Massa Amelia Washington

Covering Global War on Terrorism Through African and American Lenses
On Friday April 18, 2003, the African Studies Department of the University of Pennsylvania, held a One Day Workshop entitled: "Covering Global War On Terrorism Through African And American Lenses" at its campus in Philadelphia. Ms. Massa Amelia Washington, a Liberian journalist, served as a panelist at the workshop.

The Level Of Poverty And Suffering That Liberians Now Live Under Has Become Unbearable
It was quite traumatic to watch thousands of people walking aimlessly with their few belongings on their heads last week. They were fleeing from the armed attack during the distribution of relief food at the Jahtondo and Wilson Town displaced camps. Out of the crowd, I saw a two-year old child at the Freeport area who had been abandoned by his fleeing mother. He was not only very frightened but also hungry and shabbily dressed. The torn clothes on him were the only ones he owned and he had no shoes on his feet, as he clung to a total stranger.

Pam Bridgewater

Neither the Government of Liberia nor the LURD Appear Capable of a Military Victory"
A Statement by the Pamela Bridgewater, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, at the MDCl's conference on Liberia

A look at the Implications of Abuja Accord on Elections 2003 and the term of office of the current Members of the Liberian Senate as Regards the 2003 Elections

Tiawan Gongloe - photo by Musue Haddad

A presentation by Tiawan S. Gongloe at a Symposium organized by The Movement for Democratic Change in Liberia in collaboration with The Ralph Bunche International Affairs Center of Howard University and The Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas Held at the Nyamburu Cultural Center of the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland, USA on Friday, February, 28, 2003

Liberia: A "Victim of widespread insecurity and a dysfunctional socio-economic system, fuelled by corruption from top to bottom"
A Made By Cletus Wotorson on Behalf of the Liberian Leadership Conference/Liberian Leadership Forum at the Two-Day Symposium of Liberia's Political Future, College Park, Maryland, USA, on March 1, 2003

Liberia's 2003 Elections-(A Presentation by Cllr. Mohamedu F. Jones)
There are a large number of issues that confront Liberia's ability to hold "good" elections later this year. As it stands today, considering conditions in Liberia, the current government, the present leadership, and the available resources, we must conclude that Liberia is not ready and will not be ready to hold "good" elections in October 2003. However, "good" elections must be held in October 2003. I will offer some suggestions for in this regard at the end of this presentation.

Amb. Blaney

US Ambassador Blaney Says Conditions in Liberia are not Right for Free and Fair Elections
Ambassador John Blaney says conditions in Liberia are not yet right for free and fair elections. Below is the full text of Mr. Blaney's remarks: "The United States is concerned that preparations for the 2003 elections are inadequate and that necessary conditions do not yet exist to permit free and fair elections. For example, the United States and others have repeatedly encouraged the Government of Liberia to get help on election preparations from the United Nations well beyond requests for security-related assistance."

"Taylor is destroying the aspiration, happiness, and hope of our people," Says Charles Brumskine
The evil grip of President Taylor and his government on our country threatens our existence as a people and as a nation-state. Liberia has degenerated from a beacon of hope in Africa to a pariah state.

Political Activities For The Attainment Of Peace And Development In The Mano River Union Basin
Before I proceed any further, please permit me to extend my thanks and appreciation to the organizers of this conference for inviting me to make a presentation on the topic: "POLITICAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE ATTAINMENT OF PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE MANO RIVER UNION BASIN."

“In the Wake of Rebels Attack on Liberia... By bringing together Liberians from diverse political persuasions and different schools of thought, men who obviously stand fundamentally on different political divides regarding their understanding of the general state of affairs in Liberia, vi-sa-vi what they consider in terms of what constitutes the national interest of Liberia, is the right step in the right direction.

Testimony on the State of Emergency, Sanctions and Arms Embargo
Last year the United Nations Security Council imposed sanctions, including arms embargo, on Liberia for that country's role in supporting the RUF rebels in Sierra Leone. Counselor Tiawon Gongloe was recently invited by the Liberian Senate to give his opinion on the sanctions, arms embargo, and the state of emergency imposed by Charles Taylor on February 8 in that West African nation.

Issues of Liberia's Ethnic Relationships
They are issues that are built into those peculiar Liberian code words: "Country," "Congo," "Native," "Americo" - and all that these words conjure up in our minds. Remember, the Liberian civil war was prolonged and sustained primarily as an ethnic war; the most depraved acts took place in the context of ethnic animus. Today, we continue to run the risk that ethnic discord may lead to deep, prolonged and even more destructible inter ethnic conflicts in the country – struggles that could last far into the future.

The Legacy That Was The Episcopal School
The sojourn through these schools was a tedious, and at the same time a very memorable and rewarding one; especially for those who made it through, in spite of sometimes seeming insurmountable difficulties. For some of us, this journey began from Bendaja or Mambo, to Mbaloma (these three once called the Episcopal Village Schools), on to Bethany or St. John's for the final lap. Along these pathways some of us encountered or came under the tutelage of such men and women as A. Tamu Diggs of Mambo, T. Bai Sherman, James Kin Freeman, Peter K. Sherman (all of sainted memory), and J. Bai Paasewe of Bendaja; also at Mbaloma were T. Bai Sherman, Arthur B. Abdullai, the Rev. C. Kei Kandakal (the only one alive today) and S. Momolu Kiawu (deceased) whom we also met later at EES, Bethany.

Liberia Deserves A Fresh Start
In December 1889, Edward Wilmot Blyden was the first Liberian statesman to visit this City. A Pan-Negro Patriot, he visited Jacksonville as a traveling agent of the American Colonization Society to publicize the fact that the Society was still active and to collect subscriptions on its behalf. He was on a mission to recruit blacks to return to Africa and help build Liberia a new home for all Africans, the first black republic.

The Relationship we Shared in the Past
How many of you here tonight, remember the 1960s! For example, in the early 1960s, there was a popular song entitled, "You Too Late, You Lost Your Chance". I cannot recall the group or artist that composed the song. "You Too Late" and "Hit The Road Jack, Don't Come Back No More" were two of the most popular songs of that period. Somehow, both songs were significant in that they communicated particular messages to our generation. Those messages were about Relationship and Direction. But there was another kind of message we got from "You Too Late". It was a warning to keep out of the streets after mid-night. After mid-night Heartmen, loosely referred to as Hidemen roam the streets of Monrovia in search of human parts for their clients or for themselves

Lawyers as Guardians of Civil Society and Perfectors of Democracy
It is a truism that the legal profession is considered the first among all professions. Men and women who find themselves in this profession are regarded as people of sound reasoning powers and judgement. Lawyers are the cream and conscience of human society. That is why when lawyers speak, people think twice.