By- Aruna Rashed Toma Bangura
An American based institution, the National Democratic Institution has in their press release expressed their deepest regret over Sierra Leoneans who organized themselves to observe their just concluded 24th June three-tier under the umbrella body of the National Elections Watch (NEW) that have been subjected to harassment, intimidation and personal attacks by some members of the public.
According to the press release, the institution noted that the United Nations Special Rapporteurs consider election observers including staff of the National Elections Watch as human right defenders and therefore should be accorded the same protection under the confines of the law, same as other human right defenders, adding that the United Nations Special Rapporteurs admonished Member States to take all essential steps towards establishing conditions that allow external and internal election observers to effectively do their work and protecting them from all forms of violence, threats and retaliation as a result of their legitimate exercise of their rights and freedoms.
The release furthered that based on the institution’s global experience and drawing from best practices from other African countries that adhere to open election data principles, the NDI agreed with recommendations made by the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM), the Carter Center, NEW and others by calling on the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone to release polling station level results to the public. The release added that publishing the results would enhance transparency and accountability which is key for public confidence and trust in the declared outcome of the polls.
The release continued that the America based Democratic institute is calling on the leadership, members and supporters of the main political party, the Sierra Leone People’s party (SLPP) and the All Peoples Congress party (APC) as well as other political parties to refrain from actions and declarations that can polarize the Sierra Leonean society and to take concrete steps towards safeguarding the country’s peace and democracy.