Statement by

Malcolm W. Joseph, Executive Director of CEMESP 

at the launch of 

The Perennial Tragedy of Democracy:

Attacks on Freedom of Expression in Liberia 2006-2007

January 21, 2008

 

Today is a high point in the life of the Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP). Over the years of our existence, we have been collaborating with various groups to study issues in the media.  In most instances, these studies have been at the behest of our partners, and not necessarily what we propose. All the same, these ideals have been directed at promoting media pluralism in Liberia. In the last two years, we have reviewed the public awareness component of the UNDP-Arms for Development Program, carried out content analysis research of various radio stations in the Monrovia area, in collaboration with the Institute for Applied Media Studies at Zurich University, developed a community radio country report for Liberia in partnership with the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), conducted a research on religious broadcasting in Liberia in partnership with PANOS Institute of West Africa, developed a media directory for Liberia, and conducted several capacity building workshops for Liberian media practitioners, etc.  

Over this period, we have also been taking note of the attacks upon the media in Liberia. These have included threats, harassments, and even brutality from government functionaries and their co-conspirators. But regrettably, some of these attacks came from “civil society” activists. We also took note of journalists taking colleagues to court. These instances obstruct the fundamental and universal right of free expression. These actions show gross intolerance for the views of others, effectively undermining the growth of democracy in Liberia. 

It is this account of attacks that we have cataloged for two full years. Over this period, we are accounting for 42 attacks on free expression. This translates into at least one attack for each month of the period under report. We have supplemented them with references from media activists, and have come to present them to the public. Our argument in this publication is to alert the community about the tragedy that has befallen our years of struggle for democracy and human rights. We believe that of all times, the right to disagree should be particularly upheld in Liberia today. It is quite ironic that the United States would be projecting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as an unhindered fighter for freedom, while state security and officials regularly brutalize the simple messengers, in their search to inform the public about happenings in our society.  

Today, we are putting forth this publication as a challenge to the government and people of Liberia to stand tall for democracy, because for too long we have wept, shed our blood and killed ourselves for democracy. For far too long we have insisted that democracy is the way forward for Liberia, and for far too long we have flagged off leaders, who do not respect dissent.  This is the time that we change, and at CEMESP we will not relent in the campaign to sensitize this community to respect this universal right. 

As part of further efforts to ensure that this right is better understood, CEMESP has been at the center of a process to reform the media environment in Liberia. By this, we hope to transform the Liberia Broadcasting System into a public service broadcaster, whereby the state will pay for the station as it works for the people. We also hope to arrange a freedom of information Law, whereby the government will be authorized to provide for any citizen any government information that they require, so long as the provision of any such information will not directly threaten national security. We are also seeking clear regulations for the broadcast sector, such that media houses will not be denied frequencies and authorization to broadcast, simply because some official disagree with them. 

We are hopeful that such reform process will contribute seriously to the growth of free expression and democracy in Liberia. 

And so, we like to express our best regards to all of you who have come in this morning to join us in launching this publication. We are hopeful that by your presence, you also agree with us that people should not be harassed, threatened and brutalized because you do not agree with them. Like the head of an international media rights group wrote to Chief Justice Johnnie Lewis last year, “if you do not agree with the journalist or media, do not patronize their business”. However, we will again argue, if the advert is government based, and the value falls within the realm of the public procurement law, you cannot legally leave out the media. 

We have lately been disturbed by comments from Information Minister Laurence Bropleh to the effect that media houses that do not pay their taxes will be shut down. Again, we like to state here our belief in the governance process, including the responsibility to pay taxes on income. We also believe in measures to address the non-payment of taxes. However, we believe that this should be done in keeping with due process. Definitely, defaulting in tax payment is no ground for closing a newspaper. Until the Minister can prove otherwise, we see his comments as threatening, and a replay of a chicanery played by the Taylor regime. 

Before closing, I like to recognize the support of three organizations in the work of these alerts. The first is UNESCO, which funded the initial operations of the CEMESP website, the basis of the catalog of alerts. Next is the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), which also provided support for the collation of the alerts, and lastly and most importantly, we like to note the role of the National Endowment for Democracy, which has since supported administrative and program costs for CEMESP.  

Thank you very much.