The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, General Prince C. Johnson, is assuring Liberians and foreign residents that Liberia will not revert to its ugly past.
Though he foresees a revert to conflict if the 2023 elections are not properly handled, speaking at a ceremony on Monday November 28, the Army Chief said the institution he is heading will not get involved with shadowing democracy and noted that if anybody ever thinks otherwise, they are mistaken.
He sternly said not even personnel of the army or a single Liberian citizen will get involved into any uncivil actions that might want to tamper Liberia’s Democracy.
“Let me reassure our international partners, foreigners residing in Liberia and Liberians as a whole that, as I stated, no more the institution that I lead will ever entertain anything that will not promote democracy and we will not get involved into politics as an institution”
He cautioned Liberians to abide by the rule of law and adhere to the Constitution come 2023 thereby promising that if the police cannot handle any situation, the national army will be called in stressing, “We will come for you; we will not entertain anybody not even the institution I lead to revert to 1980 under my leadership.”
The Army chief added that the AFL’s mission will be an extension of the Liberia National Police during the 2023 election maintaining that, “The Army will stay in the barracks and will only provide support when the police cannot take care of things and this is to mean that you will not see AFL around during the elections. We will stay in the barrack. The only time you will see AFL will be seen is when the police cannot take care.”
He closed that the army will only provide support to civil authorities and that is why he as an individual will make sure that the Standard Operating Procedure gets to the lowest level among army personnel in the Barracks so that every personnel will understand just in case there is a need to respond.
He clearly expressed his disappointment in the absence of the Press Union of Liberia as an integral part of the nation’s democracy at the signing ceremony of an important standard operating procedure that is intended to guide the media and the law enforcement agencies relationship during the conduct of the 2023 election; adding that trust is not built during crisis rather people build trust during peace therefore he urged the media and law enforcement officers to build trust now.
The SOP is expected to provide guidance regarding the role, responsibilities and respective mandates of both security personnel and media practitioners on Election Day.
It is also expected to facilitate communication between security agents and journalists as well as the understanding of conflict sensitive reporting and right and limit of access to information; by freelancer Siatta Scott-Johnson
