Monrovia – A civil society group, the “Human Rights Advocacy Platform” has categorically condemned all forms of violence and called on the Government of Liberia to take immediate responsibility to set up an independent body to quickly investigate all incidents of protests in recent time.
According to the group’s press statement, the attention of the Government must be drawn to growing human rights issues relating to protest under the current administration.
In their observation, the group said it appears that protests have become the fastest medium through wish immediate redress to the growing demands by citizens within different sectors of the Liberian society can be assured and addressed.
The press statement issued Wednesday, October 16, referenced protesting health workers demanding salaries and benefits and also the St. Joseph’s Catholic Hospital another protest ensued in demand for citizen Jestina Taylor to leave the hospital to attend to her visa appointment at the US Embassy in Monrovia and again on Tuesday, October 15, public school students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) protested in solidarity of their teachers’ salaries and benefits.
“It can be recalled that the aftermath of the protests at both the Catholic Junction and that of October 15, 2019 resulted to violence leading to wide range of injuries amongst protesters as a result of state security’s response with excessive use of force on an unarmed civilians and initiations.
“Even though students were seen throwing stones and disrupting other schools normal classes the right to protest is allowed and enshrined in our constitution and other international laws that Liberia subscribes to.”
Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 19 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) outline adherence by all sides on the right to protest.
Students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) took a trip down the Samuel Kanyon Doe era circa 1986 and former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, March 2011, by staging a massive demonstration before the seat of the Liberian presidency, demanding arrears owed their teachers, they say going back four to five months.
MCSS provides primary and secondary education to the student population of the Monrovia metropolitan area. The MCSS was established by government charter in 1964 under the Act to Amend the Education Law to Create the Monrovia Consolidated School System.
Fighting back teargas, the MCSS students blocked a presidential convoy, demanding to see President George Manneh Weah and have him hear their concerns. The students also threatened to disrupt private schools if the government did not address their concerns.
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