PRESIDENT-USA and a caveat to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Dear President Obama,
I bring you a hearty and zealous salutation from the ambiance of the Youth and Children of Liberia. On behalf of the young people, I want to thank you for steering the affairs of the world?s most democratic, and respect-for-human rights nation that has longed and ever-existed on the surface of the earth ? United States of America. We thank you, your government and people for the relenting, unwavering and adequate assistances toward the government and humble people of Liberia especially during the period of intensification of the Ebola outbreak in our country. We are indebted to the American people for empathizing with us evidenced by the presence of the US military and the construction of Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) in Liberia.
President Obama, since the establishment of Liberia in 1822 and the subsequent Declaration of our Independence on July 26 1847, America has been playing a motherly role to us while we exercise the infantry role. ?We always seek shelter and clothing from you when the rain is falling?.
This mammoth relationship between the United States of America and the Republic of Liberia dates back to the formation of the American Colonization Society (ACS) in 1816, for the purpose of colonizing colored people and to repatriate freed-slaves to their original homeland (Africa). This long relationship started in 1818, when Samuel J. Mills and Ebenezer Burgess were sent by the ACS to explore the establishment of a ?black colony? – a colony for freed African-American slaves. For over 175 years now, this relationship has remained unbending. In fact, Liberia is seen as the United States of America in Africa.
Mr. President, the Ebola epidemic scourged our economy, killed thousands of Liberians, we were stigmatized and denied travelling opportunities by few countries. Liberians anguished in the streets. We did not have access to medical services, and as a result, our mothers were delivery in the streets and many died from other curable diseases because our hospitals and clinics were shutdown. Over 1 million students were made to not attend school because the schools were also brought to halt for over 5 months. A Liberian (Thomas Eric Duncan) got infected with Ebola and unknowingly took it to your country; died there also. ?We deeply apologized?. Despite all of these things, you stood by us. The government and people of America rendered financial and materials support to our country.
President Obama, during the escalation of the Ebola virus in Liberia, when families could not afford to buy food and the economy had died many times before its actual death at the hands of this epidemic, one of the worst human rights atrocities occurred in Liberia. This inhumane episode took place on Wednesday, August 20, 2014. On that unforgettable day, while Liberia?s largest slum community-West Point (home to over 40,000 marginalized people) was placed under quarantine because reports had reached the government that there were Ebola-affected people in that community, the military and police were ordered to barricade all the roads leading in and out of West Point. Residents there woke-up on that early historical Wednesday morning and found themselves in what I called ?an unexpected prison? without prior notice to them. Their rights to food and movement were forcefully taken from them. Had it been that the residents were informed of their quarantine, I believe many of them would have bought food and other assorted materials for their well-being. In adherence to the Government?s mandate, the Military and Police went to West Point by 2:00am on Wednesday. Many thought the residents would have mutinously sparked violence because they were inadvertently quarantine ? the perception is that the residents are menacing people. But this was not the case until the local government appointee (the Commissioner ? Mrs. Haja M. Flowers), who is the eye of President Sirleaf in West Point, decided to evacuate her family members from the community. Some angry residents then decided to take an uncompromising stand by not allowing the Commissioner to do so. President Obama, a good leader lives and dies with his/her people. As for the Commissioner, she did not care.
(Photo by FrontPage Africa-Liberia) (Shakie being buried at the cemetery)
While she was being stopped by the angry residents, immediately, some uniformed police and military officers came into the fray by forcefully taking the commissioner out of West Point. From the onset, the Police used batons to disperse the angry protesters. The protesters decided to retaliate by throwing stones back at the Police.
Sadly and unprofessionally, the Joint-Security Forces especially the Military (USA-trained army) began to use fire arms by disgorging bullets toward unarmed citizens. If the angry residents in West Point had guns or other weaponries, by now, our existence would have been threatened and left in utopia. During this intentional and devastating shooting, four persons (males) got severely wounded and one of them died the next day at the Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town on the Bushrod Island. A boy, 16 yr old Shakie Kamara met his unexpected demise. The death of little Shakie was a violation of Article 6 of the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Article 5.1 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions. The death of this poor and hopeless boy proved the immaturity of our Military and Police. Not only that, it caused panic and till now, Liberians can?t move freely because the August 20 shooting saga got us reflecting on the dark era of 14 yr of upheaval, butchery, vindictiveness and the repressive execution of innocent lives.
Immediately, few days after, the President of Liberia – H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered an investigation into the shooting and promised that the perpetrators will face justice. The first investigation was spear-headed by the Ministry of National Defense (Defense Minister-Brownie Samuka) and should have lasted for a period of two weeks. But, at that time, I was the official Spokesperson for the Liberian Children in the Shakie Kamara?s case, so I vigorously questioned the President on grounds that there will be some level of bias because the defense Minister had previously stated on international medias that little Shakie died from barbed wire. And so, I organized a peaceful march on Wednesday, October 1, 2014to go to the US? Embassy in Liberia where we were going to ask for the Ambassador?s involvement and for the US Government to be part of the investigation process. While en route to the Embassy, we were stopped by a truck loaded with Police officers (PSU) and their commander came and said these words, ?we will not allow you guys to leave from here, because if you go to the US? Embassy, you will be tarnishing the government?s annals?. Then, I asked myself, what human rights record can President Sirleaf?s administration boost of? We went and re-strategized for another march for Thursday, October 23, 2014. This time, we went to the National Legislature and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Office of the President) to demand that President Sirleaf should turn over the investigation under the canopy of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR).
(I was speaking to the media) (Children protesting for Shakie Kamara)
This was given timely consideration. After about a month, the Commission came out with its findings and recommendations. Some of the germane recommendations include:
1. That the family of the late Shakie Kamara be compensated for damage.
2. That the President of Liberia, on behalf of the Military and Police, should make a public apology to the people of West Point and Liberia as a whole for threatening our existence.
3. That one of the victims, name Tutus Noah ? who got shot in his stomach, be taken to Accra, Ghana for proper medical evaluation
4. That the perpetrators face justice in consideration with international best practices ? (Ministry of Defense and other civil society recommended.
The Joint Task Force Board of Inquiry set up by the Ministry of National Defense also recommended the following recommendations, but they are yet to be proven that they were implemented:
The findings from the Disciplinary Board of the AFL concluded that a Platoon Commander and four enlisted men were guilty of indiscretion and exhibited indiscipline on August 20, 2014 in the Township of West Point. Accordingly, the following sanctions were imposed on these men:
1. Lieutenant Aloysius Quaye?Platoon Commander: He was held responsible for poorly assessing the situation and acting contrary to the behavior expected of a military leader in the reformed AFL. As a leader in a situation of crisis, he was ?expected to show efficient command after serving in the AFL for over five years? with training locally and in foreign parts. He should have been able to handle simple crowd control and dispersal. As a military leader, he did not follow proper military procedures in selecting personnel to fire warning shots. Although no evidence was adduced that any of the personnel of the AFL fired the fatal shot that killed Shakie Kamara, the Disciplinary Board thought it absolutely necessary to institute punishment for behavior unbecoming of a serving personnel of the AFL.
As such, Lieutenant Aloysius Quaye, Platoon Commander is:
?Guilty of violating Article 133 of the UCMJ regarding the unbecoming conduct of an officer or gentleman;
?Guilty of Article 92-C of the UCMJ regarding dereliction in the performance of duty.
The punishments prescribed under the UCMJ include:
?Reduction in rank to the lowest rank permissible under the category of the accused;
?Two (2) years loss of seniority with consequential effects;
?Thirty (30 days) correctional custody;
?Thirty (30) days detention;
?Forfeiture of 2/3 salary for 3 months; and
?Letter of Severe Reprimand.
Additionally, the following enlisted personnel of the AFL were found guilty of various offences of the UCMJ. They include:
?Corporal Mulbah Timothy?Violation of Article 128 of the UCMJ regarding assault and arbitrary use of force;
?Corporal Flomo Anthony?Violation of Article 128 of the UCMJ regarding assault and arbitrary use of force as well as Article 134 regarding threat in communicating;
?Corporal Toure Patrick?Violation of Article 107 of the UCMJ regarding making false statements;
?Private First Class Salebia Moses?Violation of Article 107 of the UMCJ regarding making false statement.
The prescribed punishments for the four enlisted men include:
?Reduction in rank to the next lower rank;
?30 days correctional custody;
?30 days detention; and
?Letters of Severe Reprimand.
Since these recommendations were given, not a single one of them has been implemented. Besides, the easiest one that calls for the President to make a public apology has not been adhered to by President Sirleaf.
President Obama, it is the United States of America that trained our Army and Police. This broad day hooliganism and butchery of people by our Army and Police Force is a very bad signal for America and one would wonder as to whether they were taught about brutalization.
Mr. President, it is my understanding that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will meet you on Friday, February 27 2015 in the White House. I wrote this brief letter to appeal to you as the President of the world?s most and best democratic, respect-for-human rights and judicial country, to discuss with her this essential and peculiar human right case. Mr. Obama, if you can?t help seek justice for that innocent child for our sake, please do it for the sake of your two beautiful girls ? Malia and Sasha Obama. Malia and Shakie have the same ages had he been alive at this time. Remember President Obama, Martin Luther King Jr. said, ?Injustice anywhere is a treat to justice everywhere?. On behalf of the children of Liberia, I hope and pray that you will discuss this with her and also express your curiosity for justice in this case. We want to know who did the shooting and for the INCHR recommendations to be immediately implemented.
Your Excellency, Mr. President, we also are questioning the Nobel Peace Prize Committee as to whether it did a flashback and foreshadowing of President Sirleaf?s activities and attributes before making her one of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winners. She is the un-symbolic Nobel Peace laureate evidenced by her failure to serve justice in the death cases of children.
In November 2007, little Angel Togba, 13, was found dead in her foster-parents? bathroom. August 2014, little Shakie Kamara, 16, was gunned down by State security officers. And in January 2015, little Ma-musu Fofana, 12, was severely raped to death by an ex-combatant and a drug addict, Musa Kanneh. In all of these cases, President Sirleaf has always been reluctant in pursuing justice for those poor children. She only gives mere promise that justice will prevail.
President Obama, we, the children of Liberia, hope that you will discuss this with our President on her visit to your office and that you will also ensure that justice be served and the other recommendations be given due consideration.
Thank you very, our appreciation to the Government and People of America and your nation continues to prosper.
Sincerely,
Abraham M. Keita, VI ? 16
Resident ? West Point
Spokesperson ? Monrovia Youth and Children?s March
Citizen ? Republic of Liberia
