BBC's Stringer Jonathan Paye-layleh "Naively Serving the Whims of" Taylor?
Press Release Issued by LURD
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
In a recent BBC Focus on Africa news clip (17/4/2003), the BBC stringer- Jonathan Paye-layleh reported that Taylor's militia were presently engaged in fierce battle with LURD's hard core guerillas within the environs of voinjama City, Lofa County, National Headquarters of LURD.
The stringer specifically mentioned malamai and Tenebu as the battle zone in his misleading report. This BBC stringer is grossly ill-informed. The leadership of LURD considers such reports preposterous, farce, erroneous and calculated to mislead the public. The stringer/BBC in Monrovia, we believe, must verify claims by Taylor, cross check information and subsequently report, based on the premises attained, from a position of neutrality. The reporter/BBC - must serve the BBC audience positively by ascertaining facts and reporting same rather than resorting to his usual ''according to, according to'' parlance, by so doing, he is naively serving the whims of the tyrant and suppressing the fundamentals of basic journalism.
We, however, realize and understand his negative psychological disposition. In this vein, we want to rightly inform all and sundry that there has not been any fighting along the Voinjama axis as naively reported, neither has there been any confrontation within the said area for a protracted period.
Furthermore, our policy on civilian protection and other related matters has been adequately put in place, thus, enhancing and enabling the free movement of civilians conducting normal daily chores/commercial activities.
In accordance, with our initial goal for a change of regime, our hardened guerillas are presently positioned along the salayea-Gorlo--Gbarnga-Ganta axis and subsequently along the Bomi-Clay-Po River axis, thus, consolidating LURD's forward positions - These men are on ''RED'' alert earnestly awaiting further instructions/order (from the National Chairman) for forward advancement.
The leadership wants to finally re-assure its sympathizers to remain calm (as our forces are coherent, steadfast and reliable) and not to further give credence to Paye-layleh's '' according to, according to'' reports.
The secretariat/LURD
National Headquarters
Voinjama City, Lofa County
Republic of Liberia
