Tejan Kabbah, the president of Sierra Leone has threatened to impose a state of emergency due to extreme violence between rival parties in the current national election. Presently, supporters of two rival parties have been fighting for two days.
President Kabba’s warning came as the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) issued a statement citing that supporters of the leading opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC), had “brutally assaulted” SLPP supporters.
A statement by the APC said, “We all must, as a matter of duty, stop those who are threatening the state with brutal and murderous war and genocide.”
The rising threats make President Kabbah fear that election violence will cause civil unrest and chaos. Kabbah stated, “All those responsible for the violence and lawlessness should be prepared for the consequences.”
In Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, police had to use tear gas to end rioting between rival supporters who clashed on the streets on Sunday and Monday. Furthermore, in the diamond-rich town of Kono, several people were injured when police used tear gas in that region.
For more information, please see:
“Sierra Leone: President Threatens to Declare Emergency.” 28 August 2007. Allafrica.com http://allafrica.com/stories/200708280582.html
“Sierra Leone President threatens to impose state of emergency.” International Herald Tribune. 28 August 2007. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/08/28/africa/AF-POL-Sierra-Leone.php
“Emergency threat in Sierra Leone.” 28 August 2007. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6966339.stm
