SLPP & APC Denounce Violence
The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All Peoples Congress (APC), Sierra Leone’s two major political parties, have expressed deep concern over the rising tensions in political discourse both within Sierra Leone and among diaspora communities.
In response to this, they have jointly committed to the Agreement for National Unity, a landmark accord aimed at addressing these challenges.
The Agreement for National Unity seeks to peacefully and respectfully resolve political differences, strengthen democratic institutions, resume regular cross-party dialogue, and unite Sierra Leoneans across all divides.
Both parties support free speech and freedom of the press as fundamental rights that uphold democracy but emphasize that these rights come with responsibilities.
They believe that free speech should not be used to incite violence, individuals should not be disparaged based on ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, or political affiliation, and hatred against any ethnic or religious group must not be spread.
The SLPP and APC are gravely concerned about recent instances of hate speech by political commentators in Sierra Leone and abroad and call on all Sierra Leoneans to reject hate speech. They support the investigation and prosecution of individuals who incite violence under Sierra Leonean law and urge international partners to support their efforts to ensure justice is served fairly and thoroughly.
