Photo credit: DiasporaEngager (www.DiasporaEngager.com).

By Lincoln G. Peters

Liberia’s former Information Minister Amb. Lewis G. Brown has dared the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) secretary general and Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee to disrupt a planned December 17, 2022, protest.

“Write it and report it, let him hear me clearly. I dare him. There is a reason [why] they are afraid of me, and on that day, we will assemble peacefully,’’ Amb. Brown said during a press conference Thursday, 1 December 2022 in Sinkor.

The comments by Amb. Brown come against accusations levied by Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee that the opposition official is planning a chaos in reference to a planned December 17 political rally by the opposition.

“Tell that little boy, there will be a rally, a peaceful rally on December 17 and he has no capacity to threaten anyone or disrupt it. I dare him,” he said further.

Amb. Brown, who once served as Liberia’s Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, is now the chairperson for Team Alexander B. Cummings presidential campaign.

Cummings is a consistent critic of incumbent President George Manneh Weah and the CDC regime, and he is seeking the nation’s highest office at the pools due in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

During a press conference held Wednesday, 30 November 2022 at the CDC headquarters in Congo Town, Mr. Koijee accused Amb. Brown of planning a chaos.

The Monrovia City Mayor told reporters his informers told him that Ambassador Brown allegedly held a secret meeting on the very day of the press conference to plan for a protest due on 17 December.

Koijee said the protest is allegedly planned under the caption “The Suffering Must End.”

He alleged that the gathering will not be peaceful and is allegedly meant to undermine the country’s peace.

Based on these allegations, Koijee warned Amb. Brown, saying gone are the days when the latter and his likes used those tactics to cause conflict in the country.

According to Koijee, Liberians are not prepared anymore to go back to the dark days of conflict that brought untold suffering upon the citizens. 

He alleged that the CDC maintained the peace of this country for 12 years while it was in the opposition.

He therefore called on Mr. Cummings’ party, the Alternative National Congress (ANC) to also maintain the peace.

But responding to Mr. Koijee’s statement, Amb. Brown explained that the planned rally will be very peaceful.

He also warned the CDC regime that what its supporters did to peaceful students from the University of Liberia will not happen this time.

“Tell little Koijee that the foolishness they did on July 26 against peaceful students to move others to go assault young Liberians that were protesting, not this time, not this rally,” Amb. Brown warned.

“You can call it all kinds of names, but we will move across the streets of Monrovia and gather outside the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex and speak loudly and clearly for Koijee and others to hear because they have been deaf too long,’’ Amb. Brown continued.

He detailed that on 17 December 2022, they will hold a peaceful rally to call the attention of the government to the high cost of living and alarming poverty in the country.

Amb Brown said the rally is organized under the caption “We Tired Suffering’’ because it’s unfair to see what people are living through every day.

“I don’t need little Koijee to tell me how to organize a peaceful rally. Little Koijee has no pedigree, experience and capacity to tell anyone,” Brown noted.

“What little Koijee has proven that he has is the capacity to disrupt and I dare him on that day.”

Amb. Brown alleged that the CDC tries to spread fear and intimidation, accusing the party of being allegedly deceptive. 

“Little Koijee should look [at] his own bodyguards that he is walking with. They are tired suffering and if they are not afraid, they will be in the rally,’’ Amb. Brown alleged.

he said he owes Koijee no explanation, neither any apology, adding that he doesn’t expect Koijee to be happy that Liberians are suffering, and they want to come out and express their pains.

He indicated also that he doesn’t expect Koijee to be happy when he is also allegedly responsible for the suffering of Liberians.

The opposition official said those who have privileges and are abusing power are afraid when people want to speak to such abuses.

“Little Koijee does not know what leads to chaos. What leads to chaos is when citizens don’t exercise their rights to express themselves,” Amb. Brown admonished the Monrovia Mayor.

He contended that when people don’t express their pains it becomes troubling for a democracy, not the peaceful rally. 

“The rally is for all Liberians who are tired of suffering and we want them to come out. You hear my repeated emphasis that this is going to be a peaceful rally,” he noted.

Source of original article: Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news (thenewdawnliberia.com).
The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.GlobalDiasporaNews.com).

To submit your press release: (https://www.GlobalDiasporaNews.com/pr).

To advertise on Global Diaspora News: (www.GlobalDiasporaNews.com/ads).

Sign up to Global Diaspora News newsletter (https://www.GlobalDiasporaNews.com/newsletter/) to start receiving updates and opportunities directly in your email inbox for free.