Monrovia - Outraged citizens who had their homes demolished ahead of this week’s High Level Panel Meeting in Monrovia are threatening to demonstrate during the meetings.

Fatu Nenne, one of the residents of the 24th Street area who had her house razed by the government through the Monrovia’s city corporation on Jan. 23, 2013, said her home was not among the dilapidated structures in the area.

“Our house was not a makeshift structure,” Nenne said. “This property we were occupying was a private one.”

Nenne said she received no warning before the demolition, and she and her family lost their household goods.

“Our properties were left in the house - they broke it down, we did not take anything,” she said.

Residents said after the government destroyed the homes last week, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf came asking them to clean up the site.

The residents added that the President had also asked them to bring their deeds to the Ministry of Land and Mines to authenticate any claims they may have. Angry resident Kassia Kamara said the people should not be asked to clean the area after their homes were demolished.

“I don’t think the people should clean the place. The people that were living here should be given money to find a [new] place. The machine they used to break the place they should use the same thing to clean the place,” said Kamara, a high school student.

Although Monrovia Mayor Mary Broh told residents the demolition came via executive order, Pres. Sirleaf claimed not to have known that the destruction was going to happen, Kamara said.

“I don’t believe it,” he said. “Just because some of the boys have said they will demonstrate when her guests arrive, I think that’s the reason why she came here.”

The government has so far exhibited a lukewarm reaction.

President Sirleaf told a gathering in Monrovia last weekend that her administration will not stop individuals or institutions desiring to express their grievances through protest, indicating that demonstration is a good democratic practice for Liberia, but it needs to be carried out peacefully and under the law.

The President said that Liberia is undergoing a democratic transformation  and the expression of opposing views on major national issues is essential to strengthening the country’s democratic process.