Black Tuesday in Monrovia: Civil Society Take to the Streets Against Corruption
06/10/09 - Samwar S. Fallah
Holding placards and chanting choruses “Stop Corruption, We are Suffering, Stop stealing our money”, the peaceful protestors described corruption in government as endemic and called on the United States, European Union, International Contact Group on Liberia, the United Nations Security Council , Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other international organizations to prevail on the government to enforce audit reports released by the General Auditing Commission of Liberia (GAC) and investigate and make public its findings on all allegations of corruption in the government.
The protestors, many of them expressing anger over the wave of corruption in the government told FrontPageAfrica the campaign against corruption in Liberia has just begun and they will fight to the end
Monrovia - Aconglomerate of seven civil society organizations and grassroots institutions in Liberia Tuesday wore black garments symbolizing what they termed mourning acts of corruption in Liberia and staged a peaceful march through the principal streets of Monrovia followed by the presentation of a position statement to the United States Embassy, European Union and other diplomatic missions protesting increased corruption in the Liberian government.
“Should we think that the poverty reduction chorus is manifesting in poverty increase or unemployment and/or inflation? This is unacceptable! Now is the time to act. For us as civil society, we think there is a need for a decisive action to break the back of this monster of corruption and we see now as the only appropriate time for undertaking such action”, portion of the civil society statement indicated.
The protesters, many of them expressing anger over the wave of corruption in the government told FrontPageAfrica the campaign against corruption in Liberia has just begun and they will fight to the end in ensuring that the resources of the country are distributed equally to benefit the poor and downtrodden masses.
Saydee Monboe, head of the Center for Trauma Healing and Conflict Resolution (CETOR), a local civil society organization presenting the petition on behalf of the collaborating civil society organizations to the European Union and United States Embassy said corruption is impeding the growth of Liberia and prolonging the suffering of the Liberian people who are gradually recovering the ashes of years of civil war.
“The writing is clear on the wall, corruption has taken over this government, the people are suffering, the President lacks the political will to fight corruption. The audit reports are there and no action has been taken against corrupt officials, so we are calling on you to help us by denying these criminals who steal our money and go to your countries to enjoy themselves visas”, Monboe told the Charge D’Affairs at the European Commission.
The civil society organizations in their position statement outlined several acts of corruption over the past three years which they stated has not been investigated to full conclusion.
“What do we say about the memorable incidents of the email scandal at the Executive Mansion, with the alleged involvement of some of the president’s indisputable confidants? Ever since the submission of the Dunn Commission report, nothing much is being heard of it, especially the appointment of a Chief Prosecutor to investigate the scandal as recommended by the committee. What can we say again about the transfer of one million United States dollars into private account at the Eco Bank? What’s about the over five hundred thousand dollars said to have been confiscated from a Nigerian visiting Liberia? What’s also about the 22 million Liberian dollars checks scandal at the Ministry of Finance?”, the civil society organizations catalogued acts of corruption in the government in their petition.The campaign against corruption, the civil society organizations said they take it as a challenge not to only speak but to suggest remedial action stating that the battle against corruption requires a holistic approach and there march is intended to sensitize and entreat all Liberians to join the call to fight corruption.
In a six count recommendation, the civil society organizations amongst others called for the prompt enforcement and full implementation of the GAC audit reports and that the Liberian government investigates and makes public its findings on all allegations of corruption including the one million United States dollars transfer from the Central Bank to the Eco-Bank and the 22 million Liberian dollars check scandal at the Ministry of Finance.
Further, the group recommended that the Liberian government goes beyond arbitrary suspension of individuals for alleged corruption, misuse of public funds and considers mandatory prosecution for the accused.
“That the United States Government and the rest of the international community should not provide safe haven and/or entry visas to individuals allegedly implicated in corruption, malpractices and malfeasance until they exonerate themselves in a court of competent jurisdiction”, count three of the civil society recommendation stated.
Additionally, the civil society recommends that the government speedily appoint the Chief Prosecutor to investigate the notorious E-mail scandal linking confidants of the President and the Anti Corruption Commission demonstrates and exhibits independence and accountability with focus on addressing corruption in a more transparent manner.
Strong Views against Corruption
Many of the protestors in interviews with FPA expressed strong views against the President and top government officials for practicing corruption.
Khalifa Jabateh head of the Movement for Liberia Destiny, one of the civil society organizations that staged the protest said corruption is pervasive in the current administration and the present has shown no commitment to fight the act.“Corruption is too much in this government and nothing has been done to tackle it, look at the Liberian Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), Harry Greaves alone signed US$24.8 million agreement, nobody knows what is in that agreement and Greaves alone is handling that, the public needs to know, LPRC is not Greaves private property”, Jabateh expressed.
The head of the civil society movement vowed that the campaign against corruption will continue until the Liberian government sees reason to wisely use the state resources for the intended purposes.
“This is not about me and my movement; it is about the Liberian people, the people who are not getting their daily needs because few individuals are stealing the money, this ugly act must stop. The President is not capable to lead this nation, because she has done nothing to fight corruption”, the civil society activist declared.
Elijah Kingston, another campaigner told FPA the president of Liberia is corrupt and is therefore protecting her officials accused of corruption.
“Ellen herself is very corrupt, so she is not doing anything to government officials that steal our money. They are running friendship club and stealing all our money, Ellen will not take action against her friends because they all know what is going on”, Kingston lamented.
Kingston believes fighting corruption is not making mere public pronouncements but taking concrete actions against corrupt officials to deter them from depleting public coffers.
Edwin McGee Taylor a student activist who also participated in the protest said the Liberian government is paying lip service in the fight against corruption.
“This government is not fighting corruption at all so we as students believe that there must be pressure to bear on this government to protect the resources of the state by fighting corruption. Corrupt officials must be prosecuted”, Taylor intimated.He says;, see the number of young people moving around here that do not have money to go to school, this is simply because officials are taking the money and sending their children to very expensive universities in America and other places, the tax payers money.
Boakai G. Cephus, a long time one man advocate against corruption who few months ago staged a 100 day hunger strike and sit-in action at several government institutions against corruption says the Liberian government is rotten with corruption.
“This whole government is rotten with corruption; there is nothing they have done to tell the world that they are against corruption. Everyday stealing, everywhere stealing, we will continue this campaign until something happens”, Cepus stated.
According to him, audit reports released by the GAC are now kept under the carpet only because top government officials are implicated in acts of corruption.
“Look at all the audit reports; they are keeping them under the carpet just because Ellen friends are the ones stealing our money, everybody in this government are criminals only John Morlu the Auditor General I respect, the rest of the officials are rogues”, Cephus decried.
The civil society organizations march was very peaceful with huge police presence that guarded the protestors throughout their protest.
The civil society organizations described the protest as the beginning of the campaign against corruption, vowing to intensify efforts over the next few months.
FPA