A Rejoinder To "Pat Robertson on Liberia"

(Letter)


The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

August 7, 2003

Mr. Editor:

Ref: Pat Robertson on Liberia; Washington Post July 9th., 2003
I am writing as a Liberian to thank Rev. Pat Robertson for his interest in Liberia and his concern for its people. As expressed in the Washington Post of July 9th, 2003 entitled, "Pat Robertson on Liberia". [He] touched on many issues and made some brave allegations against the U.S. State Department.
On behalf of the many Liberians, who have over the past 14 years seen no peace but war and death, I say in the local Liberian parlance, "THANK YOU YAH"!
Having said that, I would like to bring some sort of clarity to the American people at large, to know that what has transpired in Liberia is first and foremost, "GREED FOR POWER" by wicked men, intent on subjugating their own people, just to attain their ill sort wealth.

Religion has never been the prima motivating factor. Had President Charles Taylor done the minimum expected of him, there would not have been all these deaths from a war he started on the eve of Christmas, 1989, considering him being so religious and a devout Baptist.
Taylor is the one who announced on radio, instructing his killing machines to kill Mandingos, Krahns, and for every one Liberian killed by ECOMOG, nationals from the participating countries should be executed. His orders were carried out to the fullest. This is what led to support and sympathy for the Mandingos who are predominantly Muslims. Taylor cares less about what you are talking. His is a cover to save his lust for ill-gotten wealth.
How can a man so religious and a devout Baptist flaunt basic Christian principles by leading the charge to polygamy, of which one is a Muslim? He personally contributes to the Muslim yearly pilgrimage to Mecca; he is known to be involved in ritualistic killings and an idolater. Taylor’s crimes against humanity, is so overwhelming for anyone like the Right Reverend, to be so consumed to defend.
How can Taylor be defended, a man who for the want of power, had attempted to poison the water supply of Monrovia and its environs? How can anyone want to defend a man like Taylor, who will steal and stock pile away his country’s meager resources, to the tune of over 3.5 billion U.S. dollars when they have no drinking water, no electric powered light, since he blew the source of it and very power healthcare delivery system?
Let’s look at how one of his own wives (ref: Liberia’s First Lady Defends Taylor: by Jewel Howard Taylor) will come to defend him, "Liberians haven’t complained" because there is no mass graves across this country."

What a shame!
Your criticism against the U.N. sanction on the Taylor regime is not in the interest of the Liberian people. To what good has the Taylor regime used the readily available maritime fund in Liberia? If you can answer that, and give tangible example, then your assertion on the U.N. sanction would make some sense. If I may ask Rev., would you knowingly give limited resources intended for the up keep of children of a known drug addict to their parent? This is exactly what the U.N. is doing to Liberia under Mr. Charles McArthur Ghangay Taylor.
I would like to admonish you to pray for Liberia and its people, but please do not try to defend Mr. Taylor and his regime. Whatever interest you have in Liberia can well be attained from the people of Liberia without this devilish Taylor.
The issue of Muslim in Liberian body politic is also of concern to us, but Mr. Taylor is trying to use it to his advantage and to our detriment. Many of us Liberians have mixed religious families (not the unit family as in Europe and U.S.) and we have lived harmoniously. We have mixed marriages, and no killings have resulted from them. What is currently prevailing in Liberia is the handiwork of WICKED AND GREEDY MEN.
We Liberians would appreciate you more if you could use your medium to pray for Liberia, and ask Taylor to go answer his charges before the U.N. War Crime Court in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Encourage him to release, on his own accord, all the funds he stole from the Liberian state and people. Encourage him as a Baptist brother, to do what is expected of him and help the ordinary Liberian, regain some of their lost life by leaving quickly and quietly.
We would also appreciate if you could let the world know the circumstances that led to the bloody assassination of Liberia’s most industrious president; a former World Baptist Alliance President and preacher, William R. Tolbert, Jr., the 19th president of the Republic of Liberia, on April 12th, 1980 in his official residence, at the Executive mansion.
Please do not waste your precious time on Taylor. Use it to tell Americans your real interest and what good you think that would bring Liberians. You cannot save what is already in the sewer. Mr. Taylor is a GONER!
Dr. Leon Q. Ledlum
Richmond, Va 23231
lqledlum@hotmail.com