Monrovia – Following the closure of LIB24 and Love TV Channel 7 based upon a petition of declaratory Judgment from the Liberia Telecommunications Authority through the Ministry of Justice, a civil society organization has described the closure as an attempt by the government to silence critical voices.
Coalition of Civil Society Institutions in Liberia (COCSIL) in a statement indicated that the closure is muzzling of the press and a clampdown on free speech.
“The Coalition of Civil Society Institutions in Liberia views the closure of these media institutions as muzzling of the press, clampdown on free speech. The manner and nature through which these media institutions were closed speak to the fact that the government actions is geared toward silencing critical voices and information provided to our people”, the group stated.
According to the group, it is mindboggling and breathtaking for Presidents Sirleaf who ascended to the Liberian presidency on promise of protecting democratic tenets to continue what it is terming as broad day closure of media institutions, thereby undermining the democracy with its attending tenets.
Ahead of 2017 general and Presidential elections, the group noted that it is time for free speech and level playing field so as to avoid reverting the national existence to conflict and chaos.
No legal basis for Speaker’s Recusal
The statement signed by Prince Kromah, National Secretary General and Theophilus Williams, National Chairman stated that the argument advanced by the lawmakers lacks legal basis.
“The Coalition of Civil Society Institutions strongly believes that the argument advanced by these lawmakers lack legal basis and thinks that the issue of recusal is voluntary and cannot be coerced. Here, we therefore condemn their action”.
The group described the call for the Speaker to recuse himself as a smear political campaign and a master plan orchestrated by some to make the legislature dance to the whims and caprices of the presidency.
“We wish to categorically state that calls for the Speaker’s recusal are a smear political campaign and a master plan orchestrated by some to make the legislature dance to the whims and caprices of the Presidency; something that amounts to imperial presidency and render the legislature rubber stamp.
COCSIL calls on members of the House calling for the recusal of Speaker Tyler to abandon said calls. Presidents Sirleaf is using them to accomplish her agenda ahead of the 2017 elections”, the group declared.
On the issue of the recent shooting incident in Bomi County, the group observed that the incident indicates that the failure of the government to provide clear information shows that the Sirleaf-Boakai government has failed in its responsibility to provide security for its people.
“The Bomi shooting is a plot by the government to accuse opposition political party or key opposition stakeholders that they want to bring war. We detest their barbaric strategy from this government COSIL therefore calls on the Liberian government to thoroughly investigate the shooting incident and inform the Liberian people of the unfolding”, the group added.
The group has threatened to lead a protest if the Government fails to reopen LIB 24.
“We will lead a populist people movement or protest if the government of Liberia fails to unconditionally reopen the people voices”, the statement continued.
The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has maintained that station failed to regularize its status.
In a statement, MICA declared that in addition to the station’s failure to regularize its status in keeping with the law, Sarafina Ventures and Communications Inc. (Love FM 105.1 and Love TV Channel 7) unilaterally and without prior written consent of the LTA, transferred the frequency to another corporation, LIB-24.
MICAT noted that unilateral transfer of the frequency to LIB24 without the expressed consent of the LTA is in violation of Part VI, Section 25(1) and Part IV Section 15(1)b of the Telecommunication Act of 2007 that states “individuals, groups, or institutions opting to own and operate any telecommunications network, or provide a telecommunications service, must be granted a License or Frequency Authorization by the LTA, in addition to a permit issued by the Ministry of Information.”