The Government of Liberia says it takes due cognizance of concerns coming from local and international quarters of the donning of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) paraphernalia by some members of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) during the party’s “One Million Men Rally” for the nomination of President George M. Weah for a second term bid.
The government says these concerns are legitimate and terms the EPS Officers’ behavior as embarrassing which it attributes to over-exuberance and lack of knowledge of the standard operating procedures of the service.
However, the Chairperson of the Joint-Security of Liberia, Frank Musah Dean has mandated the head of the EPS, Director Trokon Nathaniel Roberts, to ensure that henceforth such unprofessional display by any member of the EPS does not recur.
In a mandate to the National Security Forces of Liberia, Justice Minister Dean reminded all military, paramilitary, and other related security institutions of their oath to defend and protect all citizens and residents of the country in a manner that demonstrates neutrality, professionalism, and decency.
Meanwhile, the Government of Liberia wants to reiterate its expressed commitment to the conduct of free, fair, transparent, democratic elections in an environment that is secure and open to all stakeholders and participants regardless of political affiliation.
The government said it will not allow Saturday’s regrettable action on the part of some members of the EPS to put a dent in the enviable record of the Weah-led Administration of successfully conducting several elections in the country.
However, the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has alarmed and called international attention to the lawlessness and dangerous display and brandishing of assault rifles by suspected CDC militias and state securities who wore political paraphernalia during its so-called petition ceremony.
CPP, in a statement issued, on Monday, February 6, it said, “These gangster-looking individuals wore CDC insignias and political paraphernalia including T-Shirts which made them indistinguishable between CDC militias and state security.”
CPP said it is deeply disturbed by these developments and are signs of dangerous things to come noting, “If these rifle-carrying individuals were CDC militias, the CPP demands an explanation and independent investigation on how they got such weaponry in a political gathering, and why were they allowed to exhibit assault rifles in such threatening public manner.”
The Collaborating Political Group noted that over the past five years of President Weah’s failed administration, Liberia continues to see breakdown of law and order, and public display of false impressions that the President and his officials are above the law.
The CPP said public officials’ refusal to obey the law, as well as the breakdown of professionalism in, and public trust of, state security institutions, as was the case, when the carrier of a state weapon is encouraged to wear partisan t-shirt of a political group, such individual undermines the neutrality of the state security forces in political competition and discourses.
CPP said these acts of blatant disregard of the law endangers and undermines the nation’s peace, security, and democracy.
“For six years, state security forces have morphed into a hostile partisan force against peaceful citizens and critics of the government,” the opposition group observed.
CPP disclosed that it is deeply concerned that the lawless display on Saturday, February 4, at the CDC petition charade appears to have been sanctioned by the President.
CPP observed that it was a massive wasteful spending of taxpayers’ money, and hijacking, with huge media blitz and billboards displayed by the President and other campaign materials and lies.
