….Liberian women March to Capitol Building
By: Jerromie S. Walters
As troubling and simultaneous as the many cases of sexual and gender-based violence, rape, and secret killings have been over the years, women of all walks of life, in their most uncompromising and resilient postures, engaged members of the 54th national legislature early Thursday, March 2, 2023, to take steps in subduing the troubling acts.
Dismay in their postures, the women peacefully assembled in what they termed “Sit in Action”, at the grounds of the National Legislature and lifted placards with several inscriptions to include, “Justice for one, justice for all,” “We are unprotected,” and loudly chanted, “We want justice,” “We are tired of being killed,” “We want action, do your job,” and a lot more, which were directed to the legislators in an effort to ensure that an end is brought to the many secret killings and that remedies are provided to the countless unanswered deaths that have been reported over the years.
The women’s quest, which was intrinsically prompted by the recent attack on the home of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott that resulted in the death of her niece, was strategized to petition the national legislature in order for them to effectuate actions that are capable of addressing the unimaginable occurrences of violence against women and girls and secret killings across Liberia.
As reports over the period have vividly shown, the women complained that they, including all other Liberians, are unprotected, and the consistent and repeated occurrences of rape, secret killings, and all forms of violence must be addressed by the legislature in order to ensure a safe and secured space not just for women and girls, but for everyone.
While presenting the women’s petition statement to members of both the House of Representatives and Senate, Atyy. Plilomena Williams, the President of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL), referenced the countless numbers of unexplained deaths Liberians have experienced and mourned over the last few years and cautioned the legislature to act swiftly to avoid more of said experience.
The women described the sit-in-action as a significant strive for justice for Charloe Musu, the niece of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, who was stabbed to death at their home following an alleged arm robbery attack.
The action, which congregated scores of Liberian women from the legal profession, heads of civil society organizations, women in politics, and women from every spectrum, was also termed a major step towards ending all forms of violence in Liberia.
As guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the women admonished the government that now is the time to apply the necessary efforts in order to ensure the safety of all Liberians, especially considering the recent wave of mysterious killings in all parts of the country.
The women alerted the legislature and called for action in order to end the repeated relocation of children from the rural parts of Liberia to Monrovia, who are often used as breadwinners for their guardians, even though their biological parents were informed that they were coming to town to be schooled and live a better life.
As provided by the women’s petition statement, it is the responsibility of the legislature to guarantee the peace and security of all Liberians, as they are the voice of the people and they are obligated to serve in the best interest of all Liberians.
They urged the members of the 54th National Legislature that it is very important that they act now to avoid a situation where Liberia will become uncomfortable and insecure for Liberians, and women and girls especially.
Upon accepting the women’s petition on behalf of the House of Senate, Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence thanked the women for their endeavor and assured them of the Senate’s commitment to doing what was necessary. In the best interest of all Liberians.
As the Senate commenced engagements with heads of the security sector earlier this week on matters relative to the rapid increase in secret killings across the country, the Grand Bassa County Senator said the various officials will return next week to brief the senate on the alarming situation, while the senate will do the needful in providing the necessary solution (s).
“We are not just going to meet the Justice Minister and the Police IG, but we are calling the entire security, so the Senate has agreed to call the entire joint security tomorrow. We want you to know that the legislature or the senate can only reach a point where we will recommend or declare a vote of no confidence. A vote of no confidence is on the table; we want to present that in plenary, and we want to encourage you to engage all of your legislators to ensure that we have a vote of no confidence in those security actors who should be held responsible for those actions that we continue to wait for investigation for”, she articulated.
She emphasized, “The legislature has a limit, and at that point we can recommend to the president, and the president will make the decision from the executive, and the action you have taken today will force some of those decisions to be made.”
Senator Lawrence encouraged the women to continue to use their constitutional rights in the interest of the country and assured them that they could present the petition to the Senate and that it would be used to straighten their position and take the actions that they needed to take.
At the same time, Bomi County District #3 Representative Haja Fata Siryon accepted the women’s petition on behalf of the House of Representatives and vowed to ensure that the petition is presented to the plenary of the House of Representatives and support it to the fullest.
“We will show that justice will be served; I don’t care what happens, because when it happens to one woman, it’s all the women; when it happens to one child, it’s all the children of Liberia, so I want to thank all of you,” she said.
She described the fight as one that’s for all Liberians, but women especially, as it is significant to everyone because nobody is aware as to who is going to be the next victim.
As the occasion assembled women from every sector, Madam Ne-Suah Beyan-Livingstone, the founder of Rescue for the Abandoned and Children in Hardship (RICH), said the women of Liberia have reached a point where they believe it’s enough for them to continue to live in fear, especially considering the repeated demonstrations of all forms of violence as well as the increase in secret deaths.
“We have witnessed the mysterious deaths of too many of our children, husbands, and wives, and we are not getting what we expect of this government, and these are citizens, so what affects one affects all, and injustice to one is injustice to all, so that’s why I’m here,” she said.
She believes the issue of secret killings in Liberia is often overlooked by the government and other individuals and sometimes politicized in order to shield it from being spoken about or addressed.
Madam Ne-Suah Beyan-Livingstone called on the legislature to rise up and stop being what she termed “white elephants” and speak to issues that Liberians are challenged with and proffer legislative actions to the Executive Branch in order to address issues that border around the peace and security of Liberians.
Moreover, Mrs. Eyeah David Yango, the Executive Director of the Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), clarified that their action was not only prompted by the recent attack on the former Chief Justice but also in response to all forms of violence that have been perpetrated against women in Liberia and maintained that they will not remain silent.
“Today the women of Liberia have gathered because enough is enough; we are tired; we have been killed; we have been raped; we have been beaten; and our rights have been violated.” “Children’s rights are also being violated as they are being trafficked from the rural areas to Monrovia to serve as breadwinners, so we have come here today because the lawmakers are our first point of contact and we expect them to speak for us,” she propounded.
As Liberians rapidly approach the October 2023 general elections, Mrs. Yango believes that it is now time for the legislature to act against the numerous reports of violence against women, as well as secret killings, as it will serve as deterrence to avoid similar acts as often seen during electoral processes.
With Thursday’s action and the petition that was presented to the legislators, WONGOSOL’s Executive Director is anticipating that the legislature will act upon it and ensure that justice is served, as she wants the perpetrators of all forms of violence that have been portrayed to be judged by their actions.
“We expect them to take action with the power they have and dwell on the executive to do the right thing; we want the right thing to be done; we want justice,” she said.
Like several other women that graced the peaceful gathering, the Executive Director of the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, Madam Juli Endee, stressed the need for members of the 54th Legislature to act in addressing the multiplicity of reports of secret killings in Liberia.
She characterized her attendance at the gathering as a demonstration of solidarity with all women and girls that have fallen prey to unorthodox acts of secret killings and all other women of Liberia.
Over the last few years, Liberians have experienced scores of unexplained and secret deaths, which at some points were attributed to the government, as well as different forms of violence against women and girls.
In 2021, it was reported that in Gbarpolu County, a man allegedly used a razor blade to open the vagina of a 3-year-old girl and rape her.
In October 2021, a video circulated on social media and displayed several men who allegedly kidnapped a 13-year-old girl in Gbah Jacket, Bomi County, while she was selling fish and chicken feet.
On Monday, November 1, 2021, Williams V.S. Tubman Jr., the son of former president Williams V.S. Tubman, was discovered dead at his Flamah residence in a pool of blood.
In 2021, Ms. Maud Elliot, an officer of the Liberia Immigration Service, was secretly murdered at her residence in Brewerville.
In 2022, the lifeless body of Princess Cooper, a young Liberian lady, was discovered at the back of the Fawaz Building Materials Store at ELWA Junction.
These, with the inclusion of several other mysterious deaths, unarguably appear as some of the many reasons that motivated the women’s action.
