Freetown, Sierra Leone: The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law – Sierra Leone (CARL-SL) today applauded efforts by a combined team of local and international lawyers led by Karim Khan QC, Dato’ Shyamala Alagendra and Mr. Ibrahim Sorie Yillah to ensure justice and accountability for violations committed by forces of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Sierra Leone. On June 22, 2018 the team filed an application with the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone under Section 28 of the Constitution against the Government of Sierra Leone seeking redress for violations of the constitutional rights of 9 Sierra Leoneans who are also the plaintiffs in this suit. The application relates to alleged abuses by ECOMOG Forces committed against the civilian population of Sierra Leone in 1999. This is an action by Sierra Leoneans against the Government of Sierra Leone – not the Republic of Nigeria – for the violation of their rights guaranteed under the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
“This is a truly remarkable effort to address the impunity gap that still exists for years of human rights violations during the war years in Sierra Leone. The plaintiffs, including rape and torture victims and mothers of civilians who were summarily executed, have waited for nearly 20 years to see the first genuine effort aimed at giving them a sense of closure. I am truly happy for them but at the same time excited that this matter will be heard by the highest court in Sierra Leone”.
CARL commends the bravery and determination of the plaintiffs to seek justice and is fully confident that justice will be done by them. We further call for full-scale accountability process in relation to breaches of human rights and fundamental freedoms committed against the civilian population in that period. It should be noted that notwithstanding the mandate and operation of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, crimes committed by the Nigerian armed troops and ECOMOG forces have never been subjected to any international, regional or national investigation in Sierra Leone or Nigeria, despite the fact that these were repeatedly promised.
Accordingly, CARL unreservedly supports the litigation filed against the Government of Sierra Leone and expresses its firm view that the impunity gap that has continued for almost 20 years be finally ended. This is all that the plaintiffs demand of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone.
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