Butaw Association Blasts GVL
A group under the Banner of the Butaw Youth Progressive Association or BYPA in Sinoe County has blasted Golden Veroleum or GVL for the recent uproar in the county.
Golden Veroleum is an oil palm production company located in Greenville, Sinoe County in the southeast of Liberia, with over 500 employees.
An executive and spokesman of the association told a news conference in Monrovia last weekend that the youth in Butaw District, Sinoe County had gathered to seek an audience with the Chief Executive Officer of GVL on the company’s deliverables, in line with its corporate social responsibilities to the people Sinoe, especially Butaw District when they were attacked by armed personnel of the Liberia National Police on may 25, 2015.
Mr. Geapley Seedey Monboe alleged that while awaiting a response from the Company’s CEO on what he referred to as the social ills and other unacceptable practices meted out against the Butaw people, the armed police led by the Superintendent Romeo Thomas Quiah brutally beat them, some of them were chase in the forest by the police, further pursuing some into the forest, as well as arresting them.
Monboe claimed that the group was organized, civil and above all, constitutional in line with their rights, including freedom of assembly as required of every citizen. The Butaw Youth Association spokesman, however, claimed that the government has woefully refused to understand that its victory in the democratic elections in 2011 automatically dedicated it to the promotion of social openness wherein citizens are empowered to exercise their basic rights and freedom respected at all times.
According to him, Liberian citizens acknowledge that while a democratic process is essential, it must be participatory and vibrant, indicating that good governance must be the hallmark of any Leadership- both at the national and local levels, noting that democratic strength and limitation must be clear and above all where a majority strongly upholds the conviction that democracy is the best political system for the improvement of citizens’ lives.
He also claimed that the action by the police was to stop the youth from speaking against the social ills perpetrated by GVL.
He also accused officials of the county and authorities of GVL of pursuing their own selfish interest, saying “ we want to call on those that are involved in this wicked conspiracy to desist because no form of threats, brutal attacks and arbitrary arrest of the youth of Butaw will deter them from pursing what is right.”
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
“We are aware that some meaningful young men and women of Butaw have been blacklisted due to the recent riot between youth of the district,” he claimed. By Lewis S. Teh – Edited by George Barpeen
