Tappita, Nimba County – Broadcast journalist Alex Yormie of Radio Lar-Wehyi in Tappita, Nimba County, was reportedly kidnapped and tortured by people allegedly linked to the Poro Society, following a directive he aired from the Ministry of Inner Affairs suspending all conventional actions involving the Poro and Sande societies.
In response to Yormie, the ordeal started on the night of June 30, shortly after he broadcast the ministry’s directive. He stated he obtained a name from Mr. Melvin Duo, Normal Tradition Coordinator of Nimba County, who allegedly summoned him to his residence to advise him towards airing such data, which Duo claimed defamed the sacred conventional society. Yormie stated he declined to honor the invitation as a result of Duo’s harsh tone.
Whereas on his means residence, Yormie recounted, he was kidnapped by unknown males, pressured right into a pickup, and bodily assaulted. He was reportedly taken to Yriah City with the intention of being initiated into the Poro Society. Nevertheless, he stated the native Bush Grasp refused to hold out the initiation, citing the federal government’s suspension of all society actions. He was then taken to a different close by city the place he briefly escaped and hid within the bushes for a number of hours earlier than being recaptured.
His launch was later secured following the intervention of Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President Julius Kanubah and officers of the Liberia Nationwide Police.
Previous to Yormie’s launch, Cultural Coordinator Melvin Duo acknowledged that the journalist had been taken to the native Poro Society headquarters for questioning. He stated the journalist’s household and native elders from Gblah Township in Zor-geh had been invited to a conventional listening to to find out whether or not Yormie was a member of the Poro Society and, if not, why he selected to publicly focus on issues regarding the secretive group.
“If he isn’t a member,” Duo acknowledged, “his household and the standard group will probably be knowledgeable that their son has desecrated the tradition of Nimba.”
Duo denied that Yormie was bodily assaulted and dismissed claims that the journalist was present process initiation. He did, nonetheless, specific considerations about Yormie’s broadcast and guaranteed the PUL in a telephone dialog that the journalist can be launched to his household by Tuesday.
The Press Union of Liberia has strongly condemned the incident, calling it “unacceptable and a complete violation” of the journalist’s rights.
“The PUL acknowledges the secrecy of conventional societies, however the illegal detention and alleged torture of journalist Alex Yormie is a gross violation of press freedom and human rights,” the Union stated in an announcement.
The incident has sparked outrage amongst media and human rights teams, reigniting the controversy over the intersection of conventional practices and constitutional freedoms in Liberia.
