PHOTO: Dr. Cassell in the Benson Street Mosque
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Political Leader of the opposition People’s Liberation Party (PLP) has strongly warned the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government against infringement of his constitutional rights, due to different political views he holds against the Liberian Chief Executive.
Dr. Daniel Cassell noted that his decision taken to hold different political views from those of the incumbent President and his followers is being allegedly used by government to intimidate him and his political party.
The opposition leader was speaking at the thanksgiving service held at the Benson Street Mosque in Monrovia over the weekend (Friday, October 29, 2021).
He said his opposing political views should be no basis for infringing on his fundamental constitutional rights.
The PLP political leader observed that instead of addressing the mountainous challenges confronting the nation and its people, government is busying itself by being repressive and denying him the right to bring in the country his helicopter.
He stated that despite the current horrible, appalling, disgusting and shameful state of governance in Liberia, the Weah led-government has chosen to go after him and his political institution as evidenced by its resistance to allow his helicopter over flight and landing right in the country.
The PLP political leader maintained that though corruption is being institutionalized and seen as a norm in the governing system of the country, government continues to be repressive on a regular basis.
“In the pinch and despair of all of these, the Weah government has begun to unravel its repressive tendency and me being the latest victim—with specific reference to my helicopter that has been unlawfully denied a landing permit into Liberia”.
“It beats my imagination that a government will deny a citizen the right to bring into his country an aircraft that has met all requirements in keeping with aviation standards, laws, and regulations.
Dr. Cassell pointed out that the high level of intolerance being exhibited by the Weah led-administration should not be given by the Muslim and Christian communities.
“This is sheer intolerance and a tendency of dictatorship that must be resisted by all including the Mosque and Church of Liberia.”
“ What this government is doing to me and others is just how dictatorship crept into and saddled Liberia and we all know what happened to Liberia in 1989.”
“We all know the consequences of repressing and subjugating others. Such abrasive and hawkish posture on the part of this government must not be permitted”.
The PLP and the government, through the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) have been caught in rigmarole, making claims and counter claims over a Bell 430 helicopter belonging to Dr. Cassell.
The party claimed that its political leader through his company, Kwenyan and Associates, met all legal requirements and was given a permit by the LCAA for the helicopter to land in the country, but said permit was surreptitiously revoked for unknown reasons barely a day after the it attempted landing in the country.
The party took the matter to the Supreme Court of Liberia claiming that the constitutional rights of its Political Leader are being violated.
The PLP made specific reference to Articles 11, 17 and 22 of the 1986 Liberian constitution.
Article 11(a) of the Liberian constitution states that: “all persons are born equally free and independent and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, among which are the right of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of pursuing and maintaining and security of the person and of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, subject to such qualifications as provided for in this Constitution”.
Article 17 (a) notes that “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 22 (a) states that: “Every person shall have the right to own property alone as well as in association with others; provided that only Liberian citizens shall have the right to own real property within the Republic”.
But the government has since denied the claims, citing that the issuance of a permit for an over flight and landing right of the helicopter is being reviewed.
“LCAA notes that at no time did Kwenyan& Associates Group of Company request for landing permit to the LCAA for which, they filed a writ of prohibition.:”
“The group application for an air service license is still being reviewed by the LCAA in keeping with the Liberia Civil Aviation and relevant international Regulations and is pending the fulfillment of all the requirements”, a release issued by the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) stated.
Dr. Cassell indicated that despite the numerous challenges , harassment against him and his political party from government, the PLP remains a “political force for good”.
“We are here to stay and work with the masses of our people in the search for a new Liberia that gives genuine hope to all its people, not a few of its people. A new Liberia that puts socioeconomic dignity on the lives of our people -A new Liberia where good governance is the order of governance and stealing of public resources is no longer permitted in government. A new Liberia that promotes religious tolerance and promotes diversity and protects minorities; a new Liberia where the Church and the Mosque will once again be the moral conscience of the nation,” Dr. Cassell said.
He added that the PLP also envisage a Liberia that chooses faith over fear, peace and tranquility over disunity, malice, and instability and a one that chooses love over hate and optimism over pessimism.
Dr. Cassell however, commended the Head Imam and officiating cleric of the Benson Street Mosque for the holding of the Thanksgiving Service in his honor.