COP Rejects ‘Zoe-Bush’ Like Meeting

-As Speaker And Others Worried Over Boycotts Of Another Dialogue

The organizers (Council of Patriots-COP) of the much-anticipated June 7 protest have boycotted another negotiations dialogue this time with the leadership of the House of Representatives.

They should have met with the leadership of the Liberian Senate on Thursday May 30, 2019 as part of ongoing negotiations that will lead to the abolition of the planned June 7 protest, but the meeting was not successful on grounds that the Liberian Senate wanted to have the meeting in camera or closed door, while COP insisted on open-session.

What happened Thursday at the Liberian Senate was transferred at the right side of the Legislature when similar invitation was extended to the Council of Patriots, but they failed to show up as expected.

After hours of waiting for COP’s leadership, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Bhofal Chambers reluctantly entered the conference hall of the House of Representatives to address the press.

As he appeared frustrated over the failure of COP to show up, Speaker Chambers said they as the people’s representatives thought it wise to negotiate in the ongoing dialogue.

Although, they failed to appear as requested by the leadership of the House of Representatives, but Speaker Chambers said they were not there to carry on any act of ‘repudiation, enunciation.’

He said they were only waiting to engage their colleagues from COP to see how best they can put aside their quest to protest.

Speaker Chambers at the press conference said they communicated with the COP on the 28^th of May, adding; that said communication was received on the 29^th of May, acknowledged by the heads of the group.

“We expected them to have been here by this time, and we have not seen any sign,” Speaker Chambers added.

He then called on every Liberian to remain law abiding at all-time stressing that no person is above the law or below the law.

The expected dialogue should have been attended by the leadership of the Council of Patriots, representation from the Peace Building Office, and the Peace Ambassador of Liberia Office, but this opportunity was not used by the COP.

When the Speaker of the House of Representatives was asked if there was any other plan to have them called back for similar dialogue, the speaker didn’t answer, but was quick to call on members of the media to help with preaching the right messages that will demystify and provide more clearer pieces of information about the ongoing tension in Liberia.

Both Eric Quaqua of the Peace Ambassador Office and Edward Mulbah of Liberia Peace Building office advised the planners of the protest to embrace dialogue as a means of helping to preserve Liberia’s peace.

He said while it is true that those who want to protest may have good motives, it was important to have in mind that there could be spoilers who could be against their quest on June 7, 2019.

According to the two, protest is necessary, but it was important for the COP to have shown up for the meeting to dialogue.

“We think that our President has made strives to make sure that the peace is kept,” Edward Mulbah said.

“We don’t have anything much to say, but to say please for them to come for us to dialogue,” Quaqua indicated.

As it is now, it is exactly four days to June 7 publicized national protest by some Liberians against the government of football icon.    TNR