Over Solitary Confinement of UN Police Peacekeepers at PHQ… Police Spokesman Uses Implicit Phraseology As Cover Up
By VOS Ariogbo Writer
In a shocking turn of event, Spokesman of the Sierra Leone Police, ACP Brima Kamara, has used an implied phraseology by logically affirming the ‘technical detention’ of UN Ex-peacekeepers, using in his words; ‘deployment’ of them at the Police Headquarters and Liecester Peak, and failing to give specific reason for such decision by the Police hierarchy.
The police mouthpiece was responding to media reports over the detention and solitary confinement of UN Peacekeepers at the Police facilities in Freetown, being reported by two Media Outlets, Voice of Salone and Gleaner Newspapers.
Speaking during a telephone interview aired on Radio Democracy 98.1 recently, Brima Kamara, in an implied phraseology, affirmed that indeed UN Ex-peacekeeping police officers are in ‘deployment’ at the police Headquarters and other places such as Leicester peak, which can be simply put in this context as ‘technical detention’ of those officers, as he was unable to explain vividly the specific reasons, but kept insisting that it’s a normal routine in the police force that once police officers have served in a peacekeeping mission abroad and having come back from there, and undergone two weeks break, they will be deployed in various locations, adding how that is the normal procedure of the Sierra Leone Police.
“When the Ex-police peacekeepers came from a Peacekeeping operation in Somalia; they were given two weeks break to rest and after which, they were redeployed at Police Headquarters, Leicester Peak and other places. Foods and beddings have been provided to those in Police Headquarters, which is not applicable to the police force”, said the Police Spokesman in an interview aired on Radio Democracy.
Sampling the opinion of a veteran police officer in United States of America over the recent statement of the Police Spokesman, the anonymous police legend stated that it is normal for police officers to be deployed in locations for specific reasons, such as crime deterrence, crime solving, Neighborhood needs, mutual aid, land use, public knowledge, and so on, further asserting that even though the police hierarchy has the mandate to deploy their officers in various locations, but that has to be done for specific reason, as the location where the police officers are going to be deployed matters, because it affects where crimes are deterred, and what the public knows about crime has happened.
Drawing parallel to the topic under discussion, the US Police legend said it is important for the Police leadership to state specific reason for the deployment of their officers, especially when issues of human rights violations of those officers are being reported in two credible media outlets.
“For which reason are these UN Peacekeepers being deployed at the Sierra Leone Police Headquarters and Leicester Peak, and why are the officers being deployed in one place without being rotated since their arrival from Peacekeeping mission in Somalia? What has gone wrong?” asked the veteran Police officer during a face-to- face interview with Voice of Salone Writer in the United States.
However, few hours after the police spokesman was interviewed on SLBC and Radio Democracy, a press release was published by the Sierra Leone Police, highlighting their position as follows:
“That FPU-4, which is the subject of this press statement, completed their tour of duty in Somalia in October 2023, and returned to Sierra Leone:
As part of the SLP’s deployment policy, when peacekeepers return from any mission assignment, they are given two weeks time-off from work, so as to give them time to spend and interact with their families, friends, and relatives before the resumption of normal policing duties;
After completion of their two weeks break from work, they are then deployed to perform normal policing duties at various locations across the country, as is applicable to other police officers.
Ex-peacekeepers of FPU-4 (the subject-matter of this disclaimer), were no exception to the applicable SLP deployment Policy.
The SLP wishes to make it clear that on completion of their two weeks break, they (FPU-4) were deployed at Police Headquarters and other locations across the country;
Their deployment at Police Headquarters is not in any way a detention nor a solitary confinement, as claimed.
They have access to their families, as and when they wish, and are equally so fully supported by Management in terms of their welfare and upkeep”.
They also averred that Africa Union pays allowances of ex-peacekeepers (FPU) directly into their individual foreign accounts in Sierra Leone and also stated that the AU owed the said officers for two (2) months.
