By Amin Kef Sesay
In a National Electoral Commission (NEC) Press Release dated 26th March, 2021 it was indicated that the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC) is an engagement forum created by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to bring together Political Parties, Democratic Institutions, Civil Society and the Security to discuss and address matters related to the conduct of all public elections in Sierra Leone.
It furthered that under the auspices of the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PPLC), seven (7) political parties have committed themselves to a more peaceful Sierra Leone that will not take recourse to war anymore in resolving its challenges and differences.
Also mentioned in the Release was that those commitments were succinctly expressed in the Conference Hall of NEC at Tower Hill in Freetown on the 24th March, 2021, during a PPLC meeting that brings together political parties and key governance institutions of State and non-state actors on a fortnightly basis.
It was additionally stated that the PPLC wants the public to know that such laudable commitments were made as part of the 30th Anniversary commemoration since the first gunshot starting the civil war was heard at Bomaru, Kailahun District, Eastern Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, PPLC wants it to be known that before such commitments of remarkable significance were made, a moment of silence was observed in honour of those who died during the eleven (11) years of civil war that engulfed the nation between 1991 and 2002.
Moreover, PPLC said it is pleased and enthused with the fact that it was the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) that took the lead in making its unflinching commitment to maintaining and sustaining the peace in the country whilst describing the party as being law-abiding, a situation that is considered as the sine qua non for inclusive and sustainable national development.
Also highlighted was that as far as the PPLC is concerned, the statements from the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party and the Sierra Peoples Party (SLPP) to foster political tolerance and peaceful co-existence in the country are considered as the way to go in ensuring a more united and cohesive Sierra Leone.
PPLC went further to state that it is pleased with the commitments of the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP), the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Party, the National Unity and Reconciliation Party (NURP), and the Peoples Liberation Party (PLP) to the peace and stability of the nation.
Also, the PPLC maintained that it is desirous to see those commitments expressed by these political parties translated into objective reality in the overall governance of the State and cascaded to every community within the length and breadth of the land for maximum impact in all sectors.
According to NEC, in view of those strong commitments made so far by the political parties present at the Wednesday, March 24, 2021, meeting in the Conference Hall of NEC, the PPLC is calling on the other parties to make similar commitments in a public manner as the peace and development of the nation are treated as utmost priorities.
The Press Release was endorsed by the: Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP),All Peoples Congress (APC), Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Citizens Democratic Party (CDP),National Democratic Alliance (NDA), National Unity Reconciliation Party (NURP) and the Peace and Liberation Party(PLP).
It was witnessed by the :The National Electoral Commission (NEC), the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), the National Commission for Democracy (NCD), the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the National Election Watch (NEW).
