I read ( Mr. John Molu’s) article (Sad for The Press Under Bryant But No Sympathy ) and found it very to be interesting. The revelations in your piece are startling. If all of them are true, then we face a Herculean task in restructuring our society. I would like to suggest that you and other like-minded Liberians not only place emphasis on the exposure of these sad events but also do something to tackle them. Spending government’s money without due diligence is tantamount to corruption. But we ALL MUST endeavour to create institutions that would tackle these problems.
In leadership, there is something called “Leadership without authority”. Instead of just Internet write-ups, there should be concrete attempts to establish institution(s) and/or mechanism(s) that would take the Government to task, whether through the courts or relevant institutions to either reverse these deals or put a “stay” on their execution. I am aware of an affiliate organisation of Transparency International that operates in Accra, Ghana.
The days of pseudo-revolutionary politics in Liberia are long gone. We should all try to tackle issues with a real sense of duty and not a mind-set of “we against them”. It does not boil down to the amount of academic degree one has in the bag, it is how we use those degrees to benefit our nation and ourselves. We can ALL help in making sure that the government, whether interim or whatever, gets its priorities right.
I am NOT surprised at the amount of criticisms been levied at the Bryant administration. But in our Liberia, we must all be apprehensive about where and from whom these criticisms emanate. Are they from Liberians who feel left out? Or from those who are altruistic in their desire to see our nation remodeled on the basis of rule of law and transparency. Criticism is good, but criticism with the offer of an alternative would be better.
I must also say that I have followed the "The Hodge –Gbessagee Exchange(S)" with a lot of interest. I am in no way holding brief for Mr. Hodge, Mr. Weah or UNMIL. I would just like to say that we all should investigate the merits and demerits of their actions before we take shots at them. I have worked for the United Nations in Mongolia and what we did there was the transfer of technology and skills to the locals.
Employing foreigners is not wrong as long as it is done in conformity with the laws. If these foreigners are been employed with the intentions of transferring their knowledge to their Liberian counterparts I see NOTHING wrong with that. While we are ALL patriots, the interest of the nation should be above our personal interests. If Liberians had all the needed skills there would have been no need for UNMIL to be in Liberia.
Every nation needs some kind of foreign expertise as long as it is arranged in the line of technology and knowledge transfer to the locals. This is NOT to suggest that Liberians are not qualified. It might be the method by which the owners of these enterprises choose to run their entities. I hope this is NOT a whiff of xenophobia – Liberians have never been known to exhibit that.
We should ALL try to push the intellectual discourse one step further – implementing our ideas in whatever ways we can. As for me personally, I am presently developing a website to be used by the government of Liberia, at my own expense
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
Originally published 18 March 20004
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( 2.6 / 86 )It is with great interest and care that I approach this topic. Reasons abound as to why Mugabe should go and why he should stay. This is a single individual who has been able to split public opinion of his rule straight down the middle. The latest been the EU as published on the Reuters news website titled “EU extends Zimbabwe travel ban, demands Mugabe quit ”
What I would like to consider is the extent to which external forces have gone to extend/deepened the crisis. First the British, it seems, are infatuated with Zimbabwe and/or Mugabe. One must remember that they were instrumental in installing Mugabe in the first place. Second is the question of fertile farmland.
I totally disagree with Mugabe's tactics regarding his land redistribution program and strong arm electioneering tactics but we must also consider the context. The current owners of the land , the white farmers , are victims of a racist system that was setup by colonialism and enhanced by the prejudiced rule of Ian smith. This same situation exists in many eastern African and southern African countries.
Are the British afraid of a domino effect in terms of land redistribution or they are simply interested in human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe ? The British , EU nations and the West are dealing with Libya's Gadaffi is he democratic ? The British , EU nations and the West are dealing with Hosni Mubarak of Egypt is he democratic ? The British , EU nations and the West are dealing with the Saudis are they democratic ? The British , EU nations and the West are dealing with the Chinese – is China democratic ? The last presidential elections in Nigeria was pronounced a complete sham by observers did the British , EU nations and the West impose sanction ? Or it is because Nigeria has oil.
One must remember that the British recently deported a Ghanaian cancer patient, for immigration violation, who died for lack of proper care in Ghana. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7306345.stm). Was she not an African ? Are there not humanitarian considerations regarding deportations ? Did she not have human rights – at least the right to live ?
In my travels around the world I have found similar threads of patriotism in the locals. From flag draped houses across the United States, to proud communists in China to fervent love for country displayed by Germans. I do not know of any country and or people that would have a significant portions of her fertile land in the hands of a few individual who represent the “old order”. Once again, I must stress the current owners too are victims. I believe even with the exit of Mugabe, the land question would persist.
I will plead with the British, EU nations, the West and the rest of the world to come to a sensible posture regarding Zimbabwe. It is evident that the layers of sanctions are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans and NOT Mugabe and his henchmen. The British, EU nations and the West will someday have a blot on their collective conscience for abetting a nation slide in to the abyss simply to bring ONE man to his knees.
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3.4 / 91 )I read Labor Minister Samuel Kofi Woods recent pronouncements at the TRC. It was quite shocking to me that an individual of such high repute and official standing in government was allowed to make wide ranging statements unchallenged by the TRC's leadership, members of the Liberian media and the general public at large.
I dare to challenge the Minister on two fronts. His questioning of the rationale regarding the investment of US$200 million to train and equip the new restructured army and the bombshell of all “Dismantling the Liberian State".
Investing US$200 million to train and equip the new restructured army.
I am sure the Minister is aware that the principal role of the military is to protect and defend the sovereignty of the nation state. I am also sure that the Minister is aware that ALL of Liberia's neighbours are not in the best of conditions regarding their own national security. Ivory Coast is still experiencing instability and NO ONE can predict what the outcome of their scheduled elections might lead to. Guinea is ripe for a wide ranging crisis and currently on the very precipice . Sierra Leone is barely crawling her way to statehood after years of devastating crisis. Does the Minister have a plan to protect our country in case of large-scale eventuality in any of our neighbouring countries ? Or as per his proposal the police would be called upon to protect our already weakened borders against the influx of potentially dangerous characters ( fleeing foreign combatants).
Instead of questioning of the rationale regarding the investment made into our army, one would expect the Minister to call for the strengthening of the military's Judge Advocate General and encourage the government to ensure that members of the new military have full/detailed knowledge of The Uniform Code of Military Justice as it relates to the conduct of their duties.
Mr Woods, there are processes that regulate excesses ! In most cases, it is NOT the laws that are wrong but the individuals who violate them.
I would submit to Mr Woods that the sad experiences WE all had with Mr. Charles Taylor have impacted the way we view our military as an institution but that should NOT compel us to make such far reaching pronouncements. Mr. Taylor ran an quasi-military militia with a very loose hierarchy that had NO regards for human rights and the rule of law for which he stands in the dock in the Netherlands today.
Dismantling the Liberian State
I would be very brief on this topic because the least said would suffice. Is Mr Woods aware that every nation state, the world over, is a work in progress ? It would have been better if he had provided some of the foundational premises upon which his proposed NEW Liberia would be built. Maybe there is a hint of utopia here that I am missing.
Just for informational purposes, most of the established democracies have flaws despite their advancements. Would Mr Woods have proposed the dismantling of the political structural composition of America because as late as the 1960s interracial marriages were outlawed in some southern states ? Or the breakup of Australia because of the deep seated and long-running prejudiced behaviour of the settlers to the aboriginal peoples ? Or demand the balkanization of China because of the rough treatment that are meted out to her ethnic minorities (non-Han Chinese population). These and many other examples represents the state of our world and its dynamics.
We, including myself and Mr Woods, need to do more to encourage a better appreciation of our diversity, which is our greatest asset and continue to enhance the process of nation-building.
The days of divisive Congo man against Native man politics are long gone !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Gainesville, Florida
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( 3 / 2 )The Internet is abuzz with news of the recent acquittal of Mr. Gyedu Bryant and Mr. Edwin Snowe (erstwhile head of the National Transitional Government of Liberia and former LPRC Managing Director respectively). This news could have NEVER come at a better time for the defendants.
On the other hand, there are hues and cries, from opponents of the verdict, It seems that Bryant’s alleged maladministration has just gotten it biggest boost of legitimacy while Mr Snowe got a post graduation present ( remember he received highest honors from the University of Liberia !)
The judgment of the court also exposed some underlying problems that apparently exist at the Ministry of Justice. While I believe that the decision must be respected since it was handed down by a duly constituted court, it also highlighted the need to revisit the prosecutorial strategy currently in place at the Ministry of Justice.
The last two major cases prosecuted by the government leaves much to be desired. The now "infamous" Charles Julu treason trial and the recent Bryant corruption trial exposed massive un-preparedness (or lack thereof) on the part of state prosecutors.
My simple plea is that going forward all efforts should be made to solidify the government case via diligent and detailed investigations before anyone is charged with such high profile criminal offense. There must also exists credible proofs/sufficient evidences that the suspected individuals actually committed the acts with which they are charged.
The obvious rush to haul so-called "ordinary" citizens ( i.e. Bryant and Snowe) to court under apparent spurious charges might send the wrong message. It could be misinterpreted as show trials, used by the government to either silence critics or scare off opponents.
While Bryant and Snowe enjoy their freedom, the Justice Ministry MUST get it act together. Remember, In legal matters it the responsibility of the prosecutor(s) to prove guilt - beyond reasonable doubt !
Benjamin Kofa Fyneah
Woodland, California
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