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.Africa, The Curse
of History, and Europe's New "Benevolence"
There is now an appealing new school of thought spreading in
Western Europe which, on the surface, would make any well-meaning
African jump with joy to embrace the dawn of salvation. But it
contains more ominous implications.
Liberians: Caught
in Political Dilemma and New Global Realities
The macroeconomic, sectoral, and financial policy issues facing
Liberian agriculture in the context of new global realities and
as the country enters the new century.
The Way Things Ought
To Be: It is Either Going to be Better or Worse!
What has mankind gained from all of these wars? Will wars ever
end? Regarding these questions, we need to re-evaluate our position
if we are to avoid future atrocities.
Shifting Alliances
in Liberia's Theft and Plunder
One of the multiple and difficult challenges facing many African
states as we enter the millennium is fulfilling the high expectations
of their restless, impoverished mass, the world's poorest people.
This challenge, which has already been brought into focus by
numerous armed conflicts around the continent, has transformed
Africa into a house of horrors with a bleak future in terms of
poverty alleviation and political stability.
Honoring Few Good
People
After seven years of civil war, in which some of the most egregious
atrocities were committed against humankind, the country seems
immuned to violence. It has almost become a foregone conclusion,
that the culture of violence had so engulfed the country that
everyone was affected by it.
Free Speech And Expression
Are Basic Rights Guaranteed By The Liberian Constitution
LDF and COPLA call upon the Liberian authorities to free and
exonerate Mr. James D. Torh.
Aren't Africans Humans
Too?
In 1996 in northern Uganda, an eight-year old African child tried
to escape from his captors. He was caught and beaten to death
by his peers in a bizarre initiation ritual set up for new child
soldier recruits of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Hundreds
more were abducted from their villages, raped and brutally murdered.
Loyal Ambassador Resigns
Amid Frustration And Lack Of Cooperation
During the past two years, Rachel Gbenyon-Diggs criss crossed
these United States vigorously defending the Liberian government
and despairing rumors about her qualification.
The Nation Is Dying!
The women of Lofa, mainly the Belle, have struck a blow on the
anvil of our sedated consciences by courageously demonstrating
against the barbarism which the political tramp has imposed on
the people of Liberia.
Ivory Coast's Change of
the Guards and West Africa's Political Chemistry
Another African country has joined the coup club at a time when
democratization is the international slogan. Reminding deposed
President Bedie that "when you have a country and loot a
country this is what happens to you", Gen. Robert Guei,
has freed political prisoner, promised to form a government of
civilians with the military keeping key defense positions, has
allowed opposition parties to use state-owned media to express
their opinions.
As I See It:
The Historical Minutes of the Last Ten Years (Part I)
True to the core definition of opinion, mine had been mostly
unasked-for, but I do get requests for my opinions every now
and again. One came recently from The Perspective Magazine, asking
me to write, for its "Millennium Edition," on the issue
of "human rights and the justice system in Liberia."
The End of a Century:
Looking Towards "The Genius of a Free Government"
The 20th Century is gradually coming to an end. An unvarnished
assessment of this century suggests that it has been markedly
momentous and tumultuous.
ALJA Asks UN To Set Up War Crimes Tribunal
For Liberia
The Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA)
is a newly established organization comprising mostly Liberian
journalists who fled Liberia during the country's seven-year
brutal civil war. Many of the journalists fled following harassment,
death threats, torture and detention in the performance of their
reportorial duties.
Interview
With Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis
In the wake of a gloomy human rights record, the lack of genuine
peace and reconciliation, and the failure to complete the implementation
of the Abuja Peace Accords, this magazine was prompted to interview
Catholic Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis of Liberia during
his recent visit to the United States to receive the distinguished
Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Just recently, a consortium
of eight human rights groups under the umbrella of the National
Human Rights Center of Liberia, of which the Catholic Justice
and Peace Commission is a member issued a statement - saying
that human rights condition in Liberia, especially in 1999, "is
far from being satisfactory."
Human Rights Defender Charged with Sedition
The detention and prosecution for sedition of James Torh, a Liberian
human rights defender, violates the fundamental right to freedom
of expression, Amnesty International said today.
LIBERIA: A Frame
Work For Change And Renewal
We are but six months away from that which will mark the twenty-year
period of the tumultuous events of April 1980 when our nation
had the first real opportunity for change. The constraints imposed
by one hundred, fifty years of power and privilege monopolization
were broken, providing the basis for a fundamental altering of
the framework of economic, political and social systems that
had been shaped over those many years of settler domination.
"Blessed"
Sierra Leone, Cursed Liberia
After 8 years of bloodletting leading to about 20,000 persons
killed and an orgy of amputations, Sierra Leone may be on the
path to consolidating genuine peace, something fundamentally
different from what the world let happen in neighbouring Liberia.
There are indications that in dealing with the Sierra Leone horrors,
the conscientious world is slowly awakening to the fact that
terror should not be rewarded.
Taylor, U.S. Dollar
And Public Ignorance
A little over two years ago, Charles Taylor was campaigning for
the presidency in Liberia and making promises of all sorts and
to lend credibility to his many promises, he procured rice from
the Republic of Taiwan and distributed it amongst his constituency.
Confounding even his critics, Taylor made himself over in a crowded
field of presidential wannabes and projected an image as the
one person who had a sustained connection to the ordinary household
in Liberia. Outhustling, out-maneuvering and double crossing
even some of his fiercest opponents, Taylor managed to do the
imponderable, bringing most Liberians into his cheering line
and virtually assured himself as a drop of goodness in a sea
of insanity.
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