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DE RUEHFN #0288/01 1291545
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P 091545Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1031
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 0012

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 FREETOWN 000288 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SL
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE DISCUSSES DEPARTMENT'S 
HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 
 
 
FREETOWN 00000288  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas N. Hull for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) On April 18, the Ambassador opened a one-day 
seminar organized by Sierra Leone's Parliamentary Committee 
on Human Rights. The seminar's agenda was based on the 2006 
State Department's Country Report on Human Rights in Sierra 
Leone. Convened for the third consecutive year, most speakers 
viewed the report as accurate and fair and commended the 
Embassy for its work outlining human rights issues in Sierra 
Leone. The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and Chairman of the 
Council of Paramount Chiefs took exception, criticizing the 
report as being biased, inaccurate and unbalanced. Some 
participants felt the report did not adequately cover issues 
of housing rights, discrimination against people with 
disabilities, the death penalty, human rights abuses and 
violations in the mining sector, and the protection of 
environmental rights. Chairperson of the National Human 
Rights Commission (NHRC) Mrs. Jasmina King announced that the 
NHRC would draft a national human rights report by December 
¶2007. Stakeholders emphasized that Sierra Leone's own Human 
Rights Report should be sensitive to traditional societal 
values and customs when assessing the status of human rights 
in the country. 
 
¶2.  (U) Attendees included a cross-section of senior-level 
Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) officials, members of the 
new National Human Rights Commission, religious leaders, 
members of Parliament, political party representatives, 
paramount chiefs, international organization (IO) 
representatives, media representatives, and other civil 
society stakeholders. END SUMMARY. 
 
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AMBASSADOR ADDRESSES HUMAN RIGHTS SEMINAR 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) On April 18, the Ambassador, DCM, and PolOff attended 
a one-day consultative meeting organized by the Parliamentary 
Committee on Human Rights to review the 2006 U.S. Department 
of State's Country Report on Human Rights in Sierra Leone. 
This is the third consecutive year that Chairman of the 
Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Dr. Alusine Fofanah 
has organized this event. Dr. Fofanah commended the Embassy 
for the report. He explained that he was first struck with 
the idea to hold a human rights seminar after he received a 
copy of the 2004 U.S. Department of State Human Rights report 
from Ambassador Hull. 
 
¶4.  (U) In his opening speech, the Ambassador said, that 
while there is increasing respect for human rights in Sierra 
Leone, many obstacles remain before human rights will be 
fully protected. He emphasized human rights abuses in Sierra 
Leone are not systemic and, compared to many other African 
nations, Sierra Leone's record is quite good. However, he 
noted that many problems still exist, which reflect partly 
the lack of sufficient resources and capacity constraints, as 
well as the broader issues of extreme poverty and corruption. 
The Ambassador challenged Parliament to continue to pass 
legislation to meet the international human rights standards 
that it has already committed to by treaty. 
 
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PARAMOUNT CHIEFS AND POLICE CRITICIZE REPORT 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The representative from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) 
and the Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs 
criticized the report saying it was inaccurate and biased. 
The SLP representative attacked the report for the manner in 
which portrayed the SLP as unprofessional and with no 
observance of the rule of law. He complained that, although 
the report insinuated that police malfeasance was treated 
with impunity, the report highlighted instances where 
appropriate action was taken by the Complaints, Discipline 
and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) against 
members of the organization for misconduct. He said that this 
was misleading and contradictory. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The Paramount Chief representative was critical of 
the report for it representation of certain aspects of 
traditional laws as violations of human rights. He said that 
people misunderstood that forced initiation and restrictions 
on the right of association were parts of the mode of 
operation of traditional society (Note: This was taken as a 
 
FREETOWN 00000288  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
defense of FGM). He emphasized that it was important for 
traditional leaders to support and uphold the authority of 
the central government. 
 
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CIVIL SOCIETY APPLAUDS REPORT 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Most civil society members in attendance commended 
the report for heightening awareness and understanding of 
human rights and for raising important issues including women 
and children's rights, forced early marriage, and political 
intimidation. Many speakers took the opportunity to criticize 
the GOSL and the Parliament for an apparent reluctance to 
pass critical legislation on child and gender rights. 
(Comment: Currently, both sets of legislation are stalled; 
the Child Rights legislation in committee in the Parliament 
and the three gender bills are still with the Attorney 
General's office. Although President Kabbah has authorized a 
certificate of urgency to force a parliamentary vote to 
expedite legislation, there is speculation that Parliament 
will not pass the legislation before it dissolves on June 25. 
End Comment) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) A few speakers felt the report failed to adequately 
address housing rights, environmental rights, rights for 
people with disabilities, and human rights violations in the 
mining sector. They encouraged the Embassy to expand the 
report in these areas. 
 
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NHRC TO DRAFT OWN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The day long meeting also introduced the members of 
the recently installed National Human Rights Commission 
(NHRC), an independent body recommended by the Truth and 
Reconciliation. In her keynote address, Dr. Jamesina King, 
the newly elected NHRC chairperson, expressed concern about 
the challenges the NHRC has encountered since it was 
officially appointed in December. King noted the NHRC's 
financial difficulties of trying to secure funding to make it 
fully operational. So far, UNIOSIL has provided training and 
support, such as temporary office space, for NHRC members, 
and a plan has been drawn up to use Peace Building Funds for 
start up costs. While the GOSL has provided limited financial 
support, the Commissioners still had not been paid and 
approval of the five commissioners' salaries was still 
pending before the Ministry of Finance. 
 
¶10.  (U) King said that the NHRC intends to write its own 
human rights report by December 2007. Seminar participants 
held a discussion towards the end of the session to solicit 
input on what issues stakeholders believe the report should 
address. Ideas included building SLP capacity, addressing 
youth unemployment and poverty, and conducting 
awareness-building seminars. 
 
--------------------------------- 
VICE PRESIDENT RESPONDS TO REPORT 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (C) In a previous, separate meeting with the Ambassador, 
Vice President Berewa said he had read the HRR and had some 
objections. Although he agreed with certain areas, he felt 
that the Embassy's description of prison conditions, land 
ownership issues and criminal libel laws was inaccurate. He 
pledged the GOSL's commitment to improve on human rights 
failings, but urged the Embassy to share incidents with the 
GOSL instead of just reporting them. He explained, "We are 
answerable to what is in the report" and "the facts are 
correct, but it is the way they are painted that matters." 
The Ambassador expressed his appreciation for GOSL concern. 
He noted that Sierra Leone came out well in the report 
compared to other countries and encouraged Berewa to convey 
the GOSL's views on the weaknesses of the report more 
formally so that the Embassy can re-examine them as it 
prepares the next report. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶12.  (C) As was noted during the seminar, this year's report 
showed that the GOSL is making progress addressing human 
rights abuses in Sierra Leone. It also is encouraging that 
the report appears to be widely-read by stakeholders thanks 
to targeted distribution. Marked improvements during the year 
included the launching of the National Human Rights 
 
FREETOWN 00000288  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
Commission, continuing capacity building among the ranks of 
the Sierra Leone Police and ongoing support for the TIP 
National Task Force to combat Trafficking in Persons. 
However, Sierra Leone continues to struggle mightily under 
the weight of capacity issues, poverty, corruption, and 
strong traditional values resistant to outside pressure to 
conform to international human rights standards. The NHRC's 
announcement of its intent to produce its own human rights 
report and the valuable work of the Parliamentary Committee 
on Human Rights are encouraging signs and will continue to 
boost dialogue on human rights in Sierra Leone. END COMMENT. 
HULL