-CDC Gov’t still has another “Save the State” protest to grapple with July 31
“We will push the protest date to Wednesday, July 31,” says the head of the Council of Patriots (COP), vocal talk show host Henry Costa, said in a broadcast announcement on Friday.
The COP, who organized the June 7 “Save the State” protest against corruption and bad governance, has yielded to the US Embassy Thursday’s statement in Monrovia, describing the timing of their earlier scheduled July 24, 2019 protest as “misplaced”.
Liberia, which is widely considered US (“Uncle Sam’s step child), was founded by freed slaves who returned from American sugarcane plantations in the 1800s to settle on the historic Providence Island in Monrovia. The settlers later in 1847 declared the newly established independent Republic in 1847.
“CoP has analyzed the statement from the American Ambassador to Liberia, Christine Elder, and received the statement in good faith and we have decided to not only respond to it but to also inform the public about the decision on the statement,” the COP Chairman Costa said.
“Whenever a Liberian man stubs his toe, he shouts ‘America’, so we have to respect them. This will be a nationwide protest across the country, including Bong, Nimba, Lofa, and Buchanan. We will assemble in numbers peacefully, like the June 7 protest,” the COP Chairman added.
US Ambassador Christine Elder said in her statement this week:
“While the U.S. Embassy supports the rights of citizens to lawfully apply to assemble or convey their views to elected officials, the intent to do so during the week of July 22 is misplaced. We commend the peaceful conduct of thousands of protesters who by their actions on June 7 conveyed they are interested in progress and national dialogue over aggression or demands. “
The COP said it was shifting the protest date to July 31, 2019 out of respect for the US, its support and advocacy for Liberians now and in the past.
According to the COP Chairman, the Americans are not against protest but only advised them about the timing, adding that after the July 26 celebrations, their protest will go on to send the CDC government of President George Weah a strong message that Liberians are not happy with the way in which the country is being run.
“We will not stop until we see results and we are committed. Again, there is nothing worth to be celebrated on July 26, the country’s Independence Day,” chairman Costa told newsmen in Monrovia.
“We don’t hate our brothers in the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). Even though we disagree politically, but we hold together and this is what CoP stands for. People may be surprised to see that Representative Yekeh Kolubah and Abraham Darius Dillon will give to supporters or fans of CDC,” chairman Costa said.
Since its mass June 7 peaceful protes, COP has seen some defections from its ranks, with the departure of Ambassador Rufus Neufville who broke away to form the Independent Council of Patriots. Senator Oscar Cooper had earlier withdrawn his membership of the group, while the Economic Freedom Fighters pulled out later.