Monrovia — Several members of the Student Unification Party (SUP) at the state-run University of Liberia were left injured in a counter protest staged by supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
On Tuesday, July 26, SUP, Africa's oldest student movement, assembled at the United States Embassy on Benson Street in Monrovia, one of the designated spots of its much heralded "Fix The Country" campaign aimed at denouncing "bad governance" and its vices including corruption, poverty and insecurity under the Weah-led administration.
The campaign, according to SUP, was also intended to dissuade citizens from joining the Government in celebrating Liberia's 175th Independence.
While the official ceremony was being held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street, SUP's assembly soon turned sour at the entrance of the U.S. Embassy up Snipper Hill on Benson Street when a pro-government group, the CDC- Council of Patriots stormed the protest ground and attacked SUP members. While many SUP members fled, some were caught by the pro-government group.
Disturbing footage from the protest ground showed a member of SUP, identified as Christopher Walter Sisulu Sivili being beaten and tortured. In what appeared to be a disturbing reminiscence of the brutal civil war, the student was seen surrounded with a group of CDC loyalists who pounded him with heavy blows and slaps. They stripped him naked as blood oozed from his nose and mouth. Some rained curse on him, and torturing him, said he and his colleagues were being ungrateful to President Weah, who, among other things, has offered them free tuition.
As he was being brutalized, anti-riot police stood by, watched and laughed without doing anything to rescued him; much to the astonishment of journalists and some onlookers and motorcyclists who later came to his rescue after he was abandoned by his tormentors. Another member of SUP identified as Paul Dolo was also wounded. Some members are still missing, according to SUP officials.
Speaking to K-news, the Spokesperson of SUP, Mohammed Shabazz Jalloh said Mayor Koijee was the mastermind behind the CDC supporters' action.
Said Jalloh: "What occurred today was total hooliganism and gangsterism and Jefferson Koijee was the ring leader of what occurred today because what we saw, these were elements of the CDC Youth Wing. They went there and along with them were several members of the CDC Youth Wing."
Mayor Koijee is the Chairman of the CDC Youth League, the largest auxiliary of the ruling party. He did not comment as he could not be reached when contacted via phone.
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He continued: "They provided justification that the reason why they were inflicting wounds on peaceful citizens was because the Government provided free tuition for the students. From their speeches, you could understand that these were thugs of the CDC. They were identified by their paraphernalia and by their names."
He revealed that some of the victims have been taken to the hospital while others are still unaccounted for. One of them, identified as Jack Gbassana was still missing. According to the SUP's spokesperson, Gbassana's picture was seen on social media, all tied up and mouth cover indicating that he has been kidnapped.
He condemned the Police's action and said it was an evidence that the violence meted against them was premediated by the party's hierarchy. He accused Koijee of always supporting his "thugs" to counteract the student's demonstrations against the University of Liberia's administration and the Government of Liberia since the CDC-led Government came to power.
In a statement issued a week prior to the Independence celebration, SUP Chairman Mustapha N. Kanneh announced that it would boycott this year's Independence celebration owing to bad governance and rampant corruption; stating there was nothing to celebrate in the midst mass suffering.
