MONROVIA – Four opposition political parties collaborating for a common front have joined forces with the “Council of Patriots” to stage the much-talked-about June 7 ‘Save the State’ demonstration, in demand for “good governance”.
During a press conference held Wednesday morning at the headquarters of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) in Monrovia, Mr. Wilmot Paye, Chairman of the Unity Party, said
“On behalf of our four political parties (Unity Party, Liberty Party, Alternative National Congress and All Liberian Party), we thank the “Council of Patriots” (COP) for the courage to kick-start organization leading toward a series of peaceful mass actions beginning in June,” Mr. Paye read on behalf of the parties.
According to the collaborating opposition political parties, their resolve to join the protest stems from their response to President Weah’s January 28, 2019 State of the Nation Address in which they urged the President to realize that the country’s governance system has reached crisis level while the economy is declining exponentially. In that response, they further urged Liberians to act urgently, else the country will be doomed forever.
“So today, not only do our four political parties unflinchingly, resoundingly, unapologetically and unequivocally support efforts by the Council of Patriots to organize a peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, but we also announce our direct involvement and participation in the planning, execution and management of all peaceful conduct and actions geared toward achieving the noble objective of drawing the attention of President George M. Weah and his administration to issues of governance, which his administration has woefully ignored despite growing outcries from Liberians,” Paye read.
According to them, the country’s fragile peace can only be maintained when the government musters the courage to tackle historical wrongs and contemporary ills.
The collaborating political parties said they will put at the disposal of the “Council of Patriots” their various organizations’ machineries across the country for the purpose of mobilizing more support for the ‘Save the State’ protest.
“We call on all members, supporters, sympathizers and friends of the All Liberian Party, Alternative National Congress, Liberty Party and Unity Party throughout the length and breadth of Liberia and in the diaspora to lend maximum support to the “Council of Patriots” and to, as further proof of your resounding disapproval for the deteriorating economy, turn up in your hundreds of thousands beginning in June to draw the Government’s attention to your concerns,” Paye read on behalf of the parties.
He added: “This will be the time for you the forgotten doctors, nurses and health workers to be heard. This will be the time for you teachers and professors and education workers to speak out. It will be the time for you civil servants, who may soon lose 25% of your salaries as part of a fake solution to problems you did not create, to stand up for your rights as guaranteed by the Liberian constitution.
“Yes, June is good for you rubber tappers and plantation workers in Margibi, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Maryland, Sinoe, Grand Kru, Nimba, and Bong Counties.”
“This day will unite your voice with marketers, taxi drivers, motorcyclists, teachers and health workers to speak to the three branches of your Government seated on Capitol Hill.”
The opposition political parties noted that the economy would get worse in the if Liberians do not act now.
Paye: “June is for you students whose parents are unsure of the next school year because tuitions are likely to shoot up, there can be no better way to express your views, especially as schools must pay teachers and workers who cannot afford the soaring prices of basic commodities.”
“June is not about violence, and so it cannot be violent. And you know why those on Capitol Hill will work to discourage you, to put fear in you, not to be a part. They are the looters; you are the looted, the cheaters.
“You work, they pay themselves. You sow, they reap. You study hard, they get the pass. You trek, they fly. June 7 will be the one chance you have to make them know “Enough is enough”! They must place you on the agenda.”
Paye welcomed President George Weah’s move to suspend “irresponsible,” Deputy Information Minister but questioned why Fahngon wasn’t dismissed.
He states, “What about the City Mayor of Ganta and the Superintendent of Grand Gedeh County, both of whom recently issued threats? Is their situation any different? Or could it be because Eugene Fahngon, who previously had an issue with the Legislature, has finally fallen out of favor?”
He continued, “And this is what June 7 is about, Justice must be served fairly. We are coming together to call for Justice and Fairness. Two persons steal, they are known to have stolen, caught red-handed, but one is punished. Where then is justice? And where is the fairness?
Paye called on the Minister of Justice to muster the courage to invite Nimba Senator for preaching hate from a “pulpit” in violation of the Liberian Constitution.
“Mr. President, there is no need to fear June 7 or its aftermath. It is not about unseating you. They are lying in order to keep you away from seeing reality, and by the time you realize it, you could be well on your way to The Hague, like Charles Taylor.”
He continued, “Rather, what you should fear is refusal to be just and stop being partisan in running the affairs of Liberia. You cannot continue to be President for the 38% that voted for you in 2017. What happened to the 62% that did not? What happened to those that did not vote for anyone at all? Are they not Liberians, too?”
Paye indicated that it is time that President Weah restores the systems and best practices that are being destroyed under his watch.
He asked President Weah to stop the ‘witch hunt’, bring inflation level under control and remove trade barriers.
He furthered, “Don’t reduce civil servants’ salaries even by 1%. The former administration worked hard to increase civil servants’ salaries yearly. Cut down the budget of Ministry of State by at least 50%, not your salary.”
The four political parties are also requesting President Weah to hold government officials accountable.
“Address the hardships in the country. Let the economy work again. Make your team to be serious. Stop the lip service and do what is right. Respect the Liberian Constitution and laws,” stressed Paye.
MONROVIA – Four opposition political parties collaborating for a common front have joined forces with the Council of Patriots to stage the much-talked-about June 7 ‘Save the State’ demonstration, in demand for “good governance”.
During a press conference held Wednesday morning at the headquarters of the Alternative National Congress in Monrovia, Mr. Wilmot Paye, Chairman of the Unity Party, said
“On behalf of our four Political Parties (Unity Party, Liberty Party, Alternative National Congress and All Liberian Party), we thank the Council of Patriots (COP) for the courage to kick-start organization leading toward a series of peaceful mass actions beginning in June,” Mr. Paye read on behalf of the parties.
According to the collaborating opposition political parties, their resolve to join the protest stems from their response to President Weah’s January 28, 2019 State of the Nation Address in which they urged the President to realize that the country’s governance system has reached crisis level while the economy is declining exponentially. In that response, they further urged Liberians to act urgently, else the country be doomed forever.
“So today, not only do our four (4) Political Parties unflinchingly, resoundingly, unapologetically and unequivocally support efforts by the Council of Patriots to organize a peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, but we also announce our direct involvement and participation in the planning, execution and management of all peaceful conduct and actions geared toward achieving the noble objective of drawing the attention of President George M. Weah and his administration to issues of governance, which his administration has woefully ignored despite growing outcries from Liberians,” Paye read.
According to them, the country’s fragile peace can only be maintained when the government musters the courage to tackle historical wrongs and contemporary ills.
The collaborating political parties said they will put at the disposal of the Council of Patriots their various organization machineries across the country for the purpose of mobilizing more support for the ‘Save the State’ protest.
“We call on all members, supporters, sympathizers and friends of the All Liberian Party, Alternative National Congress, Liberty Party and Unity Party throughout the length and breadth of Liberia and in the diaspora to lend maximum support to the Council of Patriots and to, as further proof of your resounding disapproval for the deteriorating economy, turn up in your hundreds of thousands beginning in June to draw the Government’s attention to your concerns,” Paye read on behalf of the parties.
Paye added: “This will be the time for you the forgotten doctors, nurses and health workers to be heard. This will be the time for you teachers and professors and education workers to speak out. It will be the time for you civil servants, who may soon lose 25% of your salaries as part of a fake solution to problems you did not create, to stand up for your rights as guaranteed by the Liberian constitution.
“Yes, June is good for you rubber tappers and plantation workers in Margibi, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Grand Bassa, Maryland, Sinoe, Grand Kru, Nimba, and Bong Counties.”
“This day will unite your voice with marketers, taxi drivers, motorcyclists, teachers and health workers to speak to the three (3) Branches of your Government seated on Capitol Hill.”
The opposition political parties noted that the economy would get worse in the if Liberians do not act now.
Paye: “June is for you students whose parents are unsure of the next schoolyear because tuitions are likely to shoot up, there can be no better way to express your views, especially as schools must pay teachers and workers who cannot afford the soaring prices of basic commodities.”
“June is not about violence, and so it cannot be violent. And you know why those on Capitol Hill will work to discourage you, to put fear in you, not to be a part. They are the looters, you are the looted; the cheaters, you the cheated.
“You work, they pay themselves. You sow, they reap. You study hard, they get the pass. You trek, they fly. June 7 will be the one chance you have to make them know “Enough is enough”! They must place you on the agenda.”