Liberia: Rep. Solomon George Condemned for Threatening Remarks

— “George touting the idea of people disappearing is completely out of touch with the peace and security that Liberians cherish as vital to our democracy,” says LCC

The Liberia Council of Churches' attention has been drawn to an unacceptable and reckless declaration emanating from Montserrado County Representative Solomon George threatening to eliminate perceived enemies of the Coalition of Democratic Change if he’s given the chance to serve as Police Inspector General for Six months. 

The lawmaker’s words, according to the Council’s President, Rev. Samuel B. Reeves, Jr., were highly irresponsible and unethical.  Therefore, the LCC calls on George to muster the courage to rescind such a negligent utterance. 

“As an institution whose task is to preach the gospel of righteousness, joy, goodness, goodwill, and spiritual wisdom, the LCC says it is appalled that George would express his enthusiasm for president Weah’s leadership in such a disgraceful manner. George touting the idea of people disappearing is completely out of touch with the peace and security that Liberians cherish as vital to our democracy.” 

The Monsterado District #17 lawmaker had earlier asked the President to make him the country's police director for just six months or one year and some people will “disappear”. 

“Some of us need to disappear for good things to appear. You can’t see somebody doing good things and then want to change the good things to bad things,” Rep. George said.

“President, you know me. Maybe you want to win the Nobel Peace Prize, but I don’t want to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I want to be a police director for just six months or one year, some people will lost. Some of us need to disappear for good things to appear,” said George, a member of the ruling party. “You can’t see somebody doing good things and want to change the good things to bad things. Go around the country and see the good works the President is doing, but some Liberians are denying those good works.”

The lawmaker remarked during Weah's visit to his district as part of his just-ended county tour and did so without considering the political and human rights implications of his statement.

For this, the LCC has called the attention of the President, in whose presence the threat was made to publicly distance himself from the lawmaker’s malicious and vicious utterances. The Council believes, if not acted upon, “that such a wild pronouncement from a sitting lawmaker would plunge Liberia into a failed state of war, politically induced killings and the disappearance of politicians and their supporters.” 

“[These are] not the values many people died and sacrificed for over the years and, as such, it must be condemned by all Liberians, irrespective of your association.”

“The LCC is therefore calling on the representative to publicly apologize and repent from speaking in a vile and vicious manner, which threatens to collapse the sanity, freedom of expression, and right to choose whomever the people wish to lead them,” the LCC statement said.