Senator John Akel Ballout Is Banned for insulting Dr. Russell?

On April 23 & 24, 2012, The William V. S. Tubman University in Maryland (Liberia) facilitated a “Maryland Development Conference.” 

By hearing and listening to the title of the conference one can agree it is or was in the sole interest of Maryland County. But if one delves into the implementation strategy, there’s so much blame to shift around. Even though shifting blame is not the best thing to do, understanding that every process has a problem to begin with from the onset, is one thing we need to concentrate on. That was the case with the conference. 

Put all of these together and one can conclude what happened prior to and during the Conference. All that took place prior to and during the Conference are nothing new to social scientists and the rest of us. People will disagree on issues, especially on strategy to resolving the issues. But they must have the capacity to disagree in order to agree.  

That’s the crux of this post - disagreeing to agree.

Before I got an invitation to attend the conference, I heard of the conference from individuals in the US. STRANGE!

I got my invitation one day prior to the conference. Whatever that means, is left with time and conditions to explain. 

The fact of the matter is I am the author of peace in the Glebo Peninsula between the two most troubled groups in the County: Numnoweh & Kudemoweh. 

Both Chiefdoms have been at logger head for over fifty years. Most recently, the conflict took the trend of armed hostilities when several citizens lost their precious lives. Land and boundary issues have been eating up their possibilities. And this sort of tendency spilled over in the county. As a result, the conflict had the entire County held hostage for a protracted period time.


The Carter Center and Charity Sisters of the Catholic Diocese of Cape Palmas tried to usher in peace between the two peoples. But to no avail.


We got involved; When I say "We" I mean The KudeNumo Peace Initiative Foundation, Inc. commonly referred to as "KNPIF." 


We began building on what Carter Center and The Charity Sisters left behind. We came in and applied the ASAP Concept; Meaning African Solutions to African Problems. Suddenly, all the bits and pieces began to fall in place. And therefore ushered in peace and reduced tension in the County.

By reducing tension and bringing both groups together in the County, it becomes common sense that anytime a process pertaining to peace is pursued in the county, we, (author of peace in the most troubled areas - KNPIF), need to be contacted. But in this case of the “Maryland Development Conference” we were left out until pressure mounted on the organizers from the outside.

But this is not the issue under consideration. So let's move on to what is the crux of the matter here.

The issue under consideration is about Sen. Ballout. Did he really insult Dr. Russell, President of The William V. S. Tubman University for which he’s been banned?

At the Conference it was announced that Sen. Ballout insulted Dr. Russell. I wasn’t there when this announcement was made. But in the last day and last minute of the Conference, Richelieu Archie Williams realized that the fact that we (KNPIF, author of peace in the Glebo Peninsula) were left out of the Conference’s main focus and giving the fact that he worked with us to achieve considerable peace between the Numoweh and Kudemoweh people, he felt compelled to draw us in. And so he delivered a powerful speech at the Conference calling for our participation. The Conference was compelled to cell phone me asking for us to attend final part of the Conference. As peacemakers, we did not hesitate. And so I showed up at the Harper City Hall where it was full to overflow. But I showed up as an individual not an organization. I wanted to know exactly what is it they wanted from me. And I found out.

At the Conference the Ballout issue came up. 

A question was posed if what Ballout did (insulting Dr. Russell) was right or wrong. The Conference attendees said it was "wrong." 

Whether or not it is true Ballout insulted the Professor, no one from Ballout’s office was there to defend him. Consequently, a declaration was made to ban Sen. Ballout from all Special Maryland County meetings until he apologizes to the Professor. Those in favor stood up and raised their hands. That was the "Majority." And the rest was history.

Now, Ballout seems to be fighting back. But I’m thinking that it's too late.

Those who attended the conference and made that decision to ban him had all left the Hall and the City. They all have returned to their various locales throughout the County.  

How Ballout makes his case will depend on how he wields power as a senator. Otherwise, the damage is done! This will be the first in my lifetime and in history of Maryland County that a Maryland Senator has been banned by his people from attending very important meetings.

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