Monrovia – The Standard Bearer of the All Liberian Party (ALP) and Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Benoni W. Urey, has called on the Liberian government to immediately release from detention Mr. Menipakei Dumoe.
By Christopher C. Walker 0777898224 [email protected]
Mr. Urey, head of the CPP, which includes ALP, Unity Party (UP), Liberty Party (LP) and Alternative National Congress (ANC), frowned at the government’s decision to arrest and detain Dumoe for his Facebook post he did on May 10, 2020.
Officers of the Liberia National Police, backed by the National Security Agency (NSA) Tuesday, May 12, arrested Dumoe for his post, which they claim is a threat to national security.
Dumoe had posted to Facebook: “We don’t need free bags of rice. I say we the poor in Monrovia need AK-47s so our leaders can take us seriously.”
On Monday, Dumoe later posted giving clarity on his previous post, which had drawn mixed reactions from the public. Some had accused him of being a violent person; however, there is no record of him being that way.
We don’t need free bags of rice. I say we the poor in Monrovia need AK-47s so our leaders can take us seriously
Menipakai Dumoe
In his clarification, he stated, “A number of people have called me about a post I made last night regarding our people needing ‘AK47s’. Of course, this was a metaphor; AK-47 is a globally known symbol of resistance. Several national flags carry the AK-47 symbol as a statement of resistance against oppression.
“My call on our people to not just accept free bags of rice without questioning the system that has them living in desperate poverty should not be misunderstood as a call to violence.
“I am a non-violent political activist and will never call for the use of actual guns. Civil resistance is my M.O.”
I am calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Menipakei Dumoe. President [George] Weah needs to intervene and ensure that this man is released immediately
Mr. Benoni Urey
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica via telephone Tuesday evening, Mr. Urey said the Government’s decision to arrest Dumoe for a post on Facebook is wrong and must not be encouraged in a society that fought years for freedom of speech and expression.
According to the CPP Chairman, other people misuse social media daily with similar posts and no one from the state security goes after them. He sees no reason why Dumoe was arrested.
“I am calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Menipakei Dumoe. President [George] Weah needs to intervene and ensure that this man is released immediately,” Mr. Urey said.
According to him Liberians must never as a people get to the point of violating other people’s rights to expression. According to him, going on social media to restrict people from expressing their minds is not good for the maintenance of peace in Liberia.
“As we all do, go on social media and make remarks. No group of people in Liberia makes more threatening remarks on social media than officials of this government and the CDC,” the ALP Political Leader added.
He insisted that the Freedom of Speech that Liberians fought and died for must not be abused and the Government must stop the excessive use of force on the rights of Liberians.
“We are in a pandemic worldwide; it’s the wrong time to do what has been done to Mr. Dumoe and we are calling on Liberians, politicians, even the ruling CDC especially the chairman, who is known for making these remarks to condemn what has happened and called on the President to instruct his police and the NSA to release this man and refrain from doing any acts of this nature in the future.”
As we all do, go on social media and make remarks. No group of people in Liberia makes more threatening remarks on social media than officials of this government and the CDC
Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties, Mr. Benoni Urey
Mr. Urey, a prominent statesman, who has been engaged with several peace dialogues also called on the international community, including ECOWAS, AU and UN to condemn the act of the Government by violating the rights of Dumoe.
He maintained that state security action was unlawful for them to refuse people giving food to Dumoe while in police cells. Mr. Urey also termed as “unlawful” the search and seizure, which was carried out at Dumoe home.