ULAA Denounces Terrorist Attack Against US

The Perspective

September 17, 2001

The Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) has added its voice to the denunciation of the terrorist attacks against the United States which caused the loss of lives of thousands of Americans and foreign nationals when terrorists struck the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

In a release issued by its President, Ms. Mydea Reeves-Karpeh, ULAA expressed its profound sorrow to the US government and people for the enormous loss of lives.

"We, the citizens of the Republic of Liberia, residing in these United States of America and beyond, extend our condolences to the families of thousands of Americans and foreign nationals (perhaps including Liberians) killed in the terrorist acts carried out in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon (Virginia)."

Sharing America's resolve to surmount such evils, the release stated:

"September 11, 2001 will live in infamy as the despicable day on which cowardly acts of terror struck at the foundation of global freedom and democracy. Just as the United States combated the racial supremacist ideology behind the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, the world will again witness the strength and resolve of the United States of America in preserving the ideals of liberty and justice as it vigorously pursues the extreme fundamentalist perpetrators of human carnage and physical destruction against the freedom-loving people of America and their democratic institutions.

"We take solace that the swift dispensation of justice will prevail over the evil acts of terror so that the inhabitants of our one world can peacefully pursue the free expression of their inalienable rights, including the sacred defense of freedom, liberty, and justice for all.

"We salute the brave men and women providing relief in the disaster areas, and the rank and file of the national security and intelligence community and other law enforcement and public safety entities for ensuring that America, the bastion of democracy, remains a safe and secure place to live, work, invest, and raise our families. Words are inadequate to express our sorrow to the Government and People of the United States for the profound loss of productive lives and valuable public and private properties. However, we take comfort knowing fully well that America will overcome terrorism, heal its people, and help free the world from global, regional, national, and local terror in all its shapes and forms. May the Lord of nations and people give us all the wisdom and endurance to combat terrorism and all its vestiges that stifle human freedom everywhere.

"America will overcome these diabolical and callous criminal acts that have temporarily affected its national psyche and proceed to lead the international community of nation-states on a glorious march against terrorism, be it sponsored by a state or organization or individual. By America's reaction, the resolute will of the entire world to destroy international terror, by all means necessary, will be fully expressed such that global peace and security are preserved and blatant crimes against humanity are halted."

Pointing to the rule by tyranny in Liberia, which caused the death of an estimated 250,000 Liberians in the past ten years, and with thousand others seeking refuge in foreign parts including the United States where the status of over 10,000 Liberian refugees will rest in limbo come September 29, 2001, ULAA's release called upon the world to do more to halt continuing misrule in Liberia and instability in the West African sub-region.

"Our own native land, Liberia, which was founded in 1822 by freed persons of color from the United States, has a misguided leadership that denies fundamental rights to its citizens, abhors constitutional democratic practices, and engages in illegal acts which destabilize the relative peace
and security in the West African sub-region. The world must do more, beyond the United Nations-sponsored arms embargo and blood diamonds sanctions, to help transform Liberia (Africa's oldest independent nation-state) into the Land of Liberty it promised when independence was proclaimed in 1847."

In Monrovia, the US Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Mr. Bismarck Myrick, had to bring the book of condolence to President Charles Taylor of Liberia, the man who orchestrated and supervised over the terror that killed 250,000 people during the Liberian civil war, to sign in his efforts to console the American people. Despite the long-standing strain in diplomatic relation with the US, President Taylor told the US ambassador: "We are deeply distressed by the terrorist attack on America, because after all, the U.S. is our closest ally".

Ironically, the Liberian ruler has deployed forces of the so-called Anti-Terrorist Unit, which is commonly known in Liberia as "Another Terrorist Unit" (ATU) because of the terror it continues to inflict on the Liberian people, to protect the US embassy. He has also declared three days of mourning in that West African country.

In another development, the photos of the prime suspect in the attacks, Saudi born millionaire Osama bin Laden, is selling fast in Monrovia. Newspaper vendors and peddlers are selling crude quality photo copies of bin Laden at the rate of five Liberian dollars a piece (equivalent to five US cents).

Terry Suah, one of those who bought the photos as souvenirs told BBC, "The whole world is looking for him, and Liberia is part of the whole world....

"It is possible that the person to track him down will be a Liberian, and this will be a pride for all of us."

One of the newspaper vendors, who claimed that he had to suspend sales of newspapers to sell the photos of bin Laden was quoted by BBC as saying: "The 100 copies I made this morning went fast like hotcakes. This man is someone to really see."

Photo copying machines in Monrovia are operating at full capacity reproducing photos of bin Laden downloaded from the internet.