Policy Alert: No Hiding Behind the Yahoo Mask and Recycled Articles

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

February 11, 2003

Today the New Democrat carried an article in which the author accused The Perspective of violation of professional ethics. He stated that his article which was sent to The Perspective, but was not published, was e-mailed to H. Boima Fahnbulleh - the intended "target."

The statement by this so-called Monsio Toe is false. We did not send his article to H. Boima Fahnbulleh. One of the reasons why "Monsio Toe's" article was not considered by The Perspective for publication is that he lied about his name and sent us a false contact information. Our policy requires that anyone who uses pseudonym to conceal his true identity must give us legitimate reason, reveal his real identity to us and provide his contact information. When these conditions are met, we promise to hold his identity and personal information in the strictest of confidence. We do not accept hotmail or Yahoo e-mail addresses without contact information because anybody can use any name to obtain a free e-mail address. This information was communicated to "Monsio Toe" last year.

We believe that Fahnbulleh is making reference to the email from "Monsio Toe" that was posted at the New Democrat. Fahnbulleh made similar allegation about "Toe" in his email sent to The Perspective on Sept 7, 2002. In that email sent to us after we called on him for a ceasefire, Fahnbulleh wrote: "Thanks ever so much George. I see my man [Tom Kamara] is still at it. There is a letter from one Toe accusing me of taking ten thousand dollars from the interim government. There is no Toe. This is James Fromoyan writing his rubbish. Tom Kamara will never change. As I said, I have finished with the man. He is now trying desperately to burnish his image."

The article in question (written by this "Monsio Toe" ) was sent to us on Sept 13, 2002 - six days after Fahnbulleh mentioned his ("Toe's") email posted at the New Democrat.

We believe that Fahnbubelleh does not have it right either. "Monsio Toe" is not James Fromayan. Mr. Fromayan is one of the few decent progressive elements in Liberia. On October 2, 2002, we carried his speech delivered to the PUL (http://www.theperspective.org/fromayan.html) and on December 31, 2002, we carried his article on the Kenyan elections (http://www.theperspective.org/kenyaelections.html).

We are of the opinion that though this person calling himself "Monsio Toe" is hiding behind the Yahoo mask, he wants his article published at all cost. So he concluded that the best way to achieve this is to lie.

Let it be made clear here that we are NOT obligated to publish any article sent to us nor are required to respond to any author who submitted an article to The Perspective. Besides, The Perspective does not recycle articles. In another word, we reserve the right to edit every article that we carry on our website for clarity and content. Only The Perspective editors make that decision. Any article that has already been published by other websites will not be syndicated by The Perspective because to do so would contravene our right to edit said article.

By George H. Nubo