Legal Aid Board Executibe Director Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles has reacted to wednesday’s 10 August violent protest and calls for calm and a face to face engagement.

Today is really unfortunate and disgraceful for Sierra Leone. I thought after the Special Court and the sentencing of the perpetrators who appeared before it Sierra Leone will not see this again. Imagine Police Officers, other innocent lives lost in the riots today.

No one can call what took place today as protest. It has been brewing for a long time since the elections finished and His Excellency Rtd Bragadier Bio came to power in 2018. A spade must be called a spade. When the late Solomon Berewa lost elections and the APC came to power, SLPP never gave this level of unrest. Why now.

You know everyone needs to know that Sierra Leone does not belong to any one set of people but all of us. We the people are not afraid of any lawless set of people who do not believe in the rule of law.

Today really is a sad day for all of us Sierra Leoneans as violence only beget violence. You see a Country is destroyed not because of the bad people but because the good people sit and allow bad people to take over. Those of us who are peace loving Sierra Leoneans should stand with the government.

What happened to our democracy? I thought people were responsible enough to wait for elections and cast their ballot for a Candidate of their choice. This tension is not helping this Country. No Government is perfect. All have their respective lapses. If disgruntled people really want to sort out issues of contention then a face-to-face meeting with h the government can be held.

To incite peo,ple, especially our poor Clients who are ill-informed and can never come close to the seat of power is despicable and disgusting. So if people say President Bio must go who then do they think will take the place of a democratically elected preside?t? Pls Sierra Leoneans this Country belongs to all of us and we believe in democracy. The Country is bigger than all the personal ambitions and self-aggrandisements of some politicians who are so desperate to have power please let us wait for the ballot box.

Us Peaceful Sierra Leoneans are in the majority. Let us stand with law and order, the Government, and the people of Sierra Leone. Peaceful Sierra Leoneans are simply tired. We gain. This strategy will boomerang on politicians as the ordinary man does not condone violence. Sierra Leone is not the only country that is suffering from inflation.

Face-to-face dialogue is the best and most civilized way to sort out issues anywhere. To spur people to take to the streets at a time of world economic strife when tempers are hot during which innocent people lose their lives is unnecessary. Shame on all those trying to take Sierra Leone down because of their human wants.

This Country by the grace of God is bigger than all of you. We will rise and claim our position as a peaceful nation again. Lotta God bless all of us.