July 17 Protest Insist That They Deliver Their Petition To The Liberian Leader
PHOTO: Early images of July 17 protest day
By Frank Sainworla, Jr., fsainworla@yahoo.com
So far, just past mid-day, things are generally calm in the Liberian capital, Monrovia. Oganizers of the “Enough is Enough” anti-government protest led by Mulbah K. Morlu of the STAND civil society group begin their street demonstration against what they say is lack of respect for the rule of law, corruption and bad governance.
STAND is the Solidarity for Trust for a New Day and headed by Morlu, who is the former Chairman of the main opposition CDC party.
This Thursday began with intermittent rain fall, which is continuing in many parts of Monrovia and its environs, although normal business activities are taking place with thousands of residents commuting using private vehicles and other public transport.
Images captured a short while ago
Earlier, this writer passed through the commercial district of Red Light in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia, which was its usual self—burgeoning with activities from the traffic congestions to the huge mix of buyers, sellers and commuters cluster together.
Tipping point
As the protest progresses into the day, it is not known whether organizers will maintain their insistence that they get access to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to personally present their petition spelling out their grievances.
But the 64, 000-dollar question is: will the ruling Unity Party government yield to this demand? And what shape will the ongoing protest take should the organizers insist on having access to the Liberian leader to present their petition? This is where the tipping point of this well-publicized protest could unfold. Some security analysts think giving protesters, many of whom are angry with the well over one-year-old regime, access to the President would have serious security implications.
Police Deputy Inspector General for Operations, Nelson Freeman told local radio stations in Monrovia early this morning that the understanding reached with the July 17 protest organizers at the Justice Ministry was that they will use the Tubman Boulevard route, starting from the STAND head office to parade up the University of Liberia on Capitol Hill.
However, the Deputy Police IG warned that protesters will not be allowed to access the main entrances of the Executive Mansion, the official residence of the President of Liberia and the Capitol Building.
Ahead of today’s protest, which is being backed by the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) of former President George Manneh Weah and other opposition groups both at home and abroad, there have been many calls for protesters to remain peaceful and the Liberia National Police (LNP) to be professional.
Police authorities and the Justice Ministry earlier met with the leaders of the protest to assure them that their rights to peaceful assembly will be respected but that they should respect the security protocol discussed during the meeting.
“We recognize the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression. However, we urge STAND and its supporters to conduct themselves responsibly. Any acts of violence, provocation, or public disorder will not be tolerated,” said Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman at the end of a recent meeting at the Justice Ministry in Monrovia.
As protesters vent out their grievances on the streets of Monrovia, many are holding their breadth that this July 17 day will pass off peacefully in this small West African state that was recently elected one of the Nonpermanent members of the United Nations Security Council. This is also a nation that emerged from 14 years of brutal civil war that officially ended in 2003.