The opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) through its Acting National Chairman, Atty. Janga A. Kowo has expressed grave concern over what it terms as mass dismissal, harassment, arrests, brutalization and torture of former personnel of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) by the Unity Party Government.
It can be recalled that the administration of the EPS recently dismissed more than 200 EPS agents who were recruited, trained, given weapons and assigned by the Weahadministration.
In a dismissal letter issued to one of the EPS officers, Sundayboy Johnson on April 4, 2024 copy of which is in the possession of this paper, Mr. Johnson dismissal was being determined by the EPS Administration that he did not meet the minimum entry requirements to be employed by the Executive Protection Service (EPS). Therefore, his services have been terminated with immediate effect.
He was instructed to turn over all EPS properties issued him by the Service, including his identification card to the Human Resource Section, and immediately desist from identifying himself as an employee of the EPS upon receipt of the communication.
A release from the Liberia National Police recently revealed that it arrested and was investigating seven EPS Agents for their alleged involvement in an illegal protest and setting up roadblocks and terroristic threats.
But CDC in its recent press release under the signature of Atty. Kowo, said these actions by the Unity Party government are serious threat to the peace, stability and security of the country.
The release continued that in the last communication of the CDC to the Speaker and the Senate Pro-Temp, it highlighted the severe excesses of the UP regime and called on the National Legislature and the international community to prevail on the UP regime to change course in the interest of peace and stability.
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The release indicated that when the CDC government took office in 2018, it embarked on a national reconciliation process to deepen and consolidate the peace of the country, adding that no agent of the EPS recruited during the 12-year reign of the UP was targeted or marginalized.
It states that apparently the Unity Party regime is becoming more vicious and reckless in targeting peaceful citizens.
The Party recounted that on January 22, 2024, President George Manneh Weah and CDC turned over a stable and peaceful country to the Unity Party, a country it says had been managed without international troops and an election conducted 100% with domestic resources and security.
The CDC said it expects the Unity Party to consolidate and maintain the peace. The CDC in the release further narrated that the irresponsible and reckless activities of the UP government is threating the peace and stability of the country.
"Targeting peaceful citizens and interfering with the freedoms and rights of peaceful citizens such as motorcyclists and others is totally irresponsible" CDC lamented.
The opposition political party then urged the international community to take due note of these early signs of the deterioration of the hard-won democracy, peace and stability in Liberia. The Party is calling for the immediate release of those Liberians it says have committed no crimes, but served their country in the last several years.
