By Hassan Yasims
One Abubakarr Barrie, a lead Human Rights Activists and Youth Campaigner on harmful drugs is currently on the run for his life.
The disappearance of Abubakarr Barrie was due to his community engagements to sensitize people on various aspects of human rights and on drugs abuse.
Abubakarr Barrie is a popular human rights activist particular in Freetown and Sierra Leone in general, leading on a number of issues affecting the society and the well-being of youth, particularly ghetto youth and the rights of the marginalized.
Abubakarr is currently faced with serious death threats by a set of young people who alleged that Barrie is an agent of the Western culture trying to impose or sensitize communities on the rights of the LGTB/Homosexuality which according to many community members can never be tolerated in their communities. Also according to some people who alleged that Barrie is an agent of the 2018 defeated All People’s Congress (APC) political party now main opposition party in the country from which he had collected a weeping sum to bring them over.
These young people who are apparently supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) said they are ready to do anything humanly possible to keep their party in governance.
Sierra Leone is a widely divided nation when it comes to politics especially now that the local council elections and multitier-elections are fast approaching.
According to some of them, their life-style and livelihood hinged on drugs as politicians most often hire their services and so they cannot compromise with anybody trying to destroy that opportunity. The history of Human Rights defenders facing various challenges or threats to them and their families while doing their work is something the government is slow to address.
