By Thomas Kai Toteh
Guest Writer   

In the wake of a series of attacks on Liberian journalists, there are mixed feelings in some quarters including the Press Union of Liberia about government’s failure to properly address itself to the concerns.

It started on April 18, 2006 when two Liberian journalists, Morris Gaye and Charles Yates were attacked by unknown officers of the Liberian National Police while performing their duties during the streets clearance exercise in Monrovia.

Following formal complains from the reporters’ respective newspapers, The Inquirer and The Informer, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), wrote to the police director to bring her attention to the flogging of the journalists. The Press Union of Liberia's letter states, “The Media Watch Dog wants Director Sieh to investigate the attacks and take appropriate measures to prevent recurrence.”

Unfortunately, the police director and the justice minister were unable to identify the perpetrators to bring them to justice. Not too long, the vice president’s bodyguards clashed with reporters and photographers who went to cover one of Vice President Boakai’s official appearances. According to reports from the scene, the vice president had earlier advised his bodyguards to not allow journalists photograph him. The vice president has yet to prove he did not order the seizure of journalists’ cameras and their subsequent attacks.

On June 9, 2006 some members of the Special Security Services (SSS) detail and a US Secret Service agent assigned to President Sirleaf manhandled some members of the Executive Mansion press corps, causing one journalist to sustain neck injury, and another journalist lost his cell phone. The reporters were at the Roberts International Airport to give press coverage to President Sirleaf’s return from an official visit.

At the Executive Mansion, journalists came under physical attacks for allegedly photographing security bulletin board.

Speaking in the parlors of the Executive Mansion during the induction ceremony of some deputy ministers, President Sirleaf condemned the increasing wave of physical attacks on members of the Liberian media, blaming it on the overzealous behaviors of some members of the SSS.

In a related development, journalist Sam Collins of Love FM was attacked by men allegedly armed with guns and other weapons around the headquarters of the Congress for Democratic Change en route to his house.

President Sirleaf warned that security forces are liable before the law and at the same time urged for dialogue as the best answer.

The PUL said it received a communication from Walter Wisner, who was serving as acting minister of State and chief of staff. In the letter, according to FrontPageAfrica, the Union quoted Wisner as saying, “Let me mention that the Ministry of State is equally unhappy with the manner in which journalists are carrying out their national responsibilities.”

In the June 15, 2006 of the FrontPageAfrica, the acting chief of staff argued that there have been reports intended to encourage insurrection and dissent which he attributed to a violation of the spirit and the intent of Article 15 of the Liberian Constitution.

Article 15.  

 a. Right to Freedom of Expression

 b. Scope of Right to Freedom of Expression

c. Right of Public to be informed

d. Right of Access to State Owned Media

e. Limitation of Freedom of Expression

Article 15e, Limitation of Freedom of Expression could be the basis of Walter Wisner’s claims that in many cases there have been wide, inaccurate and speculative attacks on government officials, including the president. However, there is no where in the Constitution where journalists should be subjected to physical attacks when they are caught or suspected of violating Article 15e. In the event journalists are suspected of inaccurately reporting or libel, it is the due process of law which is one of the most deeply rooted principles in Liberian jurisprudence that prevails.

However, unlike Acting Chief of Staff Wisner whose stand appears defensive against the Press Union’s protest, the president’s chief staff, Morris Dukuly, in an attempt to get the Press Union to meet with the Liberian leader to discuss government’s 150 day deliverables, apologized to the Press Union, assuring the body that government was committed to press freedom.

In an interview with FrontPageAfrica recently, Information Minister, Johnny McCain admitted by saying, “Some of these guys in the security sector are so used to this violent behavior from the past that it just cannot wear away immediately.” From the information minister’s assertion, it means that state security officers are creating an embarrassment to the government. The state security officers must have been problematic to the government due partly to insufficient training and lack of civic education or perhaps they were not properly rehabilitated before being enlisted.

            The Press Union has initially hoped these incidents would be considered isolated if the appropriate authorities of government had quickly acted either within the scope of the law or just by denouncing these acts of violence against reporters. Now that the president has hit the nail on the head, the question of whether these incidents are isolated or perpetrated by higher-ups will soon come to a rest.