ebola: Story of a Lady suspected of the virus heading to Maryland: Local Gov’t’s Action

Liberia got hit by the ebola virus on a higher scale reaching crisis proportion in early July this year.

Prior to that, the virus began killing people by the tens in early February. Sooner not later, it threatened National Security. And the Liberian government was forced to act.

If the current measures that are being undertaken by the Liberia government were introduced early as soon as the virus hit and those measures were implemented in early February, the deadly virus would never have taken a toll on innocent lives in the country. But they say, “Better late than never!” Even though the measures are late, but the Government is trying to do its best.

According to reports that we received from the dailies in Liberia, of all the 15 counties that make up Liberia, closed to three of them are considered epic centers when the virus is hitting hard. And that includes Montserrado County, especially the city of Monrovia, which is the capital of the country.

Maryland is counted as one of the counties without a case of ebola. That means Maryland, like the rest of the no-hit other counties, is considered ebola-free. But something happened quite recently that almost thwarted such status.

Here is what happened and how it happened:

Rumor said a young lady, around age 30/40, with her two kids, was traveling to Grand Kru, which is her hometown. According to the rumor, she was travelling by way of motor car. And interestingly, the road to Grand Kru runs through Pleebo, the commercial capital of Maryland. So whatever the case may have been, she was bound to go through Pleebo in Maryland.

 For those who do not know, Pleebo sits at a strategic crossroad in the Southeast of the country. Pleebo conjoins Maryland to Grand Kru; Maryland to Monrovia and then Liberia to the Ivory Coast. Everyone who travels to any of these mentioned areas must go through Pleebo to get to their destination.

Indications were, during the early day of the rumor, that this particular lady that is suspected of the ebola virus and heard to be traveling to Grand Kru was going through Maryland. And that she would spend a night in Pleebo City before leaving for Grand Kru.

Actually, such a rumor, considering how much damage ebola is doing to human life in Liberia, captured the attention of Marylanders and their Local leaders.

From what was being fed to people in Maryland, the lady had already departed Monrovia on board a commercial vehicle heading to Maryland.

Suddenly, the rumor twisted. It said that the lady who was suspected of the virus had already arrived in Pleebo and slept there already. And so, why the Local government was looking for the lady on the road, the rumor said she was already in Pleebo.

It was this part of the rumor that moved and touched every Marylander and the Local authority. Thus, they were forced into serious action.

Here is the confounding and troubling theory:

If truly the lady’s husband died of the ebola virus; and that she was with him up to burial time, including her two little kids that are travelling with her; that she is truly suspected of carrying the virus; and that she really slept in Pleebo with a friend or relative, then chances are wide that she may have passed on the virus to some innocent people or persons living in the home in which she slept in Pleebo.

If all of the above is true, then indeed, Maryland was in serious trouble!

Local authorities and Marylander got nervous. Everyone began to take cover. They launched an in-depth search for the mysterious lady.

Quickly, the local authorities took charge of the search. Everyone wanted to know if this lady spent the night in Pleebo and where did she possibly spent the night. Local authorities wanted to nip this situation in the bud. The search continued unabated. But all the same, the effort was up to no avail.  

Why?

Because, the lady had not yet reached Maryland. Soon, the Authorities found that out. The next news was, the lady was still en route to Maryland.

The rumor mill carried that the unnamed lady with this suspected virus was living with her husband in Monrovia. The rumor said the husband of the lady died of ebola virus. And that the lady was deeply involved in the burial of her husband. Immediately after the burial, the rumor concludes, the lady took off from Monrovia with her two kids heading for Grand Kru County by way of Maryland.

Maryland local authorities got the news or rumor, so to say, from an anonymous caller in Monrovia. The troubling thing about the call is, it came early last week. And when the news came, the Authorities began searching..

Then suddenly it all happened - the County local authorities got the matter straight and released the facts and details on Monday, August 18, 2014.

The acting superintendent of Maryland County is Hon. Nathaniel Toe. Hon. Toe is also assistant superintendent for Development. He is he who released this current and correct information.

I spoke with Hon. Toe via cell phone Monday morning, August 18, 2014. And this is what he told me.

He said the previous rumor about the suspected virus infected lady’s pending travel to Maryland and everything centered on the travel were indeed partially true. But not in its entirety.

Hon. Toe said it has been established that a lady suspected of having the ebola virus was truly on her way to Grand Kru. And that she was passing through Maryland in a commercial vehicle. But the good thing is, she had not yet arrived in Maryland as previously stated in the initial rumor. Security information provided him, established at the lady was expected in Maryland on Sunday, August 17, 2014.

True in deed, the lady got to Maryland on Sunday, August 17.

The Acting Superintendent and his team of local authorities took position in Karlokeh, Karluway District – one hour drive from Downtown Harper – awaiting the arrival of the vehicle.

Via cell phone, Hon. Toe informed me that he and his team were in Karlokeh when the vehicle with the woman finally arrived. Immediately, they stopped the vehicle. They then demanded the vehicle with the lady turn around and head back to its previous origin. The operator argue but up to avail. Hon. Toe and his staff were serious. They told the vehicle would not enter Maryland from that point where they stood.  

Hon. Toe said, there were pleas from Grand Kru authorities to let the lady through. But Maryland local authorities stood their ground. They refused to let her through.

From all indications, someone called the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Morris Dukuly on the matter while things were in motion. When the Minister heard the case and delve into it while in Monrovia, he expressed his unconditional support for the Maryland County authorities’ stance. Thus, he ordered the vehicle to return back to Monrovia.

Without further delay, the vehicle with the lady and other passengers turned around and left the grounds of Maryland with ease.

From that point, Maryland regained its place as being ebola-free.

Thank God for the early warning. And thanks to the vibrant Local authorities. They did the right thing.

Maryland is safe for now! We can now inhale and exhale. But we need to embark upon stringent preventive measures and a robust awareness campaign to save our people and county from the tentacles of ebola. 

I tip my hat to the Maryland County local authorities for a proactive move to prevent ebola in Maryland.

God bless us all and save us against ebola and all its evils!

I am T. Gbuo-Mle Bedell, social justice advocate, speaking and working on the ground in Liberia and a victim of police brutality.

Letter to Cavalla Rubber Corporation on Behalf of Aggrieve Redundant Workers for amicable Solution

May 1, 2014

Thomas G. Bedell

SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE

Concerned Citizens Action Committee (CCAC)

Reevy Street, Harper City, Maryland County

Email: osygefo@hotmail.com geesayfannokon@yahoo.com

CELL: +231.886.920.151/777.088.427

John Y. Barkemeni

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC)

Pleebo/Sodokeh District, Maryland County

Dear Sir:

Please be informed we’ve been retained by The CRC Aggrieve Redundant Workers of Maryland County to advocate on their behalf in seeking payment of 12.6 million dollars we understand CRC owes them.

Our clients informed us of too many unfulfilled promises made to them over the years by you. Each time these unfulfilled promises were made, protest actions were halted. In fact, according to them, due to these unfulfilled promises, they were forced to launch a nonviolent protest demonstration in Pleebo in which one of their colleagues was shot at point-blank range by The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of The Liberia National Police (LNP). During that period under consideration, we are told by that other members of our clients were wounded through physical attacks as most of them were also psychologically tortured and molested. Our clients maintain that this unjust action by CRC is responsible for the many deaths of their colleagues and years of economic hardship, inhumane treatment, stress and abuse of their families.

As social justice advocates, our job is to seek justice for all.

In the event one causes willful harm to a people, peaceful and nonviolent protest demonstration is the last resort as we did in the case of shipwreck victims in Maryland. This case will not be an exception!

We are in closed contact with human rights and social justice organizations worldwide. And that is because this matter has a human rights abuse implication.

Our hardworking, poor and destitute people of Pleebo/Sodokeh District and Maryland, as a whole, have worked bristle hard to generate huge profits for CRC over long and hard years. So they deserve their respect and human dignity! Currently, they tell us that they are weary and impatient with your Company’s neglect and slow pace in allowing them to have their rightful dues.

Therefore, it is our sole intend to lay this case before H.E. Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia and the global human rights community.  

But prior to doing so, we request a conference with you in few days to find an amicable solution and a way forward before the matter gets to a crisis proportion.

Our next Press Conference follows this letter.

In view of the foregoing, we will remain engaged with your office for the purpose of seeing that appropriate action is taken in this matter in a timely fashion.

We look forward to hearing from you very soon as time is not on our side. Most of our clients, you will agree, are getting much older each day while some have and continue to lose their precious lives under economic hardship imposed on them by you. An amicable resolution is a “win-win” situation. But if needs be, we will pursue this matter to the letter, spirit and content of justice and the laws of the Republic of Liberia alongside The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This will include, but not limited to peaceful & nonviolent protest demonstration throughout the length and breadth of Maryland until the voice of the people which is the voice of God is heard throughout the villages, ghettoes, shanty towns and squalors of the land!

Until then, we respectfully remain. I am,

Very truly yours,

Thomas G. Bedell

Good Bye Comrade Brother James Logan Till we Meet Again

It was on Friday, January 31, 2014 when I walked into the yard of The Stryker Funeral Home located on Tubman Boulevard, Monrovia, Liberia, at exactly 9 O’clock ante meridian.

When I looked on my right hand side of the yard, there stood Hon. Dr. H. Boima Fahnbulleh, Jnr., the firing and agitating speaker emerging in the late 70s and 80s. His sister Hon. Miata Fahnbulleh, the one with the silver voice, was standing on his left hand side. I stopped with them; greeted them. And I expressed my heartfelt condolences for the passing of Comrade Logan.

Then I looked around. Guess what?

I saw Comrades. They were all over the Funeral yard like sea gulfs. I don’t mean this in a negative way. I mean, for the past 30 years, I have never seen that amount of comrades coming together in the same area at the same time. It wasn’t only striking, it was wonderfully wonderful. Hmm! 

I saw comrades Duworko, Alaric – we call him “Che,” Ezekiel Pajibo, Augustine Solomon, Kotie, Peter Karr, Dweh Boley and you name the rest. They occupied the Funeral Home yard as if they were settlers or pioneers in a native land.

Oh! Before I miss this one; on the other side of the yard, I saw Hon. Kofi Woods; I saw Hon. James Fromoyan, Hon. Steward, Justice Jamesetta Wolokollie, Hon. Weade Kobah and the line went-on-and-on. This scene could not be ignored by any normal person. No way! I’m sure, had Presidents Tolbert, Doe and Taylor arrived there, something would have vibrated in their very souls. But hey, they are gone and gone forever!

Such a gathering in a funeral home yard gave me reminiscence.

I was reminded of the day of “old” when we met on Ashmun Street; when I say “we” I mean MOJA – The Movement for Justice in Africa. The Headquarters was at Dr. Tipoteh’s residence in the 80s; at least that’s when I became a part. But mind you, we were all very young and vibrant. That time, one could see the promise of the future glaring in our faces.

But something happened: the faces I saw on that Friday morning were not the same like the ones I saw 30 years previous to this funeral yard gathering. Age has hit the fence. There were lots of graybeards and bald heads in the lot. I noticed this was no fashion. This was real. And it was real in the strict sense.

All I described above will be analyzed in due course at a later date; at a later time to see what happened to the progressives of Liberia - those that the people depended on to deliver them from the “evil” political and economic system and leaders.

Censorship or What The TRC and my Presentation

                                                                       November 17, 2008

When the Liberia Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) began to grill me at its 9th Street office in Sinkor through series of recorded and aggressive weeks of interviews unlike all others who appeared before it, I knew something was amiss. November 4, 2008, Mr. Suah, a member of the Inquiry Department of The Liberia Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) contacted me. He told me the TRC wanted me to appear before it on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 10:00am. I consented.

Because I felt compelled to do so. I happened to be one of the young men who showed up in the middle of the Liberian people “struggle” in the early 80s. So I have information and experiences that would help find a lasting solution to the problems that provoked a 14-year of war and terror that caused the near-destruction of the Liberian nation. November 10 at 9:30am I was at the Pavilion. I took my assigned seat. At 10:30am, Mrs. Bull, an employee of the TRC, approached me (there are two ladies bearing the name “Bull.” I understand both are married to two brothers. One of the ladies is a lawyer and the other a teacher.

The one I refer to in this post as Mrs. Bull is the teacher. The other I refer to as Cllr. Bull is the lawyer who is one of the 9-persons Commission.

Mrs. Bull thanked me for coming. We spoke for few minutes. And she left. One thing she didn’t do is to inform me why the Commissioners were absent. After a handshake, she disappeared in the back. I sat for about half an hour reading a newspaper when Mrs. Bull returned. It was at 11:00am. We were one hour late. She informed me that the Chairman of the Commission was in the back. He wanted to speak with me. When I got in the back, I met Cllr. Jerome Verdier. He was seated near a window facing Broad Street. His leg was crossed. I walked directly towards him. As I approached him, he stood up gracefully. He extended his hands to me for a handshake. I shook his hand. He offered me a seat facing him. Then he started talking. He welcomed me. He apologized for the absence of the Commission. Because he said the Commission was bereaved. A staff member passed on. He described the deceased as a “very dedicated” man. He said he learned all this later on when he arrived at the Pavilion. The rest of the Commissioners were at the Sinkor Headquarters mourning and he was at the Pavilion for the Hearing. He said the reason why he did not know anything about what had happened was that both of his cell phones were turned off the previous night. He turned them back on when he arrived at the Pavilion. And that’s when he got all the news. Considering the sad situation, he was under obligation to cancel the Hearing for the day. He or Mr. Suah would contact me to set up another appointment for my presentation. According to him, I would either appear on Tuesday, November 11 or Wednesday November 12 at 10:00am. This would be confirmed by him or Mr. Suah. I expressed condolences on behalf of my family and me. I told the Chairman I would be looking forward to hearing from him or Mr. Suah as per his advice. We shook hands again and departed.

I went back to my regular work routine. Then my phone began to ring off the hook. Everybody who was awaiting my Presentation on the radio called. Each wanted to know why there was no broadcast on my Presentation. I had to keep explaining what had happened all day long to everybody.

After the calls calmed down, I had to pay attention to my volunteer work with my NGO. During my work day I did not hear from the Chairman or Mr. Suah.

At 6pm I sent a text message to Mr. Suah to confirm the Chairman’s advice. He did not reply. So I called him on his cell phone. When he answered, I asked if he received my text. He said “Yes!” He said he forwarded my text message to Mr. Kwabo, executive secretary to the Commission. He asked me to contact Mr. Kwabo. So he gave me Mr. Kwabo’s cell phone digits. I dialed the digits immediately. It was at 6:30pm by then. There was no answer. I called Mr. Suah back. I told him there was no answer on Mr. Kwabo’s cell phone. Mr. Suah informed me Mr. Kwabo was in a meeting. However, Mr. Suah insisted I call Mr. Kwabo again. And I did. When Mr. Kwabo answered to my call, it was about 8pm. I asked him if at all I would appear on Tuesday as per the Chairman’s advice. Mr. Kwabo said he didn’t know. He asked me to contact Mr. Suah. I told him I’ve been in contact with Mr. Suah. Since nothing was improving, that’s why Mr. Suah asked me to call him. Mr. Kwabo said he didn’t know what was “obtaining” in the TRC in respect to my Presentation.

I called Mr. Suah again to make an observation: things were getting ridiculous. I told Mr. Suah I needed to make plans for my next day’s work. So I needed clear answers. He laughed and shrugged his shoulders. He couldn’t say anything more. So we hung up the phone. Indicatively, there would be no presentation on Tuesday by me.

The next morning was Tuesday. It was November 11. At 9:30am, I was en route to my regular work routine. Mr. Suah called. He asked if I were on my way to the Hearings. How could I?! I asked him. He said the Commission was expecting me at 10am. I told him it was impossible. He called me at 9:30am. How could I be at the Pavilion at 10:30am? THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE! I was on my way to work. I told him the TRC failed to inform me of the Tuesdays Hearing on the previous night. So I wasn’t prepared to appear before the TRC. Mr. Suah began to appeal for me to show up. I told him no. I made all efforts the previous night to prevent what was occurring, but the TRC was of no help. So I asked to be rescheduled for Wednesday, November 12. By then, I would appear. But the young man kept appealing for me to change my mind and appear. He said they would make a vehicle available to pick me up from wherever I was. I still said no. And that was it. We hung up the phone.

Few minutes later, Mr. Suah called back and expressed a much stronger desire for me to appear. By then I had gone far away from home. He kept appealing until he touched a soft spot in my heart. I gave in. I told him I could be at the Pavilion at 11am to make my presentation. And that was because I had to go back home and prepare. He agreed. So I returned home. I did what I had to do. And took off to the Pavilion. I got there at 11am on the dot. The Commissioners were sitting around a table conversing. I passed by Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull and Mrs. Bull. When Mrs. Bull recognized me, she told Cllr. Bull. Cllr. Bull shouted. “Mr. Chairman, Mr. Bedell is here. Can we start now?” Chairman Verdier said something and Cllr. Bull loudly said, “Yes, we can! Mr. Bedell is here” The Commissioners hung heads and took their seats. I took mine too. I set up my E-machine computer. And I was ready to roll. But little did I know the Commission had decided to have more than one Presenter that day. Had I known this, I would have left and be rescheduled for another date. Anyways, I took the Oath and began speaking. In about an hour, Chairman Verdier informed me to be prepared for Questions & Answers period. This was unusual. All presenters exhausted their presentations before the Commission posed questions. I needed to exhaust mine. The Chairman complained that time was against them. They were supposed to get back at the Headquarters for the same death news. But he didn’t pre-warn me. When I questioned him, he said there was plan for me to reappear on another date. I disagreed. We had few heated exchanges. Not to make it a debating contest, I agreed to reappear. So the Commissioners asked their questions. And I answered them. When they ran out, I stepped down and left the Hall.

The Media was awaiting me outside. I did an interview and took off from the premises. At the end of the day I expected the Commission to contact me for a reschedule. But it never did. I called Mr. Suah. I informed him of the disaster the Commission created. He asked me to contact Mr. Kwabo. From one thing to another, he asked me to forget and downplay the Commission. I couldn’t understand what Mr. Suah meant by that statement. So I asked him to clarify it. He said he didn’t know what was unfolding. The Commission was in total disarray. I told him the Chairman informed me that he would be contacting me.

He was shocked. It appeared the Chairman did not say anything to him on the matter. By now things were very confusing. I couldn’t figure out who was responsible for what in the TRC. I asked Mr. Suah whether or not the Commission was trying to censor me. He asked me why. I told him, my Presentation was the only one I know of that wasn’t broadcast via TV and radio.

I told him I believe the TRC was suppressing my Presentation. Mr. Suah seemed surprised my Presentation was not aired. He giggled again and said I don’t know what to tell you.” So I said could it be that the Commission cannot stomach the truth I spoke. I then asked him, is the Commission’s Mandate not based on finding the truth? And if it finds the truth, is it not its Mandate to use the truth to heal the Liberian people? Why then was it running from the truth I spoke?

Mr. Suah was speechless. In the end I informed Mr. Suah, if the Commission did not contact me ASAP and answer to my many questions, I would consider its actions against me well-calculated. I would have no choice but to call a press conference to speak to the Liberian people on the issues I raised centered on the Liberian situation of war and terror. Mr. Suah said, asked me not to. He promised to get back with me soon. We hung up the phone and went our separate ways. Today is November 17, 2008. More than three days after our discussion and no one has reached me yet. So I have decided to go public and tell my story. The Liberian people need to know that I submitted my Presentation. And they have the right to know what I said.

In my next post, the breakdown of my presentation to the Liberia Truth & Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that was not broadcast to the Liberian people and the world will be issued.

How Can Superintendent Brown Ignore The Plight of Shipwreck Victims?

Between 2008 and 2010, four ships wrecked. Most, if not all, of the passengers and victims are Marylanders. And So Maryland’s grief is justified as far as shipwrecks are concerned.

Amongst the four wrecked ships, the first one wrecked in Greenville, Sinoe County (Liberia) in 2008. In that ship, several persons got wounded and one severely. There was no fatality. A young girl’s toe got chopped off. But for unknown reasons, the young lady who toe got chopped off, disappeared in thin air. In other words, she’s nowhere to be found. All efforts to find her so that claims can be included on the Reparation List by the Shipwreck Victims Action Committee proved futile.

The person that was severely wounded on the Sinoe shipwrecked ship is an elderly woman. Her name is Ma Eliza Dennis. Three (3) of her left hand fingers are chopped off. In the days following the accident, the remnants of her fingers were all hanging on her hand for a protracted period time.

Ma Eliza was taken to the hospital in Sinoe. But because she had no funds to pay her medical bills, she was immediately discharged. The shipowners and the Government were nowhere to be found. So Ma Eliza’s children in Monrovia send for her. If they had waited too long, Ma Eliza would have had serious medical problems. Her hand was getting rotten. One of her daughters, who works at the Catholic Hospital in Monrovia, placed her on her Credit at the Hospital for treatment. She was admitted and treated at the Catholic Hospital. The Bill was underwritten by her daughter at the Catholic Hospital. Shipowners and crew disappeared. None came back to see how to help the victims.

Prior to Ma Eliza being taken to Catholic Hospital, her fingers were rotten and smelling badly. Her children told me they could not remain in the house with their mother due to the foul odor of her fingers. They had to take a walk every time to get away from the bad smell. It was difficult for them. Their mother’s trouble had reached an alarming stage. But with God and the help of the Shipwreck Victims Action Committee, the situation became to improve.

 After the treatment, Ma Eliza Dennis returned to Harper City (capital of Maryland) where she resides. Her daughter bankrolled the cost. Shipowners were nowhere to be found. Ma Eliza’s fingers are gone. Now she has only two fingers on the left hand. The physical sores have healed. But the pain in the heart lingers on without reparation.

Ma Eliza got home in Harper. But the unthinkable happened. Her oldest daughter died. Ma Eliza was forced to deal with her pain. There was shipwreck pain. Now pain in the death of her oldest daughter.

Immediately when Ma Eliza buried her oldest daughter, her youngest son suddenly died a mysterious death in Harper.

Pathologist the kid died from “heart failure.” But the youths of Harper disagreed. The youths claimed the kid was murdered by someone through witchcraft. As a result, the youths took on the streets of Harper on a rampage in the name of their buddy. Violence caused several buildings to be torn apart including the Police Station (newly renovated by an international NGO) and the Harper Maximum Prison Compound.

When the youths were contacted, they claimed the Authorities did not pay attention to their case of witchcraft. So they had to do what they did. Whatever they did did not make Ma Eliza’s case easy to handle; it made it more difficult. The Government imposed Dust to Dawn curfew. It kept Ma Eliza at home grieving. She says her sons’ sudden death hurt her. Worse of all, Government’s investigation was not satisfactory. But she had no other choice but to accept all the misfortunes stemming from the Sinoe shipwreck that severed her fingers making her disabled, the death of her oldest daughter and then the sudden and mysterious death of her youngest son.

All members of the Local authority, including Hon. J. GbleBo Brown knew all about Ma Eliza’s sad story. And he helped to work along with her in his capacity as superintendent.

Ma Eliza met with Hon. Brown.

Elizabeth (the young girl whose 11-year old was crushed under the weight of a sugar mill machine) and legs slammed by a huge container met with Hon. Brown.

Betsy Seebo (her twin baby died in her and her feet were smashed by containers. She also was forced to swallow petrol gas when it poured over her through another container sitting on her chest. Many more of the victims met with Hon. Brown.

Today, Hon. Brown claims he has no record of the victims, after several victims and I hand delivered documentations to his office which receipt he confirmed many times.

In fact, Hon. Brown’s Administrative Assistant, Hon. Daniel Williams and I made series of attempts to complete the documentation. Hon. Williams told me the superintendent’s office had received other documents from other victims. But because of his “busy” schedule, he and I never met to complete the work.

Essentially, Hon. Brown’s office is in possession of the documents.

On March 15, 2011, in a Line Ministries’ meeting, Hon. Brown was asked by the Internal Affairs minister, Hon. Harrison Karnwea if at all there is any information on the three other ships that wrecked before his (Karnwea’s ship – Havea). Surprisingly, Hon. Brown says he has no knowledge about the three shipwrecks, except the one of May 30, 2010.

It is rather a shame that both men (Karnwea & Brown) pretend as if they know nothing about the plight of the victims of the three ships.

I bear solemn witness they are aware! The evidence is well and alive!

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