"We will fight to remove corrupt figures" - VP Tells Liberians in U.S.

The Vice President of the Republic of Liberia in his first visit to the United States of America since elections, addressed the 17th convention of the Grand Gedeh Associations held in the city of Des Moines, Iowa.

The women of Grand Gedeh escorted the vice president from the entrance to the platform with song and dance and welcomed him to the program as characteristic of people from Grand Gedeh.

The Vice President during his prepared text emphasized that the visit was on invitation from the Grand Gedeh Association and used the occasion to trace his relationship with the people to the leadership of a son of the county, former president Samuel K. Doe. The VP is a former Minister of Agriculture during the administration of President Samuel K Doe who originated from Grand Gedeh county. The VP’s speech which was filled with the reconciliation message also described the process of reconciliation, not as a banquet but a process. He further went on to recommend a search for mutuality to overcome the causes of conflict. With regards to the TRC, the VP averred that the process takes time and offered the audience a working definition of the TRC and how it works, what are the limits, and how it will be used to evaluate the pattern of abuses committed by alleged perpetrators, and how this process can contribute to development. Continuing, the VP admonished that the TRC is also designed to address issues of impunity, women’s issues and to help us in healing our wounds. He also stated in his speech that the UP lead government is committed to pursuing genuine national reconciliation and development of the country. He then promised that the government will fight corruption and will not relent in the removal of corrupt figures from the rank and file of the administration. With regards to the recent waves of deportation of Liberians from the US and the crimes associated, the VP expressed shock and dismay that Liberians are now involved in such heinous crimes within such an accepting society. Finally, he promised that the UP lead government has vowed to eradicate poverty and enforce good governance making Liberia a place where Liberians are known by a name and not a number and finally quoting scripture saying, “Where one or two are gathered…” Before the arrival of the VP, the MC of the program Mr. Willie Par Branch provided a brief synopsis of the history of the Liberian vice presidency, reciting the history of various vice presidents up to the current one. The president then traveled to Minnesota where he held a town hall style meeting with the Liberian community in the state.

NEW NIGERIAN PRESIDENT SWORN IN, AS OBASANJO TELLS 'GOODBYE'

(bbcnews)Umaru Yar'Adua has been sworn in as Nigeria's new president at a colourful ceremony in the capital, Abuja.

Standing on a podium in a parade ground dressed in a white gown, Mr Yar'Adua was cheered by his supporters after he signed the oath of office.

The inauguration marks the first time in Nigeria's history that one civilian leader has taken over from another.

But his election was widely condemned as "not credible" and small protests were held in the largest city, Lagos.

"I, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, do solemnly swear that I will be faithful and hold allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria... That I will protect and defend the constitution," said Mr Yar'Adua, taking the oath from Chief Justice Idris Kutigi.

A few minutes previously, Goodluck Jonathan, from the troubled oil-producing Niger Delta region, was sworn in as vice-president.

Nigeria's 36 state governors have also taken their oaths of office around the country.

'Democracy is dead'

Security was tight in both Abuja and Lagos, with police setting up roadblocks.

In Lagos, the BBC's Umar Elleman says hundreds of protesters marched from Ikeja to the Yaba area, watched closely bThe protesters, led by activist Tunji Braithwaite, said they were mourning the death of democracy in Nigeria.

"Democracy is dead in Nigeria. So, we have come out on the streets to bury democracy," protester Justin Jalingo told the BBC.

Five of the protesters were arrested as they carried a mock coffin of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In Abuja, Mr Obasanjo was driven into Eagle Square for the ceremony in an open jeep, waving to spectators in the reviewing stands.

Anglican bishop Peter Akinola gave an opening prayer before military bands and Nigerian soldiers in dress uniforms performed a slow march around the square.

The crowd, containing several African leaders and foreign diplomats, was also entertained by a troupe of synchronised dancers and police motorcycle stunt riders.

The BBC's Alex Last in Abuja says President Yar'Adua will have to prove his independence from Mr Obasanjo, who picked his successor and remains chairman of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP).

He adds that Mr Yar'Adua inherits many challenges in Africa's most populous country and largest oil producer.

'Strengthened democracy'

Armstrong Adejo, a university teacher in Makurdi, Benue State in central Nigeria told the BBC: "I pray that God can transform him from a man with a questionable mandate into the leader we all crave."
A two-day strike called by trade unions in protest at alleged electoral fraud has so far received a muted response.

After many years of military rule, Mr Obasanjo was elected president in 1999 and served two four-year terms.

In his farewell address on Monday evening, Mr Obasanjo pledged his support for Mr Yar'Adua and his government, and said he was leaving the country with a strengthened democracy.

"We have run the longest democratic dispensation and eliminated the risk of violent changes of government through coups and counter-coups in our political culture," Mr Obasanjo said.

The election commission, Inec, has denied charges that it favored the PDP during last month's elections.

Mr Yar'Adua won a landslide victory in those polls, according to official results. He has promised to introduce electoral reforms.

The two main opposition candidates have challenged the results in court.

Africa Mercy hospital ship docks at Monrovia's port

"Mercy has arrived in Monrovia" said Don Stephens, founder of Mercy Ships of Garden Valley on Tuesday. Stephens spoke to the Tyler Morning Telegraph by phone from his stateroom on the Africa Mercy, the world's largest non-governmental hospital ship that docked in Monrovia, Liberia, that morning."

For years we've said (of the hospital ship) that 'mercy is coming, mercy is coming,'" Stephens said. "The sense I have on this very exciting day is that mercy has now arrived in Monrovia. Our mission is to deliver free world-class health care to the forgotten poor."Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, will officially welcome Mercy Ships in a ceremony.

Africa Mercy docks with 474-member crew at the ship on Monday. Crew members and volunteers cheered and many were in tears, Stephens said, as the Africa Mercy docked near its sister-ship the Anastasis, the flagship for the Texas faith-based charity's medical mission for 29 years,The 16,500-ton Africa Mercy is 499 feet long and has six operating theatres, a 78-bed ward, dental clinic, CT scanner, X-ray room, pharmacy and berths for a 474-member crew."

A Swiss board member, Francoise Andre, onboard the Africa Mercy told me this was the most memorable day of her life," Stephens said. "This was significant because her husband's firm did the feasibility study for the Anastasis nearly 30 years ago.

They've been with us from the beginning."The purchase and conversion of the Africa Mercy, the former rail ferry Droning Ingrid, into a $62 million state-of-the-art hospital ship was funded by donations and gifts-in-kind, including a $10 million matching grant by the Swiss-based Oak Foundation, said Mercy Ships.

The first field service of the Africa Mercy will be led by a crew of more than 400 volunteer professionals from 30 nations, including doctors, dentists, nurses, community developers, teachers, builders, cooks, seamen and engineers.

In addition to donating their time, volunteers pay their own board costs to work on the Africa Mercy.Advance teams have already prescreened patients for the Africa Mercy, Stephens said."Tomorrow the medical volunteers will go over the schedule minute by minute," he said.

"What I'm going to do is visit the crews of each ship and express my gratitude to as many as I can meet."Flying to Liberia for the arrival of the ship, Stephens said he and his wife Deyon were approached by a Liberian man who's seen a BBC report on the new ship."

He was so grateful and told us the ship's effect 'will bless Liberia for decades to come,'" Stephens siad. "Many people on the plane were headed to Liberia on mission trips of their own, and were talking about the ship."The 53-year-old Anastasis, which means "resurrection" in Greek, will be retired this fall. It has served more than 275 ports, performed about 450,000 medical treatments and 200,000 operations for the charity since 1980.

"Seeing this day come fills me with gratitude to God and the faithful partners and staff who brought this to pass," Stephens said. "It prompts me to worship and get on my knees when I look over the three decades that Mercy Ships has been operating."

By PATRICK BUTLERReligion Editor - Tyler Paperreligion@tylerpaper.com

Armed Robbers Attack Church, Inflicting Wounds on Several Members

Following an attack on the Police chief Beatrice Munah Sieh’s in Bardnersville home, robbers armed with machetes and other dangerous implements last Friday attacked the New Georgia compound of the Philadelphia Free Pentecostal Church, inflicting severe wounds on two persons, taking away with them several valuables.

A day after that attack, a 59- years old sheriff of the Gardnersville Magisterial Court, Mr. Benedict N. Wiah, was attacked by men armed with machetes and pipes in the vicinity of the chicken poultry, New Georgia.

The attacks intensify as the Police launch its operation code name, “Locate & Dismantle Criminal Hide outs.

Mr. Moses Gleen, a deactivated Lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) who is also one of the Security guards on duty at the Church’s premises, told the New Democrat that the group of men approached them in the middle of the night their handsets and everything they had on them.

He said at first they took the men to be Police officers on night patrol, but later realize they were far from being Police officers because of the demands they were making.

Mr. Gleen, “At this time, I had managed to escape with my military experienced but two men pursue me. Because I ran faster, I hid myself behind a palm tree, so they did not find me.”

He said that while in his hide out behind the palm tree, he could hear the shouts of his colleague calling for help. ‘He was being stabbed’, Gleen noted. He said, the shouts of my colleague constrain Patrick Sarwieh, a resident of the Church compound to come out and offer help but he was callously attacked.

Sarwieh is currently receiving treatment at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital where the Church authorities say his condition is critical.

In the case of 59 years old sheriff of the Gardnersville Magisterial Court, he was hit on Saturday attacked by men armed with machetes and pipes in the vicinity of the chicken poultry, New Georgia.

Mr. Wiah, who was left with a disjointed arm, told this paper that three men forced his door open and attacked him by 2AM while he was at sleep.

He said he believe the men were more than three because he heard other voices outside threatening his neighbors not to come out.