By Our Staff Writer
Ahead of the planned June 7 opposition street protest against the worsening economic situation in the country, tensions are rising in Liberia with some suggesting threat of a violent standoff.
So far the invectives have been traded amongst civilians. But now, one member of the country’s army has joined the fray, warning that he will gun down people who will demonstrate on the streets of Monrovia.
Early this year, a joint statement issued by the United Nations office in Monrovia, ECOWAS and the African Union warned Liberians to tone down the invectives, saying that the rise in hate speech in the media and on social media were threatening the peace of this post-conflict nation.
On Tuesday, April 16, 2019, authorities of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) says it “finds Cpl. Collins Liable for failing to uphold Military Regulations & the Uniform Code of Military Justice” by threatening to kill those who plan to protest against the CDC government on June 7, 2019.
According to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry through the AFL has completed the investigation of one of its soldiers, in person of Corporal Sieh Collins for allegedly posting threatening statement from his Facebook profile against individuals planning to protest on June 7, 2019 in Monrovia.
Not much details is available of what kind of man the young AFL soldier is or his background.
But according to his Facebook profile, soldier Collins is battle-ready as he formerly served in the MINUSMA force battling Islamist militants in Mali.
MINUSMA is the UN Multidimentional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali.
A single man hailing from the southeastern Liberian coastal city of Harper, Cpl. Collins attended the D. Tweh High School in New Kru Town in the Bushrod Island suburb of Monrovia.
He uses President George Manneh Weah’s photo as his profile picture on his Facebook wall.
The post from Cpl. Collins’ Facebook account read:
“I will never regret killing anybody on the street of Monrovia to keep his
country safe. Remembering our children are in school and Liberia is safe,
truest me, I will kill you will happiness.”
The investigation report held Cpl. Collins liable for contravening the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article: 92 Failure to Obey Order or Regulations and General Article: 134 Threat Communication.
Therefore,
he has been subjected to the Disciplinary Board of the Armed Forces of
Liberia.
At
the same time, the Ministry of National Defense is cautioning personnel of the
Armed Forces of Liberia to use social media with prudence and avoid acts that
will cast aspersion on the image of the Armed Forces of Liberia and the
Ministry of National Defense.
The
Ministry reiterates that the Armed Forces of Liberia will continue to exhibit
good morals and professionalism in the execution of its national obligations;
stressing that the AFL will not compromise on acts that may undermine the image
of the military as a “Force for Good.”
Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry, signed by the Assistant Minister for Public Affairs, Mr. Sam Collins, says the general public will be updated on all subsequent proceedings.
Authorities of the new Armed Forces of Liberia has repeatedly said that the AFL would remain a “force for good” which is apolitical.
Just over a week ago, AFL Chief of Staff Maj/Gen. Prince C. Johnson, III assured Liberians that the AFL will remain a “Force for Good” in the common interest of the country.
Maj/Gen Johnson said the Liberian Army under his watch will not get involve into politics like it was done in the past, which he said damaged the image of the force, according to a Defense Ministry report.
He said as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of
Liberia his primary objective is to uphold the professionalism of the army.
Gen. Johnson was speaking in the Nippy Town Community on Old
Road, where he had gone to interact with the youths of that community, the
Liberian Army Chief of Staff said those vices that politicized the army which
resulted into the AFL being fictionalized in the past will not be tolerated.
“We all saw how fictionalized our military became doing our civil conflict because of its involvement into politics, but you can be assured that it will not happen with this new army,” the AFL Chief of Staff said.