Mere Talking Time Over -Morlu Says STAND Ready for Bold Actions

MONROVIA – Most Liberian ruling politicians and others with authority and wealth often put on the shield against correction and agitation because, as it is often said in Liberia, and quite rightly, “Liberian people make loud noise expressing anger in the morning, and when evening comes, they recoil to snoring into silence and inaction.” This real-life tendency amongst Liberians has long emboldened wrongdoers, particularly bigwigs in society, because they feel the public’s outcries are only for fleeting moment. Civil society actor Mulbah Morlu says his group, STAND, which has been extremely vocal on social and political ills in contemporary Liberia, will replace mere loud talks with concrete, biting actions for the good of Liberia. He made the vow upon arrival in the country from the United States, as The Analyst reports.        

Minutes upon returning to Liberia yesterday, the chairman and lead advocate of the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), Mulbah Morlu, wasted no time in stating his organization’s preparedness to institute a series of civil actions against those he termed as “lawbreakers” who are colluding with the Executive Branch to circumvent the rule of law by unconstitutionally removing the Speaker of the House of Representatives to replace him with a “bag boy” to the presidency.

“In my view, the time for talking is over,” he said, and added: “The time for action has come. The time for Liberians in their collective majority to take a stand and demonstrate action against bad governance, against political excesses has come”.

Morlu stressed rather powerfully: “Those in the legislature who are being controlled and masterminded by members of the Executive branch of government who think they can break the law and walk free with impunity, who believe it is alright to exploit the law to undermine the constitutionally elected speaker of the House of Assembly, who believe that the speaker of the legislature is supposed to be a bag boy of the presidency, who believe that we will sit supinely and allow the First Branch of Government to be a bag boy assembly controlled and manipulated by President Boakai, are out for a rude awakening.”

According to Morlu, Liberians will stand prepared to fight against the practice of undermining the rule of law in the country.

He continued: “We have come to let you know that in the next few days, in the next few weeks, we will consult with stakeholders and after that, there will be a major announcement. And you will see me in the communities, in the districts, in the counties mobilizing Liberians to fight against those that are undermining the value and the essence of democratic governance in our country.”

He thanked Liberians who took their very busy schedule to be at the Roberts International Airport to receive and welcome him back home. “You made that decision to come to the airport and also express grievances that you have,” he said.

“I was out of the country for a short while but I wasn’t completely cut off from events taking place in Liberia,” the STAND boss further said.

“I kept following developments in our country because Liberia is where I was born and Liberia is where I will remain standing until my death. Every time I am out of the country, I am eager to return. So, on a regular basis we kept following developments, some of which are now contained in grievances that you’ve expressed.

“I like you to know that I am happy to be back home especially during these times of challenges in the lives of ordinary Liberians, challenges with the rule of law, challenges that are caused by the weakness and the incapacity of the president of the Republic of Liberia. And I am glad that the people themselves have now come to the realization that there is a need for them to stand, to be able to do something about these challenges that have the propensity to undermine the existence of our country and break down the rule of law.”

Morlu to the crowd of people welcoming him that any country where the rule of law is not being practiced, there is total breakdown in law and order, a breakdown in civil governance, a breakdown in the practice of democratic franchise.

According to him, one of the speakers came to the front and asked him to take a stand in the current impasse at the Liberia National Legislature, and he said “We like you to know we did not come back home just to be here. We are inspired to return to stand with you to stop those who are causing the largest suffering of the Liberian people. We did not come here to go to bed. We did not return to compromise, neither did we return to be silent.”

He maintained the removal of the speaker is unconstitutional, for the law says all power is inherent in the people.

“So, given the arrogance, the gross disregard for the practice of the rule of law, the gross disregard for standards, in the next few days we are coming to you in the communities,” the reigning civil society actor emphasized.

“ We will set up structures in the communities, in the districts and counties and we will announce that the people of the Republic of Liberia will be coming outside in their tens of thousands to ensure that legislators that will not do what is required, what is right, will also not be allowed to peacefully to go Capitol Building because the Capitol Building is not for lawbreakers, it is for lawmakers. When you break the law, the people have the right to hold you accountable until the right thing is done. The time to act has come. That’s why we are here.”

Marketers

Addressing scores of supporters who thronged the Roberts International Airport (RIA) to welcome their enigmatic leader, Chairman Morlu spoke on the issue of the marketers who had come to petition him about their light.

He said, “Our marketers are on the streets, under the rain, under the sun as petty traders to feed their families. Government must provide an opportunity for our people to do their business free of harassment and intimidation. Any government that will harass and oppress the ordinary marketers amid economic difficulties will meet the wrath of the people, consistent with our responsibility to act within the confines of the rule of law that will prospect marketers and street vendors to ensure that their rights and privileges are always protected.”

Bike Riders

Also speaking on the rising tension between motorbike riders and the police wherein a no-go-zone restriction has been enforced, the STAND chairman said it is disheartening to target a group of people if one of them commits a crime.

He said: “I was in the States when I saw on Crown Hill a truck that malfunctioned killed a motorbike rider. And because of that there was an outburst. And as much as we frown against government and believe that the way to address national issues must not institute violence or methods that are outside the rule of law, we also believe the police has a statutory responsibility to ensure that trucks that are not roadworthy will not ply our streets. It is a continuous problem for our country where vehicles are not roadworthy and continue to ply the streets, endangering the lives of pedestrians. This is wrong.”

He observed the police only put checkpoints on the streets against motorbike riders, something he described as wrong.

Morlu said checkpoints must target criminals, not just motorbike riders and crimes must consider arresting and prosecuting those that commit them individually, not targeting a group of people.

“When a motorbike rider commits crime and breaks the law, arrest the individual that broke the law,” said Chairman Morlu. “You cannot victimize or target a whole constituency of businesspeople, bike riders that pay taxes that are in compliance with the law, that wear reflector jackets and helmets. To do that is to violate their right, and we will not support that.

“For you to cut off or consider off-limits certain parts of Montserrado against people that are taxpayers is wrong, it’s illegal. The police is called upon to lift the no-go zone on parts of Monrovia against bike riders because this is wrong, unconstitutional and outside the confines of the rule of law.”