CoP’s Follow-Up Protest Set For Monday

By Alex Yomah
Despite restrictions by government and its international partners to permit the group dubbed “Council of Patriots or COP” to peaceably assemble by its planner, the protesters say; it will not heed to the January 4, 2020 date set for its planned protest in Monrovia, rather it will carry out its planned protest action on the alternative date of Monday, January 6 as was announced by the planners and called on government to provide them security as required by law.
Addressing the media yesterday, COP Chairperson, Henry Pedro Costa intimated that consistent with Article 17 of the Liberian Constitution which gives every Liberian the right to peacefully assemble to petition his/her government whenever he/she is displeased with the working of government, they will not heed to the January 4, 2020 date set for its planned protest in Monrovia, rather it will carry out its protest action on the alternative date of Monday, January 6 as was announced by the planners.
Henry Pedro Costa stated that it is a sheer violation of citizen’s rights when government decides a date to allow them to assemble or present a petition and as such, would protest on Monday, January 6, 2020.
He told journalists that the planned protest was communicated to government who had reneged to respond or refused to grant them security, yet at the 11th hour of the previous date set by the planners, the government along with the international community held a discussion without their involvement which led to the calling off of the protest on December 30, 2019.
Costa explained how several dates were announced including the third working Monday when President George Weah will be delivering his state of the nation’s address; which according to them, was too far to wait for their petition to be addressed.
The COP; therefore believes that for the government to come up with its own date is a fragrant violation of citizens’ rights to assemble or petition its government and undemocratic for government to dictate to its citizens when to speak.
He said if others would accept government to decide protest date it will be a wrong precedent for COP to accept. And as such, COP has decided and maintained its alternative date of Jan. 6 to peaceably assemble. “We have given them too much and got nothing in return. We have exercised the highest level of reasoning only to undermine our constitution for government to decide which date its people should assemble to petition its gov’t,” Costa said is unacceptable.
“If government has resources to provide protection on the 4th, it can do same on January 6. Our country is slipping in ruthlessness and don’t want to be part of those violating the const. We will not and cannot subscribe to that date. We will not allow ourselves to be subservient to the power that-be,” Costa stated.
Responding to a question whether or not COP should petition the Legislature, he said, “The country is running like this because of the legislators we have. So we will not petition them. The duration of the protest depends on President Weah’s response. We will not accept any government dictating unto us Article 17 of the constitution gives us the right to peaceful assembly to petition our government and it did say; we should ask government to give us time and venue to protest.