My Likes And Dislikes About Pres. Weah’s Speech At The UNGA

By Atty Philip N. Wesseh (PNW)

President George Manneh Weah for the second time last Wednesday addressed the United Nations General Assembly, a forum that provides opportunity for world leaders to take their cases to that world body. In doing so, leaders are given time to address it because of the number of world leaders who are expected to address the body. In the case of President Weah, I gathered that he was given 20 minutes which he duly respected.

 The General Assembly (GA) is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. The Assembly meets from September to December each year, and thereafter from January to September, as required, including to take up outstanding reports from the Fourth and Fifth Committees.

First, let me say that I admired the presentation of the President’s speech and some of what he said in it. However, I disagree with a specific portion of the speech.

In the first place, he did a good public relations in the beginning of his speech when he mentioned about the recent tragedy at the Islamic school fire incident which resulted to the death of 27 students, who were referred to as “YOUNG ISLAMIC SCHOLARS.”

This is how the President started: “Before I begin my address, I would like to ask you to kindly join me to observe a moment of silence for the deaths of 28 young scholars who died last week in a tragic fire in Liberia. Thank you. May Their Souls Rest in Perfect Peace.

He went on: ”I would also like to thank the large number of you who shared our grief and loss by sending us condolences through personal telephone calls and social media. God bless you for your compassion.”   That was excellent.

Acknowledging the role of the UN in solving the  Liberian crisis, President Weah reiterated: ”As I have acknowledged on many occasions, Liberia is a UN success story.  After being devastated by a brutal civil conflict that lasted for 14 years, peace was restored and maintained by what was then the largest peace-keeping force in the history of this organization.  Under the auspices of the UNMIL peace-keepers, Liberians enjoyed sixteen (16) years of unbroken peace.

“ Mr. President, we are pleased and grateful for the efforts and sacrifices made by them to secure our peace.  When the peace-keeping force was withdrawn two years ago, the responsibility for maintaining peace in Liberia was passed on to the Liberian Government.”

“This is a responsibility to which I attach the greatest importance, because without peace, our world will be difficult. We are all aware of the terrible destruction of lives and properties caused by civil war.”

I am proud to say that I have kept this promise; and our country is today a beacon of democracy in Africa, where freedom of the press, freedom of expression, freedom of association and other political and democratic rights are respected, under the rule of law.

The political environment remains vibrant, with political actors and parties freely exercising their franchise and participating in various elections.   Mr. President, I am delighted to report that there are no political prisoners in Liberia, and existing laws that hindered or threatened press freedom have been de-criminalized.

Several protests have taken place from time to time, all of which have ended peacefully, and have been welcomed by my Government, as a positive manifestation of our democratic maturity.

This is the democracy for which our country has yearned; this is the freedom for which our people have struggled and suffered; and this is the emancipation for which many of our citizens have paid the ultimate price.

However, the portion I dislike in the President’s speech is when ‘he said,

‘‘However, we are beginning to witness the emergence of a creeping threat to our democratic space, and to our hard-won peace and stability. Some individuals, within and out of our country, particularly those who have lost democratically-held elections, have resorted to incitement, threats of violence, misuse of social media, and hate speech, with the aim and objective of achieving power through undemocratic means.”

He went on: “This is unacceptable, and must not be encouraged by those who would wish Liberia well. For democracy to thrive, all Liberians, including both the ruling parties and the opposition parties, must respect the rule of law, and abide by the procedures and regulations prescribed therein.

The Liberian civil conflict came to an end when all parties and warring factions signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Accra, Ghana, in August, 2003.

However, while hailing some of what he said, this portion of people threatening the peace and stability of the country. Even though he did not mention the word, “OPPOSITION,” from the context of his speech, one can infer that he was referring to the opposition, probably those who are part of the Council of Patriots (COP) that staged two protest actions and is planning a bigger one in December this year.

My reason for this dislike is that the President elaborated on some of the progress of his government when said, “The political environment remains vibrant, with political actors and parties freely exercising their franchise and participating in various elections. Mr. President, I am delighted to report that there are no political prisoners in Liberia, and existing laws that hindered or threatened press freedom have been de-criminalized. Several protests have taken place from time to time, all of which have ended peacefully, and have been welcomed by my Government, as a positive manifestation of our democratic maturity.    

I feel it was not appropriate by reporting to the world body about alleged threats to peace and stability, when he boasted or bragged about how his government continues to respect the rights of the people and that this has led to the holding of peaceful protests.

Also, the President said in his address on Investment ,”My administration has recently developed a new investment framework of incentives and tax reliefs that will directly benefit the private sector, and we hereby invite the investment community to take advantage of this new opportunity.

For me, the President cannot be inviting investors in the country and at the same time reporting about alleged imminent threats.

As a student of communication, this portion of the address to such a world body was not necessary.  The fact is that no investors would want to invest in a society of uncertainty, as it relates to security.

 Particularly, for the President to say that these protests and disagreements are aimed at “achieving power through undemocratic means,” is scarring. Observably, I do not believe from that I have seen and noticed that these protest actions are intended to remove the government undemocratically.

These are all intended to drawing the government’s attention to certain issues. For example during the June 7 protests, during which I was out of the country, one of the issues raised was the issue of the PUNCH FM of Patrick Honnah, which is yet to receive its license from the government to operate. I really do not know why this government is delaying in granting this license to this son of the soil to operate.

It is this government that is making this an issue, thus giving the opposition a weapon to fight.  Why is this government which is bragging about press freedom’s fear in allowing Patrick to operate his station?

The issues of protests and disagreements are part of the tenets of democracy. What matters is for the government to continue to open the line of communication and dialogue.

I believe that much can be achieved through effective communication and dialogue which are antithesis to conflicts, misunderstanding and chaos or even protests.

Additionally, effective communication and dialogue are positive tools for peace, unity, cohesiveness, stability, growth and development.

Therefore, it is wrong for people to be perceived as enemies because of differences and disagreement or because they are exercising their fundamental rights.

Notwithstanding, what is required in this regard of exercising one’s rights is that it should be done in keeping with the law and in an orderly, peaceable and respectful manner, as it is said that, “ where one’s rights ends, another person’s rights begin.”

I Rest My Case, to say, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT”.