Tag: Liberia

MONROVIA – Professor Alaric Tokpa, a prominent former student leader has condemned the suspension of student political activities on the campuses of the University of Liberia. Report by Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskai.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com Responding to request by journalists to comment on the recent ban on student political activities at the university, Prof. Tokpa, who is also former head of the Political Science Department at the University of Liberia, said that the interference of University authorities with the legitimate and constitutional rights of students to associate, speak freely, and take actions in their own interest and the interest of the larger Liberian society, is a trait of dangerous dictatorship. In that way, the government is able to brutalize and destroy individuals without hindrance or any difficulty,” he stated. According to him, this is exactly what the dictatorship did to the Liberian student community in the 1980s. He asserted that no student leadership or community is able to successfully lead negative campaign against a government that is doing the right thing; adding: “The present challenge therefore before the George Weah government is to stop searching for imaginary enemies everywhere and focus on doing the right thing.” Prof. Tokpa, who in the 1980s when former Samuel K. Doe ruled by military degree had him and others thrown in prison at the famous Belleh Yallah, deep in the Lofa Forest, therefore called on all well-meaning Liberians in and out of government as well as at home and abroad to advise the government to halt the interference with the legitimate and constitutional rights of the student community; as the suppression of legal forms of struggle usually provokes illegal forms of struggle. Incidentally, the present Liberian government is not sophisticated enough to deal with underground struggles.” Serving then as General Secretary of the Liberia National Student Union (LINSU), Prof. Tokpa was one of six student leaders in Liberia that were sentenced to the firing squad in January 1982 for protesting the ban on student political activities by the military dictatorship. To date, he remains one of the most consistent progressive leaders in Liberia who is highly admired and consulted by youth and student leaders UL Ban on Student Politic On Friday, January 11, the University of Liberia’s authority placed a ban on all student political activities on all the campuses of the University. According to the University’s release, no student political group shall assemble or hold meetings or engage in any political-related activities on any University of Liberia campuses during this period of suspension. During the course of the rally, the students themselves pushed them out and later the government brought in heavily armed police officers who were not allowed on campus,” he further stated. According to him, the UL ban violates the political rights of the over 19,000 students on the campuses of the University.

Gbarnga, Bong County - Former Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Jeremiah Sulunteh - a one-time strong political figure in Bong County - is now reflecting on a big decision made during the runoff election in 2017 to support the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). He eventually declared his intention for the senatorial seat, which was followed by an endorsement by President George M. Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor recently. The declaration and endorsement by President Weah struck a big blow o the senatorial ambition of Sulunteh. During the 2005 general and presidential election, Sulunteh delivered Bong County to the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) where he contested on the party ticket as vice presidential candidate to Cllr. With the performance of the ANC in Bong County fresh, Sulunteh opted not to take the risk of contesting the county senatorial seat on the ticket of the ANC but rather getting the support and endorsement of the CDC which is the favored party by many Liberians for now. Playing a smart game, Sulunteh was pushing for the support of the CDC while he remains with his ANC, but for the CDC the Bong County senatorial seat is a top position that the party can’t let go by endorsing a candidate from another political party. Cole. “If Sulunteh wants the support of the CDC, he must join the party,’’ Howard-Taylor said. “There is no way the CDC as a ruling party would support a candidate from different party.” The outburst of betrayal by the CDC, according to Sulunteh, now signals that some senior officials of the CDC might have made some promises to Sulunteh in return for his support in the senatorial by-election. Senator Yallah is spearheading the quest to create a new county out of Bong County and should he succeed, he might possibly be contesting for a new county created from the geographical location of what is current Lower Bong County.