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boytimes's Blog
boytimes's Blog
Reconciling Liberians in Exile
Related to country: Liberia

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Last week, Commissioners of Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission(TRC) flew into the American midwestern state of Minnesota from Liberia to hold its first ever public hearings here in the diaspora Liberian community.

Fair enough.In fact,it made record by being the first and perhaps the only Commission to hold such hearings outside of its own country.South Africa had such a Commission but did not hold public hearings outside of its borders.

Liberians who were direct victims of Liberia's nearly fifteen year-blood battle came forward to testify, and it became news though when former United States under Secretary of State for African Affairs, Herman J.Cohen testified that the US had an understanding with defunct National Patroitic Front of Liberia(NPFL) rebel leader Charles Taylor to take power following the evacuation of President Samuel K. Doe of Liberia.

Cohen said due to the huge human sufferings in the Liberian capitol, Monrovia in 1990 the US initiated discussions with Doe through its Ambassador for the president to be evacuated.

The same US ensured that the dictator,Taylor became president at the displeasure of many Liberians,only for the US to turn their back on him when he was elected Liberian leader in 1997.Though the election was described by the International Community as free and fair,Taylor's administration did not get Washington's needed support.
Ironically,it was the same Washingtion that called for Taylor to resign so that Liberians both at home and in exile can have peace.Taylor was forced to flee Liberia,replaced through a democratic election,by one-time supporter Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Now,the Bush Administration is hugely giving financial and international support to the Sirleaf administration but while that support is manifested,it's not being translated into seeing better life conditions for Liberians.
Ellen enjoys travelling across the world like there is nothing bad home to pay attention to.Today she is in Washinton,D.C receiving honors and tomorrow she is in China attending summits and the day after,only God knows where she is going and what she would do.

Interestingly rnough,though,Cohen's revealation to the TRC,Liberians in America and Americans clearly shows how the Liberian civil war would have been short-lived had the US played a more vital role in seeing to it that the conflict did not get prolonged for that long.
Besides, his testimony is an example of how Washington deals and meddles into other country's personal problems sometimes without much regard for human interests,yet it talks about respect for human rights and role of law.
I would blame the US more so because had it had the common people of Liberia in mind it would very urgently had intervened into the Liberian civil war in the early 90s and save thousands of lives.
But such is life and while i am blaming America for not playing a very meaningful role in Liberia's civil war, i equally blame greedy Liberian politicians and leaders for being so insensitive to the plights of people.That's why leaders of this world need to be very mindful of how they intend to lead .
Liberians every where on this planet miss home, and would like to return to what they called home.But news emanating from the Liberian capital,Monrovia speaks volumes of the high rate of armed robbery,sufferings of common people,lack of basic social services, and even the relative peace is sometimes interrupted by demonstrations from dissatisfied former soldiers of Liberia's Armed Forces ,most of whom are now retired without benefits.

Much of the sufferings would have been minimized had the leaders themselves had passion and love for the people they claim to givern.But,like other politicians,political leaders are never trusted.they lie,steal and can do anything and everything to stay in power.

An example is what is unfolding now in Liberia.Ellen said during presidential campaigns that she would run for only one term.Now she is saying that people from some counties in Liberia are asking her to run again for the next elections.That's it!

Now that the hearings are over in the US,it remains to be seen or heard what's next.Of what benefit would all these testaments be for the poor people of Liberia?Most of those who caused Liberians much sufferings are in the current government enjoying constitutional protection.Even the president is accused of not coming forward to testify.Instead,she said she would testify through her book she would release next year.What if former rebel leader Prince Johnson says he would also testify through his book he would release by 2015? Well, that's Liberia. and I am watching and so is the world


June 22, 2008 | 1:50 AM Comments  0 comments

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