–Amid Eruption of Violence, Reported Mysterious Deaths, Gangsterism, Hooliganism, Corruption, Others
IPNEWS-Monrovia: Amid the Monday, March 13, 2023 Montserrado County District #8 Representative, Acarous Gray-led violent disturbances and disruption of academic activities in the name of going to sensitize his constituents of his district, many Liberians who took the airwaves via various talk show platforms expressed concern over what they termed “lack of leadership in Liberia” because President George Weah always remains mute whenever there are national issues that need his leadership to quiet things down in the country.
Most callers on several radio talk shows, expressed disappointment that President Weah has failed to show genuine leadership in the midst of adversities, including lawlessness, violence, reported mysterious deaths, violence against women and children, corruption among others. They said the failure of President Weah to exert his presence is a clear indication that Liberia lacks leadership and direction in the midst of violence and other adversities that spring up in the country.
The callers made the assertion after United States Ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy unconditionally condemned the violence that erupted on Monrovia March 13, 2023 on the main campus of the University of Liberia (UL) reportedly planned and instigated by Montserrado County District #8 Representative Acarous Gray for selfish political reasons.
Ambassador McCarthy spoke directly at politicians, student groups, and citizens across the country when he said that violence of any kind has no place in a democratic society. “Violence does nothing but undercut your own credibility and will only take this country backwards. Disagreements and competing visions for the country should be solved through peaceful debate and at the ballot box, not on the street.”
According to Liberians who called on the several radio talk shows, while a foreign diplomat (Amb. Michael McCarthy) took interest in the peace and stability of the country and denounced the Rep. Acarous Gray-instigated violence, the leader of Liberia, who was elected by the people to govern and direct their ship of state, President George Weah failed to condemn nor assured Liberians and foreign residents that his administration will henceforth stem its authority and clamp down on violence and those who would want to perpetrate it the land to disrupt the peace and stability of the country through the rule of law.
“Whenever Liberians are looking up to their president for leadership, direction and assurance amid national crisis or a given situation, including increase in rape and domestic violence, increase in crimes, lack of security, violence, violation of human rights, rampant corruption among others, the President usually sits mute as he demonstrates no sense of leadership as though everything is alright in the country,” one caller said.
Another caller pointed that: “President Weah needs to take charge and lead because that is why he was elected and not to sit idly by for people who were not elected to take decisions on his behalf. He is asking Liberians for another six years for a second term, but justifying from his first term where he has failed to lead the nation what is going to make Liberians to give him power for another six years?”
Comparing President Weah’s languish and lean-back style of leadership in the midst of crisis or a given national situation that may need his attention to quiet, the callers recalled how some immediate past leaders, including Presidents Charles Taylor and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, would swiftly respond to situations that had the proclivity to plunge the country unto chaos, whether it was shortage of rice or petroleum products on the Liberian markets, increase in crimes, insecurity, sexual gender-based violence, violent street demonstrations, among others, to give assurances that the peace and stability of the country would remain intact.
But contrarily, they said under the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-led government headed by President George Weah, most times he remains silent in the wake of adversities that may tend to plunge the country into chaos and disrupt the hard-earned peace and stability the country and its peoples enjoy today. They then called on President Weah to step up his plate and lead the country as he was elected to do.
Opposition Bloc Always Doubts Weah’s Leadership Qualities
This is not the first time that President Weah has been urged to take charge of the state and lead it in keeping with the constitution responsibilities.
It can be recalled one of the main opposition leaders, Alexander B. Cummings of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has always urged President George Weah to lead or get out of the way of Liberia’s democratic progress.
“Mr. President, lead, follow or get out of the way of Liberia’s democratic progress and sustainable development,” Mr. Cummings said in one of his many press statements released Tuesday, 30 August 2022.
Cummings’ statement was in reaction to President Weah’s alleged failure to act against Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) officials who were allegedly “culpable for forgery and stealing the money designated” for the conduct of the census in Liberia.
Mr. Cummings alleged that President Weah failed to take action against these individuals because the current regime expects them to manipulate the census process to the regime’s advantage.
“President Weah should take immediate actions against the indicted officials at LISGIS because keeping them to lead the census process places a dark cloud of uncertainty on the census and undermines the credibility of the results,” he said his state of August 2022.
CPP Reacts and Condemns Violent Disturbances at UL Main Campus on Capitol Hill
CPP political leader and standard bearer Alexander B. Cummings. He has also condemned the violence and called on President Weah to take charge and lead the country accordingly and bring perpetrators of the violence to book through the rule of law
While the leader of the nation, President George Weah is yet to speak on the violent situation that occurred at the main campus of the University of Liberia (UL), the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) condemned the violence and stated that “Liberia is increasingly descending into lawlessness, insecurity and instability under the watch of President George Weah who remains conspiratorially silent in the wake of the creeping anarchy that threatens to engulf the country.”
Making its position known in a press statement dated March 14, 2023, the CPP specifically referenced the Monday, March 13, 2023 violence on the main campus of the University of Liberia and surrounding streets that turned into scenes of chaos, violence and disruptions to the flow of normal activities.
“There are reports of at least one death, several arrests and multiple injuries, all of which were avoidable. Increasingly, we are witnessing the systematic breakdown of law and order, and the unfortunate return of our society to living under conditions of fear, intimidation and violence. This is unhealthy for our democracy, and dangerous for the peace, security, stability and development of the nation.
“The reckless incident of Monday is one in a troubling list of creeping lawlessness with impunity. From drug peddling to the illegal import of weapons into the country, there are disturbing reports that agencies and individuals with both appointive and elective responsibilities to ensure enforcement of the law are themselves conspiring and enabling the commission of crimes and the breakdown of the rule of law.
“On his watch, and over the disappointingly conspiratorial silence of President George Weah – except when he chooses to illegally interfere in ongoing criminal investigations and litigations on the side of alleged criminals – Liberia is increasingly descending into lawlessness, insecurity and instability. We continue to see rising crimes in our streets and communities, and unsolved murders and so-called mysterious deaths of citizens,” the CPP lamented.
The leading Liberian opposition tent said it has continued to urge the government to investigate and bring alleged perpetrators to justice whenever incidents of such occur.
“This is what responsible governments would naturally do in the face of such occurrences. However, our calls for investigations have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears. Even when the President has promised investigations into alleged crimes, it has never been done, or reported to have been done, so much so that accused individuals, including close friends and associates are walking free, with obvious impunity. We are, therefore, compelled to conclude that the government is itself too complicit in the lawlessness to act against them, or it is incompetent and unable to do so.
“We wish to sound a warning to the government, its agents, and all concerned that there will be consequences for all crimes against the nation, as well as the evolving conspiracy to undermine the rule of law, risk our peace, and instill fear in the population. Stop now, or there will be no hiding place for you tomorrow!
“Under a CPP-led Government, all involved in the commission of these and other crimes against the Liberian people will dutifully answer as all alleged criminals in a lawful society should, irrespective of status or position. An increasingly lawless, unstable and insecure Liberia ultimately benefits no one,” the CPP cautioned sternly.
Meanwhile, it is unknown whether President Weah will muster the political will and courage to condemn the violent UL disturbances reportedly planned and instigated by Montserrado County District #8 Representative Acarous Gray, under the guise of going on the UL campuses to sensitize his constituents about the Biometric Voters Registration exercise expected to be rolled out soon by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Political pundits have condemned the violence and called on President Weah to take the lead and reassure Liberians and foreign residents that peace and stability of the country is intact and will not be disrupted by any element, whether from his ruling CDC government or any other Liberian, political groups or among others.
