The Founding Father of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), now Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and President of the Republic of Liberia, His Excellency George Manneh Weah, has declared that there is no such group as Coalition for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots (CDC-COP) in their organization, and that if anyone decides to join them he becomes a partisan of peace, democracy and development.
President Weah made the declaration on Monday, August 1, 2022 in reaction to the brutal attack on protesters from the University of Liberia-based Student Unification Party (SUP) on Independence Day, July 26, 2022.
President Weah denounced, in the strongest terms, the violence which was allegedly perpetrated by the CDC-COP, a group many see as an auxiliary of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). “Violence is totally unacceptable,” President Weah emphasized.
“I have stressed in all my public engagements the need to maintain the hard-earned peace that we now enjoy. This is a cause for which I have lent personal sacrifice—as an Ambassador of peace. So, if you claim to love me or follow my political ideology, you cannot do so with violence.
“Anyone or group that has my image on a banner in support of me and my government has to be peaceful, respectful and tolerant. You cannot support a man of peace by being violent.
“I also want to stress, as the Founding Father of the Congress for Democratic Change, now the Coalition for Democratic Change, that we do not have any CDC-COP within our organization. When you come to join us, you become a CDC partisan of peace, democracy and development,” President Weah underscored.
The President mandated the Ministry of Justice and the entire national security apparatus to immediately arrest all those involved in the violent incident on July 26, 2022 and ensure that they face the full weight of the law.
He also instructed the Minister of Health to ensure that all those who sustained injuries during the violent attack are given the best medical treatment at the expense of the government.
“Liberia remains a country of law. Despite our political differences, we are one nation, one people united under God’s command,” President Weah maintained.