Africa-Press – Liberia. The committee of independent media stakeholders, set up to probe the recent controversial Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Elective Congress held in Gbarnga, Bong County, has resolved to immediately recuse itself from the process.
The appointment of the 11-member committee on November 23, 2022, was the immediate response by the PUL leadership, through its president Charles Coffey, to a mandate from the presiding Justice-in-Chamber of the Supreme Court, His Honor Yussif Kaba, for the PUL to resolve the impasse internally within seven days.
However, one of the parties to the election dispute, Julius Kanubah, initially rejected the establishment of the committee, arguing that, while he did not question the integrity or neutrality of those asked to be on the committee by Coffey, the PUL president did so unilaterally, instead of setting up the committee by consensus of the parties to the election dispute. As a condition for his buy-in, Kanubah demanded that three people of his choosing be added to the committee.
By the time the committee’s composition was finally agreed upon, the seven days had elapsed, and Justice Kaba declined to give the PUL leadership additional time for internal resolution.
On December 2, 2022, Justice Kaba mandated the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County, to resume jurisdiction over the matter. The committee maintains that it is not a parallel court, and any action of the committee that centers on mediation and arbitration will have no binding effect over the litigation process.
The committee, meeting in an emergency session on Friday, December 9, 2022, affirmed that while it remains open to helping resolve the current impasse/stalemate within the PUL, it cannot proceed any further because the issue is in court.
The committee, chaired by Professor Weade Kobbah Boley, expressed serious disappointment that since its constitution by the PUL’s outgoing president, Coffey, it has received no clearly defined terms of reference (TOR) on the nature and scope of its work. The committee regrets that its constitution was restricted to a press release without any formal communication to its members, which has constrained its work.
The Independent Media Stakeholders Committee says this action on the part of Mr. Coffey was most likely intended to buy time, and undermine the work of the committee, a situation that further complicates the matter.
The committee warned that at a time when Liberia is poised for national elections, the PUL must resist all forms of external interference in its activities as a credible civil society watchdog institution, dedicated to promoting media freedom, justice, democracy, and the rule of law. The committee said it is disturbed that the current wrangling within PUL has serious ramifications for Liberia’s democratic processes and could undermine the moral standing of PUL as a watchdog organization, dedicated to monitoring ills and shortcomings in society. The committee is of the view that the matter at hand is by no means trivial, for it is a battle for integrity, the very soul of our beloved and esteemed fraternity of journalists, the Press Union of Liberia. We must consider carefully the gravity of what is at stake, determine what is best for the Union, and determine the extent to which we are willing to go to protect and defend it. There should be a clear distinction between our personal grievances and the issues in the elections that threaten the function and purpose of the Press Union of Liberia.
The committee cannot help but view the matter at hand as a microcosm of the potential disputes that may arise in the upcoming election year on a national scale.
The committee is willing to engage in finding an amicable resolution to the PUL saga, to uphold the integrity of the organization.
The Independent Media Stakeholders Committee suggests that both parties submit to the litigation process.
The committee wishes to extend its appreciation to Coffey for its preferment and hopes the outgoing leadership will act urgently in engaging all stakeholders for the speedy resolution of conflict to restore peace, unity, and harmony in the PUL.
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