Liberia: Govt Denies Alleged Arson Attack on Unity Party Chairman’s Home

The Government of Liberia expresses fervent empathy with the Chairman of the opposition Unity Party (UP), Rev. Luther Tarpeh, whose home was gutted by fire on August 12.

Investigators from the National Fire Service have already been dispatched to the scene in order to determine the cause of the outbreak.

However, the government is deeply troubled by allegations in a press release from the UP alleging that the government sponsored the incident. The party in the release said the government hired thugs to commit arson.

Information Minister Ledgerhood Julius Rennie calls the claim unfair and irresponsible, bearing no element of truth. He said the Administration of President George M. Weah is not in the business of physically attacking its political opponents. “What do we stand to benefit from the action,” the Minister retorted.

He said Weah is a man of peace who ascribes to the democratic process, respect for human rights, and the rule of law; and is running a responsible government that does not engage in acts of gangsterism.

The government, the Minister said, empathizes with the victim, Tarpeh, who himself told journalists that he does not yet fully understand what led to the fire outbreak. However, "contrary to the UP Chairman’s statement, its Secretary General, Amos Tweh, had already sweepingly accused the government of committing the unfortunate act even before the arrival on the scene of investigators from the Liberia National Fire Service and the Liberia National Police. Tweh’s remarks were disappointingly contained in the party’s release."

The government wishes to emphasize that it has an internationally acclaimed democratic record, while also being led by an icon of peace, and will do nothing to taint its reputation. It’s high time political actors refrain from incendiary rhetoric that could undermine the country’s hard-earned peace, as we move to General and Presidential elections next year.

These creeping and unwarranted acts of provocation and bellicose political maneuverings will not distract the government from the course of development meant to improve the livelihood of ordinary Liberians.

The government is only interested in solidifying the country’s peace and building upon its democratic gains and therefore calls on all political parties, their cohorts, and supporters to join in this national endeavor.

In recent years the government has been engaged in efforts to augment the capacity of the Liberia National Fire Service as it grapples with frequent fire disasters around the country, which have been caused by a myriad of reasons. The government, therefore, urges the Tarpeh family and the UP to remain calm while authorities determine the actual cause of Friday’s fire.

Earlier, the UP blamed the arson attack on pro-government hired agents. The UP stated that the attackers believed to be operatives of the government of Liberia threw several petrol bombs during the early hours of August 12, in the fence of Tarpeh, something which they believed led to the fire.

"The Unity Party feared democratic gains made during her stewardship of Liberia has significantly retrogressed under the CDC -led government,  as the bad memory of Liberia’s dark days is again surfacing, where opposition leaders and critical voices in the country are constantly harassed, humiliated, and in some instances found dead with no outcomes of government announced investigations.”

"While the party calls on its partisans and the Liberian  populace to remain calm as further investigations are underway, Unity Party wants to reiterate that it will not condone unwarranted and senseless attacks against its leaders, partisans, and the people of Liberia as we move forward to the 2023 Legislative and presidential elections."

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