“We TIYAH Suffering” -CPP, And Others Plan Rally Dec 17 -To Voice Out Against Poverty, Bad Governance, Hardship

MONROVIA – In many cases, protests have been sparked by austerity measures such as increases in the prices of public services, cuts in public sector employment, reforms reducing or eliminating entitlement benefits, or fuel and food price hikes. In other cases, triggers have been political, many of them linked to instances of election fraud or power struggles during periods of political transition, events exposing abuse of power by authorities or passing of laws and regulations that either limit citizens’ rights or discriminate against certain groups. Protests have also occurred following incidents revealing social injustice or corruption.

The Liberian scenario is an atypical of what triggers protests or rallies and according to the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and its allies from the civil societies, Liberians are not happy with how happenings in the country have produced unbearable conditions on the citizens, thus necessitating a rally tagged “We Are Tired” to send out a message to the President George Manneh Weah led administration how disappointed they are and are therefore venting out their anger. The Analyst Reports.

 A citizens’ rally to express anger and displeasure on the state of affairs in the country, tagged “We Are Tired” is being planned for Saturday, December 17, 2022 in Monrovia, which is being coordinated by the Collaborating Political Parties(CPP) with other civil societies organizations, groups and other interested individuals in the country.

Speaking during the launch and awareness and unveiling of the steering committee briefing yesterday, December 1, 2022, at the National Headquarters of the CPP, one of the campaign leads for Team Cummings, Lewis G. Brown said it was high time that Liberians speak out their minds to the government to spell out the retrogression the country is undergoing without anyone telling them.

“All over this country, in every village and town, across every region and community, from mosques to churches, from market to school, from prison to hospitals, across all political parties, ministries, agencies and institutions of government, no Liberian needs to tell them that things are bad and are only getting worse.

“Sadly, President Weah and a few of his officials who are overseeing and benefitting from the downfall of our country, either do not understand this or simply do not care..

The heartlessness is wicked and intolerable. 5 years later, JFK remains for drivers and securities while hospitals overseas treat government officials who failed to properly equip and provide for the upkeep and upgrade of the hospital.

“A town in Nimba County is still grieving and could not find the body of an 8-week old baby who drowned along with 7 other Liberians when their canoe capsized while they were headed to their farms. Just about the same time, our President was boarding a private jet to fly out to the World Cup to see and celebrate his son playing for another country.

The gifted orator took an aim at President Weah when he said that not  only has his leadership style become  a national and international embarrassment, the president continues to insult the intelligence of the Liberian people with lies. He added that the shameful truth is that Mr. Weah and some of his officials are actually on safari and having a good time, at the expense of the suffering Liberian people.

“While they are jolly-jollying many Liberians are becoming increasingly hopeless and going to bed hungry at night – many parents cannot pay school fees; many qualified people are being forced to beg because they cannot find work to do. Those who are lucky to be working cannot pay hospital bills, and cannot care for their families because the pay is wickedly ‘harmonized’”, he said

He further stated that more than 5 years after President Weah took over the leadership of our country, and promised “Change for Hope”, for many Liberians, the only change has been from hope to hopelessness, as dreams are fading, prisons are overcrowded with young people, mysterious deaths and unsolved murders are leaving grieving families with no closures for deceased loved ones; the cost of living is rising as income falls; and lawlessness and insecurity abound.

“The common greeting of today rings true for most Liberians when they say: Dah God mining us.

“People are suffering with worsening living conditions now than they did before. Our streets and communities are unsafe and mostly unhealthy.

“The Weah Administration is more corrupt, more abusive of power and increasingly desperate to lead by threats of violence, fear and intimidation of perceived opponents and other Liberians”, he said.

The former firebrand student activist said by his bad example, President Weah himself has invited his administration to be indiscipline, deceptive and wasteful of the country’s resources. He said the hard truth is that President Weah is unfit to lead. “He was never a leader, will never be a leader, and his one-term presidency is a failed one”, Brown said.

Mr. Brown said reality has dawned on the whole country that even many in the ruling  coalition are coming to terms with this truth about President Weah, as the country continues to be embarrassed by it.

“The unsettling truth is that President Weah used our country to care for himself and to live the dreamed life of a celebrity. He continues to do so without caring about how his desire to be a celebrity at the expense of poor Liberians actually affects Liberia and Liberians.

“As President Weah lives in his bubble of pretenses ranging from a pastor to a musician, slum communities are even more economically-depressed. Rising tides and rains are sweeping our country’s coastline threatening homes, people’s health and livelihoods. As President Weah lives in his bubble of pretenses, nothing seems to be working in the country – systems of good democratic governance are all breaking down, and sycophancy has replaced competency”, he said. 

An influential leader in the CPP, Brown told the press conference that against what have been occurring adversely in the country, the party will on December 17, 2022 offer the Liberian people a chance to peacefully speak out, stressing that it is a democratic right and constitutional guarantee that they be afforded the chance to do so, even if to an unresponsive government.

“We have dutifully informed the Liberian Government about the December 17 Peaceful Rally, and entered into agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the use of the outside facilities of the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex for the rally.

“Led by the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), this peaceful rally of Liberians is bringing together parties, groups and individuals from all walks and stations of Liberian life. It is seeking an expression for the suffering people of Liberia. The peaceful rally is dubbed: WE TIYAH SUFFERING!

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is a plea to President Weah’s failed, wasteful and disappointing administration to care about what the Liberian people are living through and feeling every day.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is a cry for President Weah and his administration to be more accountable and stop being wasteful.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is a patriotic call to fix JFK so that a Minister and his driver and security can all go there because every Liberian life is important and matters.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is to stop the wicked slicing of civil servants salaries while the President wastes taxpayers monies on jolly-jollying.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is for the drowned 8-week old baby who’s tragic deaths, and those of others, must prick our collective consciences as they can no longer speak for themselves.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is for all grieving families who cannot find closure as well as all those living in fear.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is the echo of a country too rich and yet so poorly and so incompetently  managed.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is the reverberations of all with failing dreams – all who are swimming in disappointments and drowning in hopelessness.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is a chance to say to President Weah and his administration that people need help – people need jobs and a chance to care for themselves and their families.

“WE TIYAH SUFFERING is a call on the administration to do their jobs – to serve the Liberian people and not themselves”, he revealed the reasons while Liberians will massively assemble to vent their anger against the government..

Brown said he does not expect those who are exploiting the people and their supporters to be part of the rally, “however we expect that those with the duty to protect those who are tired of suffering and wish to peacefully express it, will faithfully and honorably do their jobs. We expect that they will protect all Liberians especially on December 17”

The fiery politician said he was throwing out a challenge to Jefferson Tamba Koijee, the Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) who had stated during the presentation of the report of the party’s 7^th Convention that Brown was organizing groups to cause chaos, and dared him to threaten the gathering.

“Tell that boy that he cannot threaten the Liberian people and their resolve to speak out on that day against the dysfunctional leadership, against the corruption and stealing and the suffering they have plunged the country into. We will be there to exercise our fundamental constitutional rights and send the message over that Liberians are not happy and have the right to say so”

He then read out the list of the members on the Steering Committee which included Martin Saye Kollah, Chairman, Rodney Wilson, member, David Benito of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) member, Amos Myers of the National Association of Community Leaders, members, Ma Sankay Duncan of the Cross Border Women Association, member, Roland Trobeh of the United People’s Party(UPP), member, Prince Kollie of the Yana Boys Association, member, Kekura Kamara of the national cultural union, among others.