Monrovia – Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence(Liberty Party, Grand Bassa) says she did not approve a statement released by the party’s secretary general Kla Toomey Sunday, endorsing a planned peaceful assembly by the Council of Patriots scheduled for Monday, January 6, 2020.
A statement signed by Toomey Sunday: “We endorse the January 6, 2020 Peaceful Assembly organized by the COP to protest the current wave of bad governance in our country and call on all our supporters turning out for the protest to remain peaceful and law-abiding We hope that this protest sends a strong message to President Weah about the unhappiness of Liberians and marks a turning point in the way our country is being badly run by the CDC-led government.”
While appreciating International Partners and the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia for having successfully mediated between the COP and the GOL to de-escalate the growing wave of tension that characterized negotiations over the practicability of holding a peaceful assembly on December 30, 2019, LP said it is a constitutional right for Liberians to organize in a peaceful assembly. “Though the protest is expected to be peaceful, notwithstanding we urge the Government of Liberia to live up to one of its foremost constitutional responsibilities of providing security for Liberians, exercise due restraint, show respect for human rights, and watch out for unscrupulous political zealots who might be bent on causing trouble during the protest. We urge the COP to replicate its June 7, 2019 show of leadership to ensure that protestors remain peaceful.”
But speaking to FrontPageAfrica, the LP political leader said while she supports the democratic exercise guaranteed and protected by the constitution, no one should be threatened by charges of treason and she does not support a George Weah stepdown campaign. “Protesters and the government share in the responsibility to ensure that the protest assembly is peaceful,” the Senator said.
The Senator’s clarification comes just a day after Rep. Yekeh Kolubah, a staunch member of the COP walked back on his earlier stance on the protest and calls for President George Weah to step down.
At a news conference Saturday, Rep. Kolubah said: “Even in the COP-the hierarchies of the COP say they cannot disrespect the International Community-so I should be the one to disrespect the International Community? I am going to abide by anything the International Community says because I have the Liberian people to talk for. I don’t want for anything to happen in this country to be unable to talk for the Liberian people.
Earlier, the Civil Servants Union of Liberia also urged the COP to call off the protest. In a statement, the CSUL said: “We believe peaceful assembly of citizens or protest are essential elements of a democratic society.
Notwithstanding, exercising those rights, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, must be done in the way that respects the rights of other citizens and preserve the peace, security and stability of the country.”
Pressure has been mounting on the COP of late to abandon its protest plans but the organization has refused to budge.
In recent days, several international stakeholders led by the United States embassy, ECOWAS, the EU and the United Nations issued a joint statement urging the COP to shift the date of the protest which was originally scheduled for December 30th, 2019. “We strongly encourage the Council of Patriots to shift their demonstration to this Sunday January 5, and various counter-protesters to shift their demonstrations to Sunday, January 12, at the large venues offered by the government, in order to ensure that the rights of all Liberia’s citizens are equally respected. We, your partners, strongly endorse this plan and look forward to those successful and peaceful gatherings, supported and protected by your government,” the statement said.
The stakeholders cited that fact that Liberia has witnessed important democratic milestones of hosting peaceful elections, debates, dialogues, and demonstrations. “These are all important elements that strengthen the country’s core institutions.”
As this story went to press, FrontPageAfrica last-minute negotiations were still ongoing between the Weah administration and the COP through the intervention of the Council of Churches. The COP is expected to hold a news conference later today to address the latest stalemate over Monday’s peaceful assembly.