Monrovia – The United States Embassy near Monrovia has assured its government fullest support to the security sector of Liberia.
The Political Officer of the U.S. Embassy, Sara Greengrass, gave the assurance when she spoke over the weekend at program marking the official launch of a project to conduct a Baseline Study for the Structural Provision of Human Rights Education to officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP).
The program was launched by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) for the police.
The program was held at the LNP Training Academy in Paynesville, brought together representatives from the Ministry of justice, senior officers of the LNP, heads of Human Rights groups and international partners amongst others.
Making remarks as proxy of the US Ambassador to Liberia, Madam Greengrass assured Liberians of the United States’ government full support to the professional development of the country’s security sector.
She, however, commended the INCHR for the launch of the program and urged the Commission to be robust in the protection of human rights.
“I commend the organizers for undertaking this task at this critical time in Liberia’s history, the partnership demonstrated today is an important one,” Greengrass said.
“The United States government remains supportive of the mission of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) as it strives to protect and uphold Liberia’s human rights obligations.
According to her, the INCHR was established to ensure that the Liberian government, including its security services, never again violates the rights of its people.
“It has the duty of acting as an independent voice within the government to sound the alarm if needed, but the LNP too has the duty to protect the citizenry,” Greengrass added.
She then stressed that security services are essential components of the government to uphold the rule of law. Due to the need for the LNP authorities to develop courses on the respect for Human Rights and policing in a democratic society in its annual curriculum, the U.S. official said the INCHR project is an essential step to improve the sector.
Greengrass then lauded the LNP for showing its ability to serve as a neutral police force, because such efforts show how much the officers value human rights.
“The United States will continue to partner with you as Liberia works to create a culture of human rights, where the rule of law is respected and enforced, and where all of her citizens enjoy the protections afforded by the government,” she said.
House Speaker Bhofal Chamber, delivering his keynote addressing at the program, recalled how the LNP has always maintained human rights, noting that human rights issues across the globe do not only rely on a single institution, but a collective effort is required of all irrespective of positions.
Chambers challenged the police and the INCHR authorities, including other security apparatuses, to work together to achieve this goal.
He called for a collective protection of human rights in Liberia, adding that the protection of human rights does not only hang on the shoulders of officials of government and the security sector.
“We all need to come together and protect the rights of humans collectively, this is something collective and not a one person thing,” Speaker Chambers noted.
He then pledged government’s continued support to the INCHR as an institution striving to meet its dream and aspiration that all should be in peace.
Johnny B. White, INCHR head of the department of Education, Training and Information, said the world runs on a single pillar, which involves human rights, so the need to educate, inform and/or train personnel of security-related agencies was paramount.