President Sirleaf's Visit to Maryland County (Liberia) What I Think

I think President Sirleaf’s visit to Maryland could have been better. Give-and-take, some significant strides were made. At least, she was able to meet with the chiefs, elders and youths of Harper District. This district, one must be reminded, is where the seat of power rests. What that means is, if this area is not stable, the County runs the risk of peace tilting on the wrong side. And when that happens,the entire county will wobble in problems. If there is stability in the Harper District, there surely will be stability across the county. This is for sure1


Take this example:

In May 2008, armed hostilities erupted between Rocktown and Wetchukeh. Several individual citizens lost their lives. More than twenty youths and elderly men and women were arrested and detained by the Government of Liberia.


Rocktown made its claim: the right to self-defense. But the Government…well, let’s say, Sen. Gloria Scott, John Akel Ballout, James Biney and Superintendent Brown paid no heed. So they mobilized the local government and the state apparatus to drag the Rocktown youths to jail. Strangely enough, in the hostility between the ethnic groups, they left the Wetchukeh people outside of the prison and sent the Rocktown youths in prison.


Mind you, both peoples were caught into a web of armed hostility. But only one side was declared “guilty” for whatever “crime” prior to going to a court of competent jurisdiction.

After series of shake-ups in the situation (I mean protests rallies and attempts to launch civil disobedience by social justice and human rights advocates) several of the Rocktown Youths were released unconditionally.

Today, seven Rocktown youths, as a result of the armed hostilities between Rocktown & Wetchukeh are now languishing in prison. First they were in Harper Maximum Prison, then they were sent to Grand Gedeh Maximum Prison. Today, they have been transferred to Nimba Maximum Prison.

Is it me or Sens. Ballout, Scott, Rep. Biney, Supt. Brown just don't get it? Whe two persons fight, don't you have to get both of them and investigate before sending either of them to jail? Or these people have just discovered the true "killers" of Christ and sent to Nimba Prison for correction?! Whatever the answer is, determines the level of things in Maryland.

When President Sirleaf came to Maryland, I was expecting her to highlight the issue of arbitrary arrest, arbitrary detention, force disappearance and extra judicial punishment more than anything else. But no! she didn’t!

Maryland County is the only county I know currently, that has most of its citizens in prison under arbitrary arrest, arbitrary detention, force disappearance and extrajudicial punishment. The last time I checked, more than 20 Maryland citizens (youths, elderly, men, women & top government officials) are now languishing in prison. To add insult to the injury, three more has been added immediately after the March 17, 2011 Peaceful Protest Demonstration.

President Sirleaf came finally to Maryland after series of postponement and rescheduling of her visit. But the real issues have been left untouched.

Why?

You tell me!

I am Thomas G. Bedell working and speaking on the ground in Liberia.