By Trokon Freeman_trokonfreeman@gmail.com
MONROVIA: Four collaborating opposition political parties in Liberia have termed the execution of a writ of search and seizure on the premises of ROOTS FM 102.7 by the government, followed by the closure of the station as an attempt to suppress free speech.
The four collaborating political institutions are Unity Party, Liberty Party, All Liberian Party and the Alternative National Congress.
On Thursday of last week, the City Court of Monrovia granted a petition by the government through the Ministry of Justice to search ROOTS FM, seize all of its equipment and have the local broadcaster shut down.
According to the Court’s petition, the pieces of equipment are being used by ROOTS FM to instigate violence and spread hate speech against the government to the public.
The government had argued that the station does not have the permission from the Liberia Telecommunication Authority to operate a radio station.
But addressing the media in Monrovia during the weekend, the four parties said the move is an attempt to suppress all forms of dissent and criticisms ahead of the 2020 senatorial election in the country.
Reading a statement containing the position of the four parties, Unity Party National Chairman, Wilmot Paye said “the opposition community will not sit to allow President George Weah to govern the way he’s preceding.”
Meanwhile, the opposition political parties have said the Liberian government has begun hiring former rebel generals to execute state security function.
According to them, a former infamous rebel general identified ‘Power’ was involved in shutting down ROOTS FM.
The government is yet to respond to this allegation.
Wilmot Paye told the local media that the latest closure of ROOTS FM has the propensity to scare away potential investors.
