Monday’s occurrences on the Capitol Hill campus of the state-run University of Liberia was a replica of what occurred on July 26, 2022, when officers of the Liberia National Police stood by idly and watched individuals under the banner of CDC Council of Patriots stoned and brutalized peaceful university students near the United States Embassy in Monrovia.
Monday’s disturbances that disrupted normal academic activities on the university campus would not have escalated had the Liberian National Police promptly and effectively intervened, but instead, police officers stood across the street and watched as the thugs that Representative Acarous Moses Gray had brought with him began clashing with campus-based student groups that had earlier declared the UL campus a no-go zone for Rep. Gray.
As we bash the police, we also think what did Rep. Gray hope to achieve when he challenged that he would have gone to have lunch on the UL campus? He had made three different declarations: one: to have lunch on the campus; second: to see his scholarship students; and third, to carry out voters education. Did any of that happen? Certainly not! He knew that none of those things would have been possible under the circumstances that had brewed over the last few days leading to Monday. Yet, being unwise, he still forced his way to carry out his showmanship.
About two years ago, the same Student Unification Party (SUP) had declared the University of Liberia a “No-go zone” for Senator Abraham Darius Dillon. Why was he barred from entering? The Senator (not senator at that time), in 2014, had posted a dissenting view against the “Progressives” tactics that led to the 1979 Rice Riot during which some Liberians lost their lives. In 2021, when Facebook brought it back up as a reminder, someone had commented and it caught the attention of some folks in SUP. Just about that time in 2021, the Students Integration Movement (SIM), another UL campus-based student political party and a rival to SUP, had invited the Senator for some functions, but the Senator, applying common sense, didn’t honor SIM’s request. Was he afraid? Was he a coward? We think not. Had he gone there to show “strength” what occurred on Monday, March 13, or worse would have probably happened. But he used common sense and averted stupidity.
The Police should have prevented Rep. Gray and his escorts from entering the grounds that were already tense. The Police similarly stood and watched opposition lawmaker, Yekeh Kolubah of Montserrado District-10, also accompanied by his supporters, entered the campus of the university and further fanned the violence.
We believe the only antidotes to lawlessness is the prompt and effective enforcement of the rule of law, especially during this elections year when electoral violence is obviously imminent.
Even as we speak about this year’s crucial legislative and presidential elections, the Liberia National Police still faces the old-aged problem of lack of needed logistics, including even uniforms and vehicles.
To further compound the situation, the National Police and other national security agencies continue to exhibit a partisan posture, eroding public confidence and trust.
It is unarguable that lawlessness will persist across the country unless the Police and other national security agencies are given the logistics they need to effectively and efficiently enforce the rule of law during and after the October Presidential and Legislative Elections, because we unequivocally maintain that the best antidotes to lawlessness is the effective enforcement of the rule of law.
Most importantly, our law enforcement agencies, particularly the Police, will regain public trust and confidence unless they annihilate their partisan mentality.
For the general public and our international partners to have seen state security personnel in partisan t-shirts of the ruling CDC does not only send a wrong signal to the International Community, but also scares the citizenry, mainly critics of the government.
It is impossible for national security personnel to effectively, efficiently and unbiasedly enforce the rule of law to quell lawlessness if they have a political interest to protect.
