Liberians in U.S. Vilify Gov’t on Civil Society Activist, Eddie Jarwolo’s Arrest  

Mr. Eddie Jarwolo, NAYMOTE Executive Director

The arrest of Civil Society Activist and head of a democracy group, NAYMOTE, Eddie Jarwolo  by the police and officers of the presidential  security guards, the Executive Protective Service (EPS) has been condemned by some group of diaspora Liberians describing such action as bullying members of the civil society  organizations in the country.

Last Sunday, November 21, 2020 officers of the Liberia National Police backed with members of the Executive Protective Service reportedly arrested Mr. Jarwolo for allegedly invading the presidential convoy of President George Weah, but  denied ever doing such as been alleged by the police and the EPS.

In a statement from a New York based Liberian organization, the Association of Liberians in Manhattan, New York, the United States of America, in a dispatch signed by the spokesman of the group, Nathaniel Q. Freeman, said his organization is saddened of the news of the arrest of a Liberian Civil Society activist for allegedly invading a presidential convoy.

The group in a dispatch said it is condemning the action of the police and the EPS in the strongest term, adding, “It seems to be our Country, Liberia is returning to those dark days when people were chased out of their homes under alleged  instructions of the power that be , and sometimes denied of their human rights because they were been considered as threat to the presidency.

In defense of his reputation, Mr. Jarwolo speaking to a local daily immediately after he was ordered arrested, said he did not see the convoy and had no reason to jeopardize the safety of the President, and further noted that the President’s security guards initially attempted taking him to Jamaica Lodge – the President’s private lodge – but he resisted on ground that is not a police depot.

He, however, alleged that he had observed that strange vehicles had been tailing his vehicle since he released the latest version of the release of his organization’s 30-month monitoring report on President George Weah performance against promises made during and after the 2017 elections covering the period January 2018 to June 2020.

According to the findings, based on available data and records, eight (8) promises were completed constituting (7%), 47 promises, which is 43% are ongoing, and 54 promises constituting (50%) have not started or not rated due to limited or lack of available data to assess progress made towards implementation.

Mr. Jarwolo had intimated that nearly three years in power, the findings from the President Meter Project indicate that the Weah-led administration needs to do more, increase the speed of implementation and promote smart budgeting to meet targets if they are to live up to the promises made during the campaign, inauguration, and other public events.