By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
The Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General Patrick Sudue has said there will be no march for protesters but rather peaceful assembly.
Col. Sudue made the disclosure in Monrovia on Wednesday at the beginning of a two-day National Stakeholders community policing engagement consultation under the theme: Say No to Violence.
The protest organizers under the banner of the “Council of Patriots” say their protest against corruption and governance, among other things will be peaceful and that it is an exercise of their constitutional rights in Articles 1 and 17 of the Liberian constitution.
Article 1 of the constitution 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 fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.”
According to the LNP boss, Article 17 of the constitution says that citizens have their right to peacefully assemble and not to march, as claimed by the protesters and Article 13 should also be observed by those protesters adding that where one right stop another person right begins from there.
According to Article
13b of the Liberian constitution, “Every person lawfully within the Republic
shall have the right to move freely throughout Liberia, to reside in any part
thereof and to leave therefrom subject however to the safeguarding of public
security, public order, public health or morals or the rights and freedoms of
others.”
The two days stakeholder brought together community leaders from all the
districts at the Samuel K. Doe sport complex in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville.
Say No to violence was particularly
focused on the June 7 protest to caution citizens on how to go about preaching
peace messages in their respective communities.
Speaking on day one of the national Stakeholders community policing engagement
consultation, the Police Inspector General also said “the right of other
citizens should be observed during the much publicized June 7 protest, as
protester quoted Article 17 of the 1986 constitution, Article 13 should also be
observed meaning where your ends and another man right begin from there.”
IG Sudue added that the LNP has taken a new turn and page in giving the people
access to the police to through such community engagements.
The Liberian police chief said that since 184, the national stakeholders
community policing is one of the biggest held in the country by police
authority because they love their people.
Although there are still reports of some police officers overreaching actions, IG
Sudue pointed out that gone are the days when police officers beaten and
indiscriminately arrested.
He urged citizens to
see the police as their own and alway promote peace and educate people on how
to do away with violence.
The LNP boss said that community heads were invited to the two days stakeholder
engagement on how people can stop violence in their various communities, adding
that Liberia is the only country we have and cannot be deported from there.
“Our society is not a place of taken violence into our hands and most of the
happens because of indiscipline adding that at the end of meeting community
leaders will be to explain what is happening in their various communities and
districts together they will solution by coming out with policies that will be
implemented,” the police IG explained.
For his part, Mr. John D. Allen, Security Consultant at the Ministry of
Justice, who proxy for Minister Frank Musa Dean, told citizens and community
leaders that they should not be misled by people who want to cause violence in
the country.
He called on them not
allow their children to be involved in such act and they should say no to
violence.
Mr. Allen narrated anything that you being influence with has consequences,
either by losing lives or properties adding that those will cause the problem
will be able to take their family abroad leaving the rest in the problem and so
peace is the way forward.