Release the New Deal Officials Immediately

Release the New Deal Officials Immediately

By Winsley S. Nanka
&
J. Carpennon Harmon

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

April 1, 2002

The arrests and detentions of the Acting Chairman of the New Democratic Alternative for Liberia, Nigbah Wiaplah and other members of the movement by Mr. Charles Taylor 's blood thirsty security forces are illegal and cowardly. We are therefore calling on Mr. Taylor and his failed government to immediately release Acting Chairman Wiaplah and others without any precondition.

We strongly condemn the arrests of the New Dealers and other innocent Liberians whose crimes in the eyes of the Mr. Taylor and his criminal gang have been to democratically express their desire to organize themselves based on Chapter III, Article 15 of the Liberian constitution.

Let Charles G. Taylor be aware that the New Deal Movement and other progressive political organizations in Liberia will not give in to the reign of terror perpetrated by his regime. We are quite aware why Mr. Taylor authorized his 'thug master', Paul Mulbah to violate the constitutional rights of the New Dealers. Unlike other political parties or organizations in Liberia, the New Deal Movement is the only 'non-elite dominated' emerging political party in Liberia. Taylor knows that the Movement is not an 'Internet political party or 'election political party'. It is a broad based social democratic party whose membership can be found in Seclapea, Buchanan, Zwedru, Pleebo and other towns and villages through out the length and breath of Liberia.

We are appealing to the members of the international community including the United Nations, the OAU, European Commissions, the United States Government, Great Britain, France, Amnesty International among others to call on Mr. Taylor to immediately release the New Dealers and other innocent Liberians the regime has detained illegally.

Let it be known to Mr. Taylor that he will be held personally accountable for any adverse consequences that may result due to the illegal detention of the New Dealers and other Liberians by his regime.