Monrovia, Liberia – The Chairman of Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), Mulbah Morlu, has alleged that unidentified individuals linked to the government may have been behind a fire that gutted the organization’s headquarters in Monrovia. Morlu spoke to reporters shortly after the incident on early Thursday, describing a series of security breaches and attacks that he believes led up to the arson.
Morlu said the blaze erupted in the early hours of the morning, and although the Liberia National Fire Service responded, the damage to the building was extensive. “What happened here is unfortunate,” he said. “Civil society organizations are becoming targets, and this is being done by individuals who appear to be working in the interest of the government.”
According to the STAND Chairman, the organization had experienced several suspicious incidents in recent days. He reported that masked men had attempted to break into the facility, assaulting a security guard in the process. “Our guard was severely beaten,” Morlu noted. “We filed a complaint with the police, and they came to the premises. They confirmed the guard had been attacked.”
Morlu said he had urged the Liberia National Police to provide protection for the headquarters, but claimed no additional security measures were put in place. “I went to the police this morning to follow up,” he said. “They acknowledged receiving the report, but no action was taken.”
He stated that around 5:00 a.m., the building caught fire. “Whatever happened, happened before we could get help,” he said. “The fire service did try to contain the flames, but much was already lost.”
Morlu suggested the fire may have been part of a broader effort to disrupt civil society activities ahead of what he described as upcoming national engagements. “We believe this was engineered to undermine our work,” he told journalists. “This is not the first time we have faced attempts to silence civil society.”
Despite the destruction, the STAND Chairman vowed that the organization would continue its work. “We will remain peaceful, nonviolent and resilient,” he said. “Nothing will intimidate us. We are committed to upholding good governance, democracy and the rule of law.”
Morlu said STAND is assessing the extent of the damage and plans to begin repairs soon. “We are saddened by what happened,” he added, “but we will move forward. This will not stop our work.”
Authorities have not yet issued a public statement on the incident.
