force of the law.” The youngest among the dead was a 15-year-old schoolboy who died shortly after arriving at Makeni’s main hospital, said the city’s Medical Superintendent, Mohamed Sheku.
Ten others were admitted to hospital with bullet wounds, four of whom were in critical condition as of Saturday night, he said.
“It was complete chaos all day. We were afraid that if we left we’d get caught in the crossfire,” Sheku further informed.
“Many hospital staff haven’t come into work because they’re afraid of things flaring up again outside.”
Reacting to the incident, the 2018 Presidential Flagbearer of the All People’s Congress (APC) party, Dr. Samura Kamara in a press statement condemned the use of live rounds by security forces when dealing with community protests.
He maintained in no uncertain terms that he condemns violence in all its forms promising to call on the youths and security forces for calm to return. Dr. Samura extended condolences to the families that have lost loved ones and prayed that the Lord/Allah will give them comfort and their lost ones a perfect and peaceful rest.
He stated further that there was failure on the part of the authorities to properly engage the community, particularly the youths on the proposed removal of the generator from their community. The politician said the removal and relocation of public utility from one locality to another has always proved very controversial and fraught with problems, maintaining how that is not unique to Makeni.
He made reference to communities in Kono and Kissy Teng in the past two years when they tried to prevent the relocation of power generators from their communities and in both instances the authorities stepped back and reengaged those communities to resolve the disagreement peacefully. Dr. Samura then asked rhetorically: Why was the same approach not employed in Makeni?
“From all indications, the use of live rounds by security forces that led to the killing of a number of our young people in Makeni was unreasonable, unjustified and highly regrettable ‘The
shoot to kill’ policy which the security forces have adopted lately to deal with community protests particularly in the North and Western area is disturbing and should be of grave concern to the political leadership of the country. From Tonko Limba to Mile 91, Port Loko, Lunsar, Tombo, Pademba Road Prison, Grafton and now Makeni City, we have seen the unnecessary and unreasonable use of lethal force that has led to the loss of scores of lives mostly youths who are the future of our country,” he lambasted.
Dr. Samura Kamara called for an immediate independent and impartial public inquiry into the protests that led to the killing by security forces of youthful lives in Makeni and elsewhere. According to him such will enable us as a country to learn from past mistakes and ensure never again the wanton killing of citizens by those whose duty is to protect them.
Sierra Leone’s power generation capacity falls far short of the needs of its 7 million citizens. Prolonged blackouts are common even in the capital and urban areas, and area a source of frustration for the population.
