Three Founding Members Welcome Recent Initiative, Make Clarifications
Founding members/stalwarts of the Liberian People's Party have read with interest the recent statement issued by the current interim leadership of the party in which, amongst other issues, it commented on the crisis within the party and proposed a way forward. While the founding members welcome the initiative for reconciliation and internal consolidation of the party, they nonetheless wish to set forth the following clarifications on issues commented on by the interim leadership.
1. Founding members of the party have at no time given credence to the alleged expulsion or revocation of their membership with the party. The group that allegedly made the decision did not have the requisite representation or the legitimacy to make a decision of such grave magnitude .To date, not one of those allegedly expelled has received any communication to that effect.
2. Founding members of the party, reject the assertion that they committed “political transgression” against the party as alleged in the press statement .The disagreement in the party up to the holding of the 1997 elections centered around two antagonistic positions with respect to approaches to the elections following the decision of that faction of the party to renege on the outcome of elections held within the convention of the alliance of seven political parties. Founding members/executives argued consistently that, the best way forward was to forge an electoral alliance/coalition as a basis of nurturing democracy in Liberia. While on the other hand certain elements within the party insisted assuming a unilateral, parochial party based approach to the election. They argued that LPP could win the election on its own strength without collaboration with others.
3. Since the serious division before and in the aftermath of the 1997 elections, founding members of the party have been engaged in major undertakings to salvage the decline of the Liberian state and restore its dignity and not engaging in “uncomfortable political free lancing” as claimed in the statement.
4. Founding members of the party have been involved in intensive consultations with partisans of all shades to foster the spirit of genuine reconciliation and unity within the party not on the basis of guilt for there has been no tribunal or investigative channel to identify the guilty party, but as part of its shared commitment to restoring our party to its rightful role of championing the cause of our people and reversing the down slide the country is experiencing. The founding members therefore reject any insinuation of a “pardon” coming from any quarter given the circumstances as outlined above.
With only about a year to the presidential and general elections, the issue of an electoral alliance with like-minded democratic forces would have to be placed on the table and openly debated as part of the process of internal reconciliation and consolidation. Electoral alliance is as relevant today as it was in 1997.
In concluding this statement, the founding members of the party wish to make it abundantly clear that they will continue to work assiduously and are availing themselves
to work with others in removing the remaining hurdles to total reconciliation, peace and unity within the party.
With Unity and Honesty for Peace and Progress, LPP must continue to rise above the ashes of internal strife and division and build bridges for genuine reconciliation and consolidation within the party as a prerequisite to liberating our country and reconciling its people.
Signed: For Founding Members
James M. Fromayan
G. Gediminar Flomo
Tiswen Synyenlentu