...And Then The Police Show Up

By: ralph geeplay

This week, the Liberian National Police and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) collided in Monrovia. There was a sign post on the wall all along that it would happen; it was just a matter of time. It was not an isolated occurrence, say observers. Somehow, there is this thinking within the camp of the CDC that it was the government in waiting, or that at all cost they should be the ones leading the country, and anything short of electoral victory wouldn’t be acceptable. It was unfortunate especially so, that lives were lost and serious bodily injuries took place. An investigation into the shooting must commence and action taken against those liable for the deaths, but observers believe, if the Liberian police and security forces cannot confront and take on the population, when violence and the law is being broken, while UNMIL is still in the country, wait and see what happens when they leave. UNMIL, is the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

 First it was the unripe Acarus Gray, the secretary general of the ‘almighty’ CDC, who claimed that the police were after him.And then suddenly, he issued the noncompliance précis: the police, he said would have to take his dead body to the precinct. He challenged them to do so, claiming that CDC and its thugs would protect him. Such statement coming from the high raking official of the CDC was unheard of and regrettable. Even in the days of the marathon progressive struggle for multiparty democracy in Liberia, under Tubman, Tolbert, Doe and even Taylor, political activists never dared the Liberian government recklessly in the open, showing disrespect for constitutional and constituted authority, despite their disagreements. 

And then Gray added “We will not go into the presidential run-off until our demands are met. We maintain our position, we are unwavering and unbending. Nobody should be misled that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will go to election on white ballot and her legitimacy will not be questioned. Ellen will govern Unity Party and CDCians will be governed by CDCians; and if she wants to govern a bitter Liberia, we are prepared to give her a bitter Liberia- in the sense of not going to Buutuo and Karnplay." What the hell was he talking about? Call Sirleaf what ever names you want to, but under her government there has been no political prisoners in the country. Even the narcissistic John Morlu with his inflate sense of self was never ever bother when he called Sirleaf and her opponents "dogs," he boasted “I am not afraid of anybody in this town”…the joke is according analysts, Gray was talking foolishness.

Few questions to ponder though, why did Tubman assembled his partisans in the streets, when they had no permit to demonstrate, and more so on the eve of an all important run off election when the world's eyes were fixed on Liberia? Simple, He is not the one running things within the CDC, he is a stooge. No, I am serious. One day he makes a statement, the next there is a complete about face! The intensions of the CDC was to hijack the country and seek a state of confusion and chaos. Stephen Ellis who has written extensively on Liberia was quoted in the Washington Post on Nov 8^th. He said this about Tubman and the CDC.  “It’s an obvious calculation. [They] withholds legitimacy from the government, If it was felt by a large part of population to not be legitimate, in a place like Liberia, with its history, it becomes quite worrying.” He added that Tubman and his party would lose if they participated in the run off, because Sirleaf had gotten important endorsements and that the CDC was down dramatically in the polls. In order to avert chaos, the police showed up and took care of business, reassuring residents that life would go on in the city. 

The political playbook of the CDC is dusty: We have have seen the same tactics played out, in Kenya, Cote Ivoire, Nigeria, Niger, etc. International diplomats and world leaders know the trick now. Other than blaming the police, Tubman and his CDC must take a large share of the blame too.

There are a lot of criticisms going the way of the Police General Inspector, Mark Amblard, but many forget that Liberia is an unruly country crawling with violence after almost three decades of lawlessness. The security sector reform supported by the international community over the last six years has been busy grooming Liberian security forces and it seems they are coming along just fine. But it is important to note that all of their actions must be centered within the confines of the law, having said that those who disturb the peace must be dealt with and punished severely as a deterrence to others.

 The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) looked mean and ready. Riots are not dinner parties. The Police Support Unit (PSU) looked ready too. There are a lot of ex-combatants, and gangsters who are still around, waiting for the least opportunity to loot and cause trouble.