VZCZCXRO6162
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHFN #0634 2951643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221643Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY FREETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1467
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS FREETOWN 000634 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SL
SUBJECT: POST ELECTION ATMOSPHERICS IN BO - SOME TENSIONS 
APPARENT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: An October 16-19 visit to Bo by Embassy 
officers provided insight in to the dynamics of local 
adjustments to the new political reality. Some conflicts 
between APC and SLPP supporters have occurred in Bo, most 
recently on October 15 when APC supporters threw stones at 
the homes of SLPP supporters. Local council members and the 
police downplayed the incidents in discussions with Emboffs, 
but conversations highlighted that communication between the 
SLPP council members and the police is weak. Local government 
officials and police officials all reaffirmed their 
commitment to the peaceful political process, but more than 
verbal commitment will be needed. The international community 
will need to stay engaged. End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) During an October 16-19 visit to Sierra Leone's 
second largest city, Bo, emboffs met with members of the city 
council, the district council, the paramount chief and a 
senior police official. The Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) 
has long dominated the councils and the paramount chief is a 
SLPP member. The loss of power by the SLPP in national 
elections has meant the local leaders are facing new 
challenges. All the officials reiterated their acceptance of 
the election results and the desire to work with the 
government of the day.  One negative development has been 
that supporters of the victorious All Peoples Congress (APC) 
have been "provoking" SLPP supporters. The day before the 
visit by emboffs, APC supporters threw stones at the homes of 
SLPP members. In separate meetings, the city council member, 
district council member and paramount chief all expressed 
concern about the stone throwing and other incidents. 
(Comment: the paramount chief campaigned openly for the SLPP 
during the elections. End comment.) When asked what action 
was being taken by city or district councils to address and 
end such incidents, the officials stated that neither the 
city council nor the district council had taken or planned 
any action. The council members expressed their hope that 
such incidents were only a passing phase and would soon fade 
away. The Paramount chief, when he learned that poloff would 
meet with the police, asked that the emboffs raise the issue 
with the police. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Emboffs later met with the Assistant Inspector 
General (AIG) of Police, the most senior police official in 
the area. The AIG confirmed that some incidents involving APC 
supporters had taken place, but he downplayed their 
significance. He reaffirmed the dedication of the police to 
be unbiased and mentioned visits by police leaders from 
Freetown to reinforce this message. He characterized the APC 
partisans involved as young men, and suggested that limited 
economic opportunities contribute to the unstable situation. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Another change in attitude is an increased interest 
in tapping the Embassy's Special Self Help fund. The 
Paramount chief has been aware of the SSH mechanism for some 
time, but no applications have been submitted from his 
office. He is now showing increased interest in the program. 
The FSN dealing with the SSH opined that now that the chief 
finds himself in the opposition, he may be more interested in 
SSH funds as there is more uncertainty surrounding funding 
from government channels. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: The request by the Paramount chief that 
Emboffs raise the question of local disturbances with the 
police makes it appear that local officials have a weak 
working relationship with the police. It is interesting that 
communication would be channeled through outsiders. This 
underlines the ongoing need for the international community 
to stay engaged in supporting democracy in Sierra Leone, if 
for no other reason than to facilitate communication between 
the players on the ground. End comment. 
 
PRATT