‘WE ABORTED APRIL 14, 1979 PROTEST’ -Karn Carlor Says – So What Happened On That Day?

MONROVIA – The historically fateful day of April 14, 1979 is still etched in the memory of many older Liberians and in the annals of the country’s history – a date that cannot be left out whenever the country’s political history his written. Though reports by the Nettie-Sie Brownell report proves otherwise regarding who the culprits are, there are some Liberians who still hold members of the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) responsible for the fatal event. As the subject is yet a dominant topic for discussions in the country once again, April featuring in the human calendar currently, a staunched member of PAL is accentuating the denial—“We did not carry out a demonstration as planned for April 14, 1979”. So, the question is, “Who did or what happened?” The Analyst reports.

Every year, when April appears on the horizon, Liberians remember April 6, April 12, April 14 and other days of April – all well known for their notorious histories. This year, the same is happening – April is in the air as its horror tales.

The genesis of it all is April 14, known cynically popularly as “Rice Riot” – a cruel, disproportionate response to rising tension situation that prevailing amid threats by members of the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) to demonstrate for the administration’s plan to increase the price of rice. That was 1979 – some 46 years ago.

The event result into scores of death, injury, looting and destruction of property, the first major political mayhem to before the country.

Blame game followed, and a committee constituted by the government headed by Ambassador Niette Sie Brownell reported the government and its security architecture culpable.

Some Liberians are still holding the progressives responsible, prompting a surviving member of PAL, D. Karn Carlor, to shares historical facts about the melee with the public, as the issue has become subject of discussion amongst Liberians this April.

In a commentary, “Karn Carlor’s April 14 46th Anniversary Statement,” Mr. Carlo put it quite bluntly: “Let me start off by declaring that the Progressive Alliance of Liberia did not carry out a demonstration it had planned for April 14, 1979.  We aborted the demonstration.” 

What Happened?

The PAL veteran wrote: “Forty-six years ago, the Progressive Alliance of Liberia sought a permit from the Government of President William R. Tolbert, to demonstrate against the proposed increase in the price of rice, our staple food. We requested a permit for a peaceful exercise of our rights under the Constitution of Liberia.

“We informed the Government at the time that it was unconscionable to increase the price of rice from twenty-two to thirty United States Dollars, when most of our people were making about thirty-five United States Dollars.  The PAL leadership wrote several letters and held several meetings with the Government of Liberia, to deal with the matter, trying to find a way to prevent the increase in the price of rice and avoid the planned demonstration.  President Tolbert promised to get back to the PAL leadership before the end of the day on April 13.” 

Carlor continued: “On the night of April 13, as soon as ELBC went off the air, and we had not heard from the government of Liberia, PAL Secretary General Oscar Quiah returned to the PAL headquarters where he met with Mr. Albert Porte and had a discussion with him. The Secretary General told Mr. Porte that the PAL leadership would meet that night and make a decision to call the demonstration off.  Secretary General Quiah asked Mr. Porte to convey to the President that PAL sought one assurance from the government:  keep the security forces in the background.  Because PAL had no access to the radio, Mr. Quiah asked Mr. Porte to please convey the information to the President, with the understanding that since the demonstration had been planned for 3p.m., the leadership would meet with the people and announce to them that the demonstration was called off.” 

He recalled: “Mr. Porte met with President Tolbert that night at the Executive Mansion, when he left the PAL office.  He conveyed to the President the information he had obtained from the PAL Secretary General.  President Tolbert told Mr. Porte that the government would not compromise.  Mr. Porte pleaded with President Tolbert that he should compromise to save a crisis.  President Tolbert would not bulge.

“As we had informed President Tolbert, PAL members gathered at our headquarters on Gurley Street, very early, on the morning of April 14, awaiting further instructions from PAL leaders.  By that time, Comrade Jesus Alieu Swaray, head of the PAL Propaganda Committee, had taken charge of the gathering. 

“As we had promised the President, through the message sent by Comrade Oscar Jaryee Quiah, PAL’s Secretary General, conveyed by Mr. Albert Porte, we would call the demonstration off, but that he should keep the security forces in the background.  But, since President Tolbert had told Mr. Porte earlier that night, that the Government would not compromise, the presence of security forces, both AFL and the LNP, manning both entrances to the PAL headquarters, Gurley and Randall Streets, was not strange, but we maintained complete discipline amongst our people.” 

Mr. Carlor again recalled: “Then, to our utter dismay, shortly after 7a.m., a group of unruly police men, trespassing, entered our headquarter premises, and told us to leave. When we refused to leave our premises, the Police began firing teargas at us and assaulting our members.  PAL was prepared for this phase of the struggle.  We trained our people to use kerosene and potato greens, in the event teargas was used during the planned demonstration.  We were prepared to respond to any tactics employed by the ruling class, which was hell-bent on stopping the birth of a grassroots opposition movement.”

He narrated further: “The Government of the Grand Old True Whig Party intruded into the headquarters of the Progressive Alliance of Liberia, on the morning of April 14, 1979, not to stop a demonstration, but to abort the birth of a mass-based opposition to more than 100 years of the dominance of the True Whig Party. The police, under orders from the President and the ruling class, whose interest he represented, carried on an operation which incited the crowd and inflamed, with gunpowder, the passion of the people.  Our people were driven from the yard into the streets, and they went out with anger in their hearts and fire in their eyes. 

Who’s to blame?

In the view of the PAL official, it was President Tolbert had started a riot.  “Many died, but the people remained wielded together by a common experience,” he said. “On that blessed day, the people stood up and rid themselves of fear.  We knew now that nothing could stop the people again.  The refusal of the Government to keep the security in the background, forced the people into the streets.   The police opened fire on unarmed people, resulting in a massacre of hundreds of people.” 

Immediately thereafter, Dead or Alive posters calling for the ringleaders of the aborted demonstration to be arrested for a reward of five thousand United States Dollars was issued.  Many of us, including Comrades Gabriel Matthews, John Stewart, Commany Wesseh and others, turned ourselves in.  We went to prison. We were released after a series of backstage negotiations, amongst which was that Progressive Alliance would remain quite until the end of the 1979 OAU conference.  We complied. 

Why not PAL?

Carlor narrated: “Let me make it clear today and going forward, that the Progressive Alliance of Liberia did not carry out the demonstration it asked permission for.  PAL did  not demonstrate.  We informed President Tolbert that we would call the demonstration off, if the government agreed to keep the security forces in the background. President Tolbert could not understand what we were saying.  He unleashed the security forces on unarmed and highly disciplined and organized people, spilling the blood of people who only came to tell he and the government that they could not afford the price increase from $22 to 30 United States Dollars.

“The True Whig Party Government brought unto itself a force they had no understanding of, nor the effect it would have on the future of the country. The Progressive Alliance of Liberia, PAL, bid its time. PAL was determined to pursue peaceful constitutional change in Liberia. PAL continued to pursue the avenue of peaceful change, even after the April 14, massacre. PAL realized that the Grand Old TWP was weak and aging seriously, and should not be taken for granted. Quietly, PAL lawyers filed for the registration of the Progressive People’s Party in September 1979.  On the proposed date of the hearing at the Probate  Court, the grounds of the Temple Justice was flooded with the members of the Armed Forces of Liberia and the Liberian National Police, in an effort to prevent the assembly of thousands of PAL members from gathering at the court premises to witness the submission.  Finally, on January 8, 1980, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) was registered as a legal political party in Liberia, after more than twenty-five years since the demise of Independent True Whig Party after the 1955 elections.

Any positive impact?

The PAL veteran sad: We had achieved the first phase of the struggle – the re-introduction of multiparty democracy. Today, we are proud to announce that the Progressive Political Struggle to transform Liberia into a multiparty democracy has been achieved.

The Liberian people have accepted free and fair elections, contested by a multiplicity of political parties and independent candidates, as the only legal means for selecting those who will represent them in the Legislature and the Presidency.

Now, there is no turning back. As such, we hereby declare that the time has come to change the message and focus of the political struggle, from advocacy for multiparty democracy, to phase two–programming for: (i) General Economic Empowerment; and (ii) General Education and Enlightenment, of the Liberian people. 

Currently, the level of poverty in Liberia is so extreme that, at the time of voting in multiparty democratic elections, many qualified voters find it difficult to resist temptation to sell their votes to the highest buyer. If this practice continues, multiparty elections in the country will eventually become a game for those who have money, and not for those who want social change for the benefit of the country, their communities; and their children.

Secondly, the level of illiteracy in Liberia is so high, that most voters have little interest in, and understanding of, the connection between, on the one hand, the personality and interest of the candidates and, on the other hand, the capability to deliver on the general interests, after the elections.

We, the progressive forces in Liberia, will refocus our attention to getting the people prepared for phase two of the struggle. 

In the Cause of the People, the Struggle Continues!!!