Civil society In Liberia threatens Strike Action
By Timothy T. Seaklon
The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
Posted November 28, 2003
The Civil Society Movement of Liberia has threatened a three-day stay-home
action if the parties to the comprehensive Accra peace agreement continue
to violate the it thus undermining the peace process. The Chairman of the
35-member coordinating committee of the seven sectoral groups of the Civil
Society Movement of Liberia, Mr. Dan Saryee said since the signing of the
Accra peace agreement, the chairman of the National Transitional Government
of Liberia(NTGL), Gyude Bryant and other parties continue to violate the agreement.
Mr. Saryee said the parties continue to violate the cease-fire while committing
serious human rights violation in various parts of the country, noting "Chairman
Bryant for his part consistently violates the agreement with the appointment
of people to other’s slot when he does not have appointment powers".
He expressed disappointment over these developments, saying " if these
violations are not corrected, the civil society organization will mobilize
its members including the transport union, marketers and others to stage a
three-day stay-home action as a sign of protest.
He named the appointment by NTGL Chairman Bryant of Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
to the Governance Reform Commission; Mr. Mobutu Nyenpan as Deputy Managing
Director at the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company(LPRC); Dr. Evelyn Kandakai
as Minister of Education, and Mr. E.C.B Jones as Minister of Rural Development,
as violations, since those slots belong to others in accordance with the Accra
agreement.
Mr. Saryee also frowned on the nullification of the appointment of Mr. Varney
Okai by the Civil Society Movement to the National Oil Company, saying "
it was intentionally done in a bid to breach the peace process."
Mr. Saryee who is also the Executive Director of the Liberia Democracy Institute(LDI),
said the violation of the comprehensive Accra peace agreement by Chairman
Bryant and the parties is a recipe for confusion.
He then called on the NTLA to ensure that those appointed to other’s
slot do not appear before it for confirmation hearing least to say confirm
such persons.
Mr. Saryee also called on the international community to ensure that these
violations are brought to a halt if the Liberian peace process must succeed.