UNMIL Boss Assures Liberia of U.N. Support, Launches Humanitarian Action Plan 2007 Monday

The UN Envoy to Liberia, Mr. Alan Doss has re-assured Liberians that the UN Mission in Liberia - UNMIL - will not leave the country prematurely. He was speaking at a medal presentation ceremony in the southeastern port city of Harper, Maryland County during which Senegalese peacekeepers were decorated, for their contribution to the UN peacekeeping operation in Liberia.

“UNMIL is not leaving yet” he declared. “We will not put at risk the gains that have been made so far in returning Liberia to peace and stability”.

The Special Representative of the Secretary General, acknowledged the progress made in the country since the inception of the UN Peace Mission in October 2003, saying, Liberia was on the path to recovery after long years of conflict, but he noted also that West Africa had not yet escaped the shadow of conflict. “We cannot be complacent. We must continue to be vigilant and provide essential security until the national security forces are ready to take over”.

Mr. Doss commended the contribution of the Senegalese peacekeepers to the progress taking place in Liberia. He said their daily patrols, escorts, and check-point duties have helped maintain security in Maryland County and contributed to the realization of UNMIL’s principal mandate of establishing and maintaining a stable environment in Liberia.

Mr. Doss praised the Senegalese soldiers for going beyond their peacekeeping duty to provide assistance to local communities, and reminded them of their fundamental duty of care to the people of Liberia, especially women and children, urging them to strictly abide by the Secretary-General’s policy of zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse.

At the same event, Mr. Doss also inaugurated a Peace Monument erected by the Senegalese peacekeepers as a symbol of cooperation between the Senegalese contingent and the people of Maryland County.

The medal-presentation ceremony was attended by UNMIL Force Commander, Lieutenant-General Chikadibia Isaac Obiakor, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, the UNMIL Director of Administration, Stephen Leiberman and county authorities.

In a related development, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator is expected on Monday, 9 April, to launch the Common Humanitarian Action Plan 2007 in Monrovia.

In 2006, the United Nations agencies and partners identified three strategic priorities for humanitarian assistance in 2007: provision of basic social services to vulnerable populations; revitalization of returnee communities for security and productive livelihoods; and strengthening of civil society and local authorities. This launch is to raise funds to address these strategic priorities.

“I prefer to be with the dead than the living”, Resident of Grave sites in Monrovia Tell Reporters

Several young women and men who were early this week picked up by police authority in Monrovia for living in graves as their residence have vowed to resist government’s order to forcibly evacuate them.

Most of those arrested by the police are said to be hidden criminals who are regularly snatching away people belongings, including cell phones and other valuables during broad day light.
The police also accused some of those arrested of being armed robbers who have broken jail several times in the city.
During a visit at the Center Street graveyard Friday afternoon by the GNN, some those who escaped police arrest and were returning at their respective graves; some burst into, said they will not be deterred to live in graves, “we are comfortable her”! One of them, perhaps in her late 30s who refused to be named shouted at our reporter, stressing, “Let the government leave us alone. Go and tell the President, we are comfortable here.”
The lady who appeared drugged with a bottle of stout and cigarette between her fingers told the GNN that many of them living in the graves were people from good families, but could not afford to pay rent, “some of us here my brother, are products of recognized academic institutions and from good families , but can not find a single employment. We have no money to pay rent, so for this reason we find ourselves in this position,” sipping her stout and puffing her un-named cigarette said.
As our reporter tour the cemetery, many of the kids (10 -14 -15 years old) were seen undisturbed as they went on playing on top one of the graves, one of the Junior Nagbe, 15 with a jar of filled with cigarettes of all types, said he was carried to the grave site by his uncle who was earlier caught in the police raid prior to the arrival of our reporter, adding, “I live here with my late mother’s brother. He was arrested this morning by the police, When the police came all of us ran away on the other side,” pointing his hand to the Gurley Street side of the cemetery.
Residents around the Center street cemetery who spoke to the GNN said they were concerned about the growing number criminals in the area, “the government must do something about these gangsters. We are under threats every day and night. When these criminals steal from people, you will see them running in the grave yard for rescue,” Rev. Emmanuel Johnson, a pastor of one of the churches in the area said.
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APRIL 6, 2006 : A day to remember - Reflection by Patrick Nimely-Sie Tuon (USA)301-662-3627

On this day in 1996, Charles Taylor and Alhaji Kromah, after killing thousands of Liberians separately, the two merged their murderous gangs in Monrovia and unleashed a bloodbath on innocent Monrovia residents under the pretext of trying to arrest Roosevelt Johnson. After a weeklong long of killing spree, more than 1500 Monrovia residents were slaughtered my two blood-thirst warlords.

This day, like many other days, when evil covered the clouds over Liberia, is bringing back bad memories to the relatives of the victims who must re-live this horror each year when the perpetrators, except Taylor, are walking around freely due to the policy of our current president who sees bringing those responsible for crimes against humanity in Liberia as witch haunting.

It was during this time, Charles Taylor's other plan was revealed to the public, which is, use the confusion to eliminate his would-be enemies. Leading that effort to eliminate Taylor's enimies was John T. Richardson, a man who recently raise money to built a monument for Charles Taylor, and responsible inducting young children as old as 6years into his so called "Small Boy Unit" of the NPFL.

Richardson and his gang of muderers came very close to killing Archbishop Michael Francis, but were successful in setting fire to offices of several news papers, especially The New Democrat.Charles Taylor and his supporters never forgot the satire documentary by New Democrat's editor and publisher Tom Kamara entitled "The Trial Of Charles Ghankay Taylor." Because of this Tom Kamara was always a target for Taylor's henchmen. In January of 1998, Joe Mulbah, the Taylor regime Minister of Information, denied the New Democrat its registration.These are very, very painful memories, and they are memories that will not go away until the issue of impunity is addressed