–As Over Seven Organizations Endorse Dec. 17 Exercise, Calls on More Liberians to Join the Struggle
By Taisiah K. Merfee
IPNEWS: Seven Civil Society Organizations and Political Parties on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, endorsed the much-publicized December 17, 2022 ‘Peaceful Rally’ that is expected to take place at the outside facility of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville City, outside Monrovia as organized by the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
Speaking at the CPP headquarters in Monrovia one of United People Party (UPP) Representatives stated they are happy to be part of the Peaceful Rally and they are encouraging all of it members to see reason in supporting the Rally .
Organizations and Political parties that endorsed the December 17, 2022 Rally include United People Party UPP), People Liberation Party (PLP), Cross Border Women Association of Liberia, Former CDC Royal Guard, Movement against the Re-election of President Weah, Gorbachov Market Women Association, and National Community Leaders Association of Liberia, among others.
“We come here today to endorse this rally, it will be bad if we don’t come up for the Liberian people as an opposition political party in Liberia”
He said this is the only way the Liberian people will be able to say how they feel about their government, adding, “We don’t see this as a support for Alexander Cummings or any other person in the opposition community but rather for the Liberian people and this is why we as a Party stand with this.”
“Hunger is not like labor pain, let us turn out there on the 17th to support the Rally in the interest of the people. All political parties should see this as a wakeup call, if we don’t hold together 2023 we will be supporting Weah and his administration for the second time which is not good for the Liberian people,” the UPP representative at the endorsement ceremony averred.
Also speaking the National Chairman of the Indigenous Movements of Liberia Ruben Lakpawolo said Liberia belongs to all and it’s owned by everyone, so if the resources of Liberia is not being managed properly by the government the citizens need to stand up and tell them.
He added that the people are suffering and it is time that “we stand up for the needed change. Look at the RIA road contract that they gave to East International Construction Company nothing is been done by people we elected years back but this rally will send a clear message to them.”
“We will take President Weah to Court for what they has caused this Country. Our resources of the Country under Weah is a complete mess, our brothers and sisters will come up on that day”.
At the same time, the Cross Borders Women Association, who also pledged their support to the December 17 peaceful rally said people should see this Rally as a wakeup call to President Weah that Liberians can no longer stand the suffering in the country.
According to Ma. Sangei Dunbar, the people don’t have confidence in this government anymore, the cost of living is very high and those who they elected to seek their interests are only seeking their own interests.
“We have travel in almost all of the African Countries for goods and services everyday people getting ill, they say Liberia is reach but the people are not enjoying from the resources of their own country”.
Additionally, some former Members of President George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) one of the constituents parties that make up the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Alexander Momo Chairman of the Movement against of the Re-Election of Weah said they are in support of the Rally because Weah failed them.
“We will come in numbers on that for the day Rally to show to President Weah that the same people who put him in power need their power back but this time it will be done through the ballot box, but the Dec. 17 Rally will send a warning to him.”
Momo than called on all opposition leaders and parties to come together for the Liberian people and the December 17, will be the beginning. “This Rally is not about anyone else but for us, the only way that you will not be part of this Rally if you are enjoying from this government “.
He then warned Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee to stop the attacks on them, adding “We will tell the international community that you and your Boss have failed us.” “Years back he told us that we will not be strangers in our Economy but today we are not seeing ourselves participating in our Economy.”
As for PLP representative at the endorsement exercise David Benito, he said the government has created more problems for the Liberian people than any other government in history. “We have been patient with this government, we are tired with the sufferings and we are calling on every member of the PLP to come out.”
The National Community Leaders Association Chairperson, Amos Myers said they have come to show up the struggle by pledging their support to the rally.
“You all are aware of the things that happened in our Community and we the leaders are the first persons that people engage before National leaders so if the government is not living up to our expectations we need to tell them”.
“We are discussing what all Liberians need to benefit from it, people are telling you to stay away from this Rally, we are the one who gave you the power and we will take it from you through the ballot box”.
Evelyn Kollie, Chairlady Gorbachov Market Women for Cummings said they have become beggars in their own country and even they cannot sell 10 sacks of water a Day. She said Saturday they will come out in their numbers to support the Rally at the SKD Sports Complex.
Former CDC Royal Guard Chairman Ansu Bility said from 2010 to 2017 they supported Weah and the CDC but the government have anything to offer the Liberian people.
“People are dying and he is out of the country we will be at the rally on that day to tell them that we were the ones who gave them power and we can take it back from them,” Ansu Bility stressed.
“If you say we are not suffering because of Lewis Brown, this is a message to Koijee as any attempt from you and your group we will issue Citizens arrest for you and turn you over to the international Community,” Bility iterated.
Meanwhile Dr Toga Gaywhea McIntosh, Chairman of Team Cummings Campaign said it’s important to send a message to the government and the international Community that the government takes the correction from the opposition community in the best interest of the people and the Country.
He said this is the best thing any responsible government can ever do by allowing Citizens to rally peacefully at any given time.
Dr. McIntosh said the second thing is that they want send a message to the government that measures need to be put into place, to avoid keeping the country down.
“If I see and hear that people saying that I am not suffering it hurts me a lot, if I can buy a beg of rice and people in my community can’t afford what become of me,” Dr. McIntosh asked
“The last point I want to make is that this is mama Liberia, our mother is ill and we the children of Liberia need to do something, as this action goes beyond December 17, we are moving towards Election Day.”
“Whatever we do, the way we mobilize ourselves and remain peaceful, there are two sides here – you either for the people or for the mess we find ourselves in. I will be in the Rally will all of my support on December 17, 2023,” Dr. McIntosh concluded.
