The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) said it is alarmed by the fire incident at the Capitol and calls on the Government to conduct a speedy and impartial investigation.
Thursday, December 19, 2024/ The CDC, in a statement issued Wednesday, also condemns what is said are attempts by the Government to falsely accuse individuals of complicity in the fire incident when no serious investigation has yet been conducted.
In the statement signed by acting party Chairman Atty. Janga A. Kowo, the CDC noted that it rejects and condemns a rushed arrest order issued against Montserrado District Nine Representative Frank Saah Foko in deviously alleged connection with the tire incident.
It said such baseless arrest order can only be termed a politically motivated witch-hunt to cover up apparent involvement or complicity by elements within the Government.
The CDC further stated that this feigned rush to arrest Representative Foko is an indication that the Government believes the incident was an act of arson.
The party questioned how the Government was able to reach such conclusion when the Justice Minister had just announced the government’s intention to launch an investigation into the incident.
“It would seem between the timing of the Minister’s interview at the Capitol and his arrival at his office, the Government determined that the fire was caused by arson, and it imagined Rep Foko a person of interest,” the CDC explained.
“The truth is that the Government understands fully that the public is aware that the Capitol
premises have been adequately manned by the Liberia National Police and other security
institutions, with the LNP in the last several days even flogging CDC lawmakers at the very
premises. The reality is that Government is now embarrassed that the public may hold it
responsible for the arson given this overwhelming security presence, and as such has now resorted to the framing and scapegoating of political opponents,” the CDC went on.
The party drew the public attention to the fact that for the last 48 to 72 hours, security at the Capitol had been heightened, owing to the announcement of the Citizens’ Peaceful March on the Capitol, scheduled for December 17, 2024.
The CDC argued that amid the bloody and violent suppression of the peaceful march, security vigilance was reportedly even more intense over and above recent LNP security routines at the premises.
Thus, the party further argued that any breach of this massive security dragnet and cordon would have been virtually impossible without LNP or other national security outfits knowing about such a breach.
The CDC maintained that dogged by this inescapable reality, the Government has now been shamed into framing patriotic and law-abiding citizens who have absolutely no motive or reason to commit arson.
“We are also aware that with pressure mounting on the Government from them international
community on the flagrant disregard and disrespect for the Supreme Court opinion in the current legislative impasse, Unity Party desperadoes are capable of concocting devious and diabolical schemes to deflect public pressure from their egregious rule of law violations. With such clear motive and amid heightened security, a serious investigation is now publicly demanded to establish the honest truth and facts in this matter.
As a matter of fact, the CDC calls on the international community to provide technical support in this investigation. No amount of scapegoating or accustomed witch-hunting of political opponents will succeed.
The CDC reassures Liberians and our international partners of our full and unconditional faith in the pursuit of life, liberty, and constitutional rule and calls upon all Liberians to remain law[1], abiding in the exercise of fundamental democratic rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and peaceful public protest. These rights shall not be allowed to perish under the lawlessness we are now experiencing and witnessing under the Unity Party. We must continue to defend democracy and constitutional governance.” The release said.
In another development, the CDC also calls on the Government to unconditionally release Mr. Sekou Kalasco Damaro and other Liberians who were arbitrarily arrested yesterday and are being held on bogus charges. We again warn that these abuses are dangerous to our democracy. Mr. Damaro, Representative Foko, and others committed no wrong in the exercise of their democratic right to protest. Damaro and others were arrested, and now Rep Foko is being pursued for kangaroo reasons that the government is making up. -Press statement.
