UNMIL Daily News

Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, today (Monday 22nd February 2010) started a two-day visit to Liberia in order to launch a new project between his Africa Governance Initiative and President Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration The project which follows a request from President Johnson-Sirleaf will focus on the Ministry of State and will see a small team from the Initiative, under Mr Blair’s guidance, working side-by-side with counterparts in the Liberian government with the aim to build the capacity at the centre of the Liberian administration to deliver for its people. Mr Blair shares President Johnson-Sirleaf’s ambition to “Lift Liberia” and transform the country as envisioned in the national Poverty Reduction Strategy. During the visit, his first to Liberia, Tony Blair will take a part in a series of one-on-one meetings with the President. He will express his strong admiration for the President’s leadership and the progress being made. Tony Blair said: “President Johnson-Sirleaf is rightly regarded as one of Africa’s greatest leaders - that is why I am so pleased to be working with her.

International Clips on West Africa
Guinea

Guinea leader Jean-Marie Dore pleads for election funds
BBC
Guinea urgently needs funds to be ready for an election due later this year, the prime minister has told the BBC. "We need to have money... [but] we will try to do our best to be ready," said Jean-Marie Dore. Election officials announced on Sunday that a vote would be held on 27 June - part of a deal brokered to secure a return to civilian rule. The military took over the country in December
2008, following the death of long-time leader Lansana Conte. Junta leader Capt Moussa Dadis Camara was shot and wounded in December, prompting crisis talks during which the military agreed to organise an election within six months. But Mr Dore told the BBC's Network Africa that the country had no funds for election materials or to conduct a census of Guineans living abroad. He said the government was working with international organisations such as the European Union, United Nations and regional body Ecowas.
"We are looking forward together the best way to organise fair elections," he said.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: veteran war crimes lawyer tapped as top prosecutor UN-backed court

22 February 2010 - A United States attorney, who leads the prosecution against former Liberian president Charles Taylor, has been named by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the new Prosecutor of the United Nations-backed tribunal trying the worst acts committed during the decade-long brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. Since 2007, Brenda Joyce Hollis has served as a principal trial attorney in the Office of the Prosecutor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), where she heads up the legal team prosecuting Mr. Taylor, who is under indictment for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prior to that, she was an expert legal consultant on international law and criminal procedure, training judges, prosecutors and investigators at courts and international tribunals in Indonesia, Iraq and Cambodia. Ms. Hollis has helped victims of international crimes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Colombia prepare submissions requesting investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Ivory Coast

Regional Mediator Holds Crisis Talks in Ivory Coast
Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore is in Ivory Coast for talks with government and opposition leaders about ways to resolve the country's political crisis. President Laurent Gbagbo dissolved the government and electoral commission weeks before expected presidential elections. President Compaore is in Abidjan trying to resolve what he says is the crucial issue of delaying the presidential vote - the dissolution of the Ivory Coast electoral commission. President Compaore says the appointment of an Independent Electoral Commission is essential to keep the process going forward. President Compaore met Sunday with the two leading opposition candidates for president, former president Henri Konan Bedie and former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. Burkinabe Foreign Minister Alain Yoda read their joint communiqué.

Local Media - Newspaper
Former British Prime Minster is in the Country for a Two-Day Visit
(Daily Observer, The Inquirer, Public Agenda and New Republic)

 Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in the country on a two-day visit.
 While in Liberia, Mr. Blair will hold bilateral talks with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Vice President Joseph Boakai, Speaker Alex Tyler and the presiding officer of the Senate.
 According to a Foreign Ministry release, Mr. Blair will use his visit to launch a new project between his Africa Governance Initiative and the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration.
 The former British Prime Minister will also hold talks with the Ministers of Public Works, Agriculture, Planning and Economic Affairs among others.

Liberia, Ghana Deepens Cooperation
(Daily Observer, The News, New Republic and Liberian Express)

 Liberia and Ghana have called for the deepening of cooperation between the two countries in the areas of trade, industry, investment, agriculture and the security sector. The decision followed discussions in Accra Saturday between Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and John Evans Atta Mills, during a two-day State Visit to Ghana.
 A Joint Communiqué issued at the end of the visit said the countries will reactivate the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation.
 According to an Executive Mansion release, the two Presidents welcomed the holding of the Ghana-Liberia Trade and Investment Forum, and urged business communities in both countries to promote meaningful investment and private sector participation in the region’s economic development.
 The two leaders acknowledged the need to entrench the culture of democracy, good governance, the rule of law and the respect for human rights.

UN Envoy Lauds Ghana’s Move to Place Female Troops in Forward Positions
(Public Agenda and The Analyst)

 The Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Liberia, Ellen Margrethe Løj, has praised the Republic of Ghana for deploying in the country the first group of female soldiers to forward positions in peacekeeping.
 SRSG Løj described the move as a milestone in the history of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and that of the UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.
 Speaking when she awarded peacekeeping medals to Ghanaian soldiers serving in UNMIL, Ms. Løj praised the courage and resolve of the 54 women in the 700-strong contingent.
 She expressed gratitude government of Ghana for the close collaboration it had extended to UNMIL and for availing the best of its military to serve the cause of peace.
 SRSG Løj then recalled the sacrifices Ghana has made in the country during the sub-regional group ECOWAS’ two peacekeeping missions that preceded UNMIL.

MAC Appeals For Collaboration ….Begins Partnership with CAFOD
(The Inquirer)

 The local media child rights campaigner, the Media in Advocacy for Children (MAC) has begun efforts aimed at forging partnership with the United Kingdom based Catholic Agency for Oversea Development (CAFOD) and other child rights advocacy groups.
 In a statement delivered on its behalf at the just ended CAFOD partnership conference in Freetown, Sierra Leone, MAC Secretary General David N. Targbe said the organization cannot achieve all its goals without the support of other child rights related group, including CAFOD-UK, Don Bosco Homes, UNICEF, Save the Children and others.
 Mr. Targbe said MAC is determined to remain vocal on the condition affecting underprivileged children, orphans and street children but stressed that it cannot be done alone.

Delay of Human Rights Commission Undermines Human Rights, Accountability
(New Republic and The Analyst)

 The International Centre for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) says the failure of the Liberian senate to confirm all presidential nominees to the Independent National Commission for Human Rights (INCHR) is a major setback to efforts to protect and promote human rights in Liberia, including moving forward the country’s transitional justice agenda.
 ICTJ’s Interim President, Hanny Megally said seven years after the end of the conflict, it is unfortunate that the INCHR, which is an important human rights protection mechanism mandated by the peace accord, is still not functioning.


Happy Birthday Sameria

Sameria Youngor Vernell Zinnah, you happily arrived in this world on February 18, 2009. february 18, 2010 will mark your one year making Daddy, Mommy & big brother Sam Zinnah Jr happy all day long. We are and will always be happy with you around. We love you and every bit and pieces of who you really and truely are. Happy birthday from all.

The risk of impunity and Corruption in Liberia

By: Sam K. Zinnah

(Clayton, Delaware) As the much anticipated 2011 elections draws near in Liberia, works are beginning to come to lights from clever politicians. Those works will either serve as political points or political bullets for those smart politicians. Recently, a bill to repeal the more than seven year old TRC act was submitted to the Liberian Senate by Grand Gedeh County Senior Senator Isaac Nyenabo. Although Senator Nyenabo will not be contesting the 2011 senatorial race, his clever bill presentation may be highly influenced by interest to protect his alleged war criminal colleagues and later his own interest after his nine year tenure.
The questions that swing the chest of many Liberians and friends of Liberia are “while is this outspoken Senator just presenting this bill now when the TRC act is nearly a decade old? Wasn’t this Senator (Nyenabo) amongst the 30 or more senators that were swear into office in 2006? Is the Senator trying to design a clever impunity exit for him and his alleged war criminal colleagues? Is Senator Nyenabo representing his own interest or the interest of Grand Gedeh in the Liberian Senate?
The essence of representation is for the representative to express the view of those represented but this has not been in the case of Liberia. Political and self interests have been some of the biggest problems in the Liberian legislature thus leading serious political and patriotic sanity at the capital building in Liberia. Sanity ‘in this case’ is a matter of appropriateness of response to a choice between two choices of distinct interests, the first, a merely habituated sense, “certainty” and the second, reasons the lies within the domain of those efficiently universal principles which exist beyond the direct reach of human sense of imagination. To understand and investigate the reason(s) for writing a hatchet bill of impunity by a law marker, Liberian electorates must begin to evaluate the credential of people running for elected positions in their constituencies. Election of candidate(s) should be based on patriotism, accountability, moral and transparency in order to curtail the culture of impunity and the danger of running into yet another round of chaos in Liberia. Today, a commercial politician like Isaac Nyenabo is writing clever hatchet bill of impunity that would price tag his political journey but considering the level of electorate education in his country or county (constituent), Nyanebo might be rewarded ‘for contributing to the slaughtering of half a million Liberians during the fourteen year civil war’ by being re-elected to the post of Senior Senator for Grand Gedeh County.
There is sometime a tendency to forget or over look what should have been recalled as the plain fact of occurrences. Obviously, the end of alleged war criminals might be narrowing comes 2011 elections. The likes of Senators Price Johnson, Adolphus Dolo, Isaac Nyenabo, Saah Gbolee and other human hawks who shares intimacy through political war criminal acquaintance seems to be the covert hands behind this clever hatchet bill of impunity. They are all a case of a ‘zombie-like’ synthetic personality taken over by psychopathological equivalent of the body snatchers from outer space waiting to swallow any bills that will set them free even if it is at the detriment of the country.
Imagine the commonly heard expression both at home and in the Diaspora today, “alleged war criminals must face the full weight of the law”. Senator Nyenabo and his partners in crime may not feel that the concern of the Liberian people should be raised to address the impunity problems in Liberia. The culture of impunity may not be the direct factor of concern to Senator Nyenabo and his partners in crime but they are of decisive importance to Liberia in the struggle to define a solution to the culture of impunity in Liberia. Senator Nyenabo’s continues quotation of portion of the 1986 constitution as his defense for his clever hatchet bill of impunity is not a matter of facts but simply a ‘feeling’ which does not have any legitimate place in the efforts to address the relevant risk of impunity in Liberia. Nyenabo’s kind of emotion-driven is a major factor of mass political behavior motivated by a pathological use of the “1986 constitution of the Republic of Liberia” as substitute for rational behavior. The notion of bill to repeal the TRC act is distinct from reasoning which is a fatal contradiction in terms of the essence of his job as a law maker. This expresses a large overdose of feeling but virtually no exercise of reasoning.
Senator Nyenabo and his alleged war criminals watched many Liberians perish of hunger, especially those of tender years while they relaxed or hustle for political positions at the expense of the very people they victimized. Mothers “with scarcely strength to support themselves” carried their famished and malnourished infants in their arms and died with them. Many felt victim to stray bullets, cold, whilst others to intense thirst while the (now) Senator carry his body guards for his personal protection. Today, Isaac Nyenabo and others who overtly violated the rights of other Liberians are walking the streets of Liberia in grand style while their victims roam the streets in search of daily bread. They are referred to as “Senators and Representatives”. They have even become more corrupt to the extent that they did not see the TRC act that has existed since 2003 (three years before they were elected). It’s a disgrace to see a Senior Senator presenting a bill to repeal an act that is almost eight years old.

Risk of Corruption

Corruption increases the marginalization of minority groups including women. It leads to contestation of the state’s monopoly of force or radicalizes opposition to the State and most times contributing to conflict, destabilization and failed State (UNDP). According to the UN, most recovery programs’ aim at restoration of peace and stabilizing the economy through sustainable economic programs.
Corruption posts a threat to these efforts hence the need to deal with corruption from the onset of recovery is vital. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the effects of corruption in post conflict and recovery environments. Various studious (by; UNDP, World Bank & Transparency international) confirm that about half of the post war countries revert to war within one decade and corruption can be considered as one of the major factors that contribute to fuelling a conflict and the return to violent. Therefore, overcoming corruption in post-war Liberia is essential to restoring the confident of Liberians at home and abroad.
Post conflict reconstruction is normally characterized by large scale injection of resources in an environment where the legal and institutional frameworks are weak, fragile or inexistent and the expertise scarce. Detection of crime is very low and enforcement difficult or ignored. The surviving governing structures are weak with financial, fiscal, administrative and regulatory capacities and limited oversight is informal and sometimes criminalized sectors. These institutions are often transitional in nature, carrying very little or no legitimacy, and therefore prone to capture by the privilege elite with access to power and resources. This lack of popular participation in reconstruction is vulnerable to hijacking by local elites, which leads to corruption, waste of available and scarce resources, lack of maintenance and monitoring by beneficiaries and eventual rejection in the long run.
The main purpose of zero tolerance on corruption in Liberia should be to assist post conflict Liberia in developing anti-corruption strategies. These strategies will be used to develop programs on anti-corruption in post-war Liberia and recovery process which will be a tool that will assist affected areas.
Development will never come to Liberia if Liberians continue to rely on foreign companies to do everything. History attests to this. The Indian, Ghanaian, Nigerian and Lebanese business communities in Liberia have never productively participated in Liberia's development. In fact, they have always tended to set themselves apart from Liberia. It is now up to the government and people of Liberia to build-up the credibility to attract investors to boost the Liberian economy.

Liberia to benefit from France’s “orange” telecom

By: Sam K. Zinnah

Clayton, Delaware.
What appears to be the biggest technology turning point for Liberia seems to be underway as “Orange” one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators is set to link Liberia to Europe via broad band connection. Orange is the brand used by France telecom for it mobile network operator and it internet service provider. Orange is the world’s fifth largest telecom operator with over 189 million as of 2009 (www.orange.com).
The lack of fast and reliable internet connection is amongst the hurdles faced by Liberia in the creation of dynamic 21st century economies. If Liberia is to catch up with the rest of the world in education, trade, and investment, its leaders has to encourage investment in the area of modern technology and broadband communication system. In recent years, work has begun on initiatives to connect eastern and southern Africa-the only major populated region (Africa) with the least broadband network of fiber optic cables- to each other and the rest of the world through high speed internet lines.
After observing the submarine cable lights up of Kenya by South Africa’s SEACOM in July of 2009, this author began wondering about the possibility of connecting Liberia via broadband to the rest of the world. In the efforts to establish the possibility, an inquiry email was send to Washington DC based telegraphy researcher Alan Mauldin. When asked whether South Africa’s SEACOM “the company that undertook the multi million dollars project to link Kenya via broadband would extend operation to Liberia? Mauldin said SEACOM only serve the east coast of Africa and has no plans of expanding to the West Coast of Africa, however, France telecom “Orange” is planning to construct the “Africa Coast to Europe, (ACE) cable that would link Liberia as well as Gabon, Cameron, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote de’ Voire, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Gambia, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Morocco and South Africa to Spin, Portugal, and France. According to Mauldin, Orange has not sign a contract with any equipment suppliers yet but the company is hoping to have this submarine cable project completed by 2011. If all works smoothly, Liberia will become a member of the global electronic community. Mauldin also disclosed that there might be terrestrial networks plan to link Liberia to other countries that have access to existing submarine cables or other planned West Coast cables such as main one or the West Africa Cable System (WACES).
Broadband cost more in Africa than anywhere else in the world. According to the World Bank, consumers in Africa spent the average of USD$366.00 each month on speeder internet access in 2006. Users in India, meanwhile, paid $44.00 per month for the same service.
Gauging by the incredible spread of cell-phone use in Liberia, there is plenty of encouragement to enhance the communication system that will yield more revenue for the Government at the affordable cost for almost every household in Liberia. Over the years, Liberia’s cell-phone market has expanded faster than anyone could ever imagine ten years ago thus contributing immensely to the growth of the Country’s economy.

Security implications
Internet and cell phone introduction in Liberia over the past years has been perhaps the most outstanding in the area of communication in Liberia but the open sale of subscriber identification module (SIM) card has some serious security risk that is yet to be addressed by both the cell phone companies and the Liberian government. As with every field, technology or communication has it own advantages and disadvantages but great magnitude of advantages usually out weights it disadvantages.
With the level of crime rate in Liberia and looking at Liberia’s post-conflict status, it is highly important to pass a law mandating GSM companies and future land line phone companies in Liberia to collect data (including but not limited to: names, address, photograph, next of kin) of subscribers. Such information or data should only be collected and store by the GSM company (ies) concern. It is technically dangerous to have unregistered and activated SIM cards sold in the streets of Liberia when criminals are already strategizing robbery on the daily basis.
The case of Keith Jubbah’s murder is a clear example. To date, government investigators are yet to establish the actual perpetrators of Jubbah’s murder. Had SIM card identity been in place, the callers to Star radio and other media institutions would have been exposed by now.

Thank you President Sirleaf

Gbarpolu County Citizens in the Diaspora
242 Gravelly Run Branch Road
Clayton, Delaware 19938
Tel: 302-389-8785
Email: Gbarpolu@yahoo.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 29, 2009


President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
Executive Mansion
P.O. Box 9001
Capitol Hill, Monrovia
Republic of Liberia

Re: Paved Road in Belle Yalla

Dear Madam President:

We write to extend compliment of the seasons to you, your family, and your administration. We also take this time to say thank you for fulfilling your promise to connect Belle Yalla to other parts of Gbarpolu and Liberia via a paved road.

For more than 162 years, the name Belle Yalla was mostly thought of as a notorious prison camp used to incarcerate tax invaders and political opponents. When you made the promise in May 2007 to construct road in Belle Yalla, a lot of people thought your promise was just a mere political rhetoric. Their skepticism was based on previous political disappointments in Liberia. You fulfilled your promised!

The fulfillment of your promise is a huge courage not only to the people of Belle Yalla or Gbarpolu County, but to Liberia as a whole. We are sure this road development will deliver social transformation to Belle Yalla and help erase the ugly or negative image about Belle Yalla.

From all indications, your administration is proofing to be ready for a system of transformation touches various aspects of the Liberian society, from consciousness to economy, from politics to values, from technology to organization, and from culture to community, with the goal to rebuild our nation’s image so as to stimulate growth, and provide opportunities for local and national involvement in productive activities in Liberia. In this respect, road, ‘one of which matters most to residents of Belle Yalla and the Belle District’ after more than 162 years, has finally been addressed.

We see that your administration’s approach is giving the counties the opportunity to identify, select, plan, and implement their own projects. This approach is very important in community development. It explains why the country as a whole is now realizing the current level of development.

Madam President, if Chief Boatswain, Chief Bambu Zinnah, Chief Karvee Gbagbar, Chief Karvee Weedor, Chief Mbargulomeh Youngar, and Chief Gbomblee were alive today, we believe they would all be beating traditional drums in your honor. For years, these chiefs witnessed local dwellers struggle to construct roads with locally, made materials while the central government relaxed in the Executive Mansion and ignored the interest of the people they claimed to represent.

But you showed the people of Gbarpolu, Liberia and the rest of the world that your administration is determined to develop Liberia. Nothing could be more serious than risking your health and life and the lives of foreign dignitaries by walking over two pieces of log (Mischief Bridge) and going the distance you walked in one of the world’s thickest forests.

Again, as we say in Belle parlance, “mu mama tegbelegba” (Thank you very much).


Yours truly,

Sam K. Zinnah
On behalf of Gbarpolu County Citizens in the Diaspora

Invitation

You are invited to attend my graduation party scheduled for December 19, 2009.

Day: Saturday
Time: 8: 00 PM to day break
Venue: 242 Gravelly Run Branch Road
Clayton, Delaware 19938

Contact numbers: 302 241 1442 (cell) 302 389 8785 (home)

Sam K Zinnah

King Saoboso legacy reawakened

Contee Road, MD.

Full Story coming shortly

What might happen in 2011

By: Tolo Bonah Corfah

The CDC is laughing all the way to the bank, as she bagged the result of the just ended Montserrado senatorial by-election. In fact the pundits and Liberian political observers are calling the senatorial bi-election a prelude to the 2011 presidential and legislative elections. But, is it? Did the Liberian electorates give any sign of what will happened in 2011?

From all indications, the 2005 general and presidential elections were dominated by the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC); by grabbing the most legislative seats in the national legislature (both Senate and House of Representatives). The Unity Party (UP) was able to wrestle the presidency from the CDC in the run-off presidential elections. The two political parties at the helm of power in Liberia have failed dismally to deliver to the people; while the Unity party led government was busy from the start with “downsizing and rightsizing” on the one hand, the CDC controlled legislature was busy collecting “cold water” from would be investors and demanding government to pay their rents.

After more than four years, the Liberian people have yet to see the fruits of the votes cast in 2005. While the Unity Party heads the most “corrupt” government in the history of Liberia, the CDC controls the most “inept” legislature in the history of Liberia. Although the CDC controlled house and senate have enacted some laws, in my opinion, they have not enacted any laws that have impacted the lives of the average Liberians.

Is the just ended senatorial bi-election in Montserrado any indication of what to expect in 2011? You bet it is. In my opinion, it is an indication that the Liberian people will not make the same political mistakes that were made in 2005. If any politician thinks that a bag of rice and some flimsy party T-shirt will get them votes in 2011 as was done in 2005 will be in for a shock of their lives. If it were so, Clemenchue Uray of the Unity Party would be dancing all the way to the bank today. He was dishing out free food, money and party T-shirts at all of his rallies. The Liberian people ate his food, took his money, and wore his T-shirts, but still did not vote for him.

Yes, the just ended senatorial bi-election in Montserrado County, the most populous electoral county in Liberia was a referendum, but it was not a referendum on the Unity party alone, it was also a referendum on the leadership of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). The CDC as a majority party in the legislature failed to set the legislative agenda of the country. The CDC failed as a political party when it sold its political power, the power of the MAJORITY for a few pieces of silver. As a majority party, the CDC failed to secure the leadership of the lower house of congress; I am talking about the speakership of the house, but instead they sold it to Edwin Snowe. The CDC acted like the hungry man who was invited to eat, but instead of taking a seat and a spoon said that they should put his in his hand.

So, to conclude I agree with Geraldine Doe-Sherif; the 2011 election will be a “Tsunami”, but this tsunami will not only sweep the ruling Unity party from office, it will also sweep the house of representatives of those “cold water” representatives. The Liberian people elected them to serve, but instead, they decided to line their pockets first.

Thanks for the space and may god richly bless Liberia.

Open letter to Foreign Minister Olubanke King-Akerele

Alvin Teage Jalloh
Attorney & Counselor at Law
320 MacDade Blvd, Suite 105
Collingdale, PA 19023
Office: 484-494-8821
Email: jallohlaw2@yahoo.com
Licensed in PA, NJ, & D.C.
November 26, 2009


The Honorable Olubanke King-AkereleMinister of Foreign AffairsRepublic of LiberiaMonrovia, Liberia

Re: Biometric Passports; Government’s Obligation to Pay Costs for Certain Liberians

Dear Minister King-Akerele:
On behalf of Non-Resident Liberians, a grassroots movement of Liberians living worldwide, I respectfully seek your assurance that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes the protected rights Liberians have in their non-biometric passports, and will honor its obligations with Liberians whose expiration dates in their non-biometric passports fall beyond the April 30, 2010, date the Ministry recently announced as the blanket expiration date for existing, non-biometric passports.
As you are aware, on or about November 2, 2009, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry), introduced biometric passports for Liberians, and announced that existing non-biometric passports will expire on April 30, 2010. The Ministry has since failed to say whether it will make reasonable compensation to Liberians whose expiration dates in their non-biometric passports fall beyond April 30, 2010. While the Ministry is acknowledged for its introduction of the security-enhanced passports, it is wrong--legally and socially--to arbitrarily deprive Liberians, whose expiration dates in their non-biometric passports fall beyond April 30, 2010, of the property rights they have in their non-biometric passports.
Article 13(b) of the Constitution of Liberia grants every Liberian citizen the right to enter and leave Liberia at anytime, and carries with it the right to a Liberian passport. Once the Ministry issues a passport to a Liberian citizen--that Liberian has a constitutionally, protected property right in his or her passport--and no regulation, legislation, or decree can abrogate a right that is protected by the Constitution.
By announcing that the April 30, 2010, expiration date applies to Liberians whose expiration dates in their non-biometric passports fall beyond April 30, 2010, the Ministry is attempting to deprive Liberians of a constitutionally protected right, and may only do so in according with due process of law. Article 20(a) of the Constitution of Liberia prohibits the government from depriving any person of life, liberty, security of the person, property, privilege, or any other right without a hearing and a judgment consistent with due process of law.
Moreover, pursuant to the laws of contract in several jurisdictions, the Ministry most likely entered into valid contracts when it sold non-biometric passports to Liberians at prices ranging from US$20.00 to US$250.00. The Ministry could, therefore, be liable for breach of contract if a court determines that the April 30, 2010, expiration date detrimentally affects the right of a Liberian to use his or her non-biometric passport.
Because of the importance of the matter involved, and in view of the Ministry's public announcement that existing non-biometric passports will expire on April 30, 2010, I respectfully ask that your office provide an assurance that the Ministry recognizes the protected rights Liberians have in their non-biometric passports, and will either offer proportional discounts towards the purchase of the security-enhanced biometric passports, or pay the costs of the first set of biometric passports for Liberians whose expiration dates in their non-biometric passports fall beyond the Ministry’s recently announced April 30, 2010, expiration date.
Without an adequate assurance, Non-Resident Liberians maybe compelled to seek judicial redress, including but not limited to filing actions with the Supreme Court of Liberia, and separate actions for breach of contract in the United States of America, where some of its members submitted their passport applications and fees to the Ministry.
Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. Please contact me if you have any question or need additional information.

Respectfully,
Alvin Teage Jalloh, Esq.
Counsel for Non-Resident Liberians

United Nations News

Source: UNMIL Public Information Office Media Summary 18 November 2009

Nov 18, 2009 (CharlesTaylorTrial.org/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Prosecutors spent much of today's cross-examination of former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, reading out statements by other West African leaders condemning Mr. Taylor Liberian rebel group for crimes committed against Liberians and members of international humanitarian agencies, including American Catholic nuns and peacekeepers during his country's civil war. In a 1992 statement read by lead prosecutor, Brenda Hollis, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders condemned Mr. Taylor's rebel group (the National Patriotic Front of Liberia - NPFL) for their actions against West African peacekeepers serving in Liberia under the banner ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). The ECOWAS leaders had "warned all warring factions against the commission of war crimes" in Liberia. The statement alluded to the killing of civilians, peacekeepers and American Catholic nuns during "Operation Octopus," an operation launched by Mr. Taylor's NPFL on the Liberian capital Monrovia in October 1992.
International Clips on West Africa
Guinea
Uncertainty Over Toxic Chemicals in Conakry
Dakar, Nov 18, 2009 (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- The recent upheaval in Guinea has thrown into question the status of toxic chemicals discovered earlier this year at several sites throughout the capital Conakry, according to UN experts. The products, which can be used to make or refine narcotics, were found in buildings near people's homes; they are inflammable and pose a public health threat. Instability following a military crackdown on demonstrators has blocked UN drug and crime experts from visiting the sites since August. "Beyond the fact that these are products that can be used for making narcotics, they are substances that have a very high toxicity level for the population," Alexandre Schmidt, West Africa head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), told journalists in the Senegalese capital Dakar on 16 November. "So there is a public health problem there.

Cote d'IvoireCôte d'Ivoire: Decree signed approving army ranks of former rebels Source: Missionary International Service News Agency (MISNA) Date: 18 Nov 2009-Ivory Coast’s President Laurent Gbagbo signed a decree assigning military ranks to former rebels of the New Forces who fought against the government in a 2002 failed coup. “This concern, said Defence Minister Michel Amani N'Guessan, adding that the move was “a big step towards peace”. Gbagbo signed the decree in Mankono, north-west of the capital, on the first day of a visit to the Worodougou region, controlled by the New Forces since 2002. The President was accompanied on the visit by Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, former rebel leader, and the military chief of general staff, General Philippe Mangou. The assignment of ranks is based on a principle of “harmonizing” the former fighters with those of the loyalist army, under a peace accord signed last December in Ouagadougou (‘Ouga IV’) that foresees the fusion of the forces into an 8,000-strong Integrated Central Command (CCI).
Sierra Leone

UK's Blair encourages investment in Sierra Leone
Source: English General News Date: November 18, 2009 LONDON_ Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that Sierra Leone has recovered from its brutal civil war and now offers opportunities in agriculture and tourism, with millions of hectares of arable land and kilometers of untouched beaches. Blair said Sierra Leone's president, Ernest Bai Koroma, has reduced corruption and made the country accessible to foreign investors. Koroma fired one of his ministers for corruption earlier this month and has promised to make the government more transparent. "Progress (in Sierra Leone) is no longer measured by an absence of conflict," Blair said. He said Sierra Leone is improving the reputation and efficiency of its mining industries and becoming known as a country that promotes religious tolerance between its Christian and Muslim populations. Blair was speaking at a London conference aimed at encouraging investment in the west African country.
Local Media – Newspaper
Professor Tarpeh Dismisses Media Report of Alliance with UP Run-off
(The News, The Inquirer, Heritage, The Analyst and Public Agenda)

· The Alliance for Peace and Democracy (APD) candidate in the first round of Montserrado Senatorial by-election, Professor Wilson Tarpeh has dismissed claims that he had endorsed the Unity Party’s candidate, Clemenceau Urey for the run-off.
· There have been media speculations that Professor Tarpeh and Independent candidate, Alhaji Kromah had pledged their support to the Unity Party.
· A group claiming to be supporters of some political parties including the Alliance for Peace and Democracy had endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Urey for the run-off.
· Mr. Tarpeh in a statement issued in Monrovia said the so-called allegiance was the work of unscrupulous individuals exploiting money and other economic gains under the pretext of supporting contending parties in the by-election run-off.
· Observers say the latest denial by Mr. Tarpeh is a blow to the ruling party which has been frantically trying to woo candidates that accumulated considerable votes during the first round of the by-election.
· The University Professor came in third place with 16.3 percent of the total votes cast.

UNFPA Launches State Of The World Population
(The News)

· The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) today launched a report on the State of the World Population under the theme “Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate.”
· Vice President Joseph Boakai launched the report which highlighted the human angle of climate change by exploring the connections between population dynamics and climate change.

Election Observers Disappointed In NEC…Cautions NEC Ahead of Runoff
(The News, Heritage, The Analyst)

· The Liberia Civil Society Election Observer Coalition has expressed disappointment over what it termed as the poor coordination by the National Elections Commission (NEC) that caused general irregularities across the process.
· In a release issued in Monrovia Tuesday, the group said as a consequence of the level of confusion during the first round of the by-election some voters did not exercise their franchise.
· The election monitoring group said while this level of disorganization caused much disappointment and disillusionment, the coalition however believes that such problems were not sufficient to constitute fraud, least to disqualify the process.
· The coalition especially regrets the quite low turnout for the elections and further challenged candidates and the NEC to exert all efforts to convince more voters to participate in the remainder of the process.

Opposition Politician Wants Rerun Of Senatorial By-election
(New Democrat, Liberia Journal, Public Agenda)

· Opposition Politician Togba-Nah Tipoteh has called for a re-run of the November 10 Montserrado County Senatorial by-election.
· According to Dr. Tipoteh, a re-run was necessary because the by-election was not credible and did not meet the basic standards acceptable to the Liberian people.
· The opposition politician has called on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to reconstitute the National Elections Commission (NEC) saying all elections including 2011 can only be successful under a reconstituted NEC supervised by the international community.
· Meanwhile, though full scale campaign has begun for the run-off, the National Students Intellectual Council (NASICOL) has detected a discrepancy in the final results of the first round of the Montserrado Senatorial by-election.
· The student group claimed the total votes given in the official result were less than the total valid and invalid votes announced by the commission. They claimed the discrepancy amount to 355 votes.

Former President Taylor Admits CIA Links
(The News, New Democrat, Heritage, Daily Observer, and Liberian Express)

· After the cross-examination of former President Charles Taylor got off to a stumble last week over the use of “new evidence”, he admitted to sharing information with the United States Central Intelligence Agency which he accused of plotting his downfall.
· Mr. Taylor who denied suggestions that he was a CIA agent however said his defunct rebel group the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) exchanged information wit the CIA and the collaboration and exchange continued into his presidency.
· The former Liberian President is standing trial in The Hague for alleged supporting the former Sierra Leonean rebel Revolutionary United Front during that country’s civil war.

Police Boss Against Low Salary For Police…Wants Salary Augmented To US$300
(The Analyst)

· Police Inspector General Marc Amblard wants an increment in the salaries of police officers saying it would help prevent bribe taking and corruption in the force.
· The minimum take home salary for officers is US$90 per month but the Police Boss wants the amount augmented to US$300.
· There has been mounting public outcry and criticism of the police for not performing well.
· Critics say the failure of the police to perform their duty well has resulted into many communities in and around the city serving as breeding grounds for crimes and other criminal related activities.

New Citizen’s Identification Card Underway
(The Inquirer)
· The Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and partners have held series of discussions aimed at establishing a National Registry Framework (NRF).
· The NRF is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ 90-day deliverables in the poverty reduction strategy.
· As part of the strategy, the Ministry would design and endorse a policy framework and standard operating procedures for a National Biometric Identification System.

Ex-LURD Leader Sekou Damante Conneh Arrives
(The Inquirer, Liberia Journal)

· Reports say the ex-leader of the disbanded LURD rebel movement Sekou Damante Conneh is in the country.
· Mr. Conneh reportedly arrived in Monrovia Tuesday through the Liberia-Sierra Leone border.
· Earlier this year he was detained in Conakry, Guinea but was later released by the military junta.

Local Media – Star Radio (culled from website today at 09:00 am)
Government Announces U.S. $ 1.6 Billion Agro Investment
· The Liberian Government has announced a US$1.6 billion investment agreement with a leading Indonesian Agro Company, the Golden Agro Resources.
· The Chairman of the National Investment Commission (NIC) Richard Tolbert said the agreement when finalized, would enable the company investment in the oil palm industry of the country.
· According to Mr. Tolbert, the investment by the company would be carried out in Southeastern Liberia and would create thousands of jobs for Liberians.
· He said the company intends to build about 20 oil mills and a refinery that would purify the oil.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

UNFPA Launches State Of The World Population

New Citizen’s Identification Card Underway
(Also reported on Truth FM, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Ex-LURD Leader Sekou Damante Conneh Arrives
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Togba-Nah Tipoteh Wants Rerun Of Senatorial By-election
(Also reported on Truth FM, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Children Parliament Against Delay In “Angel’s” Murder Case
· The Liberian Children Parliament says it is worried about the continuous delay in the trial of the Angel Togba’s murder case.
· The Speaker of the Parliament Stephen Kalimu described the delay as a total violation of the Liberian Constitution which calls for speedy trial of persons accused of committing a crime.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Radio Veritas (News monitored today at 09:45 am)
NEC Begins Civic And Voter Education Campaign
· The National Elections Commission (NEC) has begun a vigorous civic and voter education campaign for election workers.
· The campaign is in preparation for the run-off senatorial by-election for Montserrado County slated for Tuesday, November 24.
· Meanwhile, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has pleaded with Liberians mainly registered voters to remain calm and peaceful during the run-off by-election.

Truth FM (News monitored today at 10:00 am)
Strange Disease Hits Jorquelleh District, Bong County
· Reports from Bong County speak of an outbreak of a strange disease affecting residents of Jorquelleh District.
· According to reports the disease causes sore to develop on the foot of an individual which later becomes complicated.
· Eyewitnesses say over 200 persons have been affected so far.
****

Emotional facebook reunion

By: Sam K. Zinnah

Clayton, Delaware. On October 25th, 2009, am member of the 52nd national legislature of the Republic of Liberia made an emotional discovery of her sister who she last saw in 1979 in Liberia. According to Representative Alomiza Ennos, her late father left Liberia in search of better life and future for her children. Before leaving Liberia, her father left she and her other sibling with a friend. She said her father had been trying to get VISA to the US but was denied several times before finally getting the VISA at last. Not wanting to mis the opportunity, Dan Ennos (the father) decided to leave his children with a family friend and make use of his American dream. He left Liberia with the plan of settling down in the U.S and later sending for his children. After arriving in the U.S. the perception about the U.S. became a mere dream as he got to meet the reality of hustling for documents and struggling to meet his survival.
In the process of acquiring legal status in the U.S., Dan Ennos was left with one of two options, “to marry a U.S. citizen and get his Status or be deported after his VISA expired”. Dan Married and had Kids in Washington DC. His dream of sending for his children from Liberia began sinking as his American wife spent most of her time being drunk. Still very concern about his Liberian children, Dan Ennos took his three year old to Liberia to see her other brothers and sisters. His three year old American born Okama Ennos (three year old in 1979) met her sisters for the first time in Liberia.
In 1989, ten years after visiting Liberia, Dan Ennos was still in the process of bringing her children to the U.S, a civil war “which became one of the world’s brutal” broke out in Liberia. According to Alomiza Ennos, her father fell died after seeing a video of the brutality that was going on in Liberia during the civil war.
His American Born Okama Ennos was left to struggle in meeting the expense of her survival and education. For decades, Okama have been wondering if her siblings survived the war in Liberia or not.
In 2005 after 14 years of blood bath in Liberia, a democratic presidential and legislative election was held. In that election, Alomiza Ennos emerged as one of the winners of the 14 electoral districts in Montserrado County in Liberia. While on an official visit in Washingto DC recently, she came across Sam K Zinnah and asked if there was any way she could locate her missing sister. Mr. Zinnah suggested facebook, upon arrival in Delaware at Sam Zinnah’s resident, Mr. Zinnah turn on his laptop and log onto his facebook account. In the sear bar, Mr. Zinnah typed in “Okama Ennos”. A historic photograph of Okama and her late father appeared, Rep. Alomiza Ennos screemed at the top of her voice and ran into tears. She cried for few minutes and anxiously asked “how can I talk to her”?. After few days of facebook communication between Sam Zinnah and Okama Ennos, a telephone call finally came from Okama Ennos who currently lives in South Carolina. The long awaited moment was finally at hands. Both sisters cried on the phone and later began comforting one another. A big reunion is underway. Thanks to facebook.

United Nations News

Source: UNMIL News

Vietnam has called on every party in Liberia to work together to promote national reconciliation and hold constructive talks to find a long-term solution to its internal conflicts. During a United Nations Security Council debate on the situation in Liberia and the operations of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on September 9, Ambassador Bui The Giang, Vietnam’s permanent deputy representative at the UN, praised Liberia’s quest for peace, its economic stability and modernization, improvements in social welfare and its solutions to humanitarian issues. The Vietnamese official reaffirmed his support for the Liberian Government’s efforts to reduce poverty, increase security, eliminate its proliferation of weapons and reintegrate demobilized soldiers back to the community. He highlighted the necessity to step up moves between Liberia and its neighbors to counter drug-trafficking and organized crime.

Benin, Liberia to Strengthen Defense, Economic Cooperation
Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) – Liberia and Benin signed four agreements to strengthen economic and defense ties, the presidents of the two African nations said. The four pacts were signed yesterday by Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her Beninese counterpart Thomas Boni Yayi at a press briefing in Benin’s main city, Cotonou, during Johnson-Sirleaf’s two-day visit to the country. Yayi visited Liberia two years ago when the two presidents pledged to strengthen scientific, economic and technical cooperation.

Taylor Did Not Order The Assassination Of RUF Commander Sam Bockarie, He Says
Sep 11, 2009 (CharlesTaylorTrial.org/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- Charles Taylor today said he did not order the the assassination of one of Sierra Leone's top rebel commanders during the country's civil war, and dismissed as "lies" allegations that he knew that Sierra Leonean rebels were recruiting fighters in Liberia in areas controlled by Mr. Taylor's own fighting force. In a day of testimony focused on refuting prosecution witness testimony against him, Mr. Taylor told the Special Court for Sierra Leone "I did not order the killing of Sam Bockarie." Mr. Taylor was responding to the testimony of the 37th Prosecution Witness, a Revolutionary United Front (RUF) insider and mining commander who testified under protective measures, using the pseudonym TFI-367. In his testimony from August 20 to September 1 2008, Witness TFI-367 explained that a relative of Sam Bockarie's wife had told him that Mr. Taylor ordered the assassination of the RUF commander and his entire family because Mr. Taylor was concerned that Mr. Bockarie knew too much about his involvement with the RUF.

International Clips on West Africa
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone UN Mission Office burgled
http://www.cocorioko.net

The Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York was broken into last night by unknown person(s) and cash and equipment totaling several thousands of dollars stolen. The discovery was made at 8:45 am today Thursday 10th September, when the first set of workers arrived for the routine work at the 245 East 49th Street Mission in New York. The Receptionist and Office Manager had both commuted on the same train from Mount Vernon but split up on the train before their point of disembarkation. On her arrival at the office, the Receptionist said she met the gate and the main entrance door unlocked, and thought that perhaps the manager or, one of the officers may have reported for work earlier as they were busy making preparations for the President and his delegation’s arrival for the United Nations General Assembly’s 64th Session scheduled to be convened next week.

Survivors blame captain for S.Leone boat tragedy
TOMBO, Sierra Leone AFP— The captain of a ferry that sank off Sierra Leone leaving more than 200 people feared drowned ignored warnings that it was about to capsize, survivors said Friday. A senior police officer meanwhile said the main cause of the disaster appeared to be overloading. Police said only 38 people were known to have survived after the ferry, the Teh Teh, overturned and sank in just a few minutes after a storm suddenly blew up on Tuesday night. Estimates of the numbers on board ranged from 268 to more than 300. Witnesses and officials said 37 bodies had been brought out or washed ashore.
Cote D’ivoire
Compaore to visit Cote d'Ivoire next Tuesday

www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire - Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore will pay an official visit to Cote d'Ivoire 15-18 September, according to a statement issued by the Ivorian presidency. According to the statement, which was read on the national television by the general secretary of the government, Tyéoulou Félix, the visit of the Facilitator of the inter-Ivorian dialogue will begin in the country's political capital, Yamoussoukro, where the first joint Council of Ministers of the two countries would be held.

Local Media – Newspaper
National Elections Commission Releases By-election Timetable
(The Inquirer, The News, The Informer, Daily Observer, New Vision, Heritage, National Chronicle)

· The National Elections Commission (NEC) has released the timetable for the pending Senatorial by-election in Montserrado County.
· Addressing a news conference in Monrovia, NEC Chairman James Fromoyan said the by-election will be held on November 10 and put the cost of the election at US$1.2 million.
· Chairman Fromoyan said nomination of candidates would run from September 12 to 26 while the final list of qualified candidates would be published on October 14, 2009.
· Montserrado County has a total of 496,508 registered voters throughout its 14 electoral districts.

“H1N1 virus” Suspected in Liberia
(The Informer, National Chronicle)

· The Liberian Government has reported the first case of Swine flu or Influenza A, H1N1, in the country.
· Health Minister Walter Gwenigale said an expatriate with the Buchanan Renewable Energies in Grand Bassa County is suspected to have brought the virus into the country.
· Minister Gwenigale said the British national who was treated in London of the virus and returned to Liberia in August 2009 but is still found to be infested, is reported to have spread the virus to seven additional staff of the company.
· The Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) are sending a team to Buchanan Friday to carryout awareness exercise and treat anyone found with the symptoms.

UN Envoy Briefs Security Council on Progress, Challenges in Liberia
(Public Agenda, The Analyst, New Vision, The Informer, The Inquirer)

· The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Ms. Ellen Margrethe Løj has briefed to the United Nations Security Council on activities of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) over the last six months.
· In her briefing on the Secretary-General’s 19th Progress Report on Liberia, SRSG Løj drew the Council’s attention to the Partners’ Forum and highlighted the critical work that is still needed in the Rule of Law sector.
· The UN Envoy also outlined the latest proposals for Phase 3 of UNMIL’s drawdown, as recommended by the Technical Assessment Mission.
· Members of the Security Council expressed support for the work of UNMIL and are engaged in negotiations on the renewal of UNMIL`s mandate before the end of September.
· Meanwhile, a Liberian Government delegation led by Justice Minister Christiana Tah has participated in a Justice and Security Sector Partners’ Forum.
· The security delegation presented details of the Ministry of Justice, LNP, Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization strategic plans at the Forum.

State Transfers alleged Pakistani Human Traffickers Secretly
(Daily Observer, New Democrat, The Parrot)

· [SIC]Latest reports say the State has secretly removed from the Monrovia Central Prison six alleged Pakistani human traffickers.
· In an interview, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration, Colonel Chris Massaquoi confirmed the transfer of the suspects from the South Beach prison to the custody of the National Security Agency (NSA).

GAC to Investigate Domestic Claims…Secretariat Constituted
(The News, Public Agenda)

· The General Auditing Commission (GAC) has reconstituted the Secretariat of the Permanent Claims which is to receive and investigate all claims again the Republic of Liberia.
· A GAC release said the commission has put in place a vigorous and efficient model and system of control to shortly begin to receive all claims with all supporting documents.
· The Commission will independently determine the validity and the amount of all claims against the country to ensure that claimants are legitimate to receive government payment.

Nation-Wide Address System Launched
(The News, The Analyst)

· The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications have launched a nation-wide address project aimed at providing the necessary framework that would lead to the introduction of a national address system. The project valued at US$1.5 million is expected to last for two years.

Former President Taylor Denies Ordering The Assassination Of RUF Commander
(Liberian Express, The News, Daily Observer, The Analyst, Heritage))

· Former President Charles Taylor said he did not order the assassination of one of Sierra Leone's top rebel commanders during the country's civil war
· Mr. Taylor dismissed as "lies" allegations that he knew that Sierra Leonean rebels were recruiting fighters in Liberia in areas controlled by Mr. Taylor's own fighting force.
· He was responding to the testimony of the 37th Prosecution Witness, a Revolutionary United Front (RUF) insider and mining commander who testified under protective measures using the pseudonym TFI-367.

Local Media – Star Radio (culled from website today at 09:00 am)
“H1N1 virus” Suspected in Liberia
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

State Transfers alleged Pakistani Human Traffickers Secretly

National Elections Commission Releases By-election Timetable
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Legislature to Submit Threshold bill to President Sirleaf
· The Senate has instructed its Executive Committee to liaise with the Lower House to submit the “controversial” threshold bill to President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
· The Senate took the decision Thursday after it endorsed a letter from the Lower House informing it of the concurrence vote on the threshold bill.
· Earlier, confusion erupted in the Senate as three Senators attempted to prevent the submission of the bill to President Sirleaf.
· But majority members of the Senate rejected the call by the three Senators and voted to submit the threshold bill to President Sirleaf for possible approval.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Government to Enforce Property Tax Collection
· The Ministries of Justice and Finance have reportedly launched a new effort to collect government taxes from real estate property owners indebted for more than 3 years.
· Government Senior Tax Prosecutor said the indebted property owners have been notified and given a 21-day period to settle their arrears.
· Counsellor Aaron Kparkillin said the failure of property owners to pay their taxes violates the tax laws and is an attempt to strangulate government.
· Counsellor Kparkillin warned that properties of people who fail to comply within the given period would be confiscated.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Health Ministry Launches Human Resource Census
· The Health Ministry has reportedly launched a human resource census for health workers across the Country sponsored at the cost of over US$90,000.00 by the World Bank.
· According to Assistant Health Minister for Planning, Kpangbala Sengbe, the census seeks to identify every health worker in the country.
· Minister Sengbe said the census result would also help in the development of good policies to improve the health care delivery system.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., and ELBC)

Government Orders a Halt to Publication of Unregistered Newspapers
· Government has reportedly mandated all printing presses in the country not to print any newspaper that is not registered.
· Information Minister Laurence Bropleh said there are laws on the books that prohibit the printing of newspapers not registered with Government.
· Minister Bropleh said the move is not intended to muscle the press but to ensure regularities are upheld.
· He said the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) was aware of the regulation and does not think the Union would oppose it.

UNMIL Public Information Office Media Summary 3 September 2009

Source: English General News Date: September 03, 2009

Liberia's defense minister says police have arrested six Pakistani men who tried to enter Liberia on fake U.S. passports with possible intent to carry out terrorism. Defense Minister Brownie Samukai says the men were arrested earlier this week at the international airport. In a radio statement late Wednesday he said one of the suspects removed his phone's SIM card and swallowed it as he was being arrested. Samukai did not give further details on what Liberian authorities believe the men were trying to do, where the men are being held or what charges they may face. Officials say they believe the men's U.S. passports were fakes.
International Clips on West Africa
Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, Police Named in Armed Robbery Scandal

http://www.news.sl/drwebsite

The Head of Media and Communications in the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has denied allegations from residents in Freetown that night patrol police personnel were part of the armed robbers who has been terrorizing peaceful residents at night. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ibrahim Samura on Tuesday 1st September 2009 described the allegations as unfortunate, baseless and unfounded. The Sierra Leone Police is a professional force tasked with an obligation to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry and also that of maintaining law and order,” ASP Samura told the Awareness Times newspaper in a telephone interview. He stated that the presence of the police was highly visible at night, which according to him was an effort aimed at maintaining peace and rid the country of armed robbers. “Police personnel have been deployed in all areas across the country that are prone to armed robbery attacks,” he noted, adding that the police were very active in conducting condone and random searches.

Guinea
Guinea bans political debates on radio, TV
CONAKRY (Reuters) - Authorities in Guinea have banned live political chat shows, the latest sign of political unease after violent demonstrations and accusations of phone censorship deepened a row over delayed elections. The military junta that has run the world's top bauxite producer since a December 2008 coup is facing mounting opposition and criticism after it delayed until 2010 elections which the military leader has not ruled out standing in."The National Communications Council (CNC) has decided to ban, until further notice, politics from all types of interactive broadcasts in any language," said a statement read on state television. A senior source in the CNC, which regulates all media in Guinea, told Reuters that the ban was a result of "pressure from the entourage around the head of the junta".

Local Media – Newspaper
Government Gets Six Vehicles for Police Operations
(The Informer, The News)

· The Governments of Ireland, Germany as well as the United Nations Peace Building Fund have donated six vehicles to the Liberia National Police (LNP).
· The donation is to enhance internal security as the country moves toward consolidating peace.
· Handling the keys of the vehicles to LNP authority, the Chief Technical Advisor of the Security Sector Reform at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Napoleon Abdullai said the donation was part of their efforts to build the capacity of the LNP in fighting crimes.
· Deputy Police Inspector General for Administration Samuel Dakana lauded the donors and said that the donation was timely especially at a time when the LNP is gearing up to resume a rigorous exercise.

Criminals Leaving From Guinea To Liberia…As UNMIL, LNP Hold Security Meeting (The Inquirer)

· Lofa County Superintendent Galakpai Kortimai says he has observed the influx of criminals coming into the country from neighboring Guinea.
· In an interview, Mr. Kortimai said the influx of criminals has led to the increase of armed robbery, burglary and other crimes in the county.
· The Lofa Superintendent said he had begun holding series of meetings with the people of the county to discuss the influx of these alleged criminals and the increasing wave of crimes in the county.
· Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the Liberia National Police Detachment in the county over the weekend convened a special security meeting with the people aimed at addressing the security needs of the county.
· During the meeting, it was agreed that a watch team consisting of 15 persons from each quarter be forwarded to the security forces to help monitor the security situation.

Police Patrol Chief Indicted for Theft
(Daily Observer, New Democrat)

· The Chief of Patrol of the Liberia National Police (LNP) along with several other police officers to be identified has been reportedly indicted for theft.
· Inspector Darlington Williams and other LNP officers had been indicted by the grand Jurors of Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice for their alleged involvement in the theft of more than US$9,000.00 and other properties.
· Hearing in the case is ongoing.

Court Seeks Substitution for Taylor’s Lawyer
(New Vision, Heritage, The News, The Monitor, National Chronicle)

· Reports from The Hague say the Special Court for Sierra Leone has taken a decision which could change the course of Mr. Charles Taylor’s direct examination.
· The court ruled on Wednesday that the Defence Team finds a substitute for its ailing Lead Lawyer, Courtenay Griffiths if he’s not available in court by next week.
· The trial has been postponed for another two days. But Defence Lawyer, Morris Anyah said that Mr. Griffiths has the personal responsibility to lead Mr. Taylor’s testimonies.
· This is the third time Mr. Taylor’s trial has been postponed because of the illness of Mr. Griffiths.

Foreign Ministry Comptroller Dismissed
(The Informer, Daily Observer, New Democrat, Heritage, National Chronicle, New Vision)
· The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed, with immediate effect, Mr. Osman Kamara, Comptroller of the Division of Finance for Administrative reason.
· The Ministry says Mr. Kamara failed to perform his duties in keeping with the standard of a Comptroller of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
· But the wife of Mr. Kamara has since dismissed the allegations arguing that her husband was competent.

GEMAP Ends This Month in Liberia

(Heritage, New Vision)
· The Governance and Economic Management Assistance Programme (GEMAP), is to formally end its operation in Liberia on 30 September 2009.
· The co-signature arrangements for the USAID-funded advisers at the Roberts International Airport (RIA), the national Port Authority (NPA), the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Corporation (LPRC) and the Ministry of Finance Department of the Budget will cease.
· However, the IMF and the World Bank will fund the retention of advisers with co-signature authority at the Ministry of Finance and the central Bank of Liberia.

Senate Breaks Silence on PUL Bills
(Daily Observer, the Inquirer)

· Despite persistent pressure from the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) for the passage of three media bills before the National legislature, the Liberian Senate says it received only one bill, an Act to Establish an Independent Broadcasting Regulator for Liberia.
· The Senate however said the bill contained lots of flaws that needed to be dealt with before its passage.
· The lawmakers said considering this, the Senate cannot pass the bill until certain amendments are made in the Acts that established the Ministry of Information, Liberia Telecommunication Authority and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication.
· The three bills before the Legislature for passage include the Freedom of Information and an Act to establish an Independent Broadcasting Regulator.

Local Media – Star Radio (culled from website today at 09:00 am)
Star Radio (News monitored today at 09:00 am)
Defense Warns Against Releasing Six Pakistanis from Jail
· The Ministry of National Defence says any attempt to release six Pakistanis arrested recently at the Robert International Airport (RIA) would pose security threat to the country.
· In an interview, Defense Minister Brownie Samukai said the manner in which the Pakistanis entered the country has created serious security concerns.
· Minister Samukai disclosed that during the security screening at the RIA one of the Pakistanis took a sim card from his mobile phone and chewed it.
· The Defence Ministry reaction comes in the wake of reports that various law firms in Monrovia have filed habeas corpus petitions for the Pakistanis and several Liberians.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

US Naval Ship In the Country
· A United States Naval vessel, HSV Swift is in the Country as part of the Africa Partnership Station (APS) with several on board to conduct training and assistance programs.
· While in the country, the APS will conduct variety of health care delivery services including health education.
· The mission will also conduct advanced lab education at several medical facilities including the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and Redemption Hospital.
· During the deployment, the APS will construct two medical wards at the Redemption Hospital and begin work on the Liberian Coast Guard Pier.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Hearings on Investment Act Start at Legislature
· A team of government representatives has described the draft Investment Act of 2009 as a major instrument to improving the Liberian economy.
· The government team said the Investment Act would support the development of a vibrant private and public sector by attracting foreign direct investment.
· The team said the Act would also improve the accountability, efficiency and transparency of how government deals with investors.
· The government representatives made the comments before the joint Legislative Committee, conducting public hearings on the draft Investment Act of 2009.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Court Seeks Substitution for Taylor’s Lawyer
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

WAEC Cites Reasons for Mass Failure of Students in 2009 exams
· The Monrovia office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has identified several factors responsible for the massive failure of students in its exams this year.
· The head of WAEC, Professor Thomas Gaie cited the lack of qualified teachers, and sub-standard schools operating in the country as some of the contributing factors.
· Professor Gaie also identified the lack of conducive learning environment and poor disciplinary measures as factors that contributed to the mass failures.
· Professor Gaie said Liberia might not participate in the West African senior schools examinations scheduled for 2011 if the factors are not carefully reviewed.
(Also reported on Radio Veritas, Sky F.M., Truth F.M. and ELBC)

Truth F.M. (News monitored today at 10:00 am)
Foreign Ministry Comptroller Dismissed

The Sime Darby $800 million contract, “another form of extortion”

By: Tolo Bonah Corfah and Sam K. Zinnah

The recently signed $800 million “United States dollars” Concession contract between the government of Liberia and the multinational conglomerate Sime Darby is raising questions in counties to be affected. Recently, the question of whether Sime Darby’s contract is development oriented or just another white wash development was raised by Son/daughters of Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties. One angry looking gentleman from Gbarpolu asked “what does this contract means to poor rice and other agric-farmers in the affected counties”?
In the early 1920s Harvey Firestone, “with help from the US government” signed a dubious leased agreement with the Liberian government to cultivate one million acres of land into natural Rubber. The agreement was signed between the government of Liberia and Firestone without any import or knowledge of the local inhabitants whose land was taken. Overnight the government of Liberia and Firestone had forcibly turned Rice and Cassava farmers into Rubber planters and tappers. At the time the local inhabitants whose land had been given to Firestone for Rubber cultivation were forced to become Rubber planters for Firestone at minimum wage pay of 2 cents per day. Today, after more than 80 years in operation, the Firestone rubber tapper makes less than $6.00 a day while Firestone makes millions of dollars profit at the expense of poor or voiceless Liberians. Beside the starvation wages paid to Firestone rubber tapers, working conditions at the plantation is like what the non-profit group in Liberia, “Save my future Foundation” called “The Mark of Modern Slavery”.

Last week, the chairman of the National Investment Commission, Mr. Richard Tolbert was up on Capital Hill trying to persuade the law makers in ratifying the just signed $800 million concession contract between the government of Liberia and the multinational conglomerate Sime Darby of Malaysia to cultivate rubber and Oil Palm on 220,000 hectors of land in Bomi, Grand cape Mount and Gbarpolu counties. This land is in addition to the concession rights to the renegotiated concession rights to the B.F. Goodrich rubber farm in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties; which was awarded to the Kumpulun Guthrie Sendirian Berhad or KGB, a subsidiary of Sime Darby (www.anilnetto.com).
Are these investment beneficiaries to the inhabitants of these counties or just another political white wash to present fake improvement to the international community? Where is the good political governance that was promised during the 2005 elections?, the main objective for political governance in post-war Liberia should be to secure democracy by instilling checks and balances, which have been absent throughout Liberia's long history. Such political system “in a way” would limit or reduce the president or group of people’s power to no longer usurp so much power and wield such extraordinary influence over the fate of the majority and by so doing provide the conditions for sustained growth and development - not white washing old buildings, putting black water on roads and referring to them as development. The first task of political democracy in Liberia should be aimed at ensuring equal and unhindered access for all to state power, which “as history has shown” had been the most contentious issue in Liberian political life that to a large extend fueled the violence that we witnessed in Liberia for 14 years. Liberian leaders have either lacked a vision or the political will to enforce whatsoever vision they had for the development of Liberia. The Constitution, which should provide the framework for governance was disregarded and treated with discontent by the very people who should have upheld it. Liberian politicians are more talkative than doers. They bark more than they bite. Most Liberians grew under the perception, which of course is now becoming unacceptable, that only "doctors/well learned people" could govern Liberia. This explains why all of Liberia's past and present leaders had spent their energies seeking out doctorate titles, even if honorary, in order to bolster their position and create the erroneous impression that they were the custodian of knowledge.

During the 2005 general elections, Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf professed to be the best candidate for the job that was chased by more than 20 candidates. Today, the promises zero tolerance on corruption, good governance, accountability and many more are flying through the political windows as kids stand-bye and watch the reality.

While vigorously fighting to defend his job last week, the NIC chairman told law makers that Sime Darby would provide amongst other things “resettlement benefits to the locals in the concession areas and that farmers wanting to farm would seek permission from the company to operate in their area”.
The need to attract companies to Liberia that will provide jobs to the working masses of
Our people can not be overemphasized, but what Liberians need to know is; what are
the socio-economic benefits to the locals? Are the local inhabitants involved in the
Negotiations to rehabilitate them from their farm lands? What are the so-called resettlement benefits?
Are the locals going to be evacuated from their villages and resettled somewhere else?
We need to know what the environmental impact will be on the land; will it be
like Firestone rubber company that is not only exploiting the workers, but has
ignored every environmental law on the books.
It was the believed of many Liberians that this government would not take the road other Liberian governments have taken in the past, which is getting into contractual agreements that did not benefit the country or the working masses but few elite.

The need for decentralization in Liberia

In the wake of continuous extortion of county resources, decentralization of state management is high recommended. Giving more power to the regions to determine local policies and development priorities, including such areas as education, social infrastructure and human development, as well as the power to implement these policies such as forming their own budgets, financing developmental policies, collecting certain types of taxes etc.. Likewise local authorities should be held accountable for what happen in their regions and they should be made less reliant on central authorities. Local authorities should have a share in managing state assets on their territories and gaining incomes from it as well for financing projects. To avoid outright manipulation of local authorities, particularly Paramount, Clan and Town Chiefs, article 56, clause B of the 1986 Constitution be revisited and the power of the President to remove these local officials be transferred to a credible and well scrutinized National Legislature acting upon
a specific number of signatures of the local population in the respective localities of these officials, certified by the national election commission as valid. In this way, we might not have town chiefs coming to bring resolutions of support to the president out of fear of losing their jobs. Given that Liberia is a small country of less than five million and that the level of illiteracy is high, and in view of the fact that power had been the root of all evils in Liberia in as much as incumbents had feared parting with power because it will not be gotten back again, a revisit of article 50 of chapter VI of the 1986 Constitution which states that "....no person shall serve as President for more than two terms is highly recommended. It should “however”, be re-emphasized, nationally accepted (under international monitored) that no person who have held office for more than 2 separate consecutive terms should be allowed to contest further. Efforts should be made to exploit the opportunity for amendment that is provided for in article 93 of chapter XII of the 1986 Constitution.

The danger of corruption in post-war Liberia

Corruption increases the marginalization of minority groups including women. It leads to contestation of the state’s monopoly of force or radicalizes opposition to the State and most times contributing to conflict, destabilization and failed State. Most recovery programs aim at restoration of peace and stabilizing the economy through sustainable economic programs.
Corruption posts a threat to these efforts hence the need to deal with corruption from the onset of recovery. In recent years, there has been increasing attention to the effects of corruption in post conflict and recovery environments. Various studious (by; UNDP, World Bank & Transparency international) confirm that about half of the post war countries revert to war within one decade and corruption can be considered as one of the major factors that contribute to fuelling a conflict and the return to violent. Therefore, overcoming corruption in post-war Liberia is essential to restoring the confident of Liberians at home and abroad.
Post conflict reconstruction is normally characterized by large scale injection of resources in an environment where the legal and institutional frameworks are weak, fragile or inexistent and the expertise scarce. Detection of crime is very low and enforcement difficult or ignored. The surviving governing structures are weak with financial, fiscal, administrative and regulatory capacities and limited oversight is informal and sometimes criminalized sectors. These institutions are often transitional in nature, carrying very little or no legitimacy, and therefore prone to capture by the privilege elite with access to power and resources. This lack of popular participation in reconstruction is vulnerable to hijacking by local elites, which leads to corruption, waste of available and scarce resources, lack of maintenance and monitoring by beneficiaries and eventual rejection in the long run.
The main purpose of zero tolerance on corruption in Liberia should be to assist post conflict Liberia in developing anti-corruption strategies. These strategies will be used to develop programs on anti-corruption in post-war Liberia and recovery process which will be a tool that will assist affected areas.
Development will never come to Liberia if Liberians continue to rely on foreign companies to do everything. History attests to this. The Indian, Ghanaian, Nigerian and Lebanese business communities in Liberia have never productively participated in Liberia's development. In fact, they have always tended to set themselves apart from Liberia. It is now up to the government and people of Liberia to build-up the credibility to attract investors to boost the Liberia’s economy.

About the Authors:
Tolo Bonah Corfah and Sam K. Zinnah are sons of Gbarpolu County. They currently reside in the United States. Tolo B. Corfah is reading Multicultural Urban Education at the Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN. Sam K. Zinnah holds Bachelors degree in Human Services from Springfield college of human services in Wilmington, Delaware.
Tolo Corfah can be reached at corfto@go.metrostate.edu or 651-214-6204. Sam Zinnah can be reached at szinnah@yahoo.com or www.szinnah.blogspot.com.