ECOWAS 'disappointed' Liberian protesters failed to present petition
Monrovia, Liberia (PANA) – The Office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Liberia says it is disappointed that organisers of last Friday's protest march in Monrovia against the government failed to present their petition.
This was is in spite of the elaborate mediation efforts and arrangements made by the Government, local and international stakeholders for the petition to be delivered to the Government by the Council of Patriots (CoP), who organised the protest march.
Thousands of Liberians demonstrated in the streets of the capital, Monrovia, on Friday to protest against President George Weah and is government for corruption and economic decline.
They pointed at the poor economy and the alleged disappearance of US$100 million in newly printed bank notes.
In a statement published in local dailies on Monday in Monrovia, ECOWAS noted that in line with the arrangement for the delivery of the petition by the organisers of the protest, the Government sent a delegation, comprising of the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and State without Portfolio, as well as the National Security and Legal Advisers on Presidential Affairs to the assembly point.
It said intense engagements and negotiations included the visits to Liberia of the UN Secretary General Special representative to West and Central Africa, Mohamed Ibn Chambas and the ECOWAS Commission President, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou.
However, the statement pointed out, at the point of presenting the petition, the organisers of the protest insisted that the petition, upon delivery to the President, must be acknowledged by him and the acknowledgement should be brought back by the Government delegation and handed over to the organisers of the protest at the assembly point.
After consultation, the Government “graciously accepted this demand and waited to receive the petition”.
The Government delegation was thereafter invited to the crowd outside the Parliament Building premises, “and surprisingly the organisers of the protest introduced an extraneous demand” by saying that their petition would only be delivered upon the “immediate release” of the students and others that were detained by the Liberia National Police few days earlier.
This then stalled the presentation of the petition.
In spite of this, ECOWAS said it will want the Liberian Government and people to continue to engage in constructive dialogue for sustaining the peace and stability with a view to finding an amicable means of addressing genuine concerns in line with the Constitution and the rule of law.
While assuring its commitment to peace and stability of Liberia, ECOWAS said it will continue to facilitate the socio-economic development of the country.
It recalled the series of mediation efforts and constructive engagements between the representatives of Government and organisers of the 7 June protest that was facilitated by ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nations.
The ECOWAS commended Liberian President George Manneh Weah for his statesmanship, officials of his Government as well as the organisers of the protest for ensuring a non-violent peaceful assembly.
In particular, ECOWAS commended Liberia’s Joint Security Services and, especially, the Liberia National Police, for the display of ”utmost professional conduct” in protecting the civil liberties of the protesters as there was “no ugly incident throughout the day”.
Equally, EECOWAS lauded the United Nations Human Rights monitors as well as the ECOWAS Observers for their diligent and impartial role in interacting with all the parties in their various areas of deployment as well as at the assembly point.
“It goes without saying that the peaceful conduct of the protesters throughout the day exemplified Liberia’s democratic maturity, tolerance and orderly nature of the people,” the ECOWAS statement noted.
-0- PANA PTK/MA 11June2019
