Liberian Political Parties Threaten to Pull Out of Government




The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

Posted December 19, 2003



Nine of the country’s 18 registered political parties have lashed at the three warring factions in the Liberian conflict of masterminding an attempt to relocate positions allotted to them under the comprehensive Accra peace accord.
The parties have alleged that with the acquiescence of few individuals from the Civil Society Movement, the warring groups including LURD, MODEL and the former GOL have presented a document to NTGL Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant wherein they are calling for the reallocation of positions already allotted to the political parties under the peace agreement.

The parties in a strong-worded statement issued this week and read at a news conference by their secretary, Mr. Jailee Quiee of the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), said such effort on the part of the warring factions and these individuals is tantamount to sheer greed and counterproductive to the peace process.
They vowed to fiercely resist such an attempt, stressing that if any position, which has already been allotted to political parties under the peace agreement is given to any warring faction, they will withdraw from the all-inclusive transitional government.

The parties clarified that they are not party to the document named and styled "the Monrovia Clarification", and that anyone signing such a document on their behalf is "a political imposter" who does not enjoy their support.

The parties called on ECOWAS, the AU, EU, UN and the United States government not to recognize or give credence to the Monrovia Clarification document emanating from the warring factions.

The parties which include UPP, LPP, NDPL, NRP, New DEAL, UP, LERP and LUP, advised NTGL Chairman Gyude Bryant not to honor the reallocation of positions as is contained in the so-called Monrovia Clarification.
They said such a document is a violation of the peace accord and is a recipe for chaos and the disintegration of normal government operations.

The parties added that the civil society was just a witness at the peace conference in Ghana and that the four major parties were the three factions and registered political parties.

They further contended that none of these four parties have the right to alter any provision of the agreement without the involvement of all the parties to the agreement under the auspices of ECOWAS. Authorities of the three factions could be reached up to press time.


© 2003: This article is copyrighted by The Inquirer newspaper (Monrovia, Liberia) and distributed by The Perspective (Atlanta, Georgia). All rights reserved.