PAMPHLET # 2
PRODUCED BY:
THE PLAIN TRUTH
REVOLUTION
(Compiled: January 2013 – January 2016; Drafted: February-December 2016; Published: January 2017)
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As we put ourselves in the right frame of mind, God willing, for this great revolution, these are some little, but power food for thought, words of advice, or words of inspiration from very key sources, including the Bible, the Quran, Revolutionaries/Philosophers, and Historians/Educators. Please take them seriously. They include: FROM THE BIBLE As you place your faith in God to make these strong decisions and take their corresponding strong actions, (1) Matthew 6:31-33 say- (31) Therefore take no thought saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what wither shall we be clothed (32) For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. (33) For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have needs of all these things. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you…..(2)Romans 12:18 – If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceful with all men….(3) I. Kings 22:3 – Then the King of Israel said to his servants. Do you really know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us? Yet we are hesitating to take it out of the hand of the King of Syria?...(4) Eccle. 4:5 – The stupid one folds his hands while is flesh wastes away. Etc.
FROM REVOLUTIONARIES AND PHILOSOPHERS (1) Without deviation from the norm, progress can [NEVER] be possible – Frank Zappa, American Song writer and guitarist…(2) As we approach the great social challenges of our time, we MUST acknowledge that old thinking will not provide the new solutions that we [direly] need. These [new] solutions [though] will be uncomfortable, hard to sell, and risky to execute, but the cost of not [selling and] executing them will be even much greater – Simon Mainwaring, Australian-American Brand & Advertising Consultant….(3) The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it; ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. – Winston Churchill, British Premiere…(4) Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable – John F. Kennedy, American President..(5) Never neglect details. When everyone’s mind is dulled or distracted, the leader must be doubly vigilant. – Gen. Collin Powell, former Secretary of State etc.
Why Do We Need A Complete Revolution, And Not Reforms, And How Can We Go About It? FROM THE QURAN The Quran makes us to understand that to stand up for God’s principles, especially the truth, we must be prepared to go the extra mile; thus for example: (1). Surat/Quran 2:42 – And do not cloak (or confuse) the truth with falsehood. Do not suppress the truth knowingly….(2) Surat/Quran 2:193 – Keep on fighting against them until mischief ends, and the way prescribed by God prevails. But if they desist, then know that hostility is only against wrongdoers….(3) Surat/Quran 4:75 – And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah, and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men, women, and children whose cry is, “Our Lord, rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors, and raise for us from thee, one who will protect, and raise for us from thee, one who will help [Courtesy of several scholarly interpretations]
FROM HISTORIANS AND EDUCATORS (1) Life must be lived forward, but it can ONLY be understood backward. – Soren Kierkegaard, Danish Philosopher…(2) Those who don’t know their History are probably not doing well in their English and Maths – Patrick J’Orouke, American Journalist….(3) History is who we are, and why we are the way we are – David McCullough, American Historian…(4) To forget history is a betrayal [of the pains and sacrifices of those who lived before us] and to deny past crimes is to [keep repeating them, like DULL and STUPID Liberia] – President Ching Jing Ping, China....(5) A good book[or article] is an education of the heart; it enlargens your sense of human possibility; [it educates you about] what the human nature is, [it also educates you] about what happens in the world. [For] it is a creator of inwardness. –Susan Sontag, American Writer
In direct connection to Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion, Liberia’s incredible level of mischief, coupled with the level of excessiveness of its confusion MUST be confronted with massive Truth Telling and detailed solution options, so please sacrifice your time to read and re-read these articles well. Thanks.
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Note: Apart from other smaller articles for your ongoing reading, we have 7 main revolutionary pamphlets, with four addendums or extensions, totaling 11 revolutionary pamphlets. To save time for reading the main contents in each of the 7 main pamphlet, we urge you to only bother yourself with the reading of the acknowledgement sections of only two of these 7 BIG pamphlets – these two include the pamphlet, “Why is this case considered a revolutionary and game-changing one for Liberia”, which is a stand-alone and a ‘MUST read pamphlet” in its entirety, and the pamphlet, “Why Do We Need a Complete Revolution and How can we go about it”. The remaining 5 pamphlets carry the same content in those preliminary sections, which you don’t necessarily have to go through, once you have done so for the two pamphlets named above. Meanwhile, these preliminary or introductory sections (i.e. the acknowledgements and the dedications) are relatively the same across all of our pamphlets, especially the last 5, which are entirely homogeneous. Thanks for helping to save time, and enhancing your revolutionary reading experience. SPEICAL NOTES: Because of our incapacity to verify every name by its exact spelling or to get the full names of some of our sources for one reason or the other, we are placing single quotes around names whose spellings we were unable to verify and names we also failed to get in full. We apologize if any of your names fall into this category. Entries on our table of contents don’t necessarily suggest subtitles in the main work. They are basically meant to provide clues for what ideas form part of the content on each page Because we are not Liberians, talk less about being Americo-Liberians, who ABSOLUTELY
hate to ‘right’ their wrongs wherever they fall short, and will prefer to go on living in their MESS forever, we, of the Plain Truth Revolution, are open to corrections and updates to these documents or articles every step of the way. We therefore encourage you to please feel free to send your corrections, comments, opinions etc. to any of our articles at plaintruthrevolution@gmail.com or plaintruthrevolution@yahoo.co.uk etc. and we will assess those points, and where necessary make the appropriate corrections and updates to our work, then repost the affected material to our internet sites, and inform ALL about such development. Being people of faith in God, we are highly influenced by an argument presented in one
blogpost from a social counsellor called Maria Lourdes Macabasco which suggests that every human being, and by extension every nation or every unit of people, is a house with four rooms – a physical room, a mental room, an emotional room, and a spiritual room. The beautiful argument stressed in Macabassco’s blogpost, which our revolution absolutely agrees with, is that unless we go into each of these four rooms every day to do some clean up, we are never a complete person or entity. Considering these four key dimensions of our national lives, and after having thoroughly dissected our country’s problems, the Plain Truth Revolution is completely convicted that our problem is more spiritual in nature and weight than it is with the other three dimensions, thus, requiring our battle at hand for freedom and the deliverance of our country to be a battle of wills, spirit, and soul, rather than a battle of AK 47s and Rocket Launchers. As such, we back almost all of our arguments with concepts from God’s Holy Scriptures – be it the Bible, the Qu’ran etc. in all of our work because this is our most suitable weapon of choice in this very crucial war without violence for the redemption of the dead soul of our dear country. We believe in the Word of God because all through history it has demonstrated itself as the best lamb to humanity’s feet and the best light to our paths, according to King David. The Word of God illuminates; it clearly reveals to us what is good and what is bad; it shows us who is wise and who is unwise.
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It is the ultimate tool in helping us learn the best possible life to live. God’s Word is true, plain and simple. It is the only thing that can sanctify or clean up a very DIRTY, NASTY and DANGEROUS situation like ours in this country. God’s Word is living, active, powerful, and sharper than any double-edged sword – piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of the joint and marrow, and it is the discerner of the thoughts of man’s heart. The Word of God, our Plain Truth Revolution’s weapon of choice, is the only best weapon used for very close range combats rather than long range warfare, and our country’s battle requires a closerange engagement. Again, based upon our background of faith, and with the Word of God being our weapon of choice, we are massive in our information gathering, information dissemination, awareness creation, and all of our other civic actions for that matter because the Word of God has instructed us to do so. For instance, in the Book of Proverbs Chapter 18, verses 13, 15, and 18, we are thought and instructed respectively that the first step, and yea the first principle, to solving any [gigantic] problem, like our country’s problem at hand, is to gather all the facts first, NOT some; the second step is to open up to new ideas, or to invite more ideas in solving the problem, and the third step is to create room for hearing from all, or the both sides of the divide, or parties to the problem. Our writings therefore are massive because they are not intended merely for sensation; they are meant to speak for every generation of our country (past, current and future); they are intended to provide useful leads for all of the 7 big constituencies that our revolution represents etc. Parts of our presentation may appear rather unconventional; some of the facts and arguments we present may appear overemphasized or oversimplified; our article titles also may appear too long and verbose etc. whichever the case, to your inconvenience. If this ever happens, we beg your pardon to muster the courage and read on; make your own sense out of the work. For we are revolutionaries, battling by all means to change a terrible situation, God willing, that sadly no one in our country wants to ever bother themselves trying to solve from the very root, for 2 centuries now. We therefore have vowed never to be restricted – though in a positive and constructive sense – too much by conventions, norms, or protocols. One of our big time inspirations, President John F. Kennedy, America’s 35th President has told us, “Conformity is the jailer of progress and the enemy of growth”, while another compatriot of his, American guitarist and music writer, Frank Zappah says, “Without deviation from the norm, there can never be any progress.” We are inspired by these admonishments to use our common sense in going to the extra mile to make our points very clear and the arguments granular. And sometimes single facts presented many times only serve to support different arguments. The Acknowledgement Section for each one of the pamphlets is divided into three – (a) the personal acknowledgement section, which highlights units, individuals, institutions, and nations that the vision bearer of this enterprise and the primary author of these literatures himself has decided to give credit to for impacting his life; (b) the general revolutionary acknowledgement section, which features every entity, individual, institution, and nation whose influence and activities have facilitated the right knowledge, enlightenment, conditions and so forth to make this revolutionary idea possible; and (c) the Special Revolutionary acknowledgement section, the last section of our acknowledgment which brings in each party that has helped verify all of our historical research findings by adding the current reality flavor to them. (This is a MUST read section as it serves as the main trigger to kindle your final decision about whether to buy in to the Plain Truth Revolutionary idea or to reject it). Welcome on board.
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PERSONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CONJUAL (‘PARENTAL) FAMILY MEMBERS
#
Name
Relationship
1.
Tarkpor Kartee Moinma G. Kartee Martha Kartee Leahmon Karatee Zaye Kartee Parlone Kartee Zlanwohn Kartee Rufee Kartee Mama Kartee Yarkernah Kartee Zota Kartee Joseph Kartee Zlanser Kartee Mama Kartee
Father Mother (*) Stepmother Sister “ “ “ “ (*)
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
Brother “ “ “ Sister
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
# 1. 2. 3.
4.
5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14
Name Alice Wamah Joyful (Preston) Kartee Courage Kartee Stamina Kartee “Festus Johnson”
Relationship Partner/Fiancée Son Daughter Son Foster Son
BLENDED FAMILY Name Relationship Nathaniel Doeward 1st Foster Fthr (*) Beatrice Kor 1st Foster Mthr Ma Filani Kamara Foster Grandma (Danane, La Cote d’Ivoire, *) Soree Kamara 2nd Foster Fthr (Abidjan, La Cote d’Ivoire) Ma Yeilieh Mangoe Paternal GrandMa Ma Menkapoe Tomah Maternal GrandMa John Leabeh Uncle Meiway Barlea “ Augustine Kotee Lohnpea Mentee “ Austin S. Kartee “ Dearzrua Deemi Cousin Histin Deemi “ Alice Fahngalloh Aunty
“IN-LAW” RELATIVES Name Relationship Solomon Wamah “Father-in-Law” (current relationship) Mary Wamah “Mother-in-law” (“) Irene Wamah “Sister-in-law” (“) Linda Julius “Sister-in-law” (“) Mary David “Sister-in-law” (“) Solomon Wamah, Jr. “Brother-in-Law” (“)
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
IMMEDIATE (NUCLEAR)
FAMILY
BLENDED FAMILY cont’d Helena Mango “ (*) Helena Mentee “ Augustine Kotee Uncle
16. 17 18.
1.
2.
TWO PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS Deborah Cringar - former fiancée a. Ruth Sherman - Mother b. Sam Cringar - Father (*) c. Robert Tarpeh – Uncle d. Saturday Tarpeh – Aunt Massa Kennedy – former fiancée a. Hawa Kennedy – Mother b. Mr. Kennedy - Father c. Bunch Kennedy – Brother d. Larry Kennedy - Brother e. Bill Kennedy - Brother
EXTENDED RELATIVES 1. 2. 3. 4.
Peat Norman 5. Paul Fanyen Henry Mango 6. Rachel Nuah Mendin Mango 7. Allen Subah Lehmie Mango OTHER RELATIVES
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Name Isaac Dahn, Sr. (*) Isaac Dahn, Jr. Michael Dahn Dahnboy Dahn Gbeahn Fahngalloh John Harmon
#
VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION Name Relationship
1.
Doris Zor a. Gloria (Daughter) b. Delcontee (“) c. Prince son
Landlady [This is a woman of very exceptional patience and consiration]
2.
Tony T. Bleh a. Ladia Bleh (Wife)
“Beyond Friend “
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
ALL-WEATHER FRIENDS (GENERAL) Name Alphonso Togba Manju Kamara Musa Barry Nulleh Ngafuan Samuel Wallace, Sr Esther Wallace Samuel Wallace Jr. Saah Joe John Mulbah Steven Chea Abdulai Yen Morris Paye
US PRESIDENTS THAT IMPACTED OUR LIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
HAVE
# 1. 2.
GREATLY
George Washington Thomas Jefferson Abraham Lincoln Franklin D. Roosevelt John F. Kennedy Lyndon B. Johnson Barack Obama
OTHER WORLD LEADERS THAT GREATLY IMPACTED OUR LIVES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
iv ALL-WEATHER FRIENDS (WORKMATES etc.) 1. Victor Badio 2. Bobby Brown 3. Andrew Gibson 4. Veronica Kinapoe 5. Joseph Dennis 6. Philip Sassie 7. Isaac Karmon 8. Paul Jappah 9. Sam Fannie 10. William Morris 17. Alex C. Knuckles 11. Darlington Gbeior 18. Timothy Holt 12. Robert Beer 19. McDonald Wlemus 13. Charles Sherman 14. Augustine Williams 15. Samuel Musa 16. Patrick Wreh
3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
HAVE
Ho Chi Minch 13. Nelson Mandela Vladimir Lenin 14. Robert Mugabe Mao Zedong 15. Hifikepunye Pohamba Deng Xiaoping Chi Jing Ping Gus Hall Eugene V. Debbs Steward Alexander John Bachtell Felix Houphoet Boigny Thomas Sankara Jomo Kenyatta
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
MIND MOLDERS/MORAL COACHES/ DIRECT MENTORS Name The Seventh Day Adventist Church All of the Instructors under whose voices I have sat (R. S. Caulfield, Unification Town, Margibi County; Protestant Methodist Resource Center, Danane, La Cote d’Ivoire; University of Liberia; Cuttington University Graduate School etc.) Kamau M. Lizwelicha, USAID/GEMAP Sophie Hobbs, USAID/GEMAP John M. Dukuly John K. Wangolo Harry A. Greaves, Jr. THOSE WHO HAVE PROFESSIONALLY IMPACTED OUR LIFE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER Name S. Alfred P. Harris, II 7. Edwin M. Snowe, Jr. Richard B. Devine 8. Aaron J. Wheagar Aletha K. Hoff 9. T. Nelson Williams,II Belle Y. Dunbar 10. Jackson F. Doe, Jr. B. Felix Zeekeh 11. McDonald Wlemus Timothy Holt 12. Alexander Knuckles
FOUR COUNTRIES THAT HAVE INSPIRED US THE MOST 1. The United States of America 2. China 5. Japan 8. The UK 3. Russia 6. Switzerland 9. France 4. Ivory Coast 7. Republic of Ireland 10. Israel
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GENERAL REVOLUTIONARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THOSE WHO HAVE PROVIDED THE ENLIGHTENMENT, PLUS THE OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE CONDITIONS TO MAKE THIS REVOLUTION POSSIBLE
A. INDIVIDUALS i. LOCAL # 1. 2. 3. 4.
Name President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Dr. Elwood Dun Dr. Amos Sawyer Dr. Yarsuo Weh-Dorliae
# 1. 2. 3. 4.
# 1. 2.
D. ACADEMICIANS/PROFESSIONALS i. LOCAL Name Jacob “Zumah” Jallah Samuel Toweh Martin Kollie Jacob Massaquoi ii. INTERNATIONAL Name Karl Marx John Maynard Keynes
ii. INTERNATIONAL # 1. 2. 3. 4.
E. HISTORIANS i. LOCAL # Name 1. Joseph Saye Guannu 2. Professor Tuan Wleh
Name President Barack Obama Michelle Obama Amb. Deborah Malac Karin Langrin
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Prof. Alhaji G. V. Kromah
# 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
ii. INTERNATIONAL Name Hugh Mason Brown Dr. James Ciment Dr. Ibrahim K. Sundiatta Hezekiah Niles Jo Sullivan
B. INSITITUTIONS i.
# 1. 2. 3. # 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
LOCAL Name Coalition for the transformation of Lib. Liberia Institute for Public Integrity Center for the exchange of intellectual opinions ii. INTERNATIONAL Name League of Nations United Nations/UNMIL Global Witness Amnesty International Transparency International U S Department of State Conciliation Resources Publish What You Pay Coalition Finance Uncovered, UK US Department of Justice
IT FIRMS/NETWORKS i. LOCAL # Name 1. Lone Star Cell MTN 2. Cellcom Communications 3. Nova Phone
ii. INTERNATIONAL # 1. 2.
Name Google Facebook
3. Microsoft 4.YouTube
5. Twitter
F. REVOLUTIONARIES # 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Name Identities George Washington US Mahatma Gandhi India Martin Luther King, Jr. US Nelson Mandela South Africa Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe Mao Zedong China Deng Xioping China Che Guevara Cuba/Bolivia Jose Mujica Ecuador Fidel Castro Cuba G. THE PRESS i. LOCAL (ELECTRONIC AND PRINT) # Name Type 1. Liberia Broadcasting Corporation/Sys. (LBS/ELBC) Electronic 2. Farbric FM 101.1 “ 3. Voice FM 102.7 “ 4. Truth FM 96.1 “ 5 Sky FM 107 “ 6. Love FM “
vi 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. ii. # 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
THE PRESS cont’d Love FM “ Power/Red Power FM “ National Chronicle/Hot Pepper Newspaper Print/online FrontPage Africa “ In Profile Daily “ Public Agenda “ Daily Observer “ Focus “ Heritage “ Spirit of Truth “ INTERNATIONAL (ELECTRONIC AND PRINT) Name Type British Broadcasting Corp. Electronic Radio France International “ China Radio International “ Cable News Network “/TV Al-Jazeera “ New York Times Print UK Guardian “
iii. INDVIDUAL JOURNALISTS A. LOCAL # Name Type 1. Rodney Sieh Local 2. Julius Jeh Local 3. Henry Costa “ 4. T. Max Jlateh “ 5. Mary Williams “ 6. Tetee Gebro “ 7. Tamba Johnny “ 8. Darious Zinnah “ 9. Jordan Poronpea Diaspora 10. Christian Nelson “ 11. Toyouwa Harris “/Analyst 12. George Fahnbulleh “/Analyst 13. Jah Johnson Editor 14. Jerry Wehtee Wion Contributor 15. Jones Nhinson Williams “ B. 1. 2. 3.
INDIVIDUAL JOURNALISTS (INT’L) Robin White Elizabeth Blunt George Turner
H. POLITICIANS/OPINION LEADERS i. LOCAL # Name Identity 1. Prince Johnson Senator 2. Henry Yallah “ 3. Dallas Gweh “ 4. Emmanuel Nuquay Representative 5. Tiawon Gongloe Lawyer 6. Negbalee Warner “ 7. Christiana Tah “ 8. Koffi Woods “ 9. Harry Greaves (*) Economist 10. Sam Jackson “ 11. Simeon Freeman Politician 12. Amara Konneh “ 13. Darious Dailon ” 14. Mary Lorene Brown Educator 15. Zayzay Pewee Other 16. Francis Tamba “ 17. Tabarosa Tarponweh “ ii. # 1. 2. 3. 4.
INTERNATIONAL Name Dr. Charles Johnson 5. George Schuyler Sir John Simon 6. Mr. A. E. Yap Prof. S. Raymond Buell 7. Neils Haghns Dr. Fred P.M. Van der Kraij
I. CLERGIES i. LOCAL # Name 1. Solomon Juah 2. Jensen Wallace 3. Simeon Dunbar 4. Evangelist Charles 5. Pastor Sirleaf 6. Kortu Brown 7. Samuel A. Brewer 8. Rev. Gontee 9. Pastor Gemini Getteh 10. Rev. Foday Karpeh 9. Ali Krayee ii. # 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Faith/Religion Christian “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ Muslim
INTERNATIONAL Name Faith/Religion Ibn Al Qayyim Muslim Hesham A. Hassaballa “ Mohammed Banonleat “ Friday Oravbierre Christian Rick Warren “
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SPECIAL REVOLUTIONARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs once said, “A lot of people in our industry haven’t had very diverse experiences, so they don’t have enough dots to connect, and they end up with very linear solutions without a broad perspective on the problem.” He then concludes, “The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better designs we will have.” With this exhortation from Mr. Jobs, we disclose here that on the overall, our motivation to embark on this revolutionary project was at first primarily inspired by a quest to do something about our country’s NASTY, SHAMEFUL history, but then we needed a strong backing too from current events, so, we had to painfully take 4 round years to see if our convictions from historical researches could be strongly backed by enough of empirical proofs from today’s realities – knowing that this time span was reasonable enough conventionally, for such a serious research work. Consequently, the below current event accounts, opinions, experiences, realities etc. have helped us truly connect the dots and thus strengthened our case for this inescapable revolution. We doubt it, that any well-meaning person would read the current event accounts of these narratives, sufficiently backed by history, and still think that we, as a people, can use reforms or gradualist approaches to handle our country’s deadly problem and redeem ourselves from this untold nightmare called nationhood, gain our rightful human status, and make our Creator proud of making us too in His own image. The list below constitutes our Plain Truth Revolution’s revered heroes and heroines through whose inputs our revolution has finally become JUSTIFIED God willing, and we recognize and celebrate them as our special acknowledgements forever. Their collective message to us, in short is: “Plain Truth Revolution, please go ahead, we join you, and stand by you, whichever way possible.” Those heroes and heroines therefore are as follows, among many more to come up in later publications by the grace of God. We’ve placed their contributions under different subheadings. We will start with the historical accounts of how the Black Americans’ Liberia was pronounced DOOMED by its conceivers and designers even before it was established, and how this curse has been acutely pronounced, warned about, and decried by different actors, including prominent people in world affairs up to this point. This will be followed by different accounts of the NASTY state of Liberia from current event realities. Please note that apart from numbered or bulleted names, bolded names of individuals and institutions within any of the text in this section represent some of our special acknowledgements. Welcome to our very special acknowledgement section:
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I.
Some of the greatest sources from which we draw our motivation
A. From the Religious People i.
Local
1. General ‘Jensen’ Wallace, Pastor, and also Proprietor of Miracle FM in Monrovia – he says according to the Bible, we will sometimes later realize in life that there are certain things that truly belong to us, but that these things have been stolen away from us by our enemies/detractors; and in order for us to take back these original belongings of ours, we must go on the offensive – (Miracle FM. September 25, 2014) 2. Pastor Simeon Dunbar, Liberty Christian Center – He asserts the following two key points, among others, at one time: "….. (a) in Liberia, the Church is guilty for failing to preach the truth, and this failure has been responsible for the prolonged suffering of our people….” (b)….It is now time that Liberia stops depending on aid and begin to get aggressively involved with activities that will spur self-sufficiency etc….Each time people provide for you, they play the music and you dance to the tune...- (Local Radio, February 9, 2015) 3. Pastor Sirleaf, Presenter, AGM Centennial Radio, Monrovia - This pastor says according to Biblical teachings, there are 7 ways to get delivered from the yoke of curse, sin, problems and so forth – whether as an individual or as a country; and these 7 ways include the following, in their order of importance: (1) By telling the truth first about the problem; (2) By getting knowledge or making new discoveries [about this, and similar problems]; (3) By performing a good service in respect to the new knowledge acquired or the new discovery made; (4) By making wise use of your tongue; (5) By exercising discipline; (6) By engaging into sincere prayers and supplications; and (7) By being free or generous with everything needed to effect that delivery process – (Radio Centennial, October 19, 2013) ii.
International
1. Pastor Friday Oravbiere, of the Pavilion of God Christian Church, Newark, New Jersey – warning the children of God to reclaim their possessions in every aspect of life and to take serious consideration of the reality that God approved other aspects of our lives such as Economics, Science, Politics etc. to work together to secure or ensure eternal life for us in the end, this is what Pastor Oravbiere said in summary: “…God has given us so much possessions, but because of lack of knowledge (sometimes caused by our own refusal to acquire this knowledge), we do not enjoy these possessions, but instead, we live in poverty, and destitution, and watch our inheritances waste away in the hands of our enemies or detractors. He said, as children of God, we are missing the mark big time when we sit and allow all of our generations to languish and die in poverty because we are afraid to act from the truth. Pastor Oravbiere said that the salvation that we preach in our places of worship is a whole package, which includes not only eternal life, but also all of the physical riches supplied by our Creator for us. He continues, it is God who has made everything in this Earth for our good, and for our sustenance before He comes back to judge us. For God saw it wise to create separate geographic boundaries and countries, and to provide each of them separate localities and the right amounts of resources and the conditions under which they will prosper. The God, who according to Christian beliefs, gave His Only Begotten Son for the sake of humanity will never feel good to see us suffering in protracted, abject poverty. But we need knowledge, rooted in the TRUTH, before we can take control of our possessions, by going on the offensive for them etc. Pastor Oravbiere then leaves with us the following supporting Bible verses in conclusion: (1) Psalm 23:1; Psalm 34:10; III John 2; Job 36:11 etc. (2) Hosea 4:6; Proverbs 29:18 etc. (3) I Kings 22:3-5; Ecclesiastes 4:5; Joshua 18:3; Matt. 11:12 etc.; and (4) Zechariah 4:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6; II Chronicles 20:15 among others.
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2. Islam – Just as in Christendom, the Muslims’ perspective on the issue of taking up the courage to fight or go on the offensive for a just cause is also pronounced and unequivocal. Several Quranic passages explicitly justify fighting for a just and “humanity-interest first” cause. Two of such verses (translated to English by some Islamic scholars) are outlined here as follows: (a) Surat 8: 39 – “And fight them on, until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, [meaning if they cease from wreaking havoc on innocent human beings], verily Allah sees what they do.” (b) Surat 4: 75 – And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah, AND OF THOSE who, being weak, are ill-treated, (and oppressed)? Men, women, and children, whose cry is, “Our Lord, rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors, and raise for us from Thee, one, who will protect; and raise for us from Thee, one who will help.” etc. 3. Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California, USA – these are just a few of his many strong points, backed by Scriptures, which are intended to snap us (especially the indigenous people of this country) out of our inertia, into taking radical actions as the overall environment has gotten so bad, even if it means that we fight, or go on the offensive, or go to war, whichever way we put it, if that’s what it takes: (a) Putting Romans 12:18 into a more detailed context, he says, “We can remain at peace with a fellow man only as far as it is possible with us; only as far as it depends on what we want out of life, or only as far as it is possible on our behalf…” Further elucidating this argument, the pastor asks, “Have you ever met or encountered somebody that no matter what you did to draw closer to them, or to remain at peace with them, you just couldn’t get along with them [in mutual respect and love]? Can you imagine a neighbor who verbally or physically abuses your wife and children every time? [People of this country, ‘Liberia’, put this deeply into context regarding America, plus Americo-Liberians’ treatment of the Natives of this land in different inhumane ways and forms every time since 1822 to this very 2016]…. (b) Wars and conflicts are caused by vain pride and selfishness; that is, a grim insistence at saying for example, “Only my way is the best way; it MUST be done only my way etc. even if that way evidently proves wrong. [People of this country, imagine since the likes of ‘Criminal’ Jehudi Ashmun and J. J. Roberts imposed upon us their STUPID, UNDEFINED forms of economics and governance, with support from their America, no one else dares try to change it around 194 years on, and the overall outcome continue to remain disaster, deprivation, wars, and shame among others.]…. (c) Pastor Warren said, there are many examples in the Bible where God commanded a war; that is, wherein He, God, Himself said to His children, “Go To War!!” [put in our case, “Go to War, if that’s what it takes]. He said, the Bible suggests 3 reasons, or 3 main reasons why we ought to go to war; namely: (1) In order to defend innocent people: (take for example, how innocent blood continue to waste in our country for different reasons and from different, cruel, humanengineered causes, mainly orchestrated by Americo-Liberians with the explicit and sometimes implicit assistance of their masters, America)…….(2) In order to stop the rampant spread of EVIL: (take for instance how corruption and injustice have completely brought our country disgracefully to its knees); and, (3) In order to preserve freedom: (this although, is something that we the people of this country have never experienced yet in its truest form)….Pastor Warren somewhat concludes, “….When you look at the great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 – i.e. Joshua, Gideon, David, Sampson, Jephthan etc., they were all warriors. He interprets or quotes verses 33 and 34 of this chapter of Hebrews as saying, “Through faith they defeated kingdoms; brought about righteousness; attained promises; stopped the mouths of lions; quenched the forces of fire; escaped the edge of the sword; and from their weak human nature/state, they were made powerful, and became mighty in war and routing invading enemies. He said even Jesus Christ, twice in the New Testament cleansed God’s temple by force. B. From Political/Professional/Opinion Leaders or Institutions i.
Domestic/Local 1. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – these are just a few words of motivation from the AmericoLiberian leader, the good side of her, in line with statistics, but whether she speaks them with honesty is a whole debate by itself. They however mean well to the Plain Truth Revolution, and we
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proudly take cue from them: (a) …..“Do what is right, not just for yourself, but for posterity…..We must sacrifice [now] to make change possible…” (Speech at the US Embassy, July 4, 2014, ELBC) (b)….admonishing members of her audience at some global leadership summit, she says, “…Have courage to believe in a cause and stand up for that cause, even if people will criticize and hate you…. The meaning of extra-mile leadership in difficult times is to do things differently to impact your society…- (ELBC, February 9, 2015) 2. Minister Lewis Brown, Information - “We have moved away from the days of using guns and machetes to solve our problems, no one will ever be denied their views in our national discourse any longer…” (Local Radio, April 6, 2015) 3. Nagbe Sloh, Liberian Journalist and Civil Society Activist – Referring to Liberia’s chronic societal nightmare, especially its terrible self-governance woes, he says in summary, ……Speech after speech is being made, and one radio program after another, is being conducted – all of them identifying and explaining the country’s chronic problems, but sadly no one yet, or none of these programs as yet, has been able to detail a roadmap, or to present a ‘how to’ walkthrough about tackling these problems, which is the most difficult aspect of the work at hand - (ELBC, July 28, 2014) 4. Julius Jeh, Journalist/Talk Show Host, Farbric FM, Monrovia – “If you establish that a car has major problems while moving, you can’t keep moving with that car and expect to repair it while in motion.” [Note: This statement tactically means, as in the argument of the Plain Truth Revolution, that this proven, very problematic country, called “Liberia”, MUST be brought to a constructive, ‘technical’ standstill, for us, knowledgeable and patriotic citizens, sitting at some legitimate National Convention, to put some extra new things into place about it before taking any more steps forward, instead of keep building on its existing rotten foundation by going again to the polls in line with provisions of a constitution that grossly violates the rights of our people and criminally promotes IMPUNITY. PERIOD!!!!!) 5. Jah Johnson, Hot Pepper Newspaper, Monrovia – “Liberia as a state, is not forward marching because its people are still tied to the mistakes of the past” 6. Jacob ‘Zuma’ Jallah – In a nutshell Jacob says, like what he saw in America, all major governmental actions are informed and inspired by active public policy debates, assessments and recommendations from numerous think tanks and individuals – a culture he wants Liberia to adopt, and has started working towards already. In an apparent direct quotation, he says, “….If we do not want to go back to our old, nasty past, then we need now to get actively engaged into public debates and discussions on national issues, but we must do so using research, in a more evidence and datacentric way. We should begin to use concrete evidence to drive policy issues, and pull emotions out of the public debate, while bringing in more data instead ….”. (Farbric New Dawn, October 15, 2015) 7. Irasmus Gaye, Head of West Africa Examination Council’s Liberia’s Research Department – highlighting the importance of good ideas, he asserts, “…Good ideas are so valuable and [lifesaving], that they MUST as such, be immediately spread far and wide in order for them to impact the larger society…” 8. ELBC Wise Words – “The first step to success is taken when we refuse to remain captives to the environment in which we find ourselves.” 9. John S. Morlu, former Auditor General, Liberia – “Just as you cannot build a democracy on a corrupt foundation, you will never have press freedom in the midst of the level of corruption in this country. Corruption creates poverty for all Liberians including journalists. It is difficult to see how
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professional journalism can thrive in the presence of this massive level poverty. (http://frontpageafricaonline.com/.....Speech By John S. Morlu - Press Union of Liberia Congress Published: 28 November 2015) 10. Eratus Bortu, Head, Cocoa Planters’ Association of Liberia – “What man has done elsewhere, another man can do it today” ii.
External/International
1. President Barack Obama, USA: (a) Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or for some other time. [For] we are the ones that we have been waiting for; we are the ones that we seek. – a famous quote from the President (b) ….When we succumb to people who believe that they are superior to us, then we will be losers and they too will be losers [in the end]….Your country is better off with new blood, new insights, and new energy; we can’t have old traditions stand our way….I believe that minds can change, and that’s how progress comes…(Addressing the African Union 2015 Summit in Addis Ababa) (c) …...All Africans now see and agree that every man deserves the right to control their own fate alone; for Africans deserve the right to control their own destinies…… Africans are saying that they don’t want aid and aid [any longer], but that they want BUSINESS and TRADE; they want to create opportunities for their next generations ….” ( “ ) 2. President Chi Jing Ping, People’s Republic of China – (a) To forget history is a betrayal [of the sufferings, pains and contributions of the people that lived before us], and to deny past crimes, is to keep repeating them. – a famous quote from the President 3. Former US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy – (a) A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its [own] people. – A famous quote 4.
Former US President Thomas Jefferson - (a) Information is the currency of democracy.
5. Former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton – “We stand for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas”. In her 'Remarks on Internet Freedom' she also draws attention to how “even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable”, while reporting President Barack Obama's pronouncement that “the more freely information flows, the stronger societies become”. - Speaking on behalf of the United States at some Internet Freedom Event in 2010 6. World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) - "We reaffirm, as an essential foundation of the Information Society, and as outlined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; that this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Communication is a fundamental social process, a basic human need and the foundation of all social organization. - The Declaration of Principles adopted in 2003 7. Sheila Paskman, Charge d’affaires, US Embassy, Monrovia, Liberia –Offering here advice about how we can go about attending to our huge societal problems, she opined, “You (Liberians) will have to use your current potentials to change your country, instead of waiting for some people to come in the future to do so. [The road to achieving this] however, will NOT necessarily mean waiting to hold some public office first, but by putting up some form of grassroots or communitybased leadership….” (Local Radio News, July 26, 2014)
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8. “Mr. Pank Yan Zeeahoe”, Political Advisor at the Chinese Embassy in Monrovia – he urges Liberians as follows: “….You have to first believe in yourself if you are to make any progress.” Speaking about his country, China, he says, “…We believe in ourselves, and believe that Heaven helps those who help themselves.” He further said in summary, after 30 to 40 years of opening up on policy issues, China is far way at the top today in many respects… - (ELBC, October 26, 2015) 9. Marcus Garvey, Civil Rights Leader – [Good Advice for us in this country] –Some of Garvey’s messages in summary: (a) ….God and Nature first made us, then out of our own [ambitions] and geniuses, we make ourselves…..Our greatest ideal is FAITH and CONFIDENCE in God, and once this ideal is suppressed, we turn to mere animals…. Nothing worthwhile, be it freedom, independence etc. has EVER been achieved through fear or cowardice, but through the brave determination of those who lead and those who follow…Fear never takes us anywhere; in fact, at some point, fear becomes an [insult] to God – [God forbid!] because He (God) prefers being feared by us rather than we consistently fearing another creature of His, just like ourselves…..Without self-confidence, we are twice defeated, but with self-confidence, we have already won the battle before beginning the fight….Self-reliance, vision and actions from ourselves are the lights of freedom that can shine…. (b) When people are not industrious; when people do not produce for themselves; when people don’t earn sufficient revenues or income for themselves, they turn into to a bunch of slaves for others, as they will also lack political independence….Blacks that keep begging the Whiteman persistently for help [like Liberia] are the most dangerous because they have the potential to turn back the clock of history to colonialism – because forces of the world are more determined to work against non-organized groups of people who have no ambitions to protect their own interests…For continuous dependency proves us not fit to live on this planet alongside other races, and it even makes us shame before man and before God, our CREATOR….. (c) But finally, any people that desire freedom – whether political or economic, MUST first think about blood. For God said that without the shedding blood there can be no remission of sins – how do we expect to free ourselves, Mr. Garvey asks, if some of us are not willing to die for the cause, if that’s what it takes?...- (Wikipedia.org) 10. Lee Kuan Yew, former Singaporean Prime Minister – From his book, “From Third World to First: The Singapore Story: 1965 to 2000, also referred to as “How to Build a Nation”, Prime Minister Yew teaches sense to people or countries aspiring to great standards. He goes on with his narrations, excerpted as follows: “….After pondering [our] problems and the limited options available, I concluded [that] an island city-state in Southeast Asia (referring to Singapore) could not be ordinary if it wanted to survive. We had to make extraordinary efforts in order to become a tightly knit …and adaptable people who could do things better and cheaper than our neighbors….Our great asset [however] was the TRUST of [our] people. We were careful not to squander this newly found trust by misgovernment and corruption…”. (Presented by Theodore Hodge, The Perspective, Atlanta, Georgia, February 15, 2015) II.
HISTORICALS –this section serves to convince you that the entity called Liberia, due to the funny circumstances, characterized by hardcore LIES and DECEIT, that surrounded its establishment, was designated DOOMED AND GLOOM before its very set up. Here are a few of the proofs:
A. Reason for the establishment of Liberia, and for whom, and by whom it was established 1. Liberia's origins in the early 19th century planted the seeds for its late-20th-century civil war. Liberia was the brainchild of America's leading statesmen, including Henry Clay, John Randolph and Daniel Webster. In 1816, they founded the American Colonization Society as a means of
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ridding the U.S. of free blacks, whom Clay called "useless and pernicious (wicked etc.), if not dangerous," and to bring Christianity to Africa. (Another America: By James Ciment : Hill and Wang, 296 pages, $30) 2. US Congress – Because of the growing threats that were now been posed by the day to the American society by trouble Black elements – the eventual targets of ACS’s Back to Africa campaign – the American Colonization Society wrote several US private and public institutions and bodies, including Congress, for financial support to expedite this process. According to the Niles’ Weekly Register’s April 12, 1817 edition, Congress, locked up in a debate on whether or not to lend financial support to the ACS for this project, advanced the following justifying arguments, among others: “…..Hence, it seems manifest that these people [i.e. the Johnsons, the Bernards, the McClains, the Weeks, the Jones, the Tubmans etc.] cannot be colonized within the limits of the United States. If they were not far distant [that is, if we don’t dump them far off], our rapidly extending settlements would soon reach them, and the EVIL NOW FELT would be renewed, probably with aggravated mischief.” – (www.liberiapastandpresent.org/; Nile Weekly Register, April 12, 1817 etc.) 3. Founded in 1822 as a colony for African-Americans returning to Africa, Liberia was created in the image of the U.S., and the former slaves and free blacks who moved there. Driven by idealism or by poverty, they “endeavored to recreate the only social and political order they knew, [which is] of the antebellum South—with themselves as the master class, and the vast indigenous population as the slave class” [although supported by the U.S.] (Another America: The Story of Liberia and the Former Slaves Who Ruled It :James Ciment, Author) 4. Although the movie (i.e. Liberia: America’s Stepchild”) ends on a hopeful note, showing a wedding in front of a monument dedicated to the "unification," (talked about in the movie), it depicts the sad story of a failed notion: that former slaves could [EVER] create freedom and equality if given the power to mold a new social order of their own [something they’ve failed to do]. The subtext of the narrative reveals a country that is just starting to emerge from its infancy to ask questions about itself. Nancy Oku Bright succeeds in pointing to the internal contradictions of Liberia, such as its cultural identity, ethnicity and religious conflict. Liberia's crisis of identity is well documented, with the absolute dominance of a bastardized American culture that engulfed the African soul of the "natives" without giving much in return.(http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/299312/LiberiaAmerica-s-Stepchild/overview) 5. Pastor Solomon Juah – “Liberia was not built on Christian principles [as people normally say here]. Liberia was established by criminals….We are gentiles… Criminals came here and established this place as their farm, and we are just fighting to change it, but it is not even changing…”. (Sky FM, October 20, 2014) 6. Dr. Charles Johnson, League of Nations – “Liberia is a nation conceived solely as a haven for free American slaves to the detriment of the majority indigenous population….” (www.theperspective.org) 7. John Randolph, US Congressman from Roanoke County, Virginia, and co-founder of the American Colonization Society – he emphatically referred to targets of their ACS Back to Africa Scheme as “Promoters of Mischief.” Three additional, dangerous adjectives used by his fellow Southerners to describe the troublesome Blacks that society wanted to rid themselves of – the targets of the ACS Campaign – were morally lax, mentally inferior, and criminally oriented Black elements – (en.wikipedia.org/wiki_American_Colonization_Society) 8. US President Abraham Lincoln (before he became president however) – He supported the ACS idea from the beginning, but when he later learned about the scheme in details, he backed off his support and described the ACS Black Repatriation Scheme as “Immoral” – (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Colonization_Society)
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B. Some of the grave mischief that went into the establishment of Liberia 1. Jerome J. Verdier, Chairperson; Dede Dolopei, Vice Chairperson; Oumu K. Syllah, Treasurer; Bishop Arthur F. Kulah, Member; Sheikh Kafumba F. Konneh, Member; Pearl Brown Bull, Member; Gerald B. Coleman, Member; John H. T. Stewart, Member; Massa Washington, Member; and Henrietta Joy Abena Mensa Bonsu, Member – all of Liberia’s Truth & Reconciliation Commission – All of the below statements, are among the many revolutionary statements attributed to the TRC, for which we, of the Plain Truth Revolution lift our hats up to each of the commissioners listed above: “…..(1) The early founders of the state (Liberia) had a choice between whether to build a united Liberia with all its peoples involved in the building and development of the emergent nation, or to form a separate “civilized” state with the mission to civilize and Christianize the “savage and barbaric” indigenous population as a precondition for citizenship and land ownership in the land of their birth and nativity….The American-borne early leadership chose the latter option of building a separatist state as a political direction and philosophy. This choice of the latter is at the root of Liberia’s, as yet unresolved historical problem of political identity and legitimacy…. (2) Central to understanding elitism, inequality, underdevelopment and armed conflict in Liberia ……was [this] decision to establish the Liberian state and the psychology of that establishment that maintained a divided nation from independence till present….. (3) The second historical root cause of the Liberian conflict finds basis in the coercive use of force and authority to sustain the settlers’ hegemony as it relates to culture, the acquisition of land and the corresponding issues of identity and trade…… (4) America’s policies in Liberia present (or portrays) Liberia as a DUMPING GROUND for free blacks and slaves from the US and receptive Africans on the high seas. The US and its corporate interests in Liberia have played complex, and two contradictory roles: as a conflict backer and an ambivalent and benevolent patron state, all these which have led to Liberia’s chronic underdevelopment. America MUST now re-examine and redefine its historic relationship with Liberia…… (Daily Observer, December 28, 2009 etc.) 2. Oku Bryant - “We purposely use of the word "sovereignty" as opposed to "independence", since Liberia was never a colony of the US in any way, one cannot say it became independent. A country gains independence from a colonial master, like Kenya from England or Cote d'Ivoire from France. One can therefore say that the settlers assigned a legal status to the land they took away from the natives and called it "Liberia." This is just one of the many historical confusions Liberians need to clarify for themselves and future generations.” – (http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/299312/Liberia-America-s-Stepchild/overview: Liberia: America's Stepchild (2002) C. More Historical Descriptions of the Original founders and societal frontrunners of Liberia, the Americo-Liberians, their country itself, plus what was expected to come, and what has always been the stark reality in their Liberia 1. Hugh Mason Brown (Washington DC-born Educator, Civil Rights Activist, and Minister) – describing the forefathers, founders and frontrunners of Liberia and their country itself in 1896, Mr. Brown said the following in summary: (a)“…..The Americo-Liberian education and economic development are totally dependent upon US paternalism and goodwill, and other foreign influences [all of which] are based primarily on foreign interests in the country’s natural resources….(b) Liberia [totally] lacks effective leadership in developing its own cultural, political, and economic infrastructures to address ongoing issues and concerns….(c) The Americo-Liberian is a man, who in every line of life, is a NONE-PRODUCER. All that he possesses comes to him as a gift, either from another race, or from the wild products of nature….(d) With respect to what constitutes education, the Americo-Liberian is a man who memorizes the higher education of other people [meaning the concepts and theories of another people], without EVER realizing that knowledge acquired is power [when put into practice for the benefit of all]; and (e) Regarding economics, Mr.
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Brown says, “In my journey throughout Liberia, I find a few iron implements used by civilized races, but I found NO remains of an iron factory; and iron ore, though plentiful, rests undisturbed. I find some manufactured cotton wares, but I find no remains of a cotton gin or mill, and the cotton plant is only found in its wild state. I didn’t find any one article bearing the stamp of a Liberian manufacture etc. – (www.theperspective.org/.....) 2. Wikipedia/History of Liberia – The framers of Liberia had designed their country to be [perpetually] governed by a small minority African American colonists and their offspring, while suppressing the largely indigenous majority. 3. Some Social Expert Opinion on Liberia – “the worst things about Liberia, after all, largely owe to the descent [of a breed of people called the Americo-Liberians] (http//archive.org/stream/liberiadescription) 4. Koffi Woods, former Public Works Minister of Liberia – “Liberia’s chronic problems can be attributed to the tragic return of the so-called free slaves – a development that eventually gave birth to such evils as ethnic marginalization and the misuse of power, authority, and so forth. – (Sky FM, April 28, 2014) D. More proofs of Liberia’s messy foundation and its enduring problems 1. Dr. Amos Sawyer, Professor of Political Science at both the University of Liberia (in Liberia) and the University of Indiana (in the United States) – commenting on Liberia’s establishment after all the research and practical experience, Mr. Sawyer concludes: “The idea of Liberia was flawed in conception, design and implementation” – (Quoted by Jo M. Sullivan of the Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge Massachusetts, and the Salem Public Schools; http://www.footstepsmagazine.com/Teachers_Guide ....) 2. Dean Johnson, African Methodist Episcopal University – Liberia’s declaration of independence was imprudently thought out and was untimely… We need a complete renaissance,….we need a complete rebirth. (Farbric FM. New Dawn, March 16, 2015) 3. Wilfred Bangourah, Senate Protemp’s Office – Liberia was founded on false premise… We should now check our founding papers and make some adjustments….We now need to reclaim and repossess our country..(Farbric FM. New Dawn, March 16, 2015) 4. “Darious Dillon”, Liberian Politician – He says here in sum, Liberia is being bogged down with a dangerous mindset; that is, that people were made to come here outside of their will, to build a country, but in reality, these people are still conscious that this place is not their home. [Note: Mr. Daylon was referring to the self-imposed frontrunners of this society, in the persons of the Johnsons, the McClains, the Tubmans, the Barclays etc.]. He continues, “….It is very sad that a whole people will keep going without any sense of direction” [in terms of self-determination and independence of thoughts and actions.]….Liberia is sadly a country powered by no national direction; no ideology, no common philosophy; and no common vision….”. [just as its frontrunners lack these] - (Love FM. December 11, 2014) E. Some of today’s realities of What the US Congress, in 1817, meant by aggravated MISCHIEF, that would characterize all of Liberia’s activities later How Mischief is used to deny citizens the right levels and quality of education The first and foremost point to emphasize in this section is the level of mischief being exhibited by the Americo-Liberians in the area of providing mass quality Education for the citizenry of this land – the first step to developing the human being, the first right to all other human rights, according to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights etc.
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But before we expound further, let’s bring in these two proud quotations on education: i.
Jim Hunt – “Education is the foundation for all we do in life, it shapes who we are and what we aspire to be. Creativity fuels innovation, and it's what all states should strive to instill in the next generations.” – From the work, “Life, Education, Next”
ii.
Brad Henry – “No other investment yields as great a return as the investment in education. An educated workforce is the foundation of every community and the future of every economy.” – from the work, “Education, Great, Future”
Still further, parts of Article 13 of the 25-articled International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognizes the right of everyone (every citizen, not just a few,) to education, read thus: “…..Education is seen both as a human right and as "an indispensable means of realizing other human rights", and so, this is one of the longest and most important articles of the Covenant…… [Some actions] that parties (meaning all UN-member Nations, including original member, Liberia) are required to pursue [in] realizing this right to education for every [soul]…. include: the provision of free, universal and compulsory primary education, "generally available and accessible" secondary education in various forms (including technical and vocational training), and equally accessible higher education. All of these must be available to all, without discrimination. …. Parties are required to make education free at all levels, either immediately or progressively; "[p]primary education shall be compulsory and available free to all"; secondary education "shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education"; and "[h]higher education shall be made equally accessible to all, on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education…..etc.". But sharply on the opposite, here is how the frontrunners of this society, the Americo-Liberians, designed their educational programs for this country to run, all because over 98% of population is made up of their perceived enemies, the Natives, and this mischievous design continues to run up present, 2016, and run so forever, even much worse, if we don’t break this Horrible foundation now to build a new, better one: 1. George Werner, current Education Minister, Liberia - “When the Settlers came here, they set up an educational establishment ONLY intended for the privileged few” – [a reality whose legacy we suffer today] – (ELBC, September 25, 2015) 2. Deputy Minister Moses Jackson, Ministry of Education – in summary he says, In Liberia nobody is determining who can teach and who can’t teach; and for those teaching, nobody polices (monitors) them, as everyone in the teaching field is virtually doing his/her own thing…There are over 20,000 untrained teachers on our Ministry’s payroll…Instead of evaluating the quality of education at different levels, we only evaluate at the top – i.e. we do summative evaluation only, rather than first doing formative evaluation followed by summative evaluation….For curriculum, the order of the day is complete incoherence, whereby people in Lofa for example are teaching different things to their elementary students while those in Rivergee County teach quite different things at this same level…[What a Mischievous Country!] – (ELBC, Super Morning Show, February 6, 2015) 3. Madam Miatta Fahnbulleh, UNICEF Child & Maternal Health Goodwill Ambassador – “….Had it not been for the UN, UNICEF, and other humanitarian institutions, we would never have been talking about education or schooling in this country any longer.” Note: She was expressing frustration about how infinitesimal or very insignificant government’s allocation to education continues be in this country –(SKY FM., February 19, 2015)
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4. Senator Dallas Gweh, Rivercess County - Education is the single most important developmental tool for changing our people; it changes everything, ranging from our mindsets to how we build and take care of our infrastructure etc.; Education is a very key area that is not being prioritized in our country….I feel very sick about what is happening……We have a set of assessment that is just different from others; we have a substandard form of education that still thrives on obsolete text books [with government not probably knowing] that she is responsible to educate all her citizens…… We need to go to the root of the things [in this country] and identify the problem…… We make all the big, big, pronouncements that the youths are the future of our country, failing to know that the future is now….I feel very sad when I see young people just floating in the streets without any meaningful engagements….. Liberians are good at crafting laws and policies, but they don’t implement anything….(Farbric FM, New Dawn, December 21, 2015) 5. Aagon Tingba, Deputy Minister of Education, Liberia: - He explains in summary that as usual, $44 million has been approved for his ministry’s entire fiscal year 2015/2016 budget. [Normally the Americo-Liberian Legislature cuts proposed education budget by 60% or more in the name of good governance]. Minister Tingba says, out of this very meager amount, $35 million goes to salary and other employee incentives. Out of the balance $9 million, $4 million goes to subsidies for private schools (an amount his boss has said they don’t have any authority over how it is distributed); and the balance less than $4 million will remain for all other operations of the Education Ministry of a 21st century country, including the provision of text books to all schools across 15 counties, the provision of office and other supplies to all; the rehabilitation and maintenance of all school facilities across the 43,000 sq. mile country etc. Quizzed about his Ministry’s ambitious “Turn Liberia’s System of Education from Mess to Best” agenda, Mr. Tingba says, “We identified [shortterm] priority projects worth $200 million, but we just don’t know yet where this money will EVER come from” The Implication: The most talked about “Mess to Best Agenda” for Liberia’s Education System, like all others of its kind, has died even before it hits the ground. (ELBC, December 29, 2015) 6. Farbric F.M. - According to one of their analyses, the Americo-Liberian Legislature apportioned Two Thousand US Dollars (US$2,000) in one of the most recent national budgets to handle all Science & Technology Programs across the entire country. How Mischief is being demonstrated in issues of economics in the country 1. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – in one of her usual “mockeries sessions” out of the concept of modern Economics, she goes on making these kinds of revelations: “…. In 2007, Liberia’s economy grew by double digits, up to 12%; in 2008, due to the global financial crisis, we dropped to 6%; and by 2012, we came back to 8% [before Ebola struck in 2014 and dropped us to 0.4%]…We are very strict about our debt management strategy….We follow prudent management policies….We place the money to where everybody sees it etc. – the roads, the hydro etc.” Quizzed about how Government EVER qualified on this planet for the MCC (i.e. US Millennium Challenge Corporation) grant, the President says, “…We have passed the corruption test consistently, as prescribed by the MCC, which is very rigid…” [Meanwhile every level-headed person, including the President herself knew that this was a complete mischievous mockery out of the ever-suffering people of this country. (Prime FM. 105.5, December 30, 2015) 2. Mr. Harry Greaves, Former Economic Advisor to Interim President Gyudee Bryant, and former Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining (though truly Storage) Company – Speaking on the issue of electricity in the country, and other burning frustrations about the nation, he said these in brief, “….Monrovia alone requires 120 MW of electricity but the Liberia Electricity Corporation is currently providing an unstable 6 MW at the most exorbitant of tariffs on the planet – i.e. at US$0.56 per kilowatts hour…..Liberia is full of excuses in defense of its laziness; the excuse
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of the war, war, war etc. drives me crazy, and the next big excuse in town now is Ebola, Ebola, and Ebola….Some of Liberia’s big problems are narrow-mindedness and extreme greed for power…..The way in which government is going about selling the country’s natural oil blocks is just DIRTY and SORDID….. In Nigeria for example, to purchase an oil block, you, the foreign company or capitalist will have to accept a 40% stake while the government and people take the balance 60%.....” He said he, and his lawyer, Cllr. Musa Dean, had mustered the courage to petition the Supreme Court for a prohibition on any further sales of Liberian Oil blocks by the government, especially during the heat of the Ebola crisis…etc. (Farbric FM New Dawn, January 5, 2015) How Mischief is demonstrated in the area of healthcare 1. Ambassador Miatta Fahnbulleh, UNICEF Child and Maternal Health Goodwill Ambassador – “There are practically no health facilities outside of Monrovia….We just think Monrovia is all of Liberia…Outside of Monrovia, the distances that pregnant women travel before reaching one little clinic are enough to tell you that they are already ‘gonners’ (or dead bodies) before they get there…Two years ago, EU donated $13 million to the Government of Liberia to help combat maternal mortality, but no one knows yet where this money went…(ELBC, Super Morning Show, April 8, 2015) How Mischief is being exhibited in the area of providing security for the citizens 1. UN Security Council – At its September 2015 sitting, it expressed several concerns about Liberia’s situation as the United Nations withdraws from the country. These are just 3 of the grave concerns, as presented through individual resolutions: “… (a) “Noting with concern the potential for conflict over Liberia’s natural resources and disputes related to land ownership and also noting that issues related to corruption continue to threaten to undermine stability and the effectiveness of government institutions……(b) Expressing concern that the Government has not provided predictable and sustainable funding to shoulder the costs of deploying and sustaining its security personnel and resources throughout the country, including to operate and maintain the LNP (Liberia National Police) and BIN(Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization) outside of Monrovia…[Note Liberia’s Police Chief registered his disappointment in February 2016, that Government’s allocation of a mere $2 million for security operations across 15 counties in a 43,000 sq. mile country for 12 round months was just a BIG JOKE etc.]…. (c) Determining that the situation in Liberia continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region…etc. [Note: In the midst of all these grave worries and genuine concerns of the United Nations, the always STUPID Americo-Liberian authorities continue to make the UN appear as the liar by putting the citizens under the impression, without conditions, that they are up to the task to provide maximum security for the country. That’s how mischievous they are in everything.] – (http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/SC12049.doc.htm - 17 September 2015) 2. Cllr. Benedict Sannon, Justice Minister, Liberia - “When you go to sleep and wake up the next morning to calm and peaceful environment; when you travel from one point in Liberia to the next without fear, it is because of the security cover provided by the Liberia National Police. It was the Liberia National Police that single handedly provided security for the just ended 2014 Senatorial elections etc. ( Liberia Prepares For UNMIL Drawdown -Justice Minister Outlines Plans: Nov 16, 2015:By: Mafanta Kromah, Mafanta.kromah@gmail.com,0880637357/ In Profile Daily Newspaper) How Mischief is exhibited in general governance/administration and management 1. Jonathan Grant, Global Witness, UK – “If the Liberian government is serious about turning the page on the past and using natural resources to improve the lives of its citizens rather than enrich the corrupt, then enforcing laws and prosecuting government officials and companies who violate these laws should be its number one priority; this could make or break the country's future. The sad truth [however] is that the Liberian government has consistently failed to do this.” –
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(https://www.globalwitness.org/archive/liberia-systematically-breaking-its-own-laws-oil-mineralforest-and-land-deals-worth/:Press Release / May 3, 2013) 2. Global Witness – commenting on Liberia’s criminal selling of Oil Block 16 during the Ebola crisis, GW said the following: “Liberia has burned the furniture to warm the house” – (FrontPage Africa, February 27, 2015) 3. Jonathan Pay-Lay Leh, BBC Correspondent/Liberia - …The behavior of Liberian leaders in dealing with the country’s resources makes me wonder, “Are we conducting ourselves in a fashion as if our country has come to an end? (Farbric New Dawn, October 20, 2015) Mischief in the dispensation of justice and/or in issues of human rights 1. Makita Redd/Wreh, Commerce Inspector, Ministry of Commerce & Industry – reacting to news of the arrest of her son, Justin Redd/Wreh by the Liberia National Police on sexual assault charges against one Officer Hoff’s girlfriend, Inspector Makita says, she fears for her son’s life in the hands of the police because the President was out of the country, and so anything could happen to her son in the police’s hands while the President is away…(Local Radio News, December 13, 2013) 2. Jonathan Pay-Lay Leh, BBC Correspondent/Liberia…On the Liberian “Uncivil” War, which he covered extensively for the BBC, Mr. Paye Lay-Leh says, 90% of the killings and massacres done here were premeditated” – (Farbric New Dawn, October 20, 2015) 3. Rep. George Mulbah, Bong County – Because of Liberia’s refusal to implement laws that are on the books, only because she wants to appease certain foreign powers, the country has become a place where foreigners come and harvest our people’s blood freely; thereby making our citizens to live in constant fear…..Government herself demonstrates some interests in these ritualistic killings because those arrested for the act are normally placed into custody [just to make fool out of the public], fed with the best of meals 3 times a day, and released shortly. - ….(Farbric FM, November 24, 2015) Mischief in issues relating to the overall development of the country 1. Rep. Alex Grant, Grand Gedeh County - “If sincere efforts were EVER applied to the development of this country, it would not have been looking the way it is today – the issue of bad road for example has been plaguing Liberia since its very foundation ….(ELBC, November 27, 2015) 2. Isaac Redd, Director, Press and Public Affairs, National Legislature - Commenting on how road is built or reconditioned in Liberia, he says, “…Where road goes, or where road is rehabilitated is normally determined by where the president goes; He then protests: “our country just can’t go this way.”…He further says he thinks we need to jumpstart everything all over again in this country….and if we are to do this, we need patriotic people… Commenting further on the poor state of governance in the country, he disclosed, “When you go to some parts of Nimba, the people there don’t even know whether there’s a government in Liberia – all the social services, [or the basic ones at least they get], all come from Ivory Coast….He continues, “Just a border town in Ivory Coast, Danane, has beaten down all of our big cities, including Monrovia because Danane is well laid out and ours are not” ……Still lamenting the overall issue of governance, Mr. Redd asks a rhetorical question, “Are we thinking?” ….Then he says, he thinks we are not thinking for ourselves; we don’t even know how to feed ourselves yet, [the first thing to do as a human being, let alone a man or a whole nation] – (Farbric New Dawn, November 12, 2015)
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3. Representative Gabriel Nyenkan, Montserrado County, & Minister Gyudee Moore, Public Works – the 11.5 km or 7 mile community road between and among Bardnersville, Kebbah, New Georgia Caldwell etc. (right within the immediate outskirts of Monrovia) has been very deplorable for years now and its rehabilitation has been the President’s political campaign promise since 2011. Right after criminal Government of Liberia received some cheating $256 million from her partner-incrime, the US Government, under some Millennium Challenge Corporation bonus money for GOL’s so-called good governance in 2015, the government quickly broke grounds for this 11.5 km, one-lane road project. Here’s how these two key officials of government made remarks about this long-awaited project at its launching. (a) Representative Gabriel Nyenkan: “…Minister Gyudee Moore knows how we have been advocating, and by the special grace of God today, we have succeeded through the intervention of the President….We have been like John the Baptist crying in the wilderness, and finally, the President has listened…The road became so bad with potholes that later degenerated into wells, and then later into septi-tanks etc. (b) Then comes Minister Gyudee Moore: “….I want to thank all the prominent people who have been coming over and over to our Ministry to advocate for this road project [i.e. this 11.5 km, one-lane, rehabilitation in a 194-yearold city’s outskirts in this 21st century], including Amara Fofana, ‘Latfia’ Gould, Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, [Min. Brownie Samukai], and not forgetting Senator Dahn Morias…etc. (Farbric FM, December 18, 2015) [*Meanwhile, the Representative of the District, Hon. Gabriel Nyenkan is reported to have written both the President’s Office and the Ministry of Public Works, with pictorials of the terrible outlook of this road 17 times, before fortunately this US MCC bonus could fall into criminal GOL’s laps to respond to his, and others’ both written and verbal engagements with their government for the rehabilitation of a one-lane 11.5km road serving more than 100,000 persons in more than 3 crowded suburban communities in the immediate outskirts of the nation’s only capital. One can imagine what remote communities in the very Montserrado County – the county that hosts the capital – will have to go through before receiving a substandard one-lane road, let alone communities in the country’s remaining 14 interior counties. And if this is happening for road, one can also imagine what will happen for electricity, pipe-borne water, and other basic social services. Can such a terribly mischievous situation ever be handled without some positive, sweeping revolution?] 4. Jerolinmek Piah, Press Secretary to the Americo-Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Providing some updates about the professedly tremendous progress made by his government since 2006, progress that by far outpaces and wallops those made by any other governments in the 194 year history of this [Black American] country, the Presidential Press Secretary, mainly, and one his colleagues recounted the following: AGRICULTURE: “…..We all have agreed that Agriculture is the single biggest place to provide employment for vast majority of our people; we are aware that iron ore and other extractive resources can get depleted; so, to utilize Kenya’s success story in the Agriculture Sector, the two countries (meaning Liberia and Kenya) agreed to set up a joint commission comprising institutions like the Ministry of Agriculture, the Central Agriculture Research Institute, the Agriculture College of the University of Liberia among others…..When we were in India the last time, we were discussing Agriculture, when we were in China, we were discussing Agriculture; and recently while in Kenya, we were also discussing Agriculture….”. ELECTRICITY: “…We have decided to transform or transition from diesel generators to heavy fuel oil, to add 38 MW of electricity [to our current grid of 22 MW]; Out of this 38 MW, the World Bank will finance 10 MW, the Japanese Government will finance 10 MW, then we ourselves will
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finance the rest. Our hydro plant [being rehabilitated heavily with loans and other foreign partners’ and donors’ money], which is expected to be completed by the end of next year will be producing 88 MW of electricity. To have this light distributed, that’s why we borrowed $144 million from the Indian Bank.” (*Meanwhile Monrovia alone needs at least 120 MW to get reasonably electrified according to reliable sources.) ROADS:…”Government, [since 2006] has built 118 km [about 73 miles of substandard one-lane] of new roads [in a 43,000 square mile country], we have rehabilitated 580 km [about 363 miles of existing nonsense called roads], and Minister Moore is intending to cover 100 to 125 km (about 63 to 78 miles) of neighborhood roads in the next 2 years by the time our government expires etc. HOUSING: “…We have been targeting 250 units for the NASCORP Village Estate in Brewerville, but 36 have been constructed, [and in Ben Town, Marshall, 50 units have been constructed]. Note: All this puts the total number of housing units being provided thus far for Liberia’s 4.5 million people by its major achieving 21st century government at 86 – this means, holding all things constant, that Liberia is starting from scratch as a result of the war, a major post-war success story government, heavily funded by loans and donor assistance, has now been able to ‘marvelously’ provide housing for 0.000019% of its citizens in 10 years – the greatest provision EVER done by any government in the 194 years of this MISCHIEV MAKING Black American Country, called Liberia – (Farbric New Dawn, December 22, 2015) Some accounts of how criminal the very institution called government, in Liberia is 1. Nagbe Sloh, Liberian Media Authority– describing his government, he claims, “The Government of Liberia is a [mere] ‘Come, Grab, and Go’ club. – (ELBC, February 19, 2014) 2. Senator Henry Yallah, Bong County – “When the President nominates, before the day breaks, that nominee has already been confirmed…. We have made a lot of mistakes in here, and this place needs to be redeemed….etc. (Sky FM. October 31, 2014) 3. Mr. ‘Tarbarosa’ ‘Tarponweh’, Chairman, Boys Town Community in the outskirts of Monrovia – Addressing some burning issues of concern for him and his community, he poses what he calls this rhetorical question that goes like this: “Why would people who do not have any love for fellow human beings be so desperate in search of opportunities to lead people?” Note: He was lamenting the very criminal and careless way in which the Government of Liberia’s Ebola Task Force Officials were handling the issue of cremation within their community. – (ELBC, Super Morning Show, January 12, 2015) 4. One of the Liberian Girls trafficked to Lebanon - testifying against Defendant Abbas El Debes in 2015, the girl (name withheld) says, Ghazi Barshir, one of the accused, who is in Lebanon, dragged her into his car one day, naked her, and abused her, after which he asked her to begin doing her housemaid work. When she refused based on the terrible experience she had just had, the girl further narrates, Mr. Barshir punished her for a week, and then upon her further resistance, he took a knife, a gun, and a digger, and threatened that if she ever refused his instructions again, he would either [kill] and bury her in his garden, or he will [kill her and] send her body to her CORRUPT Government with US$3,500 – an apparent disclosure or suggestion of the fact that some money was paid to government for the trafficking of these girls to Lebanon.” – (http://monroviainquirer.com/.....Sex Slave Victim Gives Horrible Accounts, October 15, 2015) 5. D. Maxwell Kemayan, President, Liberia Business Association – If the [Government of Liberia] will not match its words with deeds (as the case continues to be), then the country is not on the right
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path. They (the GOL) give people hope, then in the end, they come up with a bundle of excuses….(Farbric FM., February 2, 2015) 6. Dr. Randolph McClain, President and CEO of Liberia’s National Oil Company (NOCAL) – Making some important updates to the nation, he says in sum, “…We have been drilling oil, but doing so to find out whether oil is in commercial quantity here….Anadarko drilled two oil wells this year…Chevron also has been drilling in different oil blocks….The drillings thus far have been proving or showing that we have a VERY ACTIVE OIL ENVIRONMENT….None of them however has shown commercial quantity as yet, even though the results from Anadarko and Chevron haven’t come out yet…etc. – (MICAT Press Briefing, ELBC, December 17, 2014) 7. Cllr. ‘Afian’ Sherman, Some Vice President at Liberia’s National Oil Company (NOCAL) – Addressing a major press briefing, she made these updates, in summary, “…The 2014 Bid Rounds – that is, the bid rounds for the sale of one or more of Liberia’s oil blocks, that were being held by the criminal government when dead bodies were being picked up in their hundreds on the streets of Monrovia and elsewhere in the country daily from Ebola – started in London, the UK, because our data provider is in London….We did 3 roadshows in London, starting in August 2014….” With respect to the oil block (s) being sold [or already been sold], “prequalification was done by Ernst & Young….” (MICAT Press Briefing, ELBC, December 17, 2014) 8. John S. Morlu, former Auditor General of Liberia - In Liberia, we have a kleptocracy ….. masquerading as a democracy. This Government has replaced political tyranny with economic tyranny, suppressing and marginalizing the economic interest of the vast majority of Liberians only for the benefit of the few selected people around the Presidency. (http://frontpageafricaonline.com/.......Speech by John S. Morlu, Press Union of Liberia, November 2015) 9. Samora Wolokollie, Party Official, Congress for Democratic Change, Liberia – “the Government is noted for providing wrong information to the public, in order to deceive and score political points ….(Farbric FM, New Dawn, November 25, 2015) 10. Global Witness, UK Integrity Institution – (a)…..“President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf herself has made repeated public assurances that the palm oil industry will bring jobs, food, and infrastructure to some of the country’s poorest rural areas. But The New Snake Oil adds to a growing body of proof that the opposite holds true…” [This means that President Sirleaf has downright been lying to the people of this country]. But here is what Global Witness means by Snake Oil, with Ellen’s bringing in of all the big palm oil companies to take all of the fertile soil from our mainly tribal people of this country forever, just as her criminal predecessors like Arthur Barclay, Charles King, Bill Tubman did painfully to our people. The Snake Oil is originally a Chinese medicine used to a great effect to relief joint pain. After its introduction in the United States, con artists (like what Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is doing in Liberia), began selling fake bottles of the oil, claiming that it had miraculous healing qualities. The Snake Oil peddler became a stock character in Western movies: a ‘traveling doctor’ who would leave town before his customers realized they had been cheated or duped. Snake Oil is now synonymous with hoaxes (tricks, deceptions, frauds etc.) and false promises – (The New Snake Oil: “Violence, Threats, And False Promises At The Heart Of Liberia’s Palm Oil Expansion, July 2015) (b) Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL’s) concession agreement, signed with the Government in 2010, provides for a 350,000 ha “Area of Interest,” within which the company can convert 260,000 ha of land into an oil palm estate ….. This Area of Interest is spread across four counties in the Southeast of the country: Rivercess, Sinoe, Grand Kru, and River Gee.… It is estimated that, at present, 41,000 people live in this immediate operations area. GVL’s contract is valid for 65 years up until 2075, with the opportunity or provision to extend the contract for a further 33 years up until 2108.
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This is a total of 98 years, affecting at least five generations…..Under Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) [between GVL and the community dwellers], the company will actually give non-employed community members very little – slightly more than six toilets [pit latrines] – over that which the company was already obligated to provide under its concession agreement with the Government….. [GVL uses the government and its officials to ‘wreak havoc’ on the local communities.] [For example], current Senator Milton Teahjay, while still yet Superintendent of the County, conducted a consistent and aggressive campaign against community members who questioned GVL operations or refused to consent to the company. In February 2014 [for example], Teahjay facilitated the arrest and detention of four Tarjuwon Community members who were investigating claims that GVL was operating on their land without their consent….It is likely that Teahjay was also involved in the dismissal of a local town chief who did not consent to giving community land to GVL. He is one Paul Chea. – (The New Snake Oil?: “Violence, Threats, And False Promises At The Heart Of Liberia’s Palm Oil Expansion July 2015) III.
Situations or Realities that further justify Liberia’s doomed and cursed fate A. Convincing evidence of a country and people with sadly no sense of direction
1. Steve Kolubah, Liberia’s Motivational Speaker and Man of God – he says in sum, one of the major things still holding Liberia back is its constitution – stating, the constitution is antiquated and just does not match the realities of our times…...Liberia can be compared to a plane already boarded by four million passengers and crew members, but this big group hasn’t unfortunately decided its destination yet, so the plane is just parking [sic] or standing still; …the country has never made any move yet because the people that call themselves citizens have not yet made any definite decision yet about where they want to head together in life – (Ultimate Success, Local Radio, November 19, 2014) 2. Amb. Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Liberia – she urges Liberians to think outside of the box and identify those things that make them unique, including things that nonLiberians may find intriguing [which may not be positive, but interesting, including our endemic Corruption and inability to think for ourselves] – (Liberia News Agency) 3. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – At the receipt of the credentials of ambassadors from Switzerland, Turkey, Russia and Colombia etc. at her office in March 2015, the President went straight way into offering these guests an opportunity explore areas of exploiting Liberia’s vast natural resources. In her direct words, “…We are a country endowed with so many natural resources….” – (ELBC, March 26, 2015) 4. Representative Richmond Anderson, Montserrado County – “Because the traditional County Development Fund and Social Development Funds are not forthcoming due to bureaucratic bottlenecks in the Executive, that is why we proposed the District Development Fund of US$1 million to each district, which the Legislature will have a direct oversight over, but because of lack of money, that’s how come each district now gets $68,000 instead of the $1 million for our direct district oversight… (Farbric FM, January 5, 2016) [Implication: The Honorable is here saying that their oversight has completely failed with the County Development Fund and the Social Development Fund, so the best thing they decided in their wisdom of working organically and in unison, is to design another development fund, the District Development Fund, so this one Americo-Liberian country will now be having three different funds for development, from the angle of the Legislature. In the other case, the fact that the Legislature proposed $1 million for each district, although without identifying the source, and they got far less than 8% of this money, it didn’t sound any dangerous bell in their ears, but they decided
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to go on with what was available, with the hope that they would one day succeed with the massive development of their country to modern standards.] 5. Mo Ibrahim, head of the Mo Ibrahim African Leadership Prize Fund - decrying how Ellen travels out of her own country so frequently beyond people’s understanding, he says, referring to Ellen, “You sit in your country; sit in Monrovia; and just use that, and don’t travel to those people…” (FrontPage Africa, March 3, 2015) 6. ‘Menipaket Dumoi’, Secretary General, Liberia People Democratic Party – “One of the main reasons for the proliferation of political parties is the growing abundance of political and civil grievances. - (Farbric FM. New Dawn, December 15, 2015) 7. Rep. Gabriel Smith, Grand Bassa County – Responding to, or addressing concerns about the Legislature’s share of the blame in all of the economic mess being experienced by the country, he bluntly says, “We too, as lawmakers have limitations. We pass on these agreements [referring to Liberia’s always bogus, criminal concession agreements] with little or no knowledge on the sector. We rely on the expertise of a few of our colleagues to advise us, and by that, we make the political decisions… - (www.frontpageafricaonline.com.../Nocal Blame Game...) 8. Senator Thomas Grupee, Nimba County – speaking as a member of the Legislative Budget Hearing Committee, he says, “….about 90% of public officials or institutions’ heads attending budget hearing don’t even bother, as a known requirement, to carry along their budget performance reports for the past year – suggesting that government officials go to a whole nation’s annual budget hearing and budget preparation process with their arms swinging. Press Director of the House of Representatives Mr. Isaac Redd, according to another media outlet, also confirmed this ugly fact, and said though, that nothing could be done to change this situation other than to keep talking --(ELBC, July 14, 2015) B. What do the expert say about the depth of this country’s problems i.
What do the professionals and academicians say
1. Karin Langrin, UN Secretary General’s Special Representative to Liberia – These are just a few of her personal concerns shared at a certain UN function in New York in 2013: “…(a) Lasting peace will require fairness and the inclusion of all Liberians in their country’s progress…..(b) Corruption and tensions between branches of government remain at the forefront of political life in Liberia…..(c) As the Secretary General had previously noted, many of Liberia’s underlying tensions were [are] perpetuated by provisions within the country’s constitution, making it especially important to conduct an inclusive and participatory reform process…..etc. (http://www.un.org/press..... 25 March 2013: SC/10958) 2. Deborah Malac, US Ambassador to Liberia - “I know Liberians tend to think of concessions as the one model for foreign investment, but that model is increasingly outdated.” - (May 2015) 3. Ambassador Tina Intelmann, Head of EU in Liberia – “Liberia should be able to feed its people because it is endowed with potentials, including a fertile soil and a good climate – (www.thenewdawn.com/...., September 29, 2015) 4. Ismail Serageldin, Vice President of the Environmentally Sustainable Development Section of the World Bank or the Carter Center – commenting on behalf of both institutions regarding the transition process from war to peace in Guatemala and Liberia, he said, “….To date, both international donors and the United Nations System have been ambivalent (undecided, indecisive etc.) about supporting security measures in [these two countries] and have been more willing rather to provide humanitarian assistance, then making a long-term commitment to reconstruction measures..” – (Reliable Source)
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5. Dr. Amos Sawyer, Head, Liberia’s Governance Commission - he observes this dangerous national phenomenon: He says, “If we have any kind of problem today, in 8 out of 10 cases, at least, we first think about what donors can bring to the table instead of how we can first assess our own capabilities and resources to tackle the problem……This too much of stakeholders, stakeholders notion terribly dilutes our citizenship responsibility….- (ELBC, SMS, December 18, 2015) 6. Nathaniel Barnes, Politician, former Liberian Ambassador to the UN – “….We do not have institutions here, we only have personalities in the Liberian political arena…..Our biggest hurdle continues to remain the fact that we are not a reconciled and united people; and as a result, we do not have a common purpose and a common goal……There’s an incredible lack of trust by Liberians in their leaders or politicians generally, and this lack of trust is justified – (Farbric FM. New Dawn, December 12, 2015) 7. Keith Morris, Local Journalist – “…There’s no coordination in the administrative structure of the whole country…[There’s a serious climate of deceit in the government, so much so], that people/officials come to the public and talk different things, but behind the scenes, they mean quite different things….” (Farbric New Dawn, August 26, 2015) 8. ‘Dayboy’, Local Journalist and Legislative Reporter – “the presidency is not administratively organized [at all], and the Legislature is noted for [mere] grandstanding…” etc. (Idem) 9. ‘Musa’, Local Journalist and Legislative Reporter – “The Legislature is always in agreement with the Executive just for the sake of appeasement…..” (Idem) 10. Darious Dillon, Liberian Politician - With respect to the country’s corruption fight, he says, “…we can have 10 more GACs (referring to the General Auditing Commission; we can establish 59 more LACCs (Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission); and pass 50 more corruption-related legislations, but if we can’t implement anything [worthwhile] from a single GAC report, nothing will ever work …...” (Farbric F. M. April 15, 2015) 11. John S. Morlu, former Auditor General, Liberia – he asks, “…..Can anyone get job, contracts and newspaper advertisement in this country if you are not political? Can anyone get anything done in Liberia if you are not part of the political class that sings praises to this President? (http://frontpageafricaonline.com/...Speech By John S. Morlu - Press Union of Liberia Congress: Written by John S. Morlu : Published: 28 November 2015 ) 12. Julius Jeh, Farbric FM. Reporter – expressing his frustration about the state of his country, with no signs of it improving, he says, “The only thing we can boast of in this country is breath of life, and nothing else seems to be working….Whenever we take one little step ahead as a people, we will take a corresponding step backwards [or even many more steps backwards]… Conditions in this country have always been dire…It’s time that we pay keen attention to the problems of our country, in terms of searching for solutions to the problems of our country….Our country now deserves the same maximum commitment that we accord our various bread winning jobs – (Farbric FM. Night Time Radio, December 8, 2014) ii.
What are the international institutions saying
1. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf - During her trip to India and China to go beg for help to build Liberia, as everyone is made to understand here, she says one thing was said there that keeps ringing bell in her ears, and that is, the Indian and Chinese People said that the Liberian Government is too slow in doing everything – and that they (the Indians and Chinese) only want to help people who want to help themselves – a tacit way of saying that Liberians are not yet ready to help themselves…….Responding to some suggestive puzzle of why the Liberian Government will not learn to generate her own money with all the resources that she has, but will keep passing here there begging for loans and grants etc., Madam Sirleaf suggested 3 reasons, put simply as follows: (a)
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Liberia [only] depends on the money from the two natural or crude, traditional, resources of rubber and iron ore, and these two natural commodities’ prices have dropped on the world market, (b) Our budget is too small, and 80% of it goes to people who are just playing cards behind their desks in government offices, and (c) Too much of the already little we have, is already leaving the country, going to America – Note: To this point interestingly, Journalist and show host ‘Torwon Sulunteh’ Brown was fast to ask “what are you the President doing with all your powers to stop this ugly situation”, and Ellen replied that this issue of too much money leaving Liberia and going to America was too heavy for her mouth….” (UNMIL Radio, Talk with the President, December 1, 2015) 2. US Embassy – As part of a routine, they presented their 2015 travel alert for US Citizens wishing to travel to Liberia. These are few of the key points taken from the US Monrovia Embassy’s descriptions of realities in 194 year-old Liberia by 2015: They say, (a) “…. Despite 10 years of peace and ‘economic growth’, Liberia is still one of the poorest countries in the world and many BASIC services are either limited or UNAVAILABLE. …. (b) “…. The Police (in Liberia) can be both a source of assistance as well as a source of problems for visitors. Concerns about police corruption continue, and travelers may be detained by police officers soliciting bribes …(c) While incidence of crime in Liberia is high, most crimes that occur within the expat (expatriate) community are crimes of opportunity (which increase during the hours of darkness), and include residential burglary or armed robbery (with the use of knife or machete)….The Liberia National Police have limited capacity to respond to crime events…. (d) “…..Petty corruption is rampant. Poorly paid government officials and private company employees may ask for fees for doing their jobs, and travelers may be inconvenienced for not paying bribes….. (e) “….A call to 911 (emergency) in Liberia may go unanswered, and [so] you should employ other resources to obtain emergency assistance….(f) “…..Neither running water nor electricity is commercially available in Liberia, except in some parts of Monrovia….(g) [Health] “….emergency services comparable to those in the United States or Europe are non-existent, and blood supplies [in hospitals] are unreliable and unsafe for transfusion….Within Liberia, medicines are scarce, often beyond expiration dates, and generally unavailable in most areas. Additionally, counterfeit medications, often very well packaged, are common in pharmacies throughout the country…. (h) “….Driving in Liberia represents a danger to residents and visitors, as traffic laws are either non-existent or not enforced….etc. – (US 2015 Alert on Liberia, found at http://travel.state.gov./content/passports/en/country/liberia.html) 3. Karin Langrin, UN Secretary General Special Representative to Liberia – in sum, she says abject poverty and untold deprivation in Liberia are a direct result of the very high levels of CORRUPTION and MALPRACTICES found within the country’s public sector….(ELBC, March 23, 2015) iii.
What are even the current government officials or societal opinion leaders saying
1. Rep. Bhofal Chambers, Maryland County – bitterly decrying the country’s management and leadership deficit, he made these points: “….Ebola has now turned into the biggest excuse for our failure to do the things that we owe our people to do; meanwhile, this was a mere $10,000 problem if we had our governmental act together…..The UK Prime Minister and the US President themselves, all have acknowledged that Liberia does have all of the resources to develop, but that its biggest disease is a huge management and governance deficit….” He then disclosed that he wrote a bill of impeachment against President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf some time ago primarily on the issue of the US$263 million squandered or criminally misused by the Executive on international Public Relations and image building campaigns, but none of his fellow colleagues in the House would buy in, despite the [barrage] of evidence he presented, and in the midst of the fact that even some US Congressmen had already corroborated his claim, citing for
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example, how Congressman Alex Knott confirmed a 2010 $50 million used by the GOL in this same direction (image building), and another report of how Liberian Government money was used to support a candidate in the Virginian State gubernatorial elections etc. He said he also included in the argument of the impeachment bill several other criminal dealings of the Executive and the President, with emphasis on their continuous squandering of international support intended to bring relief to the suffering people of the country, and to aid Liberia in its infrastructure recovery process, including for example: (a) the US$30 million given by Libya to boost rice production in Foya, Lofa County, which vanished in thin air up to date; (b) a US$13 million grant given by the European Union to alleviate maternal mortality, which lost on its way before the public could even hear about it; (c) the Nigerian Oil grant intended to help our economy to recover, which the President cannot as yet account for; (d) the Japanese US$13 million oil grant, which got instantly dissolved in [the wings of the Executive Branch’s corruption eagle], and many more….” – (Farbric FM New Dawn, January 14, 2015) 2. Simeon Freeman, Political Leader, Liberia’s Movement for Progressive Change Party – Commenting on President Sirleaf’s professional comportment, he says, “…Ellen blames people here and there for the failures of her government…[For example], she blamed the difference or friction between the Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor for the uncontrollable foreign exchange rate in the country. [In addition, Ellen blames the courts for her government’s lost fight against corruption etc. (Farbric FM. June 4, 2014) 3. Senator Oscar Cooper, Margibi County - Nothing is changing, when [for example] lawmakers go back to their communities after long years of service in the Legislature, and meet the same number of poor people they left there 6 or 9 years back, plus the same ugly environmental and infrastructural conditions unchanged etc. – he then concludes, history will judge all of us one day, if we fail to act now – (ELBC, August 11, 2015) 4. Saah Gborlie/Gborlee, former lawmaker – “…..Everything here is just fundamentally wrong…...Crimes are high in our country because we’ve decided to leave vast majority of our people either idle-minded and/or vulnerable to shocks…. In the world of criminal justice, corruption is a serious act of terrorism, and in Liberia, corruption is the order of the day, apart from Liberia also being a place of marginalization….(Farbric FM New Dawn, December 4, 2015) 11. John S. Morlu, former Auditor General, Liberia – “….When I arrived in Liberia, after visiting Africa’s cleanest country of Botswana and the economic powerhouse of Kenya, I expected to see a shining city on the hill. [But] instead I noticed this nation was stuck in hell. The carousel where Liberians pick up their bags was the same as it was when I spoke to you in Gbarnga [some years back]. In Gbarnga I said we should measure the real impact of GDP in respect to the number of public toilet, even the airport still does not have a befitting toilet, much less for the crowded city of Monrovia….etc..( http://frontpageafricaonline.com..../ 28 November 2015) C. Proofs about there being two distinct groups in the country – the Americo-Liberians and the Natives, and proofs about the deadly division or differences between these two groups - the Source of the Country’s Original Sin called Ethnic Marginalization/Suppression 1. Nicolas Cook, Analyst in African Affairs (Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division): US Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress – he states in some of his many reports on Liberia, “……the modern Liberian state was founded by “Americo-Liberians,” black freemen and former slaves from the Americas, who settled in Liberia beginning in 1821. State structure and society in contemporary Liberia reflect a blending of indigenous and Americo-Liberian cultural and political influences, but the latter historically exercised extensive control over Liberia’s economy
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and central government……(2) The indigenous population comprises 16 main ethnic groups who speak 27 languages or distinct dialects. Americo-Liberians, who include the descendants of AfricanAmerican settlers from the United States and “Congos,” those descended from Caribbean freed slaves and captives rescued from illegal slave ships interdicted at sea, make up about 5% of the population….” 2. Dr. James Ciment, US Professor and Author of History – “…..The settlers set up a society in Liberia that to a degree replicated that of the United States from which they had left. The problem, ultimately catastrophic for them, was that they cast themselves in the role of the oppressing, "superior" whites in the United States, and the Africans who lived in Liberia, as inferior, and, some, even as slaves. In fact, some of these returned slaves took onto themselves the ethnic Africans they met, and dealt them out as slaves. (ANOTHER AMERICA; THE STORY OF LIBERIA AND THE FORMER SLAVES WHO RULED IT": By James Ciment: Hill and Wang ($30) 3. Tycon J., Liberian Musician – in some of his lyrics, he claims/suggests, “They (referring to the Americo-Liberians) have already divided and conquered us (i.e. the Natives), but we are just fighting back to repossess our possession. 4. Conciliation Resources/CR, a British Charity – in their release on Liberia, called, “Working for Peace Together, they disclosed that Liberia has a very serious unresolved past. The group claimed in this article that the Americo-Liberians have been able to achieve their political, social, and economic dominance over the indigenous people through the institutions that they (i.e. the AmericoLiberians) have set up, including their Judiciary [which suggests their government], plus the business associations and other clubs and fraternal institutions like the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons etc. 5. The League of Nations, UN’s predecessor – in their 1930 – 1931 report on Liberia, the League concluded, The Liberia Government was/[is] in the business of “systematically fostering and encouraging a policy of gross intimidation and suppression of the Native in order to prevent him from asserting himself in anyway whatsoever, for the benefit of the dominant and colonizing race, although originally of the same African stock as themselves.” 6. Sir John Simon, British Foreign Service – “It will be a total dereliction (or NEGLECT) of our duty to civilization if the world sat by and allowed the [unspeakable] misgovernance of Liberia’s Natives by the Americo-Liberians to continue [unhalted] – (www.theperspective.org... ) 7. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim K. Sundiatta, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts – He has been categorical that an undiluted, educated Native leadership is the ONLY way out of Liberia’s problems. An excerpt of what he once wrote about this country’s problems reads: “…..The reformminded, unselfish, Native intellectuals…..and the idea of a Native Republic [which has] received little support from the outside world is where the greatest possibility of change in Liberia lays (Idem) D. A negatively strange people that have given up on themselves, succumbed to external forces, and can now accept just anything, as well as behave just anyhow, so strangely, as they have no common vision or interest to protect – this is without any prejudice to our very poor, suffering masses 1. Lawrence Yealue, head of Accountability Lab – Speaking to News Hour about his country, he says, “….In Liberia, when you tune in to the radio stations, you only hear about people stealing money [here, there, and yonder] all day long ……..Liberia is a land of great credibility problem…..”(BBC, December 12, 2015)
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2. Tamba Johnny, Voice FM Reporter - he frustratingly describes his own country, Liberia, as a country with a very funny set of people – (Voice FM., January 27,2015) 3. Francis Tamba, Caller, Costa Show – Speaking of the incredible woes of Liberia, he said, “We have a big government that only consumes, consumes, and consumes, but produces nothing …..We are shamefully standing naked before the whole world in every aspect of live – for example, in education, we are naked; in health care, we are naked; in security, we are naked etc. (Costa Show, Voice FM 107. 2, August 28, 2014) 4. Robert A. Sirleaf, Son of sitting President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and candidate vying for Senatorial Seat - he makes remarks against people opposing him as follows: “…I can’t wait to catch those people holding those placards [against me]…..I will deal with them in the most timely manner like the Ebola virus disease….I will make them bleed like the virus…I will make their stomach come from out of their stomach… etc. [He receives rounds of applause while making these kinds of remarks, and lo and behold, during elections day, some of the very people he was threatening here go and cue up, and cast ballots for him] – (The Papers, Voice FM. November 13, 2014) 5. Austin Kawal, Journalist and Show Host – lamenting some of the established stupidities and negatively peculiar nature of the Liberian society, he made/suggested the following observations: “…To the amazement of the whole world, Liberians in 1997 overwhelmingly voted for Charles Taylor with the slogan, “You killed my ma, you killed my pa, I will vote for you”,…..these same Liberian people rose up in large numbers to vote Charles Taylor’s partner in crime, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2005 and 2011; and with Robert Sirleaf openly threating to mischievously root people’s ‘stomach out of their stomach’ and make them bleed like the Ebola Virus Disease etc., Liberian people [even the very ones against whom he is directly issuing these threats] will go stand on line during elections day to cast ballot for him…-(The Papers, Voice FM, November 13, 2014) 6. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – “….Many persons in the Liberian Government have their American citizenship document, but I don’t want to talk all” – (UNMIL Radio Talk with the President, replayed on Voice FM 102.7’s Costa Show, June 24, 2015) 7. Darious Zinnah, ELBC Legislative Reporter – he reports that because of the Legislature’s long dragging of foot to settle its very meagre arrears of US$3,129 with the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation or LWSC, the corporation’s authorities were constrained to shut water supply to about 30 rest rooms at the National Legislature. As a result, visitors to the first branch of the AmericoLiberians’ 21st century Legislature and staffers there too, including women, could be seen sneaking and squatting around scrubs and flower bushes at the capitol, to attend to nature. He said it sadly reached to a point, where two visitors to the Americo-Liberian Legislature got so jammed and unfortunately defecated on themselves on a broad working day..- (ELBC, April 24, 2015) 8. Indi Cal, contributing writer – “I blame our dangerously passive [nature for what we are going through as a people], [our willingness] to accept “right in-your-face” robberies… [I blame all this] on Liberians unwillingness to standup for what is right. Nothing changes if no “society-changing” is done. Simple as that. Talk all day, but the looting [of state coffers and resources] will still continue to go on.” – (Liberia Sells off Valuable Oil Assets amid brewing scandals….FrontPage Africa, February 27, 2015) 9. Blamo Nelson, former Minister of Internal Affairs and former Senator – he recounts his traumatic experience with Liberian politicians’ extreme love for power over every interest of their citizens, including their citizens’ very health and lives, as follows in our paraphrased version: ….In a special stakeholders’ meeting involving international partners, to decide the fate of Liberia’s so-called 2014 Special Senatorial Elections in the midst of a raging health epidemic, Ebola, the two major
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international groups at the talks had these pieces of advice for Liberia – pieces of advice implicitly calling on Liberian politicians and state actors to prioritize their citizens’ wellbeing over [STUPID] politics, as specified thus: (a) US Centers for Disease Control Representatives – they said, in short, “If you, Liberians feel that elections are too imperative for now, then please ensure 3 things are done properly during elections day as follows: (1) all voters MUST stand 3 feet apart during the polls; (2) No mass movement should be allowed, and (3) No sick person should be allowed to stand on line!!! (b) Then next the World Health Organization’s Representatives said, in short, “[Liberians, or Liberian Authorities], the health of your people should be prioritized over political election. PERIOD.” Then off these two groups left the meeting according to Mr. Nelson. He continued, “Shockingly, after all these intelligent and diplomatic warnings from the very people who were fighting the Virus with their resources and expertise, the [CRIMINAL] Government of Liberia insisted that the elections will go ahead in that very December when the country was still counting dead bodies of citizens being lost to this major epidemic”….. He continued, “Amazingly again, a [MISCHIEVOUS] GOL that could not afford rubber gloves for health workers, including basic drugs for health centers, talk less about affording one ambulance for transporting sick people to the country’s already dead health centers, immediately bought over six (6) brand new four-wheel drive, double-cabin pickups for the National Elections Commission and disbursed the [initial tranche] of US$6 million to begin the process of electing 15 new Senators. [At the end of the process, Finance Minister Amara Konneh announced that without any outside assistance, their GOL used US$15 million to conduct their so-called Special Senatorial Elections in December 2014]. Meanwhile this is a government that credits even $2 million to carry out citizens-based projects. – (Costa Show, Voice FM, November 14, 2015) 10. Samora Wolokollie and Representative Acarious Gray, two top officials of Liberia’s Congress for Democratic Change Party – the duo sound a very strong warning about any soul that attempts to interfere with the CDC’s efforts to grab the Senatorial Seat of Montserrado County in the so-called 2014 Special Senatorial Elections during the heat of the Ebola Virus crisis as follows: (i) Mr. Wolokollie: “….If one bullet fires at any CDC crowd, we will chase after where that bullet is coming from, and we will chase government officials, and even the President, out of here….” (ii) Rep. Gray – “…We will not hesitate to turn Liberia into a bitter place if that’s what Ellen (the President) wants…..” …(50-50, Sky FM. December 8, 2014) [Note: The day citizens, whether ordinary or politicians will start making these kinds of strong remarks or threatening protests and demonstrations, and so forth. –out of very strong passion –for such things as how much their stateowned business enterprises are generating in revenues per quarter; how much their state-owned enterprises are contributing to the national budget, taking into account their income generating potentials and authorities considering what other companies with similar privileges and resources elsewhere are generating for their countries; why instead of 4 lanes, we are seeing one lane-roads being constructed here; why instead of $300 million or more being allotted to the educational sector of our country to engender high quality education, we are only hearing about $40 million in this place every time etc., is the day that progress in our country will begin, and that’s what the Plain Truth Revolution is championing, God willing. E. Some of the very destructive and horrible Americo-Liberian mentalities now badly entrenched into our society 1. Augustine Ngafuan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Liberia - “A good number of Liberians behave like morticians who treat their country as a corpse that does not have any sense of feeling and can therefore be chopped off into pieces left and right to forcefully get the embalmment process done,” Liberians treat their country like an orphan or a mother who does not have children. “Liberians remorselessly and easily short-change their country for personal benefits whenever they are given the chance,” “As a result of this, the country is treated like an orphan who does not have parents, a mother who does not have children and a street child who is neglected by
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friends.” “The public rhetoric and the public action often move in opposite direction,” he said, and added “the generality of the Liberian people are more vocal on the condemnation of corruption, but many of these same Liberians are not ready and prepared to make the sacrifices to curtail corruption.” “How can we in one voice condemn corruption and in another voice celebrate thieves and other corrupt people in our country?” (http://www.thenewrepublicliberia.com/index.php/business/1165-liberians-are-passivepeople: LIBERIANS ARE ‘PASSIVE’ PEOPLE ) 2. Thomas Doe-Nah, Head, Center for Accountability and Transparency in Liberia – “We do not want to investigate the problems ourselves and discuss among ourselves solutions, but instead, we use unnecessary time and resources hiring [international] consultants to bring us ideas….. Education in this country needs a serious revolution because Liberia is not going anywhere. (ELBC Super Morning Show, February 2015) 3. Cllr. Elijah W. Saah - [The order of the day in Liberia] is a neglect for the rule of law…Our political leaders willfully abandon the rule of law and opt for the rule of man…they treat provisions of the law as mere suggestions…” – (Costa Show, Voice FM, June 15, 2015) 4. Rodney Sieh, Editor, FrontPage Africa – commenting on Liberia’s recent wave of signing concession contracts, he writes, “The Government of Liberia, in particular the Executive and Legislature Branches, were more interested in the NOW (with the infamous signing bonus, social contribution, big promises of jobs and everything on planet Earth) and the massive PR that came with signing these major contracts, and so they ignored all of the warning signs from experts and experienced Liberians that these deals would eventually implode (collapse) and not materially [flourish] as they were being trumpeted.” (FrontPage Africa Newspaper: Investment Missteps: ‘17 Billion’ Later: Where Liberia Went Wrong: 28 April 2015) 5. Reverend Luther Tarpeh, Proprietor, Best Brains Academy – he says, “Liberia’s biggest problems are greed and selfishness, which make citizens [always] want to put personal interest above national or societal interests ….(ELBC, January 28, 2015) IV.
Liberia, a huge 21st century economic waste A. What Karl Marx says; what key economist say every serious country must first pursue
The great German Philosopher, Scientist, and Economist etc., Mr. Karl Marx, author of the everpowerful “Communist Manifesto” once said, according to this slightly paraphrased statement that, “The mode of economic production that we choose, or the kind of economic organization that we adopt, will form the basis for the rest of our other social phenomena (which include our political system, our legal system, our level of morality, our ideologies, and other social relations) because it is economics that establishes and sustains all this above long list of the other social phenomena.” PERIOD!!! Then one Common Sense Analyst said, “….while we all, as nations, form part of one global village, the few nations that have grasped the secret, have taken their economics very seriously, especially by aggressively embarking upon industrialization; they have managed to place themselves into a separate class from those that have either failed, or are lazily been working in this direction. That’s how come you get to hear such distinctions by blocs, with such names as the G7, the G8, the G20, the BRICS, the TIGERS etc. He said with heavy focus on industrialization, which any serious people can do, countries around the world, including African countries, have now attained such wonderful things as: higher standards of living for their people; well-developed infrastructure, and greater respects among peers. B. How deadly are Liberia’s economic woes, owing to cruelty, ‘visionlessness’ and American imperialism
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1. Wikipedia - In 2012 President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf granted licenses to companies to cut down 58% of all the primary rainforest left in Liberia. After international protests, many of those logging permits were canceled. Liberia and Norway struck an agreement in September 2014 whereby Liberia ceases all logging in exchange for $150 million in development aid. 2. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – “We don’t have our own resources to do the kinds of work we want to do, so we need to go around and make cases, and when we make these cases or assertions, the people to whom we make them have to come on ground and verify things for themselves. That’s why Paul Groove, a staffer from Congressman Graham’s Office came [from America] to check whether our priorities are in place….We’re not only concerned about establishing policies, but we want to make sure that policies are implemented, as implementation is where the government has [ALWAYS] been the WEAKEST…” (ELBC, February 20, 2015) 3. Sam Jackson, Liberian Economist – in what he describes as snapping the President out of her inertia during her natal day, Mr. Jackson writes his friend, the President, highlighting key points, with emphasis on good leadership being the first step to building the economy. He as such, said among others, the following: “…The cause of our problems in this country is a combination of two things: (a) Knowing what to do, but refusing to do it [owing to different selfish reasons], and (b) Just not knowing what to do at all sometimes….He then continued on to say that in Liberia, the public sector is being looked at as a source of maximizing wealth, and where this kind of notion exist, CORRUPTION can never be controlled….He then expressed regrets that there is sadly just no political leadership [as yet] to move our country forward –(Love FM, October 29, 2014) 4. President Barack Obama – Here is how this great American President provided the economic basics that our country MUST follow, if we will EVER mean serious business, he advises, “…What may work for us may not work for other nations [meaning, people must be able to think out and constructively tweak basic ideas in ways that suit their environments and situations]….Nations must fight to own what they produce, and they must create opportunities for their people both organically and indigenously….Regardless of the resources that you may have, if you don’t have a basic system of rule of law; for example, one that respects people’s civil liberties and engenders trust and confidence in each citizen; if one set of your laws is for the well-connected, and the other set for the common people etc. then that country will not succeed….” (Addressing Young African political and business leaders at the Mandela-Washington Forum, late July 2014, Farbric FM. ) C. America has great examples of economic empowerment and development, but we will lean more on the Chinese model, which is even much bolder and dynamic 1. BBC’s Linda Yu and 3 guests discuss China’s current economic realities - …[While STUPID, OLD, Liberia keeps going to the dumps and crying about falling natural iron ore and rubber prices since “the pope was an altar boy”, these two are China’s part of major economic problems for which she’s complaining: (a) This 1.4 billion population country now has excess capacity to produce, and (b) China now has very high structural savings….As a result, this East Asian country is producing a serious deflationary pressure on its economy…For the past 5 years, the Chinese Government has made more than 3 major capital injections into its economy, all of which when combined, have resulted into a very huge investment boom without a correspondingly huge domestic consumption boom. At the time of this analysis, China was growing at the rate of 7% in GDP. …The secrets behind all this big economic success have been of course strong political governance and superb institutional quality, so say the experts themselves – (BBC, In the Balance, December 13, 2014) [Note: All must be conscious that the highest form of Socialism is really at work here, not DULL Liberia’s fake Laissez-Faire Capitalism]. 2. ‘Hewyikoo Kaiyuma’, a Japanese, and Food and Agriculture Organization’s Representative to China, raps on China’s economic and demographic progress: brief summary: [While STINK,
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BARREN Liberia of only 4.5 million people keeps flying to huge 1.4 billion population Beijing to beg for help], this is what the FAO expat discloses about China’s economic progress: “By 1978, China’s urbanization was around 18%; by 2013, it rose up to 54%; and by 2020, it will reach 60% etc. He underscores, “Urbanization is not only about people flocking from rural settings to urban areas, but it’s also about rural areas themselves getting rapidly transformed into decent urban environments…..China is an economic powerhouse with both blue and white collar middleclasses…...” [While NASTY Liberia has no ‘all-inclusive’ social protection and social insurance agenda for its people, and was even closing its social protection institution down in 2015, calling it moribund], Mr. Kaiyuma said, by November 2014, more than 800 million Chinese citizens (not necessarily former employees) had been placed on government social insurance plan; and by 2020, 1 billion of them shall have been placed there. – (China Radio International, December 27, 2014) V.
The Enduring Danger that Liberia poses to itself and the world at large A. A country that lacks respect for human beings, especially a very huge fragment of its own citizenry, the ones called the Natives, and thus treats them just like animals, if not worse than animals
1. Global Witness - In her mid-2015 report, the New Snake Oil, this British integrity group speaks about how the Government does not care for its own citizens and keeps taking undue advantage of them in different ways……..Information Minister responding to this report says the group was lying- (Farbric, July 31, 2015) 2. Cllr. Thompson Tola Ade Baryo, Head of Human Rights Watch Regional Branch – he asserts, “…Liberian prisons are a place where inmates prefer death to life; these facilities are virtual death chambers rather than correction chambers; they are a place where people are chained like during slave days; and, at present, over 700 persons are at the Monrovia Central Prison alone, under pretrial detention – some for between 2 to 5 years now – (ELBC, August 18, 2015) 3. Cllr. Dempster Brown, Head of a local human rights group - speaking to issues surrounding the May 2015 Butaw, Sinoe County Protest against Golden Veroluem’s exploitation of the local people with explicit Americo-Liberian Government’s support, as this is the only thing they know well, Mr. Brown said; “…..Peaceful people were merely protesting calmly for their own legitimate rights, but government, through the police, decided to arrest and indict them for 9 counts of crimes, including Armed Robbery. And why Armed Robbery, just because government wants to deny them bail and keep them behind bars indefinitely since armed robbery is a first degree felony and is unbillable ….The conditions of these people in the cell is deteriorating daily to the extent that one of them, Fred Thompson, has been tortured to death…..One lady whose twin sons are among the illegally detained citizens dropped and died instantly before the prison facility when authorities denied her a due right to see her two sons…..Some government officials, including the County Superintendent, are behind the ill-treatment of their own citizens; some local government officials are now collecting money from the [very poor] communities in the name of bond fees to free their people – A BIG SCAM – (ELBC or Farbric, August 19, 2015) 4. Bishop Wilmot ‘Burbroh’, Living Water Pentecostal Church – he said, “…..the youths of Liberia have been marginalized; they are strangulated; and some have no more option but to unfortunately resort to criminality ….” (Farbric FM, November 12, 2015) 5. Gladys Johnson, Head of Liberia’s Independent Human Rights Commission – she once remarked, “….If we respected the rights and dignity of fellow human beings, the horrible things that happened here during the civil war would never have happened ….” (Farbric FM, December 11, 2015)
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6. Senator Comany Wisseh – making remarks on World Human Rights Day, he lamented, “…Liberia’s civil war horrors were caused by lack of justice and human rights….etc. (Farbric FM, December 11, 2015) 7. Mulbah Morlu, Vice President for Operations, Liberia’s Congress for Democratic Change Party – voicing out some concerns about the country’s unspeakable human rights violations culture of government, he said, “…..there is a phenomenon or culture in Liberia referred to as ‘misanthropy’, whereby the government, or government officials, or government operatives in general, just plain blank hate ordinary citizens. As a case in point he said a Liberia National Police operative had just killed one poor, innocent motorcyclist called Tarnue, and the way police authorities were going about this grave human rights violation was in a callous disregard to human dignity and human life… (Farbric FM. April 28, 2015) B. A very dull country that faces the same problems over and over 1. Robert W. Clower, George Dalton, Mitchel Harwitz and A. A. Walters, all reportedly of the North Western University in the United States and the Oxford University in the United Kingdom – in their 1966 book on Liberia and her economy, entitled, “Growth Without Development: An Economic Survey of Liberia”, these Western economists in this 385-page book stressed the following, which are even worse today, more than 50 years on: “……(a) By 1960, Liberia was established to have offered private foreign capitalists one of the best investment climates ever in the entire world (p. 118). [Since Liberia has almost always lacked all of the basic social services, this just means that the Americo-Liberians were, just as they are doing today, giving our resources out to their mainly American friends free of charge.]… (b) By 1960, the rate of growth of the Liberian economy (in terms of figures on paper) was a per capita income of $123, which surpassed that of almost every other country on the globe at the time (p. 23). Note: This was when iron ore and rubber were now being actively extracted or exported…. (c) They concluded that all this growth [on paper] showed nothing on the ground, especially in the quality of the lives of the people. REASON, according to them: “The country’s traditional social and political institutions were the obstacles to its [human] and [infrastructural] development – (North Western University Press, 1966, and http://m.afraf.oxfordjournals.org) 2. Common Sense Analyst – the Government of Liberia says in its Vision 2030 document that while we are crying this 2016 about everything, by 2030 Liberia will have a peaceful and all-inclusive political system, a diversified economy; it will have stable institutions, and healthy, capable citizens who will enjoy these changes. In addition, after having gotten streamlined and more efficient by then (i.e. by 2030, less than 15 years from now), the Government of Liberia shall earn its legitimacy by providing services to all its citizens, making intelligent investment in public roads, and working consciously to equalize economic opportunities, while relying increasingly on market forces and proper regulation – (Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation/Rising 2030) [Note: This is tactical confession of the so-called Government of Liberia that it is very ILLEGITIMATE, as claimed by the Plain Truth Revolution.] 3. Common Sense Analyst – According to the World Bank and other sources, there are currently 35 low-income countries in the world, 26 of which are in sub Saharan Africa. In recent years however, many of these low-income countries have been experiencing rapid growth, and are fast reaching Middle income status. Of these 35 poor countries interestingly, about 5 are considered the “VERY POOREST of the poor” or the “VERY LEAST of the least”, and 194 year-old Liberia finds itself at the very bottom of this ‘dismally performing group of 5, in a world of over 200 independent countries and territories – (Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation/Rising 2030) C. A country heavily exposed to massive international conspiracy for exploitation, engineered and headed by America, and implemented by the Americo-Liberians
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i.
How America is around ONLY for her own economic and imperialist interest, ABSOLUTELY nothing else for now
1. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America – to prove America’s complete lack of confidence in the civilizing and self-governing abilities of the predominantly ‘criminal numbskulls’ she dumped on our clean soil, they refused to recognize the so-called independence of Liberia for closed to two decades. But when the Americans later discovered that these ‘mischief makers’ were having upper hands over the Africans due to their little American sophistication and help, and were grabbing enough lands, with these lands having enough of mineral and other natural and human resources, which other European powers were acquiring cheaply, they (the Americans) decided to quickly come to themselves and recognize Liberia’s Mickey Mouse independence so as to take the lead in exploitatively acquiring Liberia’s vast economic resources. President Lincoln, in making the case to Congress about recognizing Haiti and Liberia’s independence, placed all the emphasis on Liberia, almost suggesting that Haiti was included in his letter to Congress just to save face, and on the issue of Liberia, he cleverly tried initially to present the recognition of this socalled independence as a matter of doing justice and fostering reciprocity; again, just for formality, as usual. But thank goodness he beautifully drove the main point home finally by revealing that they were recognizing Liberia’s independence primarily for ECONOMIC and TRADE purposes so as to gain advantage over European Nations in the acquisition of Liberia’s resources [which have always been available for negligently little or NOTHING AT ALL]. This reality persists today – (New York Times, February 5, 1862……) 2. Nancy Oku Bright – in one of her movies about Liberia, while explaining some of the odds in the so-called stepmother-stepchild relationship between the US and Liberia, she says, while quoting Dr. Ciment, “……Since then, (meaning since Liberia’s independence), Mr. Ciment observes, the U.S. has supported Liberia "only when it was in its own self-interest to do so, [but not because of concern for any human being here.]" (The Africa Journal, 2003. Distributed by The Perspective.org) 3. Carl Victor, Veteran Liberian Journalist - America is a great country; the people are great; but the government is the devil; He suggests, the simple challenge we have here as a people is to find out who truly is our common enemy. It is not “Congo v. Country”; or Gio v. Krahn etc. but all of us together do have a single enemy, and when we discover this single common enemy, then we will begin to make progress…We are made to think that we are enemies among ourselves, but the real foe has been the United States of America; they are our problem….(Farbric New Dawn, October 22, 2015) 4. Farbric FM Night Time Radio – recollecting how Liberia’s best and most progressive President thus far, Mr. Tolbert boldly expressed his best wishes about his country (which were all being put into practical action) to the Americans, through President Nixon, at the White House in 1973, played an old audio clip of this event, which can be summarized as follows: Tolbert talks: “….I love how you people do things here (in America)….I love your culture of self-sufficiency…..I want to teach my people that we can think wisely for ourselves and make ourselves what we truly want to be…..I (we) are conscious that economic health strengthens one’s role – whether in domestic, regional, bilateral, or multilateral affairs etc. But we truly have a huge challenge at hand: poverty, ignorance, disease . continue to plague our population….. [We are however] currently in a war against poverty…..” (Farbric FM Night Time Radio, December 8, 2014) [Meanwhile, this President, with such a big, progressive dream for his country and all its people alike – NOT STUPIDLY only for the Americo-Liberians alone, as other Liberian leaders do– died the most gruesome of deaths EVER in the history of how Liberian leaders have died, and the one who reportedly killed him, Samuel Doe, received the biggest of all American aid in the almost 2 centuryold America-Liberia relationship history, according to reliable sources.
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5. President Barak Obama – Speaking during his last State of the Union Address, in January this year, he suggests that one key thing he wished to have impacted much during his 8 year stay at the Whitehouse, but was disappointed that he could not impact that much is America’s [very] poisonous (dangerous) foreign policy….”(BBC, January 2016) 6. Thomas Woewiyou, one of the three original founders of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, and a permanent resident, if not citizen of the US – Mr. Woewiyou writes: “….My 40 years of continuous stay and pursuits of studies in the greatest democracy in the World has taught me something that some people inside and outside the United States do not readily realize and understand….The American People are the kindest and most compassionate human beings on God’s green earth. The Government on the other hand is a machine made of systems. The People and the Government are not always in full agreement over every issue, especially foreign Policy. The US Government works on the basis of input and output. The relationship of the United States to Liberia has always been like that of an elephant and a mosquito. Ever since its founding as a nation-state, Liberia has not been able to put into place a functional system of government that is comparable with that of the United States. ……Ambassador Herman Cohen, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, once told me that I should picture the American Government as a gigantic Elephant. To get this giant animal to look your way, he said, requires an enormous effort and fortitude. Since then, I have always pictured the United States Government as such a great beast, which is kind but can be ruthless. Following the death of President William V.S. Tubman, a mastermind of a 27 –year long benevolent dictatorship and a dedicated stooge of the US Government, the Tolbert Administration ushered in what was apparently a progressive agenda for economic development and democracy in Liberia. Unfortunately, the Tolbert initiative was interpreted in Washington as an affront to the elephant….Amidst a raging cold war, the elephant could not stomach the progressive posturing of a Liberian president with captivating slogans like “self-reliance", "Get rid of American PL480 Rice”. Barely nine years later, President Tolbert’s disemboweled body was soon found on the grounds of the Executive Mansion at dawn. The memorable event of April 12, 1980 marks the beginning of the vicious cycle of violence that has come to characterize the contemporary Liberian political scene. Interestingly, such undemocratic undertaking has always enjoyed the implicit support of the US Government. And the removal of the tyrannical, barbaric Doe regime was no exception. The only difference was that it culminated into a full blown internecine (domestic) war of very tragic proportions. A very few American citizens are aware of the fact that their government recruited, armed and financed a band of illiterate non-commissioned officers of the Liberian Army to violently overthrow a constituted civilian administration; and that their government allowed this group of untutored young people to sit at the helm of political power in Liberia, a country sometimes described as a microcosmic American state in Africa….” (The Woewiyu Untold Testimony To The Liberian TRC- Part 1) 7. Common Sense Analyst - If you want to know how this sometimes “ruthless elephant”, this “beast” etc. as described by the experts, the US Government, seldom approves and even uses its own citizens and agents to destabilize other people’s homes; and shatter other people’s entire lives just for their own self-interest, especially for the interests of their big multinational companies on Wall Street, then please check out for yourselves all of the below, from the horses’ own mouths, in summary, in addition to many more of similar accounts: (a) Check out how Louisiana’s Businessman Sam Zemurry entered into an illegal business and political alliance with Manuel Bonilla, an ex-Honduran President to stage a coup d’état against sitting President Miguel R. Davila (1907 – 11) and they succeeded, using American Mercenary, Lee Christmas of Louisiana. This American-led junta installed Gen. Manuel Bonilla as the new President of Honduras (1912 – 13). All this for the sake of securing big business and profits for the US multinational companies, the Cuyamel Fruit Company, the United Fruit Company etc. at the
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prolonged detriment of the local (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_Republics....);
people
and
economy.
(b) You can further find out for yourselves how, because President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman of Guatemala (1950 – 1954) decided to expropriate US multinational companies’ “exploitatively” acquired unused lands to poor, landless Guatemalan peasants, the United Fruit Company of Andrew Preston and others convinced the Administrations of Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower (1945 – 1953 and 1953 – 1961 respectively) that this Guatemalan President was secretly pro-Communist Soviet Union. Influenced by Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, President Eisenhower ordered and authorized “Operation Success” – the 1954 Guatemalan Coup – by means of which the Central Intelligence Agency deposed democratically elected Jacobo Arbenz in 1954, and installed pro-American MNCs’ Colonel Carlos Castillo Armas (1954 – 57), who was later assassinated by a presidential guard. This event ushered in 36 years of Civil War in Guatemala. Note: These different bananas or fruit companies, through their manipulation of the producing countries’ national land use laws, were able to buy large tracts of fertile lands for banana plantations in the countries of the Caribbean Basin (including Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, Costa Rica etc.), the Central American Isthmus (including Nicaragua, El-Salvador, Panama etc.), and the tropical South American countries (including Chile, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia etc.). The Nasty result of all this was that these big international companies rendered the Native peoples in all these countries landless through a policy of legalistic dispossessions of their land, while employing them (the disposed Natives of these countries) as low-wage workers – (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_Republics....) (c) Why not get a gist of how West Chester, Pennsylvania born Major General Smedley Darlington Butler of the United States Marine Corps bitterly regretted how the US Government used him in different wars, stage-managed disturbances, and covert operations etc. almost during his entire military service, just for performing [“dirty deeds”] for Wall Street big businesses. For example, in 1935, Butler wrote a book entitled “War Is a Racket”, in which he described and criticized the workings of the United States in its foreign actions and wars, such as those he was a part of, including the American corporations and other imperialist motivations behind them. In this 1935 work, he put up a trenchant condemnation of the profit motive behind [American] warfare. His views on the subject are summarized in the following passage from the November 1935 issue of the Socialist Magazine Common Sense:[14], which reads: “…I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street, and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927, I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.” (Wikipedia) (d) To even make the case stronger, you could read a bit more about Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry of Rhode Island. In 1852, Commodore Perry was assigned a mission by American President Millard Fillmore to force the opening of Japanese ports to American trade, through the use of gunboat diplomacy if necessary. The growing commerce between America and China, the
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presence of American whalers in waters offshore Japan, and the increasing monopolization of potential coaling stations by the British and French in Asia were all contributing factors. The Americans were also driven by concepts of manifest destiny and the desire to impose the benefits of western civilization on what they perceived as “backwards” Asian nations. The Japanese were forewarned by the Dutch of Perry’s voyage, but were unwilling to change their 220-year-old policy of national seclusion (Wikipedia) 8. Cornel R. West, US Social Democrat, Civil Rights Leader, and Revolutionary Clergyman – boldly lamenting his own country’s dangerously exploitative foreign policy, the clergyman says, “…..America is still being ruled by a Wall Street (billionaire business tycoons and multinational companies etc.) kind of presidency; a drones presidency; a massive surveillance presidency etc.” He continues, “….This country (America) still lags behind in the full realization of democratic and civilized tenets, thereby making other countries – especially in Europe, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark among others more democratic and more civilized than we are…..For it is not just by how tall your buildings are, or how large or great your military is etc. that makes you democratic or civilized, but how you treat fellow human beings, especially poor people [elsewhere]. - (BBC Hard Talk, December 5, 2015) ii.
Some of America’s imperialistic practices in Liberia, and how she (America) uses corruption to get her imperialism going perpetually and unchallenged in this country
1. J. Yanqui Zaza, Diaspora Liberian, and contributing writer – Commenting on President Obama’s praises for CORRUPT Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Zaza writes: “…. While it is true that President Obama did not hold up to his promise, let us look at Liberia’s history and understand why America will continue to support corrupt dictators in Liberia. In 1942, Liberia signed a Defense Pact with the United States and assured the U.S. and its allies of all the natural rubber they needed. Also, Liberia allowed the U.S. to use its territory as a bridgehead for the transport of soldiers and war supplies and to construct military bases. The country’s huge natural resources were awarded to American investors in exchange for bribes. In response to corruption, anticorruption advocates demanded a change, but America sided with big businesses, the recipe for the current instability [in Liberia]…….Upon Sirleaf’s ascendancy to the presidency, America is once again dictating Liberia’s policies through the World Bank, the premier economic adviser to Liberia. [For instance], Video interview of Robert Sirleaf, President Sirleaf’s son, as well as published reports of the National Oil Company indicate that the World Bank is involved in writing many of the fraudulent concessionary agreements. For example, four of the ten concessionary agreements signed between 2006 through 2009 were considered fraudulent, according to Global Witness. Interestingly, the American companies, including, but not limited to Chevron, Exxon Mobile, Liberty Petroleum, etc. are benefiting from this bribery scheme……In the view of proponents of privatization, deregulation, market liberalization, etc., awarding sweetheart deals to Firestone, Mittal Steel, Exxon Mobil or Liberty Petroleum Corporation is good for business; hence, President Sirleaf is good for business; and by extension, she is a good president for Liberia. Therefore, good government means deregulation, privatization, market liberalization, even though these policies “…actually exacerbate corruption,” according to Ms. Sarah Chayes, in her book called “Thieves of State-Why corruption Threatens Global Security…….So, for those Liberians who are disappointed with President Obama because of his perceived change in attitude towards dictatorship and corruption, please understand that America is obliged to protect profits. And if Liberians think that President Obama’s praise for President Sirleaf is bad, they should read about the war on corruption in Egypt, Afghanistan or Tunisia in Ms. Chayes’ book. She stated that some Afghans believe that America is promoting corruption because the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is paying some of those Afghans who should be in prison for corruption. In the case of Liberia, the World Bank is involved in writing fraudulent concessionary agreements. Therefore, is it [unrealistic] for President Obama to question the World Bank’s economic policies that create an economic environment conducive for American companies to generate more profits, even if the
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policies are inimical to society….. – (Why Obama Praised Corrupt Sirleaf Of Liberia: By: J. Yanqui Zaza : The Perspective: Atlanta, Georgia: March 5, 2015) 2. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – she praises departing US Ambassador Deborah Malac for not only supporting the Liberian [governance and administrative processes], but also being actively part of the process - ….(ELBC, December 9, 2015) 3. Nicolas Cook, Analyst in African Affairs (Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division): US Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress – Commenting on how America muzzled her “criminal” puppet President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, to stab her own compatriot and co-NPFL (National Patriotic Front of Liberia ‘Rebel Group’) founder, Mr. Charles Taylor, to the Sierra Leone Special Court for America’s highly influenced partial justice dispensation, in the shameful name of desperately seeking development money, Mr. Cook writes, “……prior to confirmation of Sirleaf’s extradition request to the Nigerian Government, some in Congress had suggested that the continued provision of substantial US development aid to Liberia would need to be conditioned upon her making such a request. During the February 8, 2006, House Committee on International Relations hearing on Liberia, Representative Royce, after outlining diverse reasons why Taylor should be promptly extradited, stated that “[t]his friend of Liberia (referring to America) has very little interest in providing more [U.S. assistance] money to rebuild Liberia until its President brings Taylor — a known force for destruction — one step closer to justice by calling on Nigeria’s President to send him to the Special Court…etc. (US Congressional Report) [Meanwhile, just in short time after this statement, a newly elected Ellen Johnson, who had told the world that Charles Taylor’s extradition request was not a priority of her government, and would take some time of careful studying, quickly made request to Nigeria for Mr. Taylor. It became so embarrassing that she had to deny making such request shamefully so soon into her new administration….”] D. Some of the international monkey business going on here in pursuit of this massive exploitation agenda of some elements of the West or just the international community, led by America 1. Dana J. Hyde, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation – in their usual cheap politics with the lives of our poor people in this country, CEO Hyde remarked about Liberia’s recent so-called winning or meriting of $256.7 million in MCC prize money for good governance as this: “….The compact is a manifestation of United States support to Liberia for the attainment of sustainable development and economic prosperity…” – (http://liberianewsagency.org/........Liberia, MCC signs $257 million compact) [Meanwhile the very United States Department of State’s Justice Report or Human Rights Report on Liberia constantly talk about the worse things on this planet happening here, with even the conclusion that there is ABSOLUTELY no justice in the country. The US Embassy in Liberia speaks of how crimes are on the increase and the main national security apparatus in the country, the Police, even lacks every equipment, and is even more of a threat to people than benefit. The United Nations is crying after spending over US$50 billion to bring peace to this abrasive stepchild of America for almost 15 years now, that the country’s potential to pose danger to world peace is even exacerbating; the US Foreign Policy Magazine and Fund for Peace are alarming that the country is at the brink of another massive collapse etc., but MCC is saying quite different thing to the total NEGLECT of the wellbeing of the citizens of the country.] 2. Common Sense Analyst – After auctioning both our physical resources and human beings, including our collective birth rights as a people to America, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation lies and gives criminal Government of Liberia $256.7 million in prize money or bonus for professedly scoring high marks in good governance, here is the disgrace that happens. As if in these post war’s 10 straight year running of the country, the criminal gang called government was ONLY waiting for this bonus before developing their STUPID Liberia, this is what one of the Liberian Government dispatches from the signing grounds of the MCC grant in the United States said, “Under the compact, the MCC will fund the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydro Electric
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Plant, develop a training center for electricians, create an independent energy sector regulator, and [create] a nationwide road maintenance framework….” etc. – (http://liberianewsagency.org/........Liberia, MCC sign $257 million compact) 3. Senator Jewel Howard Taylor, Bong County - Expressing her utmost disgust about the apparent international conspiracy working against the poor masses of this country through the AmericoLiberians, she wonders how the Government of Liberia keeps spending a lot of money from the national budget just to buy cars; gas these cars, and pay against their maintenance [on very bad roads], but yet and still, donors in the international community keep bringing in their money more and more to facilitate this kind of barren economic culture. She argues for example, “You can’t tell your parent, or your guardian, or your sponsor that you need money for school, and then when the money is given, you are there fixing your hair and doing all sorts of luxurious things [and then money keeps coming: she just can’t understand how this is happening]…(Farbric News, June 4, 2015) 4. Dr. Togba Nah Tipoteh, Liberian Politician – expressing the unspeakable irony in the Liberiainternational donors relationship, Dr. Tipoteh explains, “…..In the midst of the government's own self indictment [in the fight against corruption], foreign partners [still] continue to empower the Vampire State through the granting of hundreds of millions of United States dollars of donations, and providing hundreds of millions of United States dollars in loans. In effect, Dr. Tipoteh said, the partners are only giving lip-service in their anti-corruption position, while they are actually big promoters of corruption in Liberia. In fact, the partners, like the managers of the Liberian Vampire State, benefit from corruption and that is precisely why corruption continues to go on and on……(http://allafrica.com/stories/201512221047.html:22 December 2015: The Analyst (Monrovia) : Liberia: Tipoteh: WHEN MONEY WINS, THE PEOPLE LOSE) 5. Radio France International – [Liberia claims to be an offshoot of America, and the only country in Africa with the closest of relations to America. Even of late, with some fishy scheme being designed, as usual, which now sees the Millennium Challenge Corporation dishing $257 million out to the Government of Liberia in so-called prize money for outstanding performance at good governance, the Liberian President, Ministers and other high officials now shamefully boast of enjoying the favor of President Obama for their outstanding performance, although they will never respond adequately to why President Obama has refused to visit their country]. Here is what Radio France reveals: “President Obama has been visiting Africa four times now, touching down on the soils of eight countries on the continent, including Ghana, Senegal, Egypt, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia etc. But key among reasons for which he will dodge a country (especially one thought to be closer to America) are very POOR GOVERNANCE records and egregious democratic credentials, or those with scarring security problems. [Old Liberia is not mourning the shame for why the very first Black President of this great White ‘stepmother’, America, will refuse to foot down on the soil of their only Black ‘stepchild’ in Africa in 8 round years of his presidency – (Radio France International, August 1, 2015) E. Some signs of enduring and looming danger – the biggest achievement of Liberia Always 1. Wendell Nimley, Journalist, Voice FM – “There’s a dark cloud hanging over this nation that we need to pray together to remove. Too many [wrong and evil] things are happening here, and there’s just nothing being done about them.” 2. Evangelist ‘Charles’, Bethel Outreach Ministries Cathedral, Monrovia – Revealing a vision of some imminent bloody cloud hanging over the country, the Man of God warned, “…President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her Vice President Joseph Boakai should resign immediately [to create room for the country to discuss its fate and future under some different kind of arrangement]. If not, the next round of blood bath the pair is going to drive the country into will be unheard-of…. The
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driving force behind this looming dark cloud is the hot air of ethnic and tribal marginalization that keep sweeping across the country in different forms…...- (Power TV, early 2014) 3. Minister Amara Konneh, Finance – Expressing his frustration about Liberia’s continuous fragility which has become a serious impediment to any sustained or long-term effort, he says, “We are so fragile that every 3 years or so, some crisis comes and [knocks us down]….. – (Farbric FM. News, January 23, 2015) 4. Gloria Scott, former Chief Justice and former Senator – Highlighting the huge lack of trust in the country, especially between the government and its people, she said, “…..Once it is something that involves government, or it is government-oriented, people are very skeptical, but you can’t blame the people, because for over a century now, they have been taken advantage of (ELBC Super Morning Show, April 6, 2015) 5. ELBC Christopher Sirleaf - he quotes former Senator Blamo Nelson as saying with frustration some time ago that: “…once a government official talks, no one tends to trust it.” (ELBC Super Morning Show, April 6, 2015) 6. John S. Morlu, former Auditor General – addressing the Press Union of Liberia, he expresses his disappointment about the continuous dark cloud always hanging over the country, but in a different form. He says, “…..Mr. President, corruption kills thousands of Liberians each day. The 4,800 Liberians who died from Ebola is a case in point where millions of dollars in healthcare funding was squandered by the current administration. The Foreign Policy Magazine said it best that the widespread of Ebola was a mere symptom of failure in economic governance. It is unarguable that there is a wide gulf between the people of Liberia and the Liberian Government…. We have gone from the President putting her neck on the chopping board; to blaming corruption on the “system”; to procedure errors; [and now] to taking responsibility for mismanagement without any punishment. Liberia is in crisis and at the tipping point. (www.frontpageafricaonline.com/.....Speech By John S. Morlu - Press Union of Liberia Congress: Published: 28 November 2015 ) 7. Rebecca Murray, Journalist with the IPS news outlet – Reporting about post-conflict Liberia’s very poor efforts at setting up a new army, which spells so much danger for the overall security of the country, Madam Murray makes the following points: (a) “…..Six years into post-war reconstruction, the U.S. will finally hand over control of the AFL to Liberia's Ministry of Defense. But last year's strike at the EBK (Edward Beyan Kessely) barracks highlights concerns about the AFL's youth and inexperience, operational capacity, training and role. Liberia remains extremely vulnerable to a number of destabilizing threats.” (b) Bringing in the opinion of the head of training for the new AFL, Madam Murray writes, “We have a strong minister of defense," says Colonel A. L. Rumphrey, head of the U.S. Office of Security Cooperation in Liberia. "There are strong individuals, but the staff are only one step in strength. There are pretty strong deputy defense ministers, but below them, (the staff) is inexperienced, not tested. They have trouble delegating."…..These weaknesses are apparent in Liberia's revised National Defense Act, passed in August 2008, which muddied the AFL's role. The legislation states that while the army's primary mission is to fight external aggression, it also has a role in counter-insurgency, terrorism and encroachment. This contradicts the National Security Strategy, sanctioned by President Sirleaf's administration eight months earlier, which says the AFL will only "defend the territorial integrity of Liberia from external aggression"……Colonel Rumphrey says adamantly, "Internal threats are a police issue. The LNP should be a replacement for UNMIL." The police department's elite Emergency Response Unit (ERU) is being built up to combat riots and insurgency, but only 287 out of a planned 500 ERU personnel have been trained, and now fill policing gaps outside their mandate like patrolling streets….” (New Army Faces Greatest Challenge: December 26, 2009)
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8. Cllr. Benedict Sannon, Acting Justice Minister – “….Government has been letting certain things go unpunished for the sake of peace and reconciliation but people are taking advantage of this, and thinking that they are above the law, so, 2015 will be a different year …..- (ELBC, January 2, 2015) F. Some Signs of how Liberia is poised to sly Africa, or parts of Africa back into colonialism and slavery 1. Philibert Browne, Veteran Liberian Journalist – After the West Point incident (referring to the reckless security crackdown on poor residents of the densely populated Monrovia slum community during the Ebola outbreak, at which time the Liberian Army carelessly killed a 16 old lad), Mr. Browne revealed that the owner of the Armed Forces of Liberia, was the United States Government, which had by that time summoned Liberia’s Defense Minister, Brownie Samukai to go and give account of the incident at the Pentagon in the United States….He continued that meanwhile, Minister Samukai himself owns a house in Minnesota, the USA. [This is just what Liberia was established for, and is bent to remain like this forever, but God forbid!!!] Mr. Browne claimed he was speaking from very credible sources… - (50-50, Sky FM. December 9, 2014) 2. Brownie Samukai, Liberia’s Defense Minister – expressing his disappointments about the flaws in the process of rebuilding Liberia’s new army, he spoke to IPS news as follows, in summary: “…..The AFL's leadership training is a weak point.” Defence Minister Brownie Samukai says "The training period for our officers is extremely short. As compared to any officer training anywhere in the world, I think the training of the AFL - particularly the officers' training - needs to be thoroughly upgraded. I also believe garrison training is not fully adequate for the reality of the entire country, so there are some challenges there."…"It is clear that EBK (Edward B. Kessely) Barracks was built for 800-plus persons," says Minister Samukai. "When they started the program they put 2,000 persons in there. Where is the logic, the common sense?" "I think in 2005, when it was expected that 200 million dollars would be expended for the training, redevelopment and construction of facilities - and the contractors were not shortcutting the process - we would have got the best accommodation for those individuals," he says. "So someone didn't do their homework. And so we have a congested situation at EBK." (New Army Faces Greatest Challenge: IPS : By: Rebecca Murray December 26, 2009) 3. Martin K. N. Kollie, Student of Economics, University of Liberia, and outstanding Contributing writer to the US-based perspective.org news outlet – he vehemently argues that Liberia has no army, and convinces the whole world as below, in this summary: “….It makes me upset when State actors begin to ignorantly brag about our current military status even though we have not reached the level of having a Brigade, Division, or Corp. They pretend to forget that Liberia is still far from having an Army. The current category of our military is between Battalion and Brigade. Our country is three steps away from achieving an army status. Before any nation can boast about having an army, its military composition must be 50,000 plus soldiers along with modern equipments/technology which is in compliance with universal standards of militarization. As a means of justifying my view, these are lucid definitions for different units or segments under a chain of any military arrangement or organizational structure. : Squad - 9 to 10 soldiers; Platoon 16 to 44 soldiers; Company - 62 to 190 soldiers; Battalion - 300 to 1,000 soldiers; Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders; Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers; Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers; Army 50,000 plus soldiers………….It is unthinkable to know that our new AFL does not even have a single helicopter or jumbo jet to carryout air operations. This tells anyone how feeble our defense system is. Sometimes, I wonder how many of our soldiers are well-knowledgeable about map reading, military technology, intelligence, covert tactics, artillery strategy and other technical disciplines. The office of President Sirleaf cannot be using over US$40 million in 12 months while AFL has an annual budget of US$12.9 million (0.74% of GDP). The Military of neighboring Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast is advanced than ours both in quantity and quality. The military of these three countries have more men, budgetary allocations, and modern equipment than Liberia. They have a stronger navy and air force to defend their territorial security and national interest. For
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example, Ivory Coast has a military budget of over US$541 million which is almost totaling Liberia’s entire annual budget. (A Military of Infancy: Does Liberia Really Have An Army?: By Martin K. N. Kollie: The Perspective: Atlanta, Georgia: February 11, 2015) 4. Donald Trump, US Republican Candidate for President – he says, “Some Africans are lazy fools only good at eating, lovemaking and stealing. They are enemies of progress….One source quotes him as saying, “…Some African countries even can’t produce or manufacture for themselves one stick of matches…..” He then concludes, “These kinds of countries should be recolonized because they are ignorant about leadership and governance” – Oh what a direct way of referring to Liberia unknowingly, Mr. Trump. – (http://yen.com.gh/....) 5. President Nhuru Kenyatta, Kenya – Speaking at the AU 2015 summit in Addis Ababa he called on fellow African leaders to desist from the culture of seeking and depending upon foreign aid because he says this is NEVER a good basis for attaining sustainable development and prosperity – (ELBC, June 12, 2015) 6. President Barak Obama, USA – Addressing the African Union 2015 Summit in Addis Ababa, he made these key points: “…..Africans are saying that they don’t want aid and aid [any longer], but that they want BUSINESS TRADE; they want to create opportunities for their next generations….All Africans now see and agree that every man deserves the right to control their own fate alone; for Africans deserve the right to control their destinies….[Note: What the President was saying here in short is that without generating revenues sustainably for yourself; without controlling your own economy etc., you are an everlasting slave and your destiny is NEVER in your own hands. PERIOD!!!] But very DULL, CRIMINAL Liberia has NEVER realized this fact yet, after 194 years of existence, and it will NEVER know it, even if afforded 1 billion more years, all because God is NOT mocked; for Liberia is a mockery to God, that’s why we demand dismantling it now for a new, better national foundation or arrangement. 7. Common Sense Analyst – despite all the above, especially point #6 above, Liberia, in this 21 st century still credits $2 million dollar from external sources. In this CRIMINAL Black American country, one small government project can be funded by loan money sometimes from more than three to four different sources – for example, their so-called RIA Rehabilitation Project, their current so-called Mt. Coffee Hydro power Plant rehab project etc. – ALL owing to both criminal and cruel intents. Imagine, just to review their own ‘rotten’ constitution, the country’s Legislature had to depend on the UNDP for financial support, including daily sustenance allowance. [Oh what a great threat to African independence struggle at such a crucial time in the continent’s history!!!!] VI.
People or institutions whose ideas just match ours
1. Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the US Declaration of Independence, and later President of the US – excerpt of the Declaration of Independence reads thus: “….When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station (status) to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitles them….they should declare the causes which impel them to [do so]….We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their CREATOR with certain [inalienable] rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; and that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to install a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such forms as to them seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness – (Excerpts of the US Declaration of Independence of 1776) 2. Hassan Kiawu, ELBC Journalist, Monrovia – commenting once on the importance of doing things all well, he quoted what he claimed as BBC’s creed or mantra as follows: “It is best to be last and
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get things all right, than to be the first and get things all wrong.” *This is the sad fate of criminal Liberia in Africa. 3. Tarkpor R. Kartee, Father of Plain Truth Revolution’s Vision Bearer – “People normally say, ‘Patriots have a duty of saving their country from the hands of its own government’, but I slightly modify this maxim as: ‘The biggest challenge a patriot faces is how he delivers his country from the hands of its own visionless form of government and implants a new and quite better form of government” 4. A BBC Guest – responding to the question of what really constitutes ‘happiness’, especially in the reading of Happiness Economics, he says, “….the most important factor for measuring happiness is how well governments’ social services are delivered…” 5. Simeon Freeman, Liberian Politician – badly discouraged about this trend of the continuous steep decline in Liberia’s education budget, he states that he’s prepared to align himself with things that are radical because he’s convinced that it’s only radical approaches that can EVER help this country’s situation now. (Farbric New Dawn, July 13, 2015) 6. Sen. Geraldine Doe-Sheriff – Speaking during certain event, she disclosed, “…this country has to be swept clean [before] we create jobs; it has to be swept clean [before] our children can be able to go to good schools etc.; we need to sweep this country….(ELBC, October 28, 2015) 7. Prof. Wilson Tarpeh, University of Liberia and Congress for Democratic Change Party Making suggestions about how to handle this country’s seemingly insurmountable problems, he remarked (in summary)…..To find solutions to Liberia’s very chronic problems will require some radical intrusion. [Although this intrusion in the reading of Prof Tarpeh meant a CDC intrusion through another CRAZY Americo-Liberian organized election, the Plain Truth Revolution views this statement in its favor from a quite different perspective.] – (New Dawn, Farbric FM. January 20, 2016) 8. Melvin ‘Tayglay’ Weah Johnson, US-based Liberian Lawyer – this is a slightly paraphrased account of what he says he wishes for his country: On the issue of what Liberians should now hope for in terms of leadership, he said, “Though I am not referring to people going to the polls again to vote, our country now needs a God-fearing person, who will be conscious that leadership is just about God’s stewardship role rather than mere personal aggrandizement and wealth-seeking, one who will endeavor to please God rather than man, and one who will care for future generations rather than self, self and current generations only….” (Farbric FM, New Dawn, September 15, 2015) 9. Bhofal Chambers (formerly Jallah ‘Langlin’) – “People change their names to redefine their purpose in life. (Farbric FM) 10. Antonio Gutierrez, UN Refugee Chief – “If people (meaning the politicians) think that they will keep causing the mess, [i.e. misgoverning and plunging their countries into chaos], and expect the humanitarians to solve the problems, then the world is making a very great mistake, [as humanitarians are already overwhelmed now] – (BBC, June 15, 2015) VII.
Words of Encouragement
1. President Abdou Fattah Al Sessay, Egypt – he revealed that Egypt used US$8 billion just in a short space of time to undertake the addition of a new 72 km lane to the Suez Canal. Magic: Not a cent of this amount [like economically worthless Liberia would do], was ever gotten from any foreign source, but the Egyptians got this money quickly by selling government bonds to banks right home to do the project. Note: Egypt has one of the oldest stock exchanges in Africa, the Egyptian Stock
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Exchange, established in 1883, with over 800 listed companies, that boosts its financial services industry, but economically FOOLISH Liberia, an 1822 so-called American establishment, has NO stock exchange, and is not even dreaming of EVER having ONE during the whole of its existence on this planet – WHAT A TERRIBLY FOOLISH STRUCTURE CALLED COUNTRY!!! (BBC, August 6, 2015) 2. Antonio Gutierrez, UN Refugee Boss – during his December 31, 2015 parting comments, as he was quitting office after 10 years, he underscored that the international community has lost its ability to prevent conflicts, and to resolve them in a timely manner, even when they occur. [This was a hint to individual nations to strengthen and unite themselves domestically, and to double up at governance and management] – (BBC, December 31, 2015) 3. Mr. Peter Graaf, Head of UN Ebola Intervention Team to Liberia – he encourages the country as follows in sum: ….Liberian Communities, “…take responsibility for your own future – don’t wait for the United States; don’t wait for the United Nations or the international community, but take matters into your own hands to secure your own future…..” – (Local Radio) 4. President Barack Obama, United States of America – “….I hereby announce a new partnership with Africa, a partnership of equals, wherein America will discuss, debate and negotiate with African countries on equal terms and footings unlike in the past….I initially announced this new partnership in Cape Town a year ago…. (BBC, August 6, 2014) 5. Madam Rebecca Nanyou, a 99 year old ‘unlettered’ market woman of Grand Gedeh County, Liberia – Encouraging the country to be productive, she remarked, “….It only takes our determination and faith in God for us to accomplish all that we want out of life….”.(ELBC, May 14, 2015)
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DEDICATION Our Plain Truth Revolution represents seven (7) big constituencies of God’s children (including past, current and future generations of our country and all of our well-wishers elsewhere) to whom we are very proud to always dedicate every work or article we write, and action we take. Our distinguished constituencies include: (a) Millions in their graves today who have died at the direct cause of Americo-Liberian statesponsored and state-promoted mischief, mayhem, atrocities and other criminal activities; (b) Millions in their graves today who have died completely unaccomplished, even though they had vast potentials, but these potentials could never be explored and exploited due to America’s imperialist activities here and the Americo-Liberians’ explicit vendetta campaign against us; (c) Millions alive in our country who have missed out, or given up on the realization of their dreams and fullest potentials in life, all because their country works out every policy behind the scenes to stifle such possibility under the guise of running government; (d) The millions who have suffered untold kangaroo justice at the hands of the ever rotten Americo-Liberian Justice System in this country, and continue to suffer this same fate over and over today; (e) Our entire future generations for whom this cruel national arrangement has laid no foundation, but yet expects all of the magic of nation-building and society-stabilization etc. to be performed by them (i.e. these hopeless, “deprived and destroyed in advance” future generations), (f) citizens in the diaspora who worry a lot about what’s happening to their country, but are just unable or incapacitated, one way or the other, to impact the situation, and (g) foreign friends who love our country, and love us personally as friends, but keep worrying, what the causes are, that this country will not wake up to the true meaning of nationhood, especially for the benefit of all of its citizens etc. All this means that it is only the devil, or the strongest of his lieutenants, who would want to thwart such a great agenda like this Plain Truth Revolution for God’s children.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Acknowledgment………………..………………………………………………….....i 2. Dedication…………..……………………………………………………………..xlvi 3. References…………...……………………………………………………………......a 4. Introduction: Two painful ill treatment meted to us, the Natives, that warrant war…1 5. Why we need a different formula to solve our problems now……………………….1 6. We believe our cries now knock at Heaven’s door…………………………………..1 7. It’s dangerous to stop an idea whose time has come………………………………....1 8. Plain Truth Revolution’s efforts to put you into the right frame of mind for action…2 9. How we need a complete rebirth, not reforms………………………………………..4 10. Our Septuplet for Rebirth or SEPTOR……………………………………………….5 11. Why keep struggling with a fake document of statehood……………………………6 12. How proud we are of America and want to truly adopt its examples………………..6 13. How the 1847 convention was a part of craps………………………………………..6 14. How America and her Americo-Liberians should take the blame for the huge mess here, and should form part of the solution now………………………………...8 15. An editorial excerpt about the Plain Truth, from a local daily, the Inprofile Daily….9 16. The need for concerted effort while copying from the US Civil Rights and South Africa’s anti-Apartheid experiences………………………………………………...10 17. A hypothetical description of the Liberian scenario………………………………...12 18. How the Bible and Quran both stress the need for a solid foundation in anything………………………………………………………………12 19. Why we must redo our national foundation now, instead of keep going with the current dangerous one……………………………………………………………….13 20. The definition of revolution, and motivations behind it………………………….....13 21. Listing of some reasons why the Plain Truth Revolution thinks we must revolve now instead of keep evolving ………………………………………………….14 -20 A. We must put history to work now…………………………………………14 B. Change means, “do things differently now”………………………………15 C. The United Nations now needs a genuine return on its huge investment here…………………………………………………………….16 D. Our stockpile of information from the media and other sources must be put to work now…………………………………………...............16 E. We must experience a genuine sense of independence and sovereignty right now………………………………………………………17 F. Key support expressed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf indirectly……..17 G. How Dr. Sawyer backs this idea indirectly………………………………...18 H. Minister Amara Konneh supports this idea implicitly……………………..19 I. Dr. J. Mills Jones concurs with us in some sense…………………….........19 J. Our proposed civic education program and a few inspirations from the gurus themselves (local and international)…………………………….19
K. Cllr. James Verdier backs our claim of shared, equal civic responsibility for our country, and not only government officials alone…20 22. Anticipated responses from every strata of society about this call for unconditional rebirth………………….……………………………………… 21-30 A. Response from a relatively honest President………………………………21 B. Feedback from sincere students……………………………………………22 C. A farmer’s anticipated opinion…………………………………………….23 D. What’s about a businessman or a prospective one………………………...23 E. What could a current legislator say to these demands...…………………...24 F. What’s about people in the sporting arena………………………………....24 G. Police officers would say this too..…………………………………………25 H. CEOs and Board Members of SOEs will open up too……………………...26 I. Honest lawyers and Judges are in trouble with their consciences………….27 J. Regular travelers to Liberia won’t get over this kind of barrenness………..28 K. Frustrated IT people will have this to say at least…………………………..28 L. Even the ordinary man in the street will express his grim disappointment…29 M. Religious people too have a say…………………………………………….30 23. How has the current government further stressed the need for this revolution……..31 24. A more firm call of ours to action……………….………………………………….32 25. What do Liberians mainly use their American connections for………...…………..33 26. More calls to action from all citizens……..………………………………………...34
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INTRODUCTION Each of the two major issues that confront ‘Liberia’ so badly today, (which are firstly the cruelty and poor performance of the Americo-Liberian hegemony, and then secondly, the magnitude with which American foreign policies have worked, and continue to work against us), is quite sufficient and convincing to justify the declaration of full scale wars, as others would do, but because of our commitment to decent life and the tenets of modern civilization, we will pursue the course of a peaceful revolution that will make maximum use of our civil rights and little civic education to handle this enduring nightmare by the grace of God. We say little civic education here because we have been consistently denied by successive Americo-Liberian leaderships the rights and opportunities to ever acquire sound and adequate civic education because they know such education poses a serious threat to their useless hegemonies. We will encourage the United States Government and the Liberian power that be, to exercise full caution every step of the way in responding to the demands of our revolution (this Plain Truth Revolution), as the 4+ million people of this country are now fed up with their common condition of life and are now ready for nothing else other than a new and different formula for finding solutions to their deep rooted problems that none of you (America and her Americo-Liberians) will ever sincerely seek to solve even in a million years to come. We are committed to unwavering and constructive engagements and dialogs all through this revolutionary process until God’s plan for our small and beautiful country (that has been short-circuited and short-changed along the way) is adequately realized through these revolutionary initiatives and activities. For the cries of the suffering, downtrodden, cheated and heavily oppressed people of this country have been so much to the point that we are convinced, they are now knocking at Heaven’s Door for God Himself to intervene. We all know too well what can happen in the end when the army (ies) of this world decide, or attempt to put a halt to, or suppress an idea whose time has finally come. This emphatically can be the most dangerous action in mankind’s history. We all know too well that no matter how long a piece of diamond remains under the mud, it can never lose its color and value. We all will agree with Winston Churchill when he says, “the truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”; and, to match our Liberian scenario, who will ever disagree with the statement made by Mahatma Gandhi that, “an error does not become true by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does the truth become an error because nobody sees it.” No country has ever hated the truth in world history or human existence equal to this Americo-Liberian country, called Liberia, and it must face the truth now, through this revolution God willing. It is our hope and prayer that each stakeholder in handling this confusing Liberian debacle takes a flashback at where this country has started from, what the people of this country have had to go through for centuries now, and even up to this point unabated, and of course how bleaker and bleaker our future seems to prove itself with the passage of time and with
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the coming in of each successive political regime, and then see reason to put aside personal interests for our overall national interest. We have written a couple of strong revolutionary pamphlets to educate and conscientize you, our people, on the gravity and volatility of the Liberian hullabaloo (confused noise), and therefore encourage you to get hold of these pamphlets, read them, and get yourselves into the right frame of mind for us to reborn our nation together. From all indications this country does not need any kind of reforms or rebuilding agenda while maintaining this old NASTY structure, but instead, it requires a complete revolution and rebirth. The current foundation of this country is a complete MESS destined to come to a bad end any time soon, so let’s me smart enough as a people to avert this bad end consequence. Apart from this pamphlet you are reading, which goes an extra mile justifying why we need nothing else other than a complete revolution now, and how we can go about this revolution with civility and decency, we have written and made available ten (10) additional revolutionary pamphlets (7 main ones, and 4 addendums, for a total of 11) to prove to you every substantial reason why revolution is a “must do” solution for this country’s endemic problems now. Our pamphlets include: MAIN PAMPHLETS (a) Why Is This Case Considered A Revolutionary And Game-Changing One For Our Country (‘Liberia’)” – this is Pamphlet #1, a “MUST READ” pamphlet, and it treats in detail how our experience at the LPRC neatly ties in with almost all of Liberia’s 194 year problems. You can get a copy at www.facebook.com/plaintruth2013; https://is.gd/cO3rbV; https://is.gd/cyZm54; https://is.gd/SnsihD. Note that we have put them into both Microsoft Word and personal document formats for your convenience. (b) Why Do We Need A Complete Revolution, And Not Reforms, And How Can We Conduct This Revolution” – this current pamphlet - Depending on the depth of a people’s problems, they can decide to employ gradualist, reformist political solutions, or a complete going back to the drawing board to redesign their state structure. We are now saying that our country must employ that second formula – And Just No If And Then About This, PERIOD!!!. (c) Liberia: A Small, Failed, Dirty Country, Built on the Pillars of Corruption – Here are the proofs” – This pamphlet proves beyond all your doubts – with historical evidence from 1816 to current events this 2016, that the structure or political entity called Liberia, was built on the foundation pillars of corruption and its lieutenants of deceit, ethnocentrism, chicanery etc. and until this structure is theoretically, politically, legally, and psychologically dismantled, no fight against any societal vice in this country will ever succeed. (d) Unspeakable Ethnic Suppression, Liberia’s Original Sin: Who Makes Amends For It Now?” – Liberia had been torn apart by negative ethnicity – the one called ethnocentrism, even before it was established in 1822. With ethnocentrism, one
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group of people say they are the superior over the rest of the people. And in fact, because Liberia’s part of ethnocentrism is so extreme, as predicted by the US Congress in 1817, that this place would be a land of aggravated mischief, the Americo-Liberians here say they are the human beings, while the rest of the 16 indigenous African Ethnic groups are animals, and as such, all policies of the Americo-Liberian Government are tactically geared – mischievously behind the scenes – to uphold this claim and belief. This pamphlet will drill you through how the Plain Truth Revolution has established this bloody reality, and has advanced its solution options in line with Divine principles (e) “How Liberia Sadly Makes Mockery Out Of The Divine Concept Of Justice” – Because the founders and societal frontrunners of Liberia themselves are predominantly criminals, and because they have an inherent hatred for the Natives, justice in this place is a complete mockery. This pamphlet gives you more details. (f) Liberia: A Name Associated with Crime, Curse, Misery, Poverty, Failure etc. It Must Be Changed Now!! – Just as Rep. Bhofal Chambers once said, “People change their names at certain times in order to redefine their purpose in life”, our revolution believes that its time to change this deceitful and divisive name called Liberia for a new name, as we redefine our country’s main purpose. We believe that the funny name, Liberia, is bent Hell-wards, and it’s heavily impacting our good people, and it must be changed now. Please access this pamphlet for more details. (g) Liberia’s Justifications For Demanding Reparations From America Now” – We believe all of the mess gravely affecting our society today were primarily imposed upon us by America, and she’s hell bent on continuing this trend for her economic gains if we don’t bring these NASTY realities to their attention right now, and seek appropriate reparations. Two big weapons America truly uses to perpetuate her hyper-imperialism are POVERTY and IGNORANCE, and she is dug in her heals to ensure that she uses her Americo-Liberians – through their white-collar terrorist organization called government here – to hide under so-called government policies to continue using these two deadly weapons against us forever. This pamphlet adequately proves our argument and urges us to rise up peacefully and demand reparations from America right now!!! ADDENDUMS (h) How Based On Its Origin, And Today’s Realities, The Structure Called Government of Liberia Is A Big Criminal Gang, That Must Be Peacefully Dismantled Now, For A Better One, Based On Better Principles. This is the first addendum to Pamphlet #1, and can be found on the same sites as the others. This addendum brings to light how almost all of the activities of the Government of Liberia, from 1822 up to this date, are downright criminal, or, are at least characterized by criminalities. (i) How, Based On Her Ancestry, And All Her Current Performance Profile Thus Far, Americo-Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Has Got No Moral
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Authority Over Any Native Person For That Matter. We now endeavor to establish a new society where national leaders and all those in authority will first be of good moral standing, that’s why we decided to emphasis on this Americo-Liberian professedly ‘most educated, and best president’, so that those wanting to serve in our new nation will have the first ugly example to avoid in Americo-Liberian leaders. (j) 17 Solid Reasons Why We Should Demand Independence Now, Rather Than Going To Stand On Line Again In 2017, In Another Stupid Americo-Liberian Elections. – This pamphlet outlines several reasons that we believe, speak to our good people’s senses about why election now, is not, and let us repeat, NOT, a good solution to our country’s huge fundamental problems. Let’s remember that it’s only a stupid group of people who will keep using the same formula over and over again that does not produce for them any genuine results. Please take this pamphlet seriously because we are convinced that God will punish all those who will prove that they are completely out of any more civic or political options in this life, and will therefore still go and stand on line again in 2017 to prolong the sufferings of our people through these fake Americo-Liberian engineered processes to keep our people down forever. This is with all due respect to democracy as a form of government, which we also subscribe to. (k) If This Is The Best Of Americo-Liberian Leaderships, In Harvard-Trained Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Then What Else Are We, The Natives, Still Waiting For To Constructively Snatch Our Arm Robbed Country From Out Of The Hands Of America And Her Americo-Liberians. We say, the dangers for not acting in this direction right now, are already at our door steps. Note: Everyone, from the honorable Nobel Prize Committee to Forbes Magazine, to a long list of world leaders and opinion leaders, to Americo-Liberian Government officials etc., is lavishing praises on this Americo-Liberian “Iron Lady” as Liberia’s best, and her government as Liberia’s best. Yes, we agree with you all, but we are now saying that based upon this fact, it is now clear that we don’t belong to this NASTY state structure called Liberia anymore because we can’t just imagine what your worst leadership and government would ever be like, and we don’t even want to see that happen. For we have been suffering too much in this place since 1822. The facts presented in these writings are strong and may sometimes appear defaming and provocative depending on one’s acceptance levels of plain truths, but we plead with everyone to please accept them as a means of swallowing bitter pills to cure our very chronic common disease – a sustained culture of big lies and wickedness. With our acceptance of these bare truths, no matter how harsh they may be, we will be poised to setting another great record, although this time a positive one, by being one of the very few countries on this planet to implement a massive revolution without any iota of bloodshed. Thank you for taking up your time to read everything about this enterprise designed to reborn a great nation on this West Coast of Africa that will now truly turn into the much anticipated small America in Africa, as we all henceforth uproot its first treacherous foundation, built on the pillars of lies, corruption and prejudice etc. and replace it with a brand new foundation built on the promising pillars of honesty, moral rectitude, discipline and hard work. through our Plain Truth Revolution by the grace of God.
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OBJECTIVE OF THE REVOLUTION Although we are of the firm conviction that everything has gone, or simply everything is terribly wrong in this country, for which a complete revolution is the only way out, our revolution will first tackle 7 key issues. As such, we do demand these 7 major actions at a proposed National Rebirth and Constitutional Convention (NRCC), to be held at quickly as possible - between now and the end of 2017 – at which the 7 principal points outlined below, referred to as the Septuplet For Rebirth (SEPTOR) will be adopted as a matter of must before all other new adjustments, provisions and amendments to our new national framework can be considered. Our Septuplet For Rebirth are as follows: 1. A national mandate or resolution declaring (or if one may say re-declaring) our independence. What we have here is NEVER an independence. A few criminals just assembled themselves somewhere and imposed some very limited level of sovereignty on us just for their own personal gains. We must gain our true independence from America and her Americo-Liberians now. 2. A national mandate for the rewriting of a completely new constitution. 3. A resolution/national mandate for the complete change of name for our country, and a redesign of all of its emblems and symbols 4. A national resolution for the compulsory and immediate setting up of a Claims Court under the new national arrangement 5. A national resolution mandating the commissioning of some legal proceedings against the United States Government in pursuit of reparations, which must comprise two components: (1) a written apology from the U.S Government for all of the wrongs they have committed, and continue to commit against our country and its people, as shall be authenticated at the proceedings; and, (2) the construction of a new world class capital city, with modern zoning standards, connected to all 15 countries’ capitals with paved roads. 6. A national resolution mandating the commissioning of legal proceeding against the Americo-Liberian ethnic group of this country, in pursuit of a 100 year ban from politics and governance for all their cruel activities against the indigenous population and their complete failure to ever put up any form of sound and responsible leadership and selfgovernance in this country, for which our country can boast of no substantial achievement for its very old age. These claims plus more will be established and authenticated at the proposed proceedings. 7. A national resolution on the compulsory and immediate setup of a Ministry of Civic Education, to begin operations comcomitantly with the coming into being of the new nation. This will be the most staffed and the busiest of all ministries in our new country from the word go until later. The last unnumbered agenda item of course will be Miscellaneous, which shall include firstly an agreement on such things as all other proposals for amendments to the new constitution.
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Suggestions, recommendations and proposals covering different concerns will be entertained from all delegates to the convention, then acted upon, and finally documented appropriately. No serious and progressive country can ever advance in life based upon discussions and arrangements made at a single national or constitutional convention, especially a pre-in dependence one, like in the case of lazy and dull Liberia. That Liberia can only boast of experiencing one partial opportunity for building serious national consensus under normal atmosphere, only during the so-called constitutional convention of June to July 1847 is a sad manifestation of our sheer laziness, fear for concrete change, and lack of innovation and creativity. This ugly situation or reality has now come to an end, fortunately. The Plain Truth Revolution is proud of the United States of America, and we strongly aspire to be like them in splendor and magnificence by copying all of their good examples (in their entireties and not partially as in the case of the Americo-Liberians). To this effect, history has told us that America did not survive or become strong as it is today based upon the discussions, debates and arrangements from a single pre-independence national consensus-building activity or meeting. Our history rather says that four, though some may say three major national conventions (even though they refer to theirs as Congresses) were held by the Americans before that country placed itself on the right footing for sound democracy, stability and prosperity, and not one pitiful, partial and dubious Congress or National Convention like dull Liberia. For example, in regards to the Boston Tea Party (direct action) of 1773, the British Parliament responded in 1774 with the Coercive Acts (complementing the Stamp Act of 1765). The Coercive Act stripped Massachusetts of its historic rights of self-governance/government and put it under British Colonial Army rule. This sparked serious anger and outrage in all of America’s existing 13 colonies. The battle lines were drawn for a final fight for independence, just as funny Liberia claims in its case when, Stephen Allen Benson’s private boat, the John Says was seized by the British and taken along to Sierra Leone in retaliation for Liberia’s rudeness in seizing the British Little Ben (a vessel) over the issue of customs duty, the only thing they know as a means of revenue generation up this date. Just as Liberia responded to this with the one month 1847 so-called Constitutional Convention, America responded to the Coercive Acts with the First Continental Congress in 1774, but instead of rushing into a demand or an arrangement for independence, they called for a boycott of all British trade, published a list of rights and grievances, and petitioned King George, III for redress of those grievances. About a year later, when America found out that their petitions were falling on deaf ears, they convened the Second Continental Congress in 1775; this time, to organize the defense of the colonies against the British Colonial Army. The Americans, although not equipped anywhere closed to the British Colonial Army, had a strong faith that God was on their side in defense of their inalienable rights that were now being trampled upon by their over 160 year colonial master, to the extent that even ordinary civilian Americans took the courage to pick up whatever arms were available to join this fight. In response to growing tension and
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discontentment, when the British fired the first bullet at Concord and Lexington (part of today’s California and Kentucky respectively) in April 1775, a full scale war of independence, or the American Revolutionary War, was finally kindled. A year into the War, Patriot leaders called for America’s Third Continental Congress (although some historical accounts refer to it as the Second, in late June to early July 1776 in Philadelphia, at which time, apparently based on the progress made at the war front at that point, the Americans finally and formally declared their independence through a document they referred to as the Declaration of Independence. The new North American nation was founded on enlightenment (reasoning, logic etc.) ideals of liberalism in what Thomas Jefferson called the “unalienable” rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and dedicated strongly to Republican principles. Meanwhile, they still maintained a form of government practiced in the 13 colonies referred to as Confederacy at independence and even after independence, about 11 years later into full nationhood. Instead of remaining foolhardily stuck to their July 4, 1776 arrangements completely, as dull, lazy and barren Liberia has done up to this point, nationalist leaders, worried that their new nation was too fragile to withstand an international war, or even a strong domestic revolt, such as what was demonstrated in the Shay’s Rebellion of 1776 in Massachusetts for example, organized themselves in every state and convinced Congress to call the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, a fourth round of national consensus building. These delegates from every state (under the leadership of Mr. George Washington, who was called from his farm in Virginia where he was resting after winning the Revolutionary War some 4 years back), then wrote an entirely new constitution that created a much more powerful and efficient central government, one with a stronger president and taxation powers, a much more improved form of government than the old Confederacy. This was the beginning of the actual Federal Government/arrangement, with George Washington voted at the convention (their 4th congress) to be the first president (17 88-1796). It baffles every sound mind why should Liberia still be struggling on ideas and arrangements from a 169 year old meeting or convention that was attended by a handful of unintelligent, cruel and selfish people from only one of the country’s 17 ethnic groups – the very questionable one at that rate – who sadly were heavily guided and dictated to by one Prof. John Simon Greenleaf, a foreigner, another American. The Plain Truth Revolution declares here that the 1847 so-called convention was only for the Americo-Liberian community, which constitutes less than 2% of our country’s population; and as such, we now hereby nullify the “craps” discussed there, although these craps” have reigned supreme in our country for up to 169 years now. We demand a new, all-inclusive constitutional convention now, to be named the National Rebirth & Constitutional Convention (NRCC), to be attended by equal sized delegates from each of the country’s 17 ethnic groups (not counties); and then one group representing each continent of Diaspora ‘Liberians’; one representing a coalition of all civil society organizations; one representing all existing political parties; one representing the religious
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community; and of course one group of delegates representing a conglomeration of all pressure and interest groups etc. At this convention, all of the 7 major points of our revolution presented above, commonly called the Septuplet For Rebirth (SEPTOR), plus additional items brought to the discussion table by each group shall be thoroughly debated and acted upon by the delegates to form part of our new constitution and the solid foundation of our new nation by the grace of God. We can never afford to compromise this issue of our demanded National Convention as the fate of our current and future generations, all now rest heavily upon the outcome of this much anticipated convention, but we do have at our disposal one legal and civilized way of ensuring that this convention is held as soon as possible, and that this, by right now gathering at least 10,000 signatures of citizens to petition the current Legislature to commission this convention at all costs. This is where all well-meaning and nationalistic fellow countrymen (Americo-Liberians and the indigenous alike) need to demonstrate love for country by ensuring by all means that these signatures are taken; that the referendum or some legitimate process succeeds, and that the convention is held; as evidently, all our common destinies are tied to the outcome of such a major get together. Now, an emotional and shortsighted person may argue boldly or may want to insinuate that this should be an all-indigenous enterprise because America and Americo-Liberians are hard hit by all of the criticisms and blames that are culminating into the need for this revolution. This is where real test for sincerity, honesty and mutual love comes in. When Nelson Mandela said for example that education was the most powerful tool to change our world, he was not necessarily suggesting that we pass around bragging with our eloquence in the English Languish or other language for that matter; or that we go around making big ‘blooths’ about our knowledge of ax2 + bx + c = 0 etc., but for us to apply each theoretical concept we learn in school to finding solutions to our day to day problems. In this vein, when one learns or does Statistics for instance, there is the key concept of Statistical Inference, whereby, conclusions are drawn or decisions are made based on results from samples or datasets extracted from a bigger population. Also in dialectics, there is a concept called Inductive Reasoning, by which, conclusions are reached about all the members of a given set or given population just by examining a few members of that set. Conclusions derived from these kinds of methods become authentic and reliable when the samples taken do repeatedly bring up the same results, or the same results in a vast majority of the tested or sampled instances. These are concepts used all around the world, and these are the bases upon which our conclusions about America and her Americo-Liberians were reached, especially taken into keen account the adjectives ascribed to the AmericoLiberians by their own former masters, and the reality we now have on ground 200 years on. When people persistently test a subject against certain yardsticks or standards and these tests go on to prove positive almost every single time, they have all the right to be very emphatic about their results. This is why we are now so emphatic about our findings about America and her Americo-Liberians in this Liberian 194 year old hulabaloo.
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Be that as it may however, the overall objective of advocating to boldly confront these truths and to do something about them now is just to be able to ultimately bring a sigh of relief to all of us, especially citizens of our country – Americo-Liberians and indigenous people alike. The unequivocal fact remains that if we are to be free, then we all (Congoes and Natives) must be free, and if we are to have a voice as a nation, then all must have a voice, and not the Natives alone. This is why we need to use the plain truth now to remove the yoke from our midst; to remove the pointing of finger, which has become so unavoidable because of its outstanding presence; and to once and for all remove the speaking of ills and wickedness from among ourselves, no matter what we need to go through right now to ensure all these are possible. And the only tool to perform all this is the plain truth. Let’s bring you this little, excerpt, regularly featured by us from a local daily about what the truth can accomplish especially with respect to our current Liberian situation. According to an editorial from Liberia’s In Profile Daily Newspaper, “The truth has been tested and proven to be the [only] gateway to freedom. When the truth is established and embraced, the solutions to problems normally emerge; harmony ensues, while reconciliation becomes an inevitable way forward [without having to make huge budgetary allocations for it]. In the absence of the truth however, there can never be any atmosphere of cordiality and peace because hearts will continue to be loaded with sour feelings in addition to the spirit of vindictiveness. The truth must therefore be confessed. This is because it is in the Truth that lasting solutions to national problems can be harvested. The truth leads to justice and freedom. It leads to genuine unity and national reconciliation. It provides healing and stability in a given place. It leads to sincere forgiveness, harmony, and a renewed sense of togetherness between and among people.” If all, or even most of the above make sense, then it is now time that we all join our efforts and resources to make this revolution a success, irrespective of our surnames. If we want freedom and freedom for all; if we want stability and stability for all; if we want prosperity and property for all etc., then no matter how any of these truths hurts, let’s accept them as just bitter pills intended to cure our chronic national cancer. Let Gibsons, Johnsons, Dolos and Kollies etc. alike become foot soldiers for gathering these 10,000 signatures, or vote “yes” in the proposed (while at the same time demanded) referendum for the planned constitutional convention; or yet still contribute nickels and dimes to these campaigns to make sure that we test this other formula quickly and collectively so that we see what God does for our country. Let’s not resist or undermine it because it’s a precious idea whose time has finally come, and when the time for ideas come, no man dare stands in the way to avoid or obstruct them. Liberia will neither be the first nor the last place where people from different, opposite sides of a great divide, put aside their differences and join forces to tackle burning societal issues in unison. Let’s bring you two examples from two of the
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world’s outstanding civilizations; and as usual, we will never forget America first, because it is our most powerful example in almost all cases: (a) During the Civil Rights Revolution or the Black Sovereignty Revolution, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., Americans (predominantly Blacks, but with a good number of Whites) took their futures and their lives into their own hands by sacrificing comfort and security to stand up for the truth and the advancement of general societal good, to help win the war against racism, segregation, oppression and hatred. Here’s a gist of how it went. The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 meant the release of Blacks from the bondage of slavery, while giving them rights as citizens of the United States. But sadly up to a hundred years on, while Blacks officially were citizens, they were in reality conspicuous second class citizens; who were not allowed to do many things that the Whites did or could do; who were not to go to certain places that the Whites went; and who could not enjoy certain rights, privileges and amenities that the Whites enjoyed. In fact, segregation had gotten so bad that in public buses, for example, there were lines of demarcation between where Blacks could sit and where Whites could separately sit. Judges in courts now handed down judgments based on the color of people’s skins rather than the contents of their character etc. The Americans (both Blacks and Whites, so fed up with this kind of blazing and terrifying injustice, even though in favor of the Whites) took matters into their own hands and said, enough was enough with segregation, and under the leadership of powerful Civil Rights activists and great leaders like Malcolm X ( a Colored), Rosa Parks (a Colored woman), Martin Luther King, Jr. (a Black) etc. embarked on a campaign of massive civil disobedience that culminated into the passage of key liberation instruments like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which banned racial discrimination in employment and public places), and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (which struck down many racially motivated barriers used to deny voting rights to Blacks) among others. This of course was a concerted effort despite the fact that the bone of contention was against the White orchestrated mistreatment of the Blacks and the fact that these actions were meant to strip Whites of their defecto and dejure superiority over the Blacks. Some major White supporters of the Civil Rights or Black Sovereignty Revolution included Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and Senator Robert Kennedy. The Rockefeller family and their foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, were in strong support of Black Sovereignty. Many in the Jewish American community supported the Civil Rights Movement and Jews were more actively involved in Civil Rights activities than any other White group in America. Many Jewish students worked in concert with African Americans for CORE, SCLC, and esp. with the SNCC as full time organizers and summer volunteers during the Civil Rights era. Jews made up nearly half of the White Northern volunteers involved in the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer Project and approximately half of the civil rights attorneys active in the South during the 1960s.
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Jewish leaders were arrested along with Martin Luther King Jr. in the St. Augustine, Florida raid in 1964 after a challenge to racial segregation in public accommodations. Abraham Joshua Heschel, a Writer, Rabbai, and Professor of Theology at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York was outspoken on the subject of Civil Rights. He marched arm in arm with Dr. King Jr. in the 1965 March on Selma, Alabama. A White lady, Jean Bennet Smiley, and her infant son, Mitchel, whom she carried on her back marched during the protest on Washington. The U.S. Supreme Court bench in 1954, none of whom were Blacks, led the way to desegregating schools. Almost all who voted for Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, or his brother Robert Kennedy for the Senate overwhelmingly supported the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Right Act. Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, and a long list of prominent Whites, impossible to feature here, were among Whites that supported the Civil Rights Movement. A long list of more ordinary Whites, including the three New York College students who were murdered in Mississippi trying to help Blacks to get registered to vote, can be found on the Freedom Riders Website. Other White Civil Right activists included Nat Turner, Whitney Young, Mary McCloud Bethune, Booker T. Washington etc. It is reported that scores of thousands of Whites joined the 250,00 men march (referred to as the Million Men’s March) on Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC in 1963 from where Dr. King delivered the famous “I Have A Dream” Speech. As you can see here, America is indeed a great example of what objective love and unity can accomplish. (b). The government of the newly formed Union of South Africa is reported to have begun a systematic oppression of the Blacks coming into the 20th century. For example, the Land Act of 1913 forced Blacks from their farms into the cities and towns to work, and it also served to bar their free movement within and around the country. By 1919, the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), predecessor of the ANC, was leading a campaign against a form of identity cards that only Blacks possessed, called ‘passes’. Blacks however became very active, through massive civic actions beginning the 1950s. Led by Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, the ANC (African National Congress) sought to broaden its base of support and to impede the implementation of Apartheid by calling for mass noncompliance with new laws imposed against the Black communities by the White South African Government. Just as in the case of the United States above, the South African Blacks were not alone, despite the fact that this struggle was against a practice orchestrated by, and was completely benefiting the Whites. Working in concert with key Whites (like Joe Slovo and his South African Communist Party, the SACP, Colored People, and Indian opponents of Apartheid etc.), the African National Congress encouraged Black people to publicly burn their government issued ID cards, their passes. Of all the Whites, Jewish and Indian opponents of Apartheid that worked along with the ANC, Joe Slovo of the South African Communist Party and his Jewish wife, Ruth First Slovo, daughter of SACP Treasurer Julius First, were very outstanding in their opposition to Apartheid, and their involvement with the African National Congress to the extent that Ruth First Slovo was singled out and assassinated in 1982 on orders of Apartheid Police Major, Craig Williamson. Earlier on, both Slovo and First were
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blacklisted under the “Suppression of Communist Act” and could not be quoted, or could not attend any public gatherings in South Africa. Joe Slovo was arrested and detained for two months by his own Whites during the Treason Trial of 1956. Charges against him were dropped however in 1958. He was later arrested for 6 months during the state of emergency declared after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960. In 1961, Slovo and Abongz Mbede emerged as two of the leaders of the Umkhonto we Sizwe, the militant wing of the ANC established in 1961, mainly in response to the Sharpeville Massacre of the Blacks, to combat what passive protests and demonstrations had failed to quell down. It was Joe Slovo in 1992 who proposed the breakthrough in the negotiations to end Apartheid in South Africa with the “Sunset Clause” for a coalition government for the five years following a democratic election, including guarantees and concessions to all sides. After the elections of 1994, he became Minister of Housing in Nelson Mandela’s Government until his death shortly in 1995. His funeral was by attended by the entire high command of the ANC, including Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki. Shack settlements in suburban Cape Town were named after Joe Slovo by their founders. Harrow Road in Johannesburg has now been renamed Joe Slovo Drive (or avenue). A newly constructed residence building at the Rhodes University in Grahams Town, South Africa, was been named after Joe Slovo etc. Note: Emphasis is laid here to demonstrate what unity in diversity can accomplish when our cause is objective. The battle lines have now been truly drawn in Liberia for those who want conditions to remain as they are (probably because they enjoy immense benefit from this spoiled condition) and those who want change once and for all, and a true change for the better. Liberia can be compared to an eerie old building that rests on nothing underneath it, but a mass of sinking sand, meaning a building that is expected to collapse just any moment a real storm hits. In such situation, it makes no sense to keep sugaring the pill wasting precious time by performing superficial patch works here and there just to maintain this old, treacherous structure temporarily, when, from all indications, this building is destined to fall at any time soon. We must now face the harsh reality that we need to build a new house or a new structure on a better and stronger foundation of rock and seasoned concrete, no matter how costly or time consuming this option will be. Let’s bring a little bit of religion into this debate based on our common religious backgrounds. A careful analysis of I Corinthians 3:9-14 exposes the most reliable secret behind the art of building and sustaining the foundation of anything worthwhile – be it a house, your education, a system, a nation etc. the Bible stresses here that our foundations must be built upon God’s principles (justice, honesty, discipline, and hard work) because they (meaning our foundations) will later have to encounter some test by fire to establish their strength and durability. And if foundations are built on the principles above they always pass their tests, and can be ever ready for building further structures upon them, or expanding available structures sitting upon them. But sadly, if foundations (like Liberia’s) are not built upon God’s principles, when their times for test by fire come, they will fail and surely be
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consumed. A still sharper perspective of these passages will establish that the Apostle speaking here was referring to the foundations of peoples, and when the Bible speaks of peoples, it mainly refers to institutions or nation states. Then Jesus, referring to the art of building a strong house or a strong nation; or, the opposite, which is building a failed, weak house or a failed, weak nation etc., had these words to offer in Luke 6:48-49 as follows: (48) “….. he is like a man, who, in building his house, dug deep and laid the foundation on rock (in this sense, the principles of God, including justice, honesty, discipline, hard work etc). The river overflowed and hit the house, but could not shake it because it was well built. (49) But anyone (meaning anyone who fails to build on the principles above) is like a man who built his house without laying a foundation (i.e. laying a solid foundation based on God’s principles). When the flood hit that house, it fell at once, and what a terrible crash that was.” This, fellow compatriots, from all indications, is the fate now awaiting Liberia, for which we are striving through God’s grace to avert together. A Quranic translation and interpretation by Moshin Khan, according to www.corpus.quran.com of Surat 9:109 had this to say, “Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and his good pleasure, better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undermined brink of a precipice, ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the fire of hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the zalimun (cruel, violent, proud, polytheist and wrong doers). Two great writers of yesteryears, Saint Augustine and Zig Ziglar stressed the importance of solid foundations and what constitutes a strong social foundation from their own respective perspectives this way: (a) “Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Then think about the foundation of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must the foundation also be” (b) “The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love, and loyalty.” “ Now, everybody, whether in or out of this country, whether citizen or foreigner, will bear us witness that Liberia lacks all of these strong foundation stones. Then one wonders how will we ever thrive and prosper? We brought you all these different analyses just to highlight to you the importance of a solid foundation in everything that we do. And so, when you get things all wrong from their very foundation, there’s no two ways about it, you’ve got to get back to the basics and redo that foundation. The more, we as a nation or people postpone this “must do” task and obligation, the more difficult and dangerous we make things for ourselves. From all indications, all of Liberia’s problem is foundational, foundational, and foundational, no matter how we sugar coat this reality; and as a sound people, it must not take a forklift to force us into going back to relay for ourselves a much better and promising foundation, Period! And this is the whole essence of the Plain Truth Revolution, nothing else! Revolution, from the Latin word revolutio, means a complete turnaround, or a significant change that usually occurs in a short period of time. Another dictionary account has it as a
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sudden, extreme, or complete change, as in a people’s manner of living and doing things. A true revolution must result into palpable and sustainable changes in culture, economy, and socio-political institutions. A compelling question to ask oneself when embarking on a revolution is, “what about the political system in which I live, that I think is totally wrong, and what kind of system do I want to create for my country? So, the major objective of a revolution is to make things better in a society for good, and not temporarily. This is called the positive vector of a revolution. The immense improvements that come about in those different aspects of society such as economics, culture, politics etc. as a result of your revolution must be sustained for current and future generations, but not just for one administration, one regime, or one generation. So as we keep saying, revolutions are prompted when certain things have gone so bad in a given society that men must now stand up, and fight against, because these wrongs, these mess etc. can no longer be condoned. If you were for example to ask the Plain Truth Revolutionaries what make revolution compulsory for Liberia now, we will provide to you, among many other reasons, the below listed: (a) We need this revolution now because we have gone to school and learned different subjects or courses, each of which needs to impact our lives almost equally. This may sound a bit more confusing, but what we mean here for example is that, just as English impacts our day to day lives by affording us to speak out and interact with almost everyone we come across; Literature helps us to either compose, listen to, or learn from music and other poetic work every time; Math helps us determine our own ages and perform all sorts of measurements, calculations and counting; Chemistry and Biology touch our lives every moment when we cook, take bath, use our rest rooms, get treated with drugs from the pharmacies and hospitals etc.; Physics and Geography impact our lives daily when we move from one point to another using different forms of transportation, or when we communicate minute after minute within different lengths etc. and etc.; it is just about time now for History to practically touch and change our lives in this country, as we didn’t do this subject in school to suspend the knowledge gained from it forever or just for mere reading. We agree with the American political Satirist, Patrick Jake O’Rouke when he says, “Those who don’t know their history are probably not doing well in their English and Math.” We are not surprised about the despicable condition our country finds itself in today. For we have established irrefutably that it is because of our refusal to use History as the primary tool in tackling our horrifying national problems for which we still find ourselves in all this unspeakable mess today. British Broadcaster James Burke and American Historian, David McCullough cautioned respectively that if we don’t know where we come from, we will never know where we are today; and that, history is who we are today, and why we are the way we see ourselves today. Then Bettina Drew closes all this up when she says, “The past reminds us of timeless human truths and allows for the perpetuation of cultural traditions that can be nourishing; it contains examples of mistakes to avoid; the past preserves the memory of alternative ways of doing things; and the past is the basis for self-understanding.” History truly helps us learn about the past so that the mistakes of the
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past can never be repeated by us today, and in the future. By knowing and understanding the past, we can understand why things exist as they are in the present, and of course, we can plan a brighter future for our children and our children’s children. History also provides concrete justifications for why today’s institutions must be replaced, or rearranged, or not. So in short, the Plain Truth Revolution is justifiable now because History must immediately leave the mere academic and theoretical state in which this society has perpetually kept it, to a point where it must begin to proactively impact our lives. (b) The need for this revolution is so overwhelming now because we simply need change. Even if one were to say that we all pursue the same positive objectives and goals for our country, we will agree, but say to them that while this assertion may be true, this time around however, we want to pursue these common beautiful objectives and goals with different formulas and approaches. We have been using the same batch of formulas over and over and again with no concrete results to show at present. Dr. Dennis O Grady of Dayton, Ohio once said, “Change has a bad reputation. But it isn’t all bad, not by any means. In fact, change is necessary in life to keep us moving…... to keep us growing…. to keep us interested…etc. Imagine life without change. It will be static, boring, and dull.” In a blog post at www.tinybudha.com a writer declared that people usually avoid changes and prefer to stay in their comfort zones, but he admonished however that, once a true believer got encouraged and took the first step at change, their life will become much better than ever before. He said for example: Nothing will improve by itself without some change. We need to do things differently to make that happen. Without change, there would be no improvements. Take for instance the movie, “Stranger Than Fiction.” In this movie, the main character, Harold Creek does the some things in exactly the same ways for years upon years. He leads a completely dull, extremely predictable, and uninteresting life. That’s how one’s life becomes without changes, and Liberia can be perfectly placed in this category. From time to time, changes make you re-evaluate your life and look at certain things from different perspectives Changes trigger progress. Things move forward because of changes. One never knows what each change may bring. When you turn from your usual path, there will be plenty of other opportunities waiting for you. Changes will bring new choices for happiness and fulfillment. Change brings about the release of relations that are toxic. Only when we go through this change will we be ready for new, healthy relationships with others. Change documents the passage of time. Seasons change, people grow up and new technologies emerge. People can reflect on their whole lives or evaluate their whole lives by the different kinds of changes they have gone through. Each change is a turning page in our situation. Every change is about closing one chapter and opening another one. Changes bring new beginnings and new excitements to life.
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ďƒź You grow and learn new things every time something changes. You discover now insights about different aspects of your life. [Even in what may appear to be a downside], you still learn great lessons from changes that unfortunately did not lead you to where you wanted to reach. This is to say that although not all changes may lead you to pleasant periods in life, or at least lead you there right away, on the overall, there must be some lesson(s) learnt. Sometimes too, sad things might happen along the way because life itself is not a fairy tale. In general however, we are often resistant to change, and we don’t realize that change itself is a constant. So even if we resist or avoid it, it will eventually enter our lives some how. The good thing is that if we initiate the change ourselves, it is pretty easy to adapt to it than when it gets eventually forced down our throat. (c) This very promising revolution is too essential now because the international community and some of our concerned bilateral partners are evidently overwhelmed and fed up with our persistently dull and unproductive orientation. Imagine a small, poor and dirty country that cannot generate up to $450 million in revenue independently per annum has now consumed over $50 billion between 1989 and 2016 in war, and search for peace activities, with the United Nations alone having spent over $15 billion since 2003, but the dull Americo-Liberian leadership, as dullness has always been embossed in their DNAs, is now even doing much worse than the mess in the past that led to the war. This is a very troublesome situation for us; and so, as nationalists and patriots, we must now fight at all costs to get our act together through this revolutionary agenda, or else we will have ourselves to blame very soon, as we now risk a point where this country can even cry blood, but will never be listened to by the international community. (d) This revolution must be executed so as to practically add meaning and value to the priceless work that our struggling media industry continues to do. When journalists, both in the print and electronic media dig up issues, investigate different happenings, and publish, they fight to make valuable information available for us to use to better our lives and the condition of our country, and not for mere excitement, sensation or ordinary information. The media is to a huge extent playing its indispensable watch dog role; the media in our country is trying its possible best to inform and alert the public about those in the constant habit of violating existing laws and rules; the media keeps trying to set the agenda for our daily discussions and subsequent actions, but unfortunately it seems all these efforts are yielding nothing. But we will fight to ensure that they yield something God willing. For example, we are opportune in our times to listen to great and provocative talk shows like DC Talk, Night time Radio, 50-50, Cross Fire, Bumper Show, Costa Show, the New Dawn etc. We think the essence of these great endeavors is to see a quite different, positively changed and more civilized environment than remaining caught up in a dirty, indiscipline, uncivilized and highly criminally oriented Liberian society forever, with the ever exacerbated complaints here and there of mass illiteracy, corruption, poverty, gross underdevelopment as the only big news to hear generations after another. This revolution will ensure that we practically act upon the available knowledge and information we have gotten from our media for all these long years.
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(e) This revolution is so compelling because we now need a genuine redemption, a genuine sense of sovereignty and a genuine sense of independence. We need an atmosphere wherein a sitting president will frequently travel to, and be more concerned about what’s happening in Gbogesay, Karloken, Palala, Vahoom etc, or even make friend with any country of our choice around the world without feeling nervous that Washington will soon have problems and begin to undermine them or even orchestrate their violent death or removal from office. Our history has established that any president that ever took any of these routes above, especially making moves towards the improvement of the lives of the vast indigenous population of this country, has had to meet up with a nasty death. E. J. Roye’s death accounts are a little murky and moderate because he had not started implementing his plan for the hinterlands before the “Mulatto vs. Dark Skinned” divide deepened among the Americo-Liberians, and he was officially overthrown. But E. J. Roye decided explicitly to embark on an ambitious economic agenda of improving the Agriculture Industry; linking the interior areas or settlements of the country with paved or improved dirt roads, and linking Liberia to its neighbors by roads and so forth. Although his agenda was still yet a mere plan, it still led to his official ousting by rival settler elites and his alleged subsequent murder accounts, which are still confusing. But on a rather substantiated note, the two most productive, and most indigenous centered presidents in words and deeds that this country has ever had were presidents William R. Tolbert and Samuel Doe. Unfortunately, because of this orientation (trying to see the lives of the indigenous improved more), these two were the only presidents, among Liberia’s more than 20 presidents now, which conspicuously suffered the most gruesome of murders in Liberian History. They surely paid the price for practicing the truest principle or senses of sovereignty and independence including for example, tweaking the economy to employ some positive socialist principles, engaging in genuine non-alignment foreign policies, and working hard to improve the lives of the country’s huge ethnic populations. (f) Many prominent citizens of this country, including the current President, have underscored the need for an unconditional overthrow of the current political, economic and cultural status quo, but have done so through different insinuations and arguments. We believe these people and others not mentioned here are defacto supporters of our Plain Truth Revolution. For example: i.
In her 2012 inaugural address, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf made the following remarks: “My position as president allows me to broaden and to deepen the opportunities for a better life available to you, but it is up to us all to ensure that this country lives up to its truest potentials. I call you my compatriots, to a new age of patriotism. Patriotism does not mean blind loyalty to power. Indeed, sometimes the highest demonstration of patriotism may well be seen when citizens peacefully and respectfully express their opposition to particular policies proposed by those elected to govern them. Patriots freely, openly and even passionately disagree about what is best for the nation they love. Patriots acknowledge that those who may not embrace their particular views are nonetheless acting out of their own understanding of what is best for their country. Patriots believe deeply in democratic processes and institutions, and when these processes and institution waver or fail, patriots resolve to repair them (we
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will say here replace them). They believe in a democracy of policies and not personality, merits not money, and actions, not words.” She then beautifully concludes, “We know all too well what can happen when the tenets of democracy and freedom are not jealously and vigorous defended, when the true love of country is abandoned for narrow interest…. We will never again shed the mantle of democracy, of freedom, of national unity, and patriotism…. The future that has beckoned us is finally here.” Whether consciously or not, Madam Sirleaf was making a very strong case for our revolution here. When she spoke of her position helping to broaden and to deepen the opportunities for a better life available to us all, she might not have known that this “broadening and deepening could have come about as a result of her government’s excessive engagements into all the vices and ills of governance and society as a whole, which eventually would ignite this revolution, as it has already done; because in the words of Greek Philosopher, Plato, “Excess generally causes reaction, and produces a change in the opposite direction, whether it be in the seasons, or individuals, or in governments.” Moreover, as a level headed person, she should also be quite aware that Liberia’s problems, which she herself has complaint about a lot, and has finally succumbed to, are chronically rudimentary and structural, and that no amount of gradualist or ameliorative reforms can help us out, other than a complete revolution, which can be initiated and executed by only true patriots, as she has already recommended above. ii.
Our revolution is geared towards establishing a governance arrangement that will strictly build on the capabilities of local people and advance their prospects of working together to build democracy and attain development from the bottom up. This has never been the case in Liberia, and there is absolutely no sign that it can ever happen in a “Liberia” as the leaderships of this country, owing to the backgrounds of those always at the top, lean strongly towards incorporating more foreigners, more dual citizenship holders (especially from America) who have only fought to capitalize on the available loopholes in the so-called system to exploit our people forever. This trend, which has evidently proven more of national sorrow than joy and happiness, is even getting worse year after year. Dr. Amos Sawyer agreed with the Plain Truth Revolution on this point when he made the following remarks, according to Amara Konneh, and published at www.globaleconomicsymposium.org that “Democracy [and development] have seldom flourished without evolving through processes of contestation [and cooperation] among a people themselves. Even when imposed from outside, they must be sustained by empowered citizens. Empowerment of those who have not had opportunities or who cannot imagine being in control of their own destiny is the greatest challenge, but the surest path to success in the quest for democracy and empowerment in Liberia. A major question for Africans generally, and Liberians in particular, is how to establish governance [political, economic and social] arrangements that build on the capabilities of local people and advance their prospects of working together to build democracy and attain development from the bottom up.”
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iii.
Finance Minster Amara Konneh implicitly agrees that we must build a new national foundation before we can make any political or economic progress, and this is the essence of the Plain Truth Revolution. This is how Mr. Konneh insinuated this national obligation in his opinion or remarks at a certain symposium, according to the same site right in point (ii) above: “Crucially, for Liberia to be successful, it cannot simply recreate the economic and political structures of the past that led to widespread income disparities, economic and political marginalization, and deep social cleavages. It must create much greater economic and political opportunities for all Liberians not just a small elite class, and then ensure that the benefits from growth are spread much more equitably throughout the population. It must decentralize political structures, provide more political power to the regions and districts, build transparency and accountability into government decision making, and create stronger systems of checks and balances across all three branches of government.” Now, who in this country will ever disprove the Plain Truth Revolution’s claim that none of what Mr. Konneh outlined above can ever be accomplished here without a complete revolution?
iv.
Everybody knows that Liberia is an “all mouth and no trousers” kind of country; meaning, it is a land of talk, talk, and talk etc. without actions. This is a country that for almost 200 years now, people just craft beautiful policies for mere hypocrisy and sycophancy and keep them on the books for ever. A recent Central Bank of Liberia Boss, Dr. J. Mills Jones agrees with this claim and laments this fact according to a New Dawn, March 21, 2014 article in which he stated, “If we have policies on the books without knowing or fully appreciating the particular situations that we are faced with, then those policies will never produce their results.” Dr. Jones might never had known that this is the true meaning of Liberia and its supporting structure, and the current structure is set in its way (determined) to maintain and sustain this culture. It is only a true revolution that can produce the needed U-turn in these kinds of chronic and long lived situations. Who can bet their bottom dollar against this conclusion? (g) The Plain Truth Revolution, among many other societal issues worth correcting now, dwells on 7 pillars, referred to as its Septuplet For Total Rebirth (SEPTOR) and one of these cardinal pillars calls for the unconditional establishment of a Ministry Of Civic Education, to be heavily staffed with people fluent in all of Liberia’s local languages, who will teach on a community to community palaver hut basis. The general materials to be taught in all of our languages everywhere in this country will be our History, Civics, Elementary Economics, Elementary First Aid, and Current Events etc. with renewable certificate in each of these national study materials to be issued periodically to each eligible citizen. These certificates will be basic criteria to qualify one for many activities in the country including employment opportunities, entry into schools, acquisition of travel documents and the likes. We desperately demand this kind of approach for the following reasons, which strengthen our case for this revolution. We are pleased to cite here, and extend courtesies to three of the finest Civic Educators in mankind’s history (Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Stuart Mill, and Richard Battistoni), whose teachings impact this section so greatly. Rousseau says, good civic education engenders a sense of moral obligation to society because the question that each citizen asks himself first in a civilized society is “What is best for all, instead of what’s best for me?” He said if majority of the citizens lean
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in this direction and provide answers based on what ought to be done, then they are expressing and following the general will. The next person that comes in John Mill, who says, “A civic educated and good citizen is one who takes himself out of the narrow circle of personal and family selfishness and gets himself accustomed to the comprehension of joint interests and the management of joint concerns.” Mill furthered, “If individual persons will regard only their interests, which are selfish, and will not get away from themselves and prioritize the general good, then good government will be [very] impossible.” Everybody knows that Liberia is a massive failure when it comes to each of these beautiful principles of what constitutes a progressive, civilized society. A Liberian Writer figuratively composing some communication to God about his country said, “In Liberia, all actions are about protecting personal interests – nothing else!!!! It is all about what I can get, something to be called my own”. (New Dawn Newspaper, March 21, 2014, …..Letter to God). Journalist Edward Mortee, in an article in the National Chronicle Newspaper during the same date opined, …..“It is an open secret that a typical Liberian man always wants to be called ‘Chief’, for which many fight very hard to keep their fellow citizens down under the poverty line. They want the majority to always say, ‘Yes sir to the minority. With this, the typical Liberian man feels very good. [As a result], the one who wants to bring his fellow citizens out of poverty becomes an enemy to the privileged few or minority” The big question here, which our revolutionary agenda endeavors to answer is, who can imagine changing these kinds of deep-seated, almost 200 year old, painful realities around through some gradualist reform agenda, instead of just taking the bull by the horn to plan and execute a well-organized and well-intentioned revolution? Still with our astute civic educators, Mill says, “Good civic education engenders key productive qualities in citizens, which include industry, integrity, justice and prudence. When we then add these civic virtues above to individual human attributes such as mental awareness, enterprise, and courage, it produces a progressive society. Thus progress is only possible in a given society when these good civic virtues and individual qualities are merged. So according to Mill, good government depends upon the quality of people that come into government. He further said that those out of government too must also possess these qualities because they can come into government anytime; and in fact, they are part of the government, only that they are outside of the physical buildings. They are the “employers” to which the agents (those in the governmental institutions and buildings) are accountable. But Mill was quick to point out, or suggest that if these “employers” were/are sadly a mere mass of ignorant and stupid people, then every operation of government will definitely go wrong. In conclusion, he said, government was a two-way street; meaning, good government depended on the virtue and intelligence of the human beings making up the community; while at the same time, government too needed to promote and improve the virtue and intelligence of the people in the community. Richard Battistoni closes up this concept here by declaring: “…. The decline of our democratic system can be traced to a crisis in Civic Education and the failure of educators to prepare all citizens for democratic participation…”
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Nobody will argue with the Plain Truth Revolution that this is one of Liberia’s major problems. In fact, more than 98% of Liberians have been left in a state in which they don’t take any serious cognizance of the fact that the running of almost every aspect of the government requires some equal, shared responsibility of all citizens. Liberia’s current Anti-Corruption Commission boss, Cllr. James Verdier agreed with the Plain Truth Revolution on this point when he was quoted by the New Dawn Newspaper on March 21, 2014 as saying that “All of us, citizens, have a shared equal responsibility to fight against crime, and our refusal to acknowledge this fact, or our inability to honor this responsibility is to be blamed for the high level of crimes in our society.” He also said that many of us misconstrue government as a separate entity, failing to realize that it is us who make the government, by working and collaborating with institutions to coordinate our activities as a government. Verdier concluded that our failure to honor this shared equal responsibility is like betraying ourselves into danger and shifting blames. Although Verdier might have meant well here, what he probably failed to have realized, and that our revolution takes seriously, is that you don’t blame our people (our masses) for this ugly situation. How many persons has this society afforded an opportunity to see things as he (Verdier) sees things today? Some people should have made sure ever since that almost everyone by now sees things from this perfect lens as Mr. Verdier sees, through massive quality education, but they refused to perform this obligation for fear that by doing so people wouldn’t worship them or call them “Yes sir” anymore. For example, who doesn’t know in this country how Civic Education has always been restricted to minimal voters’ education? Who doesn’t know that the little Civic Education our people profess as being taught in schools is only a big scam or just a non-priority? The Plain Truth Revolution says, in order for us to be a great nation, good Civic Education will be for all that know themselves as human beings, regardless of age, academic status, place of residency, ethnic background etc. We all know only a complete revolution can accomplish this dream now. (h) Everybody representing the different spheres and strata of society will agree with this idea of the compelling need for some radical, sweeping change across every aspect of our lives and across every nope and corner of our country now. So, even if you got out there to sample the views of citizens from different backgrounds or spheres of society about their take on this need for a complete revolution in our country right now, it is highly probable that you will gather such responses as the ones below, among many more encouraging ones: When you are, for instance, privileged to quiz the President, they will likely tell you that they wish an environment that would afford them to act freely outside of the dominant influence of certain people either referring to themselves as some Old Guards or some other nomenclature, who want all policies and decisions to be geared towards keeping certain class of people always at the uppermost rung of the socioeconomic ladder, while keeping the over 99% rest at the stage of perpetually playing second fiddle. If the President feels free with you, they might tell you further that it is a nightmare running your country at the constant whims and caprices of a certain world power that wants to dictate almost everything to you.
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To this President the Plain Truth Revolution says, with the current national structure and arrangement, nothing can be done about these two major handicaps that impede the running of an effective, productive and innovative presidential office because this is how the Liberian foundation was laid. It is only a genuine national rebirth as is currently being pursued by this Plain Truth Revolution that can change this ugly situation around God willing. Meet students at different levels in the streets and solicit their views about things they really wish to see happening, which seem impossible at present, and of the many views you might gather, key among them would be such views as: (1) “….I wish there was a reliable feeding system in all of our schools across the country whereby I will never have to worry about hunger when I am going to, or coming home from school.”; (2) “I look forward to a day when we will have responsible governments that will provide means of transporting students, like for example, allocating business in good numbers specifically designed for all students to every school destination free of charge, or even with some minimum fare moderately factored within our tuitions.”; (3) “I have passion for Chemistry. I wish my school, or our schools ever had well equipped laboratories so that after my Chemistry lessons, I can go in there and see for myself a physical molecule of Ammonium (NH3) and perform my own lab test on it.”; (4) “I wonder when will we experience a condition whereby I can go to any institution of my choice, and at any level I wish, at the expense of my government so that after my graduation, when I am working, I can pay back their money in some moderate installments.”; (5) I wish our country were a place where one would remain in his senior year at any tertiary institution and be assured of some entry-level jobs awaiting them in their areas of study at key institutions of their choice across the country.”; (6) “I wonder how many more centuries it would take for our country to ever run her own Master’s Program in the Sciences and Technology, let alone Doctorate Degree programs in every worthwhile area, so that we can remain right within our own country and just be exactly what we want to be.” etc. Although with heavy heart, we can say that none of the above conditions has ever been possible in this Liberia, and none will ever be possible with the current status quo. There have surely existed possibilities, as is still the case, for them to be realized in this country, but how possible is it when those in charge of running the country (the Americo-Liberians) had already made it categorically clear from the beginning of their country that they came to Africa to ‘pay debt’ for the ill-treatment they received in America and Europe? So the resources that could make all the above possible have been preferably used by the Americo-Liberians to send their children and those of few of their loyalists abroad instead of opening opportunities right back home which will involve many. Opening up the country’s educational sector by ensuring that all of the positive conditions above, and many more not stated or listed here are attained, will benefit a huge chunk of the country’s population, which to the dislike of the small group of powerfully mischievous Americo-Liberians, are indigenous and worthless people. In such complex mess like this, nothing else indeed can solve the problem besides engaging into a constructive revolution as a people, dear fellow students. And please note here that when we speak about Americo-Liberians, we are not only referring to the Charles King, Edwin Barclay and Daniel E. Howard etc. of yesteryears, but we are speaking about
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the Johnsons, the Bernards, the McClains, the Moores, the Williams etc. and their few indigenous partners in crime that have based their root in America and are heavily using their American contacts to abuse, insult, and treat us just anyhow in this country. That’s how it has been all along. If you were to meet a farmer today and quiz him about the biggest worries he has about his country, for which he sees no sign of change in sight, you are very likely to encounter such responses as these: (1) “…I wish a day in this country that farmers will be accorded their due respect and be regarded as important as any other professional, if not even above other professionals because we make sure that food is on the table before anything else takes place.” (2) “….I produce a lot of crops/products, but almost all of our farm-to-market roads are so bad that I never realize anything much from my production every time; in fact, these big losses affect each next production cycle and many more aspects of my operations. When will this situation ever improve, when our country, as I understand, is actually 194 years old now?” (3) “I and a couple of my colleagues produce a lot of crops, most of which are perishable, but our income generation pace continues to remain poor, sometimes we lose altogether. This is because there are no opportunities for us to ever afford processing machines to help us add value to our products before selling; and secondly, for our perishable goods and seasonal ones, we have got no capacity to ever preserve them…” etc. To these farmers the Plain Truth Revolution says, this is how the current owners of the country designed things to work from the beginning. In fact, they consider farming as nothing serious for any ‘good’ or ‘civilized’ people; and so, farmers are considered the most inferior and lowest profile people in society, therefore, you can now agree with us that it requires only a massive national overhaul to change this mentality. Ask a local businessman, or ‘a wishing to be’ local businessman, or even a petit trader in the streets what hurts him more and what prospects does he think hold for business in this country for citizens, and you will likely encounter responses like these: (1) “…I wish there was a government institution set up to listen to people’s conceived business ideas and dreams, then provide them starting capital and guidance, based on the viability of these ideas and dreams, for a repayment of the startup, or venture capital funding on a very reasonable and concessionary payment basis.” (2) “…I wish there were multiple financial institutions or even one giant financial institution with open arms to the business community for concessional loans (loans at very low interest rates and long, reasonable payment terms) to help us survive and prosper in business.”; (3) “….I wish we had specialized business-related courts spread all across the country in a fair and independent judicial system that would fairly and speedily handle every little thing pertaining to our business activities.” (4) “…..I wish we had very efficient and affordable alternatives of traveling all across our country whereby depending on the nature of a business trip – let’s say I want to quickly go to Harper, for example, I can decide readily to board an aircraft, embark on a ship, or board a public bus etc. depending on things such as affordability and speed.” (5) “….I wish I could buy my dry goods in Monrovia and get a pickup truck to take them to Gborplay as smoothly and quickly as possible to refill my empty shelves or counter with getting them all destroyed on the way.” (6)
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“…..I wish even between the Freeport of Monrovia and the Palm Spring Resort in Congo Town (a less than 15 mile journey), I had multiple alternative routes, some with double-decker crossings etc., that will afford me around 15 – 20 minutes to arrive at a business conference at that resort where I am supposed to make a presentation, although I am on the other side obligated to serving my customers at the Freeport between 11:00 a.m. and 12 Noon, but the Palm Spring presentation is to take place at 12:30 etc. and etc. To these current and would-be business people, the Plain Truth Revolution says, although all of the above are possible in a typical 21st century country, they can NEVER be achieved under our current national arrangement because the framers of this structure and their descendants who are still in charge today believe that business is nothing; that is why only foreigners with huge capital base, and who are prepared to even beat the system through such things as connivance and forming cohorts, can survive and prosper in the Liberian business environment. In fact, according to history, just as they classed farmers as “3rd” class citizens, they also classed business people as “3rd class” citizens. STUPID Politics is the mainstay of their country. This is a very deep-rooted mentality and only a complete revolution can de-root this mindset. What’s about even a Legislator? There are some level-headed people in our current Legislature, who went there with a strong determination and mindset to change things, but if you were to prevail upon one of such objective Legislators to open up to you, you might discover realities like these: (1) “Actually when the AmericoLiberians established their Legislature back then, they meant it to be a place that will just provide jobs and fat salaries for their unemployed relatives, family members, and very few indigenous loyalists, who will sit there as a body, just to formalize administrative decisions and criminal deals coming from some American surrogate colonial master called President, sitting in the Executive Mansion, and to do other stuffs that will make the country appear to the outside world as a country complying with democratic requirements.” Liberia is already known for its deep culture of sycophancy and hypocrisy, so this is just an easy fit. The Legislature was never intended to be an objective, critical thinking, and no-nonsense body that would hold other branches of government’s feet to the fire; this is why there are no educational and moral requirements to be a Legislator in poor, dusty and uneducated Liberia It still remains the same today, and nothing will change it unless a complete revolution. If that Legislator is still bold with you, they would tell you that in fact, the moment you want to be straightforward or objective and principle-minded in the Americo-Liberian Legislature, you seriously risk a short life or other major threats to your wellbeing and your entire job performance will now be crippled in their Legislature. And at the end of all this you will be fighting a losing battle because come to see it, what improvements can one make to the walls and roof of a structure that has a very rotten and treacherous foundation? So, today’s few smart Legislators also know very well that only a complete revolution can help us out. Sports, especially football, has become a very outstanding source of income generation across the world for individual players, administrative support teams, and entire nations. If you were to quiz the many young players across our country, they will definitely voice out concerns like the ones below to you: (1) “….Our peers in
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many parts of the world now sit in the classrooms to learn about football, then engage in practical sessions under the supervision of professional and well paid coaches. We sometimes wonder how many generations it might take before we experience these kinds of realities in our country.”; (2) “…When our peers elsewhere are netting hundreds of thousands to tens and hundreds of millions of dollars per season (6 months or so), our premium teams in this country are still paying between $25 to $100 per month or logically $150 to $600 per season to players. When somebody wants to compare compensation here with those elsewhere, the policy makers of this country discourage you that Liberia was not meant to be compared with others. We wonder whether this is just a curse or something could be done to improve the situation.” (3) “…While baby countries within our sub region (that even our football administration body is heavily older than, let alone our country itself), now qualify for world cup, make their presence felt there by winning other worlclass teams or nations at those events etc., Liberia has never entered world cup before, after more than 9 attempts since the 1960s; and in its African Cup of Nations record, after more than 10 attempts at qualification, she only qualified twice and went nowhere beyond group stages during these two appearance. We wonder when will we ever make progress after more than 70 years of formal sports administration in this country? To these young compatriots, whose potentials and passions continue to be robbed by criminals in the name of government, we sadly announce that Liberia’s economic, cultural and political makeup was never intended to help it reach at these levels we all dream of in sports because everything (productive and constructive) about Liberia was meant for joke – and there’s nothing like serious business in this country, except serious vices and ills. Imagine if this country or society regards farmers, business people and technical or vocational people as “NOTHING”, then what’s more about sports or football players? If we don’t get involved into some constructive revolution to drastically change things around in this country, our OWN and ONLY country, who told you that this current society will EVER recognize that if we pay good money, or give strong financial and administrative support to our sporting programs, and put them on par with contemporary nations, we will be inviting on ourselves more economic opportunities, more entertainment, more development, and even more stability, reconciliation and peace? The current status quo sadly does not know all this; it only understands mischief making and corruption, NOTHING ELSE fellow citizens. Just try finding out from a police officer how he views his country in terms of the work he does. You will surely encounter opinions like these from many individual police officers: (1) “…..I’m fed up with selective justice. I wish to be in an environment that I can be free to arrest or deal with any violator anywhere at any time under the law, but this is not the case in these criminal Black Americans’ Liberia. In Liberia, there are certain names we go after with all of the aggression, but others, we ABSOLUTELY don’t, even if they committed broad day murder. Some of us go to Church or to the Mosque and this kind of injustice plays on our minds every time.” (2) “……I wish after serving those long hours under the rain and sunshine, our salaries could ever commensurate with what we do, but in this country, it is only those in top public offices whose well beings are paramount. They try to justify their huge benefits and salaries by comparing themselves with peers in other
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parts of the world in terms of earnings, but when one does this same kind of comparison considering what we down the ladder earn as opposed to what people down the social or economic ladder in other countries, the excuse is always that we are a poor country and can’t compare ourselves with other countries in this respect. That is why for example, while a Private First Class, an entry-level police officer, or the least civil servant earns around US$175 per month in Ghana, and these same categories earn around US$220 in Nigeria, Private First Class, enlisted men and other security sector employees still earn around $90 in Liberia, when Liberia is over a hundred years older than each of these countries and has far smaller number of people – even incomparable – to these West African nations. Our 194 year-old country is still debating minimum wage at $4 per day or around the same $90 per month, that they will not even be able to enforce due to CORRUPTION and BARRENNESS, when less than 60 year old, fellow poor West African country, Togo’s workable minimum wage is about US$0.87 per hour or US$7.00 per day; not to mention other countries that Liberia was reportedly on par with before, in terms of economic growth figures, like 64 year old Japan, which is thinking on improving upon its current minimum wage of $10.60 per hour (or more than US$1,800 per month, as its least pay for workers), and 168 year-old Switzerland, which is currently debating legislations to improve its working minimum wage to $25 per hour (or US$4,400 per month, for the least of its workers). The latter is a major concern for the police, the military, and all other civil servants in this country. The framers of dull Liberia argue that we should never think big; we should never aspire to be like other great nations; and we should never think that what a 20-year old European can do and earn, a 20-year old citizen of our dear country can do and earn also. They said this is an abomination because we were made by God to remain down and inferior forever. However, only the political big shots (which are predominantly the Johnsons, the McClains, the Tubmans, the Bernards etc. and their very closed few indigenous loyalists) are supposed to rationalize their earnings with peers elsewhere on the globe, and these people are well determined to keep this status quo intact forever. Take for example one of the issues that the late Harry Greaves was making all efforts to draw the attention of the public to before he met his untimely demise, an issue which Mr. Nathaniel Barnes has also been stressing with dismay, that Dr. Randolph McClain of the failed National Oil Company of Liberia has been, and is still earning over US$30,000 per month, when teachers in the leeward counties, who walk sometimes for 30 miles before getting their paycheck earn around US$70 per month. WHAT AN UNSPEAKABLE MISCHIEF, AS PREDICTED BY THE US CONGRESS MORE THAN 190 YEARS AGO, ACCORDING TO THE NILE’S WEEKLY REGISTER!!!!! Who can then argue that it is only a radical revolution that can change this deep-rooted and nasty reality and mentality? Go closer to a Chief Executive Officer or Board Member of a State-Owned Enterprise or Public Corporation and ask what are the impediments here to comparing yourself with peer corporations around the world in terms of massive revenue generation and wealth creation for country, shareholders and employees, and you will be poised to hear such burning contentions as: (1) “….We really want to aggressively implement our own corporate strategies and agendas, and to operate at
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our fullest capacity and potentials, but frustratingly, everything we do, or want to do will have to be approved by the Americo-Liberian President, then next to their Legislature etc., and all these people will have their own personal and selfish interests to pursue, and will have a stake to defend with respect to each action we want to take; so, it’s just a big messy situation during this age and time etc.” With respect to your frustrations and disappointments as expressed above, including many more burning ones not mentioned here, the Plain Truth Revolution likes to inform you within the Liberian Corporate environment that gone are the days when even CEOs and/or MDs of public corporations and SOEs (State-owned Business Enterprises) and Board Members will have to be appointed to serve at the will and pleasure of a political President. In the modern world of serious and productive people that we live in today, it is a well-organized Board of Directors comprising carefully selected, seasoned business tycoons and practitioners, who themselves are veted or voted by shareholders of a company (inclusive of the government itself in the case of State-owned business enterprises) that can hire and fire CEOs and/or MDs. And, shareholders are not governments alone. Different companies, different individuals, and then government herself normally buy and own certain levels of shares in almost all state-owned companies/corporations in these modern days. This way, there’s competition; there’s growth; there’s productivity; and there’s profitability. But Liberia will never adopt this kind of innovative and constructive business culture because everything here was planned to remain STUPIDLY political. And since J. J. Roberts started off by appointing school principals, MDs and Board Members (who just earn huge incentives and contribute nothing else substantial to growth) to SOEs and other profit-making institutions, Liberia says, it MUST continue that way forever. WHAT A DULL, NASTY COUNTRY!!! Only a serious revolution can peacefully overthrow all this mess. A sincere lawyer or judge in this country may be bold to admit such things as follows, while direly desiring to see those change one day soon: (1) “….I wonder what sort of justice we are dispensing, when sometimes while in the middle of hearing a case, all objectivity will have to be suspended or expelled because it had just been established that one of the party litigants belongs to a certain fraternity.” A judge may say, (2) “…I look forward to a day when majority of the key judges will be elected so that we serve at the ‘will and pleasure’ of our own clear conscience instead of violating our consciences every time because we need to satisfy those who have appointed us, including their family members, relatives, friends and other interests.” (3) “….. I wonder when will we have a society like others, wherein the issue of proposing bribes to judges, lawyers and jurors will be considered by the public as a taboo first, thereby affording us in the profession to amply readjust ourselves to the true ethics and morals of this Divine profession, as the current society is so polluted, with almost everyone’s first option in handling legal issues being sadly how to offer some bribes or tips to get away with impunity for any offense or crime whatsoever.” To judges and lawyers having these and many more genuine concerns or worries within your professional lives, we disclose here on a rather sad note that the subjects and bones of contention within your worries and concerns are the very building blocks of Liberia. Injustice, ethnic and racial prejudices, corruption, bribery,
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immorality, cruelty etc. are the foundation stones of Liberia and will forever remain so, even at ever-exacerbating levels with the passage of time unless we completely overthrow Liberia through a genuine and peaceful revolution, and install a new structure with new culture, new mindsets and new orientation. A traveler coming in and out of this country every time, when quizzed to give his opinion about how he sees the country in terms of improvement, development, growth and general change will most likely have these to tell you: (1) “….This is the first country since my travel all around the world, that I have seen, that the only international airport you land at, and take off from, for the past 70+ years now, continues to remain the same facility that history says was constructed as a US Military Quick Impact World War II Project, the Roberts International Airport. Years in, and years out, you see the same makeshift airport infrastructure like a poultry, with one old-fashion 1940s terminal and a single runway during this age and time…” Since 1822, this dirty, old West African Country has never been able to independently construct for herself one international airport. The country, United States, which STUPID Liberia claims to imitate, though like Liberia, started with one international airport, in its 239 years of independence now however, the United States has about 450 local and international airports, when a dirty, stupid Liberia still has only one foreign-built, makeshift international airport in 169 years of its socalled independence. (2) “…...Leave their dirty airport and start your journey to so-called capital, Monrovia, you then again get on a one-lane asphalt alley, a so crooked and curvy 45mile route, again constructed by another American Institution, Firestone, just to facilitate their exploitation of the country’s rubber, history says. That one-lane alley was constructed in the 1940s and nothing new has been done on it. Then get to Monrovia, the so-called capital city built since 1822, you broadly will see the SAD mark of a real massive failure. Monrovia, a 194 year-old colonial township, has only about a mile in length, and about half a mile in width of zoned-out area (between 3rd and 20th Streets, Sinkor). The rest of the over 30-35 square mile, old colonial township was built in a careless and haphazard fashion, with old zinc shops; no zoning standards, no drainage systems, and simply just NO construction standards for quality. The town has no high-rise buildings, no double-decker roads, or even modern streets. There’s absolutely no center of attraction at all, and worst of all, it is almost always DARK, with only a half-functioning 6 MW of electricity, although some claim 22 MW during this golden age. If the so-called capital can be described this way, then one can imagine what the country sides would be like.” History recalls that it took the League of Nations’ lambasting of the Monrovia Settler elites before they could think about extending few miles of dirt roads into the interior areas. You come to Liberia and see this same scene or scenery every time. To our guests, the Plain Truth Revolution says, we are truly out of words and embarrassed for possessing all these kinds of shameful characteristics after almost 200 years of being around as a country, but please be assured that God willing, this revolution will help all of us to see a new and different country, with new sets of beautifying developmental characteristics that we all will be very proud of. It is Information Technology that now rules the world, with almost every major human activity now being digitized and almost every form of individual, national or
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group records being ‘databased’ into highly intelligent applications that make all important pieces of information available just at the click of a mouse from every location on the globe. But just ask a local IT practitioner in Liberia to get his view about the role of information technology in the Liberian work environment and the prospects for it in the future. You are most likely to get views as the ones below: “I wonder whether in other countries during this 21st century, one can still see or hear the clacking sounds of 1940 typewriters in almost every government office and court room etc. across the country, as we still see today in Liberia.” In this country, when you go to ‘record-sensitive’ areas like immigration offices, police depots, birth certificate service delivery office etc. you still see people rumbling and groping through huge stockpiles of physical brown folders and hanging folders in long 1920s drawers searching for records.” (2) “….I just wonder when, for example, I will just have to call my full name or read out my passport number in the immigration office at any crossing point or port of entry across the country for every information of mine to be displayed at the click of a mouse, when we see nothing being done currently in these directions” (3) “……I have read about beautiful database applications like the Structured Query Language, Oracle etc. and I am really interested in learning these programs to apply them in changing my country’s record keeping environment, but I wonder when will we have institutions adequately teaching these kinds of courses to thoroughly equip us for practical engagements etc.” To you the concerned IT practitioners, professionals, or would-be practitioners and professionals, we say, the fact that these and many more genuine concerns of yours will never be addressed in a Liberia of CORRUPTION, CORRUPTION and CORRUPTION, coupled with parochialism and immense shortsightedness is very glaring. In fact, the kinds of projects you are thinking about above are very worthwhile, but at the same time are very ambitious and expensive. None of your governments in this current national arrangement will ever dream of spending on such projects; instead, they will prefer procuring the most expensive and latest models of cars for all top government officials first from the little loan and grant monies they obtain from begging all around. Young men and women, we only have one and only one alternative now at our disposal – which is to peacefully overthrow the current national structure and instate a new and better ONE!!! Try to go around an ordinary guy in the street and ask him what are some of the things you think you should be touching and feeling even if government doesn’t provide you all of the opportunities you wish as yet? You should not be surprised to hear such things as these: (1) “…..Even if we didn’t do the big office jobs, or if we didn’t go to the big schools, or even in the worst case scenario where we did not go to school at all, we expect a nation in which there are countless opportunities for unskilled labor, whereby one can choose for example, between going to perform daily wage contracts readily at different available farms and plantations, or to perform daily wage manual labor at different big and small factories in all the towns and cities across our country”; (2) “…..Even in the midst of numerous complaints about vices and ills in government, which will always be a part of our lives (though at a reasonable level in a civilized environment, as compared to what’s happening here in this mischievous Americo-Liberian environment), we expect a country wherein the basic social services are provided to keep life going, in a much more
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improved and decent state. For example, we expect that at most, 100 to 150 ft. away from any urban residence, whether in a slum community or not, one should be able to reach a well-paved road or street, and be able to readily board a transport vehicle of his choice – be it a taxi cab, a bus etc. based on affordability and urgency, and if he will have to wait for a while before catching a transport vehicle, let him be able to rest under the shelter of decent bus stops all along the roads or streets, in at least 300 feet apart from one another etc. That way, you feel the impact of responsible and caring governments, instead of a persistent situation wherein people will have to walk for more than a mile from home before getting to a nearby dirty, one-lane bumpy street, waiting under the sun or rain for hours, sometimes even 3-4 hours, fighting over grossly inadequately available old cars, then spending over 2, 3 to 4 hours in traffic along a less than 10 mile route just to get to one destination. This is totally mischievous, unproductive and uncivilized especially during this age and time.” (3) “…..Even in the midst of the all the noise about government, we expect a country wherein electricity is available everywhere at very affordable cost, but this availability (which is possible), must be such that even if one is so poor to the point of not affording monthly electricity bills, his only place of experiencing darkness or candle lights should be within the very limits of his bedroom because every street corner is lighted.”; (4) “……I think in other countries, there are comprehensive healthcare programs whereby even the unemployed can be accorded equally decent healthcare services at government’s expense, and it is even possible to go to school on loan, above government’s regular free education program (if it ever exists), once there is a determination to learn etc.” Sadly to these fellow citizens at the lowest rung of the economic and social ladder like the ordinary man in the street, the disabled and other underprivileged people who have got all these genuine and productive aspirations and concerns, we lament the fact that the American Settlers’ Liberia was never meant or built to accomplish any of the above. As we keep saying, the “Congo” People only built their country to revenge against the Native People for the suffering they (the Congo People) claim they underwent while working as slaves in Europe and America. This is proven both historically and practically today, and so we all can see how disaster is written all over the fate of their Liberia. Why waste time to rise up peacefully and overthrow this Liberia now, when we have tested it for almost 200 years, at which time it has failed the test over and over and again. Fellow deprived and disadvantaged citizens, please join the Plain Truth Revolution let’s calmly overthrow Liberia to install a new, decent society for all, and not a society built to revenge, or seek the interest of just a few. A hint to the wise is quite sufficient!!! If we fail to do this now, just as the past has been, all of our hopes, dreams and aspirations or potentials will go with us back into the graves and the fate to befall our children and children’s children will even be NASTIER. And finally for now, why not gauge the views of discerning clerics and religious leaders. You most probably would hear views like these, for instance, from a sincere Muslim cleric or any sincere Muslim for that matter, you would hear: (1) “….It is not strange to me that this country continues going from worse to ridiculous because it is clear that the country was built by people with very damaging character and heredity. It is no secret that the entire society is permeated with LIES and TRICKS etc., and God never agrees with people like these. According to our Holy Quran, God
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makes this categorically clear that a bad tree will never bring forth good fruits (no matter how long the world waits to see this happen) and that God hates a lying tongue. No society, to the best of our knowledge, loves lying and tricks like the Liberian Society.” Here are some proofs from our Holy Quran confirming God’s own views about people being known by their fruits, as we have now known Liberia well today: a) In a blog posted by Hesham A. Hassaballa, an American Islamic Scholar, and Journalist, he uses Surat 14:24-26 to reinforce the argument that by people’s fruits or output, the world shall know who they are. This Surat reads thus, as presented by Hesham: “Art thou not aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word? [It is like a good tree firmly rooted], [reaching out] with its branches towards the sky, and yielding its fruits at all times by its Lord’s leaf. And [thus, it is that] God propounds parable unto humanity, so that they may bethink themselves [of the truth]. And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up [from its roots] onto the face of the Earth, wholly unable to endure.” b) An honest Christian too, be it a cleric or an ordinary one, will agree that every effort made by us to improve on this treacherous national foundation will just be like banging our heads against a brick wall for nothing because it is ABSOLUTELY 100% impossible for God to lie – God forbid!!!! Our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ spoke indirectly to the Liberian scenario in two different passages as follows: Firstly, with respect to whether we can expect any good out of this current Nasty Liberian Foundation, this is what the Bible suggests: Luke 6: 43 – 44: (43) For a good tree bringeth forth not corrupt fruit, neither does a corrupt tree bringeth forth good fruit. (44) For every tree is known for its own fruit. For of thorns, men do not gather figs, nor of bramble bush, gather they grapes.” Then secondly, whether we, as a country should keep designing more reform programs (in different names, strategy statements, vision and agendas etc. like Vision 2024 for instance, Vision 2030, Agenda for Transformation etc.) and expect for things to ever improve in this dirty country, instead of tearing down the stupid structure to construct a new and better one, this is what the Bible said in Luke 5: 36 – 39: (36) And Jesus told them this parable: No man tears a piece off a new coat to patch up an old coat. If he does, he will have torn the new coat, and the piece of the new cloth will not match the old one. (37) Nor does anyone pour new wine into used wineskins, because the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined. (38) Instead, new wines must be poured into fresh wineskins!! (39) And no one wants new wine after drinking old wine. The old is better, he says.” Again, fellow citizens, a hint to the wise is quite sufficient!!! (i) Apart from the indirect supporting statements made by Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for our revolutionary agenda when she stressed on the issue of patriotism in her 2012 inaugural address as we presented earlier, this Americo-Liberian Iron Lady and sitting President directly justified our revolution again in two other key additional issues. The President had no better way to prove us right more than acknowledging that the current organic laws of the land, the Constitution, is very messy and needs to be revised. She also made our revolutionary case very strong when she acknowledged
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that all of Liberia’s emblems, symbols and awards (meaning our seal, motto, flag etc.), all have faults, and do not represent us, and as such, they must be revisited. How else could Madam Sirleaf have validated that the whole Liberian Structure was a mess and needed to be overthrown. This same President is on record for complaining ceaselessly about every aspect of government, and just as all other Liberian Governments for the past 194 years now, her’s has succumbed to these problems and is even exacerbating them. Who can name one sector in Liberia that is currently outstanding with respect to international standards or best practices? ABSOLUTELY No one, or at least no honest One!!! But in the midst of all of the confessions made by Madam Sirleaf above, although these things were forced down her throat by Dr. Elwood Dun, what she and her government surely could never confirm is that no Liberian Government is ever objective enough to revise any of these instruments on their own because they are NEVER trusted. Every government, including her’s, has been very self-seeking and selfcentered, with some exception only of the government of President Tolbert to some extent. They discuss and frame things only in their own interest, and are never forwardlooking. For example, when J. J. Roberts and his colleagues were crafting the constitution of 1847, among their many lies and other illogical arguments, they said in their preamble that all Liberians came from North America (A Short History of the First Liberian Republic, p.2). When Samuel Doe and his fellow politicians were crafting Liberia’s second and current constitution, they flagrantly manipulated the process and included all sorts of junks and mess in their own favor, including an unjustified deletion of the provision of a Claims Court, the exclusive allocation of Articles 96 and 97 to “worship” and promote impunity etc. Madam Sirleaf and her government are even more remorseless in handling national issues than the two notorious administrations mentioned above, so they and their elite Constitution Review Committee and Symbols Review Committee will NEVER be entrusted with deciding the fate of our country. Everything about these two major faults that she has accidentally and ‘forcibly’ established will be discussed and concluded in an all-citizens National Convention as our revolution is now DEMANDING, and NOT requesting or appealing for. (j) As we all have now established together through the different points stressed thus far, it has become convincingly compelling that we take matters into our own hands now to change our situation because we have wasted so much time in the past doing nothing much substantial, and we can’t afford anymore to waste any hour or opportunity that comes by if we ever wish to make a mark in our collective national existence. So one major justification for why we must engage ourselves into this revolution (which absolutely is the only way out of our situation now, God willing) is that we are pressed against time, considering the fastness in the pace with which the world around us is moving. Moreover, if any of us ever wishes for our own country to be a better place starting the next 30 to 40 years from now, then we’d better take the risk in preparing it now. Accounts from history and other experiences have proven that no amount of gradualist and ameliorative reform agendas and programs can ever help a chronic situation like ours. We just need a complete dismantling of the old, existing structure to build together a new and more promising one based on sincerity, justice and mutual love. And what time will ever be ripe for us than now, when the whole international community is currently involved with our country? Let us get out of our comfort zones and act now. For tomorrow is not promised for such action. William Clement Stone, an American Businessman once said, “So many fail because they don’t get started; they
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don’t overcome inertia; and they don’t begin.” So let’s begin, let’s give it a try now, fellow citizens. Writing all of these many pamphlets and articles is a good beginning. Let’s now build upon this beginning with positive aggression, and light surely awaits us at the end of the tunnel by the grace of God. For we are not alone, neither will we be the first nor the last to ever get involved with a constructive revolution, not the Americo-Liberians’ STUPID armed insurrection they always bring on us. As it has always been, and will continue to be in mankind’s history, at certain points in time, a responsible people must take up the courage to draw line in the sand and put their feet down against a certain unbearable societal trend. Our country’s term for such action has come. We can’t afford to shy away; we will be destroying ourselves completely. If revolutions were for inhabitants of different planets and not Earth, our world history wouldn’t have been replete with many accounts of revolutions that we can take cue from today, including, but not limited, for example, to the French Revolution, the Communist-led Chinese Revolution, the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution etc. – all of which led to great and unprecedented changes in the livelihoods of a people and also impacted the entire world so immensely. We might not necessarily adopt the same methods employed in those other revolutions, as revolutions normally vary in terms of methods, durations, motivating ideologies, and the number of participants and so on, but one thing we must share in common with all of them is a strong resolve to effect massive and lasting positive changes within our cultural, economic, and socio-political landscapes. And by way of information, or to stress the point made earlier, Liberia has never before experienced anything called a constructive or ideological revolution. All that we have repeatedly experienced in this country in the name of revolutions have been groups of power and wealth seeking people taking arms and massively killing fellow citizens for some material and selfish political rewards – all orchestrated by Americo-Liberians with America’s support one way or the other. Our Plain Truth Revolution will rather focus on repairing the countless breaches that have occurred and continue to occur in our almost 2 centuries of national sojourn, and our repair mechanisms will be strictly based on Godly principles, not necessarily Christian principles, as the Americo-Liberians have deceitfully referred to theirs. That’s why our revolution lays heavy emphasis on the two major culprits of all of this country’s numerous problems – America, and the AmericoLiberians, in order of magnitude. For it has been established overwhelmingly that America is the MOTHER of all crimes and offenses in this country, and no effort to heal this land will ever succeed without first bringing them to book. And secondly, all tests have proven that the Americo-Liberians are a complete failure when it comes to governance and management and that their original intent of establishing this country with the sole goal of pursuing some misplaced vendetta against the Native people, keeps suffering the collective fate of this country and keeps impeding our collective efforts forever. Consequently, the demand for reparations must be met by America NOW, and the Americo-Liberians MUST now consider venturing into other aspects of national life other than politics for the next 100 years in this country before any soul rests. These two demands form the bedrock of the Plain Truth Revolution. Nothing has been the single most destroyer of our country more than this negative American connection. Because of the curse attached to this relationship emanating from
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that cruel Davis Hotel’s 1816 Plan made against the Grain Coast, exacerbated by our poor Civic Educational background (also orchestrated by America and her ‘Congo’ surrogates), while elsewhere (especially in Africa), people used their contacts with advanced nations to tremendously develop and improve the inferior living standards of their poor communities and environments, Liberians sadly use their USA connections and contacts more conspicuously to repress, suppress, oppress and marginalize fellow underprivileged citizens, and at the same time, to criminally exploit the country’s resources. In fact, in the eyes of the Americo-Liberians, our country is just a mere farm for them. THIS IS A COMPLETE NONESENSE THAT MUST COME TO AN END NOW – NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES US BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!! Moreover, our real defining moment as a people will come when the Dools, Nyensuahs, Kollies, Nagbes etc. take on the real mantle of authority at every level, while America is considered a “diplomatic colleague”, just as any other nation in the international community, instead of always regarding them as some “gods” that we can never survive without. These expressions may sound strong and their possibilities may appear farfetched, but we are 100% confident that our God is ONE of impossibilities, and all these will be achieved not with any form of violence and insurrection, as our detractors are used to, but through constructive dialogs and mutual understanding, again, by the grace of God. The beginning though, will be very scaring and life-threatening, especially when the needs arise for civic and other radical actions to prove our common determinations and resolves, but these life-threatening exercises and sacrifices will ultimately be worthed the salt fellow citizens. We must remember that we can’t make omelets without breaking eggs. Let’s also not forget when people formed different rebel groups in this country just few years back in the name of fighting for freedom, sacrifices more than what we are requesting for today were made, though mostly out of ignorance. Although the leaders of these rebel groups had their different ulterior motives, most of our fellow compatriots took the courage, picked up arms and risked their lives with honesty to liberate their country from what their war masters made them to understand as misrule and dictatorship, while also brainwashing our people to believe that bloodshed was the only means available at the time to accomplish these objectives. These innocent men, women and children, most of whom lost their lives in these visionless struggles unknowingly, were performing great sacrifices for their country. We say hats off to those innocent ones – whether they died in the process or survived. They took a truly civil courage to do this. We who are at the other side of the ideological divide however (the professed educated, intelligent, and civilized ones etc.) need now to lead in our part of life threatening sacrifices in introducing the truest formula for lasting change and stability through innovative and democratically-oriented solutions like what the Plain Truth Revolution is now DEMANDING by the grace of God. To conclude, it will not be easy; it is not common; we will be mocked; we will be hated etc.; but once we use the TRUTH, (rooted in God’s principles) as our only weapon, we will overcome in the end, just as the great Islamic Scholar, Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Truthfulness is the greatest of all stations…. It is the sword of God in His Earth: It is not placed on anything, except that its cuts it; it does not face falsehood, except that it hunts it down and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will never be defeated; and
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whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponents…It allows a person to embark into dangerous situations….” But fellow citizens, after all the mocking, hating, beating, torture, and even sometimes killing (God forbid) etc., our national situation will be concluded similarly to what God told Prophet Daniel about how the Children of Israel were going to successfully complete the wall around Jerusalem in troublous times. This is how Nehemia 4: 1-3 carries the story: “(1) But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded [sic] the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, what do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? (3) Now Tobiah, the Amorite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall…” In short here, at first, their enemies mocked them, but when these enemies saw the work of the children of Israel progressing, they conspired to destroy the Israelis (Jews) and their work. There were times when the Jews almost despaired of ever finishing the work because of the abundance of the debris. Today, we similarly almost despair at ever being able to clear man-made theories and deep-seated traditions, lies, bad cultures etc. from the minds of people for them to understand what the pure truths are, as our Liberian case has badly gone now for example, but with all of these details, clues and assurances, we can succeed if we take the courage. All that we need now as a people is just to take the first step in faith and see what God can do for people that trust Him, and not man. Thank you very much by concluding with us on this Godly note. It is our hope to remain persistently engaged with you on this revolutionary agenda. In the meantime, after reading this pamphlet, or any of the other pamphlets, please share your thoughts with us at plaintruthrevolution@gmail.com, plaintruthrevolution@yahoo.co.uk, or plaintruthrevolution@hotmail.com. We are also entertaining any historical documentaries or any other worthwhile articles intended to further encourage us, or strengthen our case for this revolution, and any other concerns, using the address above. We also have other social media sites. Our Facebook page is https://web.facebook.com/plaintruth2013. We moreover have three discussion groups: a Facebook group and a Google+ Community, both under the name Grain Coast (Liberia) Independence Movement (GIM) and at https://is.gd/cO3rbV and https://is.gd/cyZm54 respectively, plus Google+ Page named plaintruthliberia, and at https://is.gd/SnsihD. Additionally, we have a Twitter and a YouTube presence, with our Twitter handle being @plaintruthrev, and on YouTube, we are at http://youtu.be/cTCeDYD8gw. You are also encouraged to Google out any of our key documents or pamphlets by titles as a last option. Thank you so much for helping to change our country and making our world a safe place for current and future generations, as Liberia now truly poses a major threat to its own people and the rest of the world due to its dangerous lack of the presence of leadership and governance. To be updated periodically……..
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REFERENCE
BOOKS Guannu, J. S. (1997). Liberian History Up To 1847. Monrovia: Sabanoh Printing Press, Ltd. Guannu, J. S. (2010). A Short History of the First Liberian Republic. Monrovia: Star Books Guannu, J. S. (2010). Liberian History Since 1980. Monrovia: Star Books Guannu, J. S. (2010). Liberian Civics. Monrovia: Star Books Mayson, D.T.W. (2010). In the Cause of the People. *.Benin, *.Lagos, *.Abuja, *.Aba: Mindex Publishing Co. Ltd. Wild, J. J. (2007). Financial Accounting Fundamentals. New York……..: McGraw-Hill Irwin Wilson, C. A. (- ). Public Policy: Continuity and Change, Second Edition. McConnel et al ( -). McConnel Brue Flynn Macroeconomics 19th Edition
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MAGAZINES AND NEWSPAPER ARTICLES (2013, July 18). Article: The Light of any society is the truth. In Profile Daily. Vol.5, No. 168; 3 Staff. (2013, April 16). Why Liberians never headed international bodies Liberia was in the vanguard of creating – typical reflections with T.K. Sannah. New Democrat. Vol.20, No. 070; 8, 9 Staff. (2012, February 17). Article: Depoliticizing Professional Appointments. New Democrat. Vol.19, No. 032; 5 Staff. (2014, March 21). Wikleaks exposes Ellen’s dubious deeds. National Chronicle. Microscope. Vol.2, No. 107; 1, 6 (2012, August 23). Editorial: Mads Johan Brugger Cortzen’s Expose calls the Sirleaf Administration Back to Good Governance. National Chronicle. Vol.18, No. 077; 3 Staff. (2012, May 10). As Propaganda and Lip Service to corruption fight continue, US Government Warns of Brewing Tension in Liberia – Advises US Citizens of risky terrain. National Chronicle. Vol.18, No. 077; 1, 6 Staff. (2012, August 23). Ellen appoints constitutional review committee. Daily Observer. Vol.14, No. 766; 1, 14 Morris, K. (2012, August 23). US$45 million for oil block 13. Daily Observer. Vol.14, No. 760; 24 Sendolo, J. (2012, May 28). LEITI begins massive awareness, targets student population. Daily Observer. Vol.14, No. 706; 14 Johnson, J. H. (2013, June 24). US$100 million to be corruptly pocketed …... National Chronicle. Vol.19, No. 014; 1, 6 (2012, May 3). Testimony of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Executive Committee, Liberia Action Party, Before the Africa Subcommittee on the current crisis in Liberia, June 1990. National Chronicle. Vol.18, No. 073; 5 Staff. (2013, July 19). Liberia still a threat to US Foreign Policy. Concord Times. Vol.11, No. 201; 1, 6 Kawah, A. (2013, July 19). Liberia returns to failed state – Foreign policy tracking indicates. The People. Vol.1, No. 62; 1, 6 Alis, L. A. (2013, August 27). Commentary: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Failed Project to weaken the fight Against Corruption In Liberia. In Profile Daily Vol.5, No. 196; 1, 13 (2012, January 30). Text of President Sirleaf’s 2012 Annual Message to the National Legislature. National Chronicle. Staff. (2013, July 19). Lack of Respect for Rule of Law perverts justice. The People. Staff. (2013, January 30). Annual Message to the second session of the 53 rd Legislature of the Republic of Liberia: Theme: A time for transformation” – By: Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The People. Newray, K. L. (2013, July 29). President Sirleaf will not be remembered if... The People. Staff. (2014, March 7). LACC Boss vows to work without fear. Concord Times Staff. (2014, March 21). Honoring the shared responsibility we have. The New Dawn.
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WEBSITES AND WEB PAGES Karmo, H. (2014, January 7). Corruption 101, Liberia Style: Investor releases dossier on pandemic. Retrieved March 2014, from www.frontpageafricaonline.com Karmo, H. (2013, August 11). Liberia: US$13 million EU money redirected in Liberia budget – budget oked at US$550 million. Retrieved September 2013, from www.frontpageafricaonline.com Liar, liar: Liberia Minister under fire after hospital denies receiving EU money. (2013, July 1). Retrieved September 2013 from www.frontpageafricaonline.com (2014, January 30). Liberia: A new capital city – a fiasco?. Retrieved March 2014, from www.allafrica.com Inquirer. (2014, February 28). Agenda for US Liberia high-level dialogue slated for early March. Retrieved March 2014, from www.allafrica.com Dulleh, A. New Democrat. (2012, July 4). Ellen Condemns Monrovia Road. Retrieved January 2014, from www.allafrica.com Outdated Libel Laws, Corrupt Judicial System in Liberia (US State Department’s 2013 Human Rights Report on Liberia (2014, February 28). Retrieved January 2014, from www.frontpageafricaonline.com http://www.un-documents.net/oct-03.htm http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unomil http://journals.hil.unb.ca http://colombiainternationacional.uniandes.euc.co/view.php/306 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/liberia-1989 http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index/php/jsc http://usip.org http://usip.org/publications/peace-agreements-liberia Kromah, A. G. V. (n.d). Capital Inflow and sovereignty: Performance of Firestone in Liberia: 1926 – 1977. Retrieved June 2013, from http://alhajikromahpage.org/alhajifirestone.htm US State Department Human Rights Report on Liberia. (2012). Retrieved August 2013, from http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2011/af/186212.htm The American Colonization Society (n.d). Retrieved March 4 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_colonization_society History of the United States (n.d). Retrieved March 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States History of Liberia (n.d). Retrieved April 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Liberia A Country Study, Washington D.C: Americo-Liberians and the Indigenes. (n.d). Retrieved December 2014, from http://www.globalsecurity.org Sullivan, J. M. (2003).Revision of Book – This is our Dark Country: The American Settlers of Liberia (Catherine Reef). Retrieved December 2014, from http://www.h-net.org
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Liberia: Past and Present of Africa’s Oldest Republic. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2014, from www.liberiapastandpresent.org Preamble of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (n.d). Retrieved April 2014, from http://www.lacc.gov.lr Political Lack of Maturity – President Sirleaf Slams Nocal on 17 year old “oil expert” (2014, April 2). Retrieved May 2014, from www.allafrica.com Morris, K., Daily Observer. (2014, March 17). First Family Securing Grip on Oil and Gas Sector?. Retrieved April 2014, from www.allafrica.com Garblah, O. B. New Dawn. (2014, March 21). Ellen Writes US Congress. Retrieved April 2014, from www.allafrica.com Dulleh, A. New Democrat. (2012, July 4). Ellen Condemns Monrovia Road. Retrieved January 2014, from www.allafrica.com US$13 million diversion in Liberia: What went wrong with European Union Money (2013, July 1). Retrieved September 2013, from www.liberiacorruptionwatch.org LACC didn’t understand me - Ellen (2010, May 7). Retrieved March 2014, from www.publicagendanews.com Farley J.D. (n.d). LACC Boss predicts dangerous future for Liberia. Retrieved March 2014, from www.publicagenda.com LACC Wants Ngafuan, Others, Suspended. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2014, from www.publicagendanews.com gnnpost. (2013,August 27).GNN. FPA Managing Editor Vows to remain in prison. Retrieved March 2014, from www.gnnliberia.net Headline News from Liberia: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a dangerous and bloody political power seeker – not an advocate for justice in Liberia. (2011, June 7). Retrieved September 2013, from www.limany.org President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf somersaults – from giving humanitarian support to removing a dictator (n.d.). Retrieved September 2013, from www.publicagendanews.com Peah, J. K. K. (2011, August 29). Prez Sirleaf ordered former presidential candidate Jackson Doe’s Execution. Retrieved January 2014, from www.thenewdispensation.com Gongloe, T. S. (2003, August). Speech: Liberia: A nation still struggling to live up to its meaning. Retrieved March 2013, from www.theperspective.org/philiprandolphinstitute.htm Johnson, C. M. (2015, January 12). Court Sentences National Drug Service Finance Officer to 5 years imprisonment. Retrieved January 2015, from www.liberianewsagency. Nanka, W. (n.d).Article: Liberian Politicians Have a history of making costly mistakes. Retrieved December 2014, from www.theperspective.org Hodge. T. (2014, October 21). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, The welfare queen comes begging again. Retrieved October 2014, from www.theperspective.org Russel, C. B. (2014, October 13). Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Has Become the CEO for the industry of Corruption in Liberia. Retrieved October 30 2014, from www.theperspective.org
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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf supported the use of child soldiers during Charles Taylor’s NPFL War (n.d.). Retrieved December 2014, from www.focusonliberia.wordpress.com Massaquoi, J. and Zumo, L. A. (2014, September 25). Liberia: Bloodbath, stagnation and sovereignty: The case contra and pro trusteeship – an urgent SOS. Retrieved October 2014, from www.theperspective.org Student Unification Party.(2014, October 24). Student Unification Party (SUP) Celebrates 44 th Anniversary – Press Release Issued By SUP, UL. Retrieved December 2014, from www.theperspective.org Reuters (2014, December 1). WHO Says Liberia wrongly added 1,000 deaths to Ebola toll. Retrieved December 2014, from www.news.yahoo.com [Saka], H. (2013, March 20). Oil in Liberia: How could Liberia settle for only 5%?”. Retrieved December 2014, from http://m.modernghana.com (2014, September 3). Remarks By Obama to the People of Estonia. Retrieved December 2014, from http://m.whitehouse.gov Morris, A. (2015, February 2). Ebola Vaccine Trial Team Admits Error. Retrieved February 2015, from www.inprofiledaily.com