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.