WOMEN’s TV-Liberia, Others Risk Shutdown If…
Liberia: WOMEN’s TV-Liberia and other media institutions alarming threats and intimidation from unknown individuals are at the verge of being shutdown if the government of Liberia yield to a recommendation from the Coalition for Democratic Change Council of Patriots (CDC-COP).
WOMEN’s TV-Liberia is women media led organization established to rebrand gender issues and bridge the gap in Information dissemination.
The CDC-COP in a letter to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) recommended
that the government of Liberia immediately shutdown media platforms and outlets alleging character assassination and propagating hateful propaganda with no evidence.
The ruling CDC-COP asserted that the sharing and airing of hateful speeches on some platforms and media outlets has the propensity of derailing the peace of Liberia.
The group claimed that some figures are Politicizing the death of Cllr. Gloria Scott daughter Charloe Musu.
“Meanwhile, we frown at those using the death of another person’s child as a political commodity. Therefore, the communications written calls on the American government to hinder giving space to people that are using its soil to create instability in Liberia through incitement, defamation, fraud, and obscenity and also calling on the Liberian government to SHUTDOWN all platforms and airwaves that have been used as conduits to propagate hateful propaganda messages with no evidence but with a solemn objective of character assassination, and airing inciteful statements that got the propensity to undermine the peace and stability of the country”, the CDC-CoP statement noted.
“We believe that freedom of speech comes with responsibility and we won’t allow any vicious elements of the past to endanger our peace and stability”, CDC-COP asserted.
The group’s statement to the Minister of Justice and the US Embassy is coming at the time where there are vivid claims of threats, harassment and intimidation from media personalities, institutions and Politicians.
Following the murder of Former Chief Justice Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott daughter, Opposition Liberty Party Political Leader Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and journalists Lisa Diasay and Ayoubah Sheriff among others alarmed over threats and intimidation. WOMEN’s TV-Liberia also alleged hacks attempts on their website and social media pages by hackers using advanced codes to shutdown a content and the entire page. The LNP is currently investigating the matter.
However, Liberty Party Political Leader Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence alerted the Police of warning of attacks sent her via social media from a person identified as Mac Jabateh. In Jabateh’s post, he alerted the Liberty Party Political Leader Nyonblee Lawrence that she was the next target of Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee; as such, care must be taken. In response, the Senator alerted the Police and relevant authorities of a plan attack on her life.
However Mayor Koijee has denied allegations linking him to the death of Cllr. Scott’s daughter and has formally filed a complaint against Former Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cllr. Verdier. In his statement on a local talkshow, Cllr Verdier accused Mayor Koijee of masterminding the killing of Cllr Scott’s daughter and assassination attempts as well.
Meanwhile, the LIberia National Police is yet make any arrest of those connected to the murder of the former Chief Justice daughter. Cllr. Scott has indicated a no-confidence in the Police to properly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to Justice. She further vowed to include the international community into the matter in order to seek redress.
However, analysts believe the CDC-COP statement is counterproductive to the tenants of democracy and freedom of the press.
