The Reinvention of Dictatorship and Despotism in Liberia – A Case to Trash President Sirleaf’s Undemocratic Request in the Recycle Bin The request made by Africa’s first female President seeking Legislative endorsement to withhold or suspend certain fundamental rights of Liberian citizens is not only undemocratic, but a smart attempt to reinvent a new era of dictatorship and despotism in Liberia. Historically, Liberians have been victims of political suppression simply because they dare to speak truth to power. Liberia has a replete record of wanton brutality and all forms of human right abuses. Since 1822 up to date, Liberians, especially critical voices have been targeted by autocratic elements purporting as leaders. The first independent nation of Africa was ravaged by long years of senseless civil crisis due to bad governance and other anti-democratic precedents. As a result of this, over 250,000 lives were lost along with the country’s infrastructure badly damaged. Today, families, friends, relatives and love ones of those war victims are still mourning and left alone in a state of uneasiness and discontent. After 15 years of blood-letting and meaningless destruction, peace finally returned to this rich-poor country in August 2003. A fruitful Comprehensive Peace Accord in Accra, Ghana gave birth to a new Liberia of stability. Several promises, including the promise to guarantee free speech and movement, which are in line with international best practices, were made at that conference. It was upon these acceptable values and principles, Liberians from all segments of life gave their overwhelming support to end a long-standing conflict that was posing serious threat to national and regional peace. Liberia, as a small nation had no reason(s) to travel on the path of civil war if and only if the popular will of those who had authority to establish a legitimate government was respected. However, political carnivores and predators could not easily allow the voices of the oppressed to be heard. They did all they could to stay in power, using hard hands to suppress critical patriots who ever opposed them. It is too soon to stop making useful reference to the ugly past of Liberia if we must sustain and consolidate this hard-earned peace. The wounds of yesterday are still fresh as the need to promote sincere reconciliation and genuine unity remains paramount. The resilience of all Liberians to cultivate perpetual peace is gradually gaining ground from visible realities. Liberians are no longer willing to instigate any internal crisis because they know what it means to fight war. Therefore, the Liberian government under the stewardship of Madam Sirleaf must avoid using unorthodox means in order to provoke public outcry. Liberians deserve to live in peace and any attempt to divert the gains they have made over the years is unacceptable. The request by the Sirleaf’s led government to deny unavoidable rights of citizens is only meant to further increase the unreasonable anger of the oppressed masses. How could anyone think about restricting free speech and movement? How could someone who claims to be a liberal democrat goes to an extent of requesting legislative approval to restrict freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of movement, freedom to own property, etc.? Nobody should use the State of Emergency as a scheme to violate the rights of innocent citizens. The current Ebola crisis must not be used as a canopy to orchestrate plans that contradict democratic tenets. The Liberian people are against all arrangements that tend to curtail their rights and freedom hereafter. In order for democracy to yield substantive fruits, basic human rights must be guaranteed at all times. A vibrant and effective democratic government ceases to exist when freedom, liberty, justice, and equality are invisible. If Liberians must truly win this national fight against Ebola, then their rights must be respected even during this state of emergency. Aren’t the state of emergency and the nationwide curfew enough to help defeat this deadly disease? Does the President need extra executive power in order to contain the spread of Ebola? I certainly do not think so! Therefore, it would be in the best interest of the President to quickly withdraw her two page communiqué before Legislators can begin discussing it. The demerits of Madam Sirleaf’s request are too enormous. Hence, it must be trashed in the recycle bin if she refuses to retract it. Furthermore, Madam President needs to understand that the reign of dictatorship and witch-hunting got to stop, especially when critical voices present objective views pointing to unarguable realities. Keep reading along with me as I analytically pierce through the letter written by Madam Sirleaf to the National Legislature of Liberia. The President after being ill-advised by her confidants quickly forwarded a communication to the capitol building requesting Lawmakers to overwhelmingly permit her suspends seven provisions of the 1986 Liberian Constitution. These provisions include: a. Article 1 of the Liberian Constitution – Alteration of Election Time and Manner b. Article 12 of the Liberian Constitution – Labor c. Article 13 of the Liberian Constitution – Free Movement d. Article 14 of the Liberian Constitution – Religious Restriction e. Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution – Restriction of Speech f. Article 17 of the Liberian Constitution – Assembly g. Article 21 of the Liberian Constitution – Appropriation of Property Where are we going when the President wants to cease all of these basic rights from the very same people who elected her? How can a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate even think about limiting these fundamental rights? For this President to have even thought about taking such hitleric decision speaks volume. Why aren’t the Presidents of Guinea and Sierra Leone requesting such executive powers? Here’s my case: According to Article 87 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, “Emergency powers do not include the power to suspend or abrogate the Constitution, dissolve the Legislature or dismiss the Judiciary; and no constitutional amendment shall be promulgated during a state of emergency….” Why must Madam Sirleaf in her anxious quest to rape Liberians of their rights be seeking Legislative approval to suspend certain provisions of the constitution. I hope we are not going to decree 88A. Liberians cannot afford to live in a Police State or under a Martial rule. According to Article 1 of the 1986 Constitution, “All power is inherent in the people. All free government are instituted by their authority and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform the same when their safety and happiness so require. In other to ensure democratic government, which responds to the wishes of the governed, the people shall have the right at such period and in such manner as provided for under this constitution to cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments”. From all constitutional indications, it is the people through their lawmakers who have the responsibility to postpone, suspend, or reschedule any given election in Liberia. This power is in our purview and not the president’s. According to Article 12 of the 1986 Constitution, “No person shall be held in slavery or forced labor within the Republic”. The president intends to limit this right as well. How is this possible when slavery and force labor undermine International legal instruments? What is even hard to believe is that Madam President intends to sanction the rights to free speech, movement, assembly, religious practices, and property ownership? The request to grant the CIC superpowers cannot hold simply because it will reinvent a system of dictatorship in Liberia. The war against Ebola can be won if this government is sincere to itself and the people it serves. Herbert Hoover said “It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.” Madam President must accept that free speech fertilizes democracy. I thought the President should be seeking Legislative approval to increase salaries and stipends of health workers. I thought Madam President should be planning to procure more ambulances and recruit additional community mobilizers or peer educators. I thought by now this government should be concern about building more ETUs in order to begin normal health operations in hospitals and health centers around the country. The request from the President is a serious test to the Legislature. Lawmakers must do all they can to sustain the expectation of Liberians by protecting them against invisible political arrows and bullets. Surely, this communication is meant to entrap the masses during this traumatizing period of national disaster. Legislators must act in the right direction by unanimously voting against this request submitted to them by the President. Anything less than this is equivalent to public betrayal and conspiracy. There comes a time when an unpopular regime whose mission contravenes patriotism and nationalism is challenged by all the people. As we fight Ebola together, we must do so by avoiding unnecessary distractions. Dictatorship and Despotism must not be given any space to rise above our rights. God bless Liberia as all peace loving citizens strive towards breaking the chain of Ebola transmission! Martin K. N. Kollie Youth Activist martinkerkula1989@yahoo
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 03:23:28 +0000