A Demonstration is Underway in Monrovia, as President Weah Edits his Flashcards to Speak at the United Nations

Editor’s Note: 
The disappearance of about $100 million U. S. dollars in thin air in Monrovia has outraged Liberians at home and in the Diaspora.  Though the president is said to have set up a committee to investigate, the efforts is considered not to be enough for the hapless people of the country who are severely affected by the disappearance and are therefore demanding that President Weah and Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf account for the missing 16 billion Liberian dollars. President Weah is in the USA to speak at the United Nations.  Sources close to the government say that the Liberian President has asked the FBI of the United States of America for its intervention in the investigation.

There is currently a serious foreign exchange crisis in the country partly due to Liberian leaders’ insatiable appetite for printing money to support their corrupt schemes. As we talk about the missing money, there are calls from some intelligentsia of the regime for Liberia to print more money to replace the missing millions. Are they serious? When will the impunity end? In any case, the today's demonstration starts outside the U.S. Embassy on Benson Street and proceeds through downtown Monrovia.  Published below is the Press Release from the organizers of the demonstration:

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the Press, members of the class of intelligentsia, members of the underprivileged majority, sons and daughters of the poor and dejected masses, petite traders and yana boys, members of the disabled community, youth and student groups, civil society actors, the religious community, teachers and marketers, traditional leaders, rural inhabitants and slum dwellers, civil servants, members of all registered political parties and fellow citizens of the Republic of Liberia:

We bring you greetings in the name of transparency and accountability. Over 27 civil society organizations, youth/student groups and diverse unions, have assembled here today with one voice under one umbrella named and styled “Concerned Citizens United to Bring Our Money Back (COCUBOMB). Our ultimate and collective goal as a pro-democracy and pro-advocacy citizen action movement is to demand the full restitution of L$16 billion (US$106.6 million) that mysteriously disappeared under the CDC-led government of President George M. Weah on March 31, 2018

It can be recalled about a few days ago that the Liberian media (specifically journalist Philibert Brown of the Hot Pepper Newspaper and journalist Rodney Sieh of FrontPage African Newspaper) revealed to the Country and the World that billions of public money were missing by a group of economic vampires, pseudo-patriots, and micro-nationalists. The government of Liberia later confirmed this shocking revelation.

God first. It is because of the independent media that we know about this mass looting and economic sabotage under President Weah and his government. Our L$16 billion banknotes must be brought back. We appreciate the Liberian media and encourage members of this noble profession to continuously demonstrate dedication, patriotism, and loyalty to the nation in the discharge of their reportorial duties.  

COCUBOMB describes the sudden disappearance of the people’s money as a HORRIFIC MYSTERY and a NATIONAL TRAGEDY that is too difficult to be explained and justified by functionaries of this government. The flow of information released so far from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Information surrounding this ‘syndicate of mass looting’ is contradictory, and can better be considered as a FAIRY-TALE.

Even though there have been attempts to distort the facts and mislead the public, but such vain pursuit remains detectable. While Liberia remains the 4th poorest, 8th unhappiest and 8th hungriest nation with a high rate of youth unemployment, food insecurity and infant/maternal mortality rate, a handful of vicious economic pillagers and State mafias were braved enough to divert and siphon a container of L$16 billion of the masses’ wealth. This is the first time since 1847 for such huge amount of money to be stolen at once.  

The national treasury of our nation is profusely bleeding and all those linked to this gross WICKEDNESS against the collective destiny of the ordinary people must be brought to book without delay. Let it be noted that the disappearance of this L$16 billion has far-reaching economic and security implications. The PEOPLE are becoming impatient and weary about hearing spider-stories. Those who unremorsefully plundered and leeched on our resources must account and account now. The perpetrators will not go with impunity because such devilish action is no different from selling the entire country. Liberians must not be surprised that one morning they wake-up up and this country is sold. COCUBOMB calls on the International Community to withhold all support to Liberia until this L$16 billion is accounted for. We plea with Liberians in the Diaspora to join this patriotic call by petitioning foreign governments.

While our government is begging China for L$54 million grant and food aid, a few groups of self-seeking and greedy scoundrels are pocketing US$106 million of public money. In our opinion, CORRUPTION is flying under President Weah even though it was walking under past regimes. While thousands of parents cannot even afford to pay their children’s tuition, L$16 billion is missing in thin air. This is unacceptable and the PEOPLE must rise up to demand full accountability and restitution of this money.

COCUBOMB lacks trust and confidence in the ability of the Weah-led government to set-up any investigative panel to probe this mass looting. The government has already demonstrated non-credibility by providing a preponderance of misleading information. In fact, former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said recently in an interview with FPA that the Weah-led government is providing misleading information surrounding the L$16 billion disappearances. We no longer trust the government to investigate itself and the immediate past regime in this L$16 billion saga. The government cannot be the litigant, the defendant, and at the same time the jurist.

COCUBOMB is demanding an Independent International Forensic Investigation that would systematically unravel this mystery which remains disturbing and vexing. In fact, there should be a State of Emergency called by the government because this situation is beyond the mere administrative crisis and could degenerate into unintended consequences. No wonder why the call for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia is intensifying. COCUBOMB joins Liberians in and out of Liberia to support this justified cause. We appreciate those patriotic Liberians in the Diaspora who have been protesting especially in New York.

In our opinion, we think it is completely insensitive and inhumane for President Weah to attend the UN General Assembly in New York when we have a national emergency situation in the country. COCUBOMB is calling on all Liberians to peacefully assemble at the US Embassy on Monday, September 24, 2018, as we petition the International Community (The US Government, European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, Chinese Embassy, MRU, etc. Such action is in line with Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution.

This peaceful mass assembly or build-up is meant to send a clarion call to the International Community to immediately take full charge of this investigation and prevail upon the Weah-led government to account for our missing billions and prosecute all those involved with this spree of mass looting. We call on all of our people to dress either in white or black with an inscription on their T-shirts and posters “BRING BACK OUR MONEY”.

COCUBOMB calls on all students, teachers, motorcyclists, pen-pen riders, petit traders, and slum-dwellers to come out en masse on Monday as we together demand the agents of corruption to BRING BACK OUR MONEY. We encourage all businesses and schools to close down and join us in solidarity for this mass peaceful assembly on Monday, September 24, 2018. Enough is enough – it is enough living in extreme poverty and misery as a result of mass corruption.

The suffering is enough for our people in West Point, Clara Town, Soniwen, Doe Community, New Kru Town, and Chicken Soup Factory. It is enough for the poor people in the fifteen political subdivisions. The GLUTTONY and GREED of a few people cannot continue to humiliate us. It is enough for young people of this country to have no future simply because a few groups of egoistic elites and a newborn cartel of State mafias have chosen to amass illicit wealth and milk on public resources.

We call on our people to go all out in various communities and hamlets to mobilize/rally the good people ahead of Monday’s assemblage. Each one must mobilize and bring 100 persons on Monday. This is a national campaign. It is enough – and this must END!

Where it has reached, it is about the survival of the country, and no one else! Everyone in support of this national campaign is hereby and humbly requested to change his or her Facebook profile picture to our LOGO “Bring Back Our Money”. May God rescue Liberia from this global disgrace.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, fellow Liberians, thank you for coming. See you on Monday!

Signed: ______________________________________
                                  Jeremiah S. Swen
                      Secretary General, COCUBOMB

Approved: ____________________________________
                                    Martin K. N. Kollie
                                Chairman, COCUBOMB

Cc: US Embassy, UN, EU, AU, ECOWAS, MRU, and Chinese Embassy
Reputable Organizations that have endorsed this statement:

1. Student Unification Party (SUP)
2. People Action Network (PAN-Liberia)
3. Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL)
4. Movement of Justice in Africa (MOJA)
5. Liberia Labor Congress (LLC)
6. Workers’ Union of Liberia (WUL)
7. Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD)
8. Alliance for Transitional Justice in Liberia (ATJL)
9. Teachers in Action for Concerns (TAC-Liberia)
10. Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY)
11. Patriotic Consciousness Association of Liberia (PACAL)
12. Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL)
13. Movement of Social Democratic Alliance (MOSODA)
14. Financial Communication Sector Union (FCSU)
15. National Cosmetology Union of Liberia (NCUL)
16. Association of Opposition Political Parties Youth League in Support of Weah (AOPPYL)
17. Concerned Liberians in the Diaspora (CLD)
18. Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions (CEIO)
19. Citizen Action for the Establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Courts (CAEWECC)
20. Zorzor and Salayea Muslim Development Association (ZSMDA)
21. Forum for Democracy and Civic Education (FODCE)
22. Liberia National Student Union (LINSU)
23. TAG – Liberia
24. Concerned University and College Students (CUCS)
25. Conscious High School Students of Liberia (CHSL)
26. S. K. Doe Community Youth Association (SAKDOCYA)
27. Masses Against Poverty (MAP)
28. Federation of Sinkor Youth Association (FESYA)
29. Liberian Youth for Democracy
30. Agenda for Peace
31. National Youth Against Violence (NYAV)