UP Gov’t Justifies Crack Down On Protest, Says Protesters Didn’t Get “Permit” From Police
By Our Staff Writer
Liberia’s capital, Monrovia was on Tuesday hit by a protest that started peaceful but ended with bloodshed, leaving a number of people wounded amid clashes between protestors and police who fired teargas. But less than 24 hours later, the seat of the country’s Legislature has this Wednesday morning, Wednesday, December 18, 2024 being engulfed by a huge fire.
Video footage shows a huge blaze coming from the Rotunda of the Capitol Building, wrecking one of Monrovia’s iconic national architectures constructed in the 1960s.
It’s not known what caused today’s fire. But it is the second fire incident at the Capital in many days. So far, no official statement has been released by the government on the cause of that fire.
Tuesday’s protest that turned bloody was organized by the concerned citizens group led by former Grand Bassa County Superintendent, Janjay Baikpeh.to petition the government about citizens’ dissatisfaction over what they described as the Unity Party government of President Joseph Boakai’s failure to uphold the rule of law, and entrenching of bad governance and corruption in his nearly one-year-old government.
After police quelled the protest, the government justified the move because it said the gathering was “illegal” and that demonstrators did not get official “permit”, a position the protesters said amounts to violation of the constitutional rights of citizens to peacefully assemble in line with Article 17 of the Liberia’s 1986 constitution.
“All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the Government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations.”–Article 17
A member of the drafters of the constitution, veteran Liberian Lawyer, Cllr. Pearl Bown-Bull, who said she was affected by the teargas, condemned police crackdown on Tuesday’s protest saying that it was a violation the citizens’ constitutional right to peacefully assemble and petition their leaders as guaranteed in both Article 17 and Article 1 of the constitution.
Article 1 says: “All power is inherent in the people. All free governments are instituted by their authority
and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform the same when their safety
and happiness so require. In order to ensure democratic government which responds to the
wishes of the governed, the people shall have the right at such period, and in such manner
as provided for under this Constitution, to cause their public servants to leave office and to…”
Supporters of the protest accused the Executive branch of government of siding with the “majority bloc” in the House of Representatives that recently announced the ousting of embattled Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa, a move they say is in violation of the Supreme Court’s December 6, 2024 ruling on the protracted impasse at the House.
After the dispersing of protesters, the Liberia National Police said they arrested and charged eleven persons connected to the protest including the former Aide to ex-President George Manneh Weah, Sekou Kalassco who later sent to the Monrovia Central Prison awaiting court trial for alleged rioting, etc.
Mian opposition CDC gives 48 hours ultimatum
The former ruling party, CDC has given the Unity Party government a 48-hour ultimatum to release all those arrested and detained by the police in connection to the protest.
CDC’s Youth Wing Chairman, Emmanuel Johnson told a news briefing that the move by the government is anti-democratic and will have grave consequences for the enhancement of democracy in the country.
Mr. Johnson said unspecified actions will follow, it the government fails to release Kalassco and other protesters within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Jerilinek Piah denied that police fired live bullets during the protest as reported by some media outlets and said “law enforcement forces employed only non-lethal force to disperse protesters who were blocking the free flow of vehicular traffic “.
FULL PRESS STATEMENT OF MICAT BELOW:
(𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐚, 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒):- The Government of Liberia says no live bullets were fired during protest staged by some Liberians around the Capitol Building on Tuesday as reported by some media entities.
As far as the Government is aware and based on briefings from the Joint Security, law enforcement forces employed only non-lethal force to disperse protesters who were blocking the free flow of vehicular traffic and movements, not heeding police instructions, on the Capitol Bye-pass main road, around the seat of the National Legislature.
While the Government fully respects the rights of citizens to protest, such action must be exercised without violating the rights of others.
Responsibly within its powers, the Government assures it will protect the peace, lives and properties of citizens and residents alike and calls on the public to go about their normal activities.
𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝: ________________________________
𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑