Liberian lawyer and statesman Cllr Tiawan S. Gongloe in which he made available one of the most famous and highly sought articles about the arrogance of power within the Liberian government.
The article, written in May 1979 by renowned Liberian political journalist and social critic Albert Porte, is titled The Day Monrovia Stood Still.
In sharing the article with the PUL leadership, Cllr Gongloe emphasizes that “the existence of the arrogance of power is a threat to peace and the maintenance of a stable social order in any nation.”
“From recent and current actions of political actors,” he notes, that “the failure of reason to prevail at critical times in Liberia still continues” as it was in relation to the now infamous April 14, 1979 protest, popularly known as ‘the rice riot’.
Organized by the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) of Gabriel Baccus Matthews, the April 1979 protest led to “deaths and destructions”, a sad occurrence that Cllr Gongloe attributes “to the fact that the government did not allow reason to prevail.”
PUL President Julius Kanubah is commending Cllr Gongloe for making the article available not only for public consumption but for critical reflection on the wrongs of the past to correct the wrongs of the present for a brighter and better future for Liberia.
The April 1979 protest is associated with the increase in the price of rice and the issue of the government requiring “permit” for peaceful demonstration by its citizens including the opposition contrary to the Constitution that guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.
In addition to publicly circulating the famous article on The Day Monrovia Stood Still, the PUL has printed and published the entire treasured texts on its bulletin board for wider access to its membership and the public.
A lifelong defender of press freedom and free speech, Cllr Gongloe served as a panelist during this year’s celebrations of World Press Freedom Day, where he addressed the topic, Sustaining Independent Journalism and Press Freedom in the Digital Age, organized by the PUL.
At the occasion, Cllr Gongloe recognized the important role that journalists play in spearheading the social transformation of society by creating awareness about the virtues and vices that the people need to know.
The PUL agrees with the learned lawyer and human rights defender that:
“By informing the people about good events, actions and actors that have contributed to the progress of a nation, the chances are that a majority of the people will be influenced to do what is good for society. Similarly, by informing the people about bad events, actions and actors that have undermined the progress of a nation, a majority of the people may guide themselves repeated those vices. The end result of such information sharing by journalists is likely to be sustained peace, progress and prosperity protected by the rule of law.”
