Protests Turn Deadly in Sierra Leone Over Rising Cost of Living
New York TimesJUL 2022
It's hoped that Sierra Leone's democratic and peaceful election will serve as a beacon of hope for other nations in the region and the international community at large. An election without violence and chaos will show the world that Sierra Leone is politically stable and growing through peaceful and achievable means. Once the election has concluded, Sierra Leone hopes to inspire regional neighbors like Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Mali to seek harmonious and nonviolent transitions of power in the future.
In 2022, the government-sanctioned two internet shutdowns in response to anti-government protests. These actions demonstrate the government's willingness to stray from democracy by not only taking away people's ability to educate themselves on the issues but also taking away a vital resource. There are reasons to be concerned that Sierra Leone's elections may not be the beacon of democracy on the world stage as hoped — volatile democratic backsliding is possible.