Ellen’s ERU and PSU are Walking in the Brutal Shadows of Taylor’s ATU and SOD It is becoming very difficult to distinguish between the National Police Force of former President Charles Ghankay Taylor and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as police brutality against unarmed civilians rises day after day in a country still striving to consolidate peace, maintain security, and promote genuine reconciliation. The ERU under the Unity Party led government is gradually wearing the ‘malicious iron jacket’ of the defunct ATU while PSU walks in the dark shadow of the infamous SOD. The recent wave of police brutality in Liberia is not only disturbing, but worrisome as fear and panic overwhelm peaceful residents. Since Madam Sirleaf took over as President of Liberia in 2006, there has been series of cruel treatments against civilians, including those who have been consistently speaking against bad governance and other unethical deeds. How could the police force under a democratic arrangement forget so soon about its national responsibility? The Liberia National Police has been at the center of violating the fundamental rights of unarmed citizens by misusing its statutory status to harass, intimidate, and terrorize. Police Officers under Ellen’s reign continue to exhibit these unlawful acts in order to cruelly subdue peaceful civilians. They have forgotten that Liberia is a country of law and order; as such, everyone including those in higher authority must abide by those basic constitutional ethics which are meant to regulate mutual existence. In Liberia today, police officers are still affecting arrests based on the orders of influential government officials. Is Liberia a police state under Madam Sirleaf? In reality, anyone can easily describe Liberia as a country with a non-independent and partial police force. Arbitrary arrests and illegal detentions are common practices visibly seen in almost every community. Police officers nowadays careless about the issuance of a court warrant before making an arrest. It is evident that most Liberians do not trust this current national police force because of its habitual tendency of abusing those it claims to be protecting. Public confidence is lacking as a result of bribery, extortion, coercion, corruption, and humiliation. The LNP is no longer seen as an institution to fully rely on for safety as political interference undermines its overall mandate and operations. It is no secret that the LNP now is being extremely manipulated and micro-managed by external forces to carry out unacceptable deeds and secret measures. The Liberia National Police which was established in accordance with section 180 of chapter 13, sub chapter “A” of the Executive Law in the Liberian code of law volume 11 of 1955 within the Department of Justice and reversed under section 22.70 of the same executive law of 12th, June 1955, must urgently refrain from its recent mode of brutality and ensure internal security for all regardless of status, creed, tribe, and political affiliation. The Police Force is not a gangster unit or an organization of hoodlums. Therefore, we condemn all forms of mistreatment and abuse against defenseless civilians. No one should use the Police Force as a hideout to commit crimes against innocent citizens or get at other individuals. The National Police Force was not established to lodge criminals, drug smugglers, human rights violators, and other indecent characters. Rather, it was formed to accommodate discipline men and women who usually protect its professional code of conduct. The LNP especially ERU and PSU must not ignore its functions. As the foremost law enforcement agency in Liberia, it is mandated by law to detect crimes, apprehend offenders, prevent crime and disorder, maintain law and order and protect life, property and personal liberties. I am still wondering whether most of our officers learnt what they were taught at the Police Academy. If they did achieve anything better from those trainings in Liberia and abroad, then they must work diligently to ensure public safety and security. They must desist from reinventing those gloomy days of SOD and ATU. It does not make sense to cruelly treat those who pay you with their taxes. The Laws Liberia has are meant to be followed without fear or favor, unfortunately, this police force continues to give blind eyes to those unique procedures. Flogging, torture and other inhuman treatments of citizens by Police Officers are common practices in Liberia even though they are strictly forbidden by the Constitution. Police Personnel use severe physical force which leads to critical injuries most times to disperse large crowd. Huge resoureces were spent to train PSU and ERU officers in areas of crowd and riot control, weapon usage, antiterrorism, hostage rescue, internal security, tactical anticrime, and search-and-rescue situations. The PSU and ERU were better trained and equipped than the regular LNP force. Regrettably, these two police units continue to show glaring signs of incompetence, indiscipline, and ineptitude as they roam around like creeping lions seeking whom to devour or inflict pain upon. This wanton behavior got to stop and stop now! The track records of the PSU, ERU, and the National Police Force in general are too alarming. Permit me to reveal few of them quickly. Since the inauguration of Madam Sirleaf in 2006, this is a summary of police brutality and malpractices in Liberia. • On September 20, 2006, two legislators were assaulted by LNP officers in two separate incidents, one at a checkpoint and another in a courthouse. On September 26, the LNP inspector general formally apologized to the legislators in question and to the legislature as a whole, citing inadequate training as the reason for the assaults. • On October 3, 2006, police forced a false confession from a robbery suspect by placing a lighter under his genitals until he confessed. • On March 13, 2006, the deputy director of police was suspended and subsequently dismissed for stealing $4,000 (240,000 LD) worth of gas coupons. • In March 2006, four LNP officers were suspended for assaulting a journalist. • On June 19, 2007, LNP officers beat four journalists covering a student demonstration in support of faculty demands for payment of salary arrears at the University of Liberia. The LNP officers tore up the identification cards of two journalists, Daylue Goah of the New Democrat and Evans Ballah of Public Agenda, and forced them to delete the photos from their digital cameras. • On March 28, 2007, LNP officers forcibly dispersed a demonstration by the Liberia Timber Workers Union in Gardnerville, resulting in several injuries. • In May 2008, four LNP police officers of the antitheft unit were arrested and indicted for torturing suspects in January. • In December 2008, a grand jury indicted the deputy commissioner for criminal investigations and the chief of narcotics for theft and false statements. • On April 9, 2008, police forcibly disbursed students of Kendeja high school, which had been demolished to make room for a hotel. The students were demonstrating because construction of a replacement school had not been finished. • In August 2009, five LNP officers were dismissed for unethical behavior. • On September 3, 2009, the chief of patrol was indicted for looting the house of a private prosecutor who had filed a civil suit against him earlier. • In 2009, LNP officers arbitrarily arrested, and subsequently abducted and beat a staff member of an international NGO • On February 27, 2010, an LNP officer shot and killed a man reportedly over a personal dispute. • On March 3, 2010, LNP officers beat a foreign citizen who was photographing police conducting a search. The police also confiscated her camera and took her to LNP headquarters where she was beaten again but never arrested. • On February 13, 2011, LNP Commander Victor Boyah beat sports journalist Fombah Kanneh. Kanneh for filming police brutality toward spectators after a soccer game at the Antoinette Tubman Sports Stadium. Boyah publicly apologized for his actions on February 17. • On March 22, 2011, the LNP used excessive force to subdue a student demonstration in support of their teachers who were striking for promised salary increases. • On November 7, 2011, law enforcement agents clashed with supporters of the opposition party Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) resulting into one confirmed death with several others injured. • In 2011, LNP and Bureau of Immigration officers occasionally subjected travelers to arbitrary searches and petty extortion at checkpoints. • In July 2012, three police officers harassed and assaulted a woman in Thinker’s Village in Maryland County. • In 2012, an ERU officer in Maryland County was suspended for three months after a police investigation found him liable for flogging and manhandling citizen. • Recently, we witnessed police brutality against two CDcians at the Monrovia Central Prison. Monica Samuels and Emmanuel Menza of the National Chronicle Newspaper were also beaten by officers of the LNP while Sky TV reporter was assaulted by guards of Robert Sirleaf. • The recent murder of civilians by police officers at ELWA junction and Old Road speak volume as well. These are just few instances of police brutality in Liberia under Madam Sirleaf’s leadership. The Justice for Liberia Campaign without hesitation wants to send this caveat to the LNP that gone are those days of extortion, humiliation, and degrading treatments against civilian population. The people have had enough! The people have done nothing wrong to deserve such brutal reactions. LNP must live up to its mandate. Be an independent Police Force and act as an impartial law enforcement agency, otherwise…..! Written by: Martin K. N. Kollie martinkerkula1989@yahoo
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 05:00:12 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015