For The Sake Of Peace And Justice: REMOVE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS --Liberians Appeal To U.S. Congressional Delegations Ahead of a visit of the United States Congressional delegation to Liberia, several Liberians have joined their voices to appeal to members of the delegation, either individually or collectively, to remove restrictions placed on some prominent Liberians by the United States Government. Many of the Liberians who spoke to the National Chronicle said their appeal is in line with the observance of the Decade of Peace in Liberia. This August makes it ten years since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed in Accra, Ghana in 2003 by warring parties to end fourteen years of intensive war in the country. Accordingly, the month of August has been declared the month of peace, set aside by the Government of Liberia for Liberians to observe ten years of uninterrupted peace. During one of the programs few days ago, several leaders of warring factions and other prominent stakeholders who participated in the CPA were decorated and awarded medal for their respective roles in maintaining the peace in the country. But as the month memorializing a decade of unbroken peace is being observed, there are some Liberians who continue to suffer for their perceived roles during the crisis in Liberia. The citizens who are appealing to the United States Government to remove all restrictions on all those still under sanctions regime to understand that those being punished constitute no threat to peace either in the country or in the sub-region to be subjected to such cruel indignity. They therefore strongly believe that in the name of reconciliation, unity, justice and fair play, the rights of these Liberians must be restored without further precondition. It can be recalled that in 2000, the government of the United States of America, under the administration of President Bill Clinton imposed travel restriction and other forms of economic sanctions on officials of the Taylor regime for posing as a threat to United States foreign policy ahead of the United Nations sanctions regime which was imposed as a result of the alleged role of Liberia in fueling the conflict in Sierra Leone. Ironically however, the UN Security sanctions were imposed against Liberia months after the Government of Sierra Leone had officially declared the war in that country over. But in the face of this clear reality, the Government of the United States of America and the United Nations went ahead with a double edge sanctions against Liberia and Liberians. Many prominent citizens and officials of the Taylor regime as well as their collaborators were placed on travel ban while the assets of others were frozen in the United States. Not satisfied, pressure was brought to bear on the Liberian governments (Gyude Bryant and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) to freeze, and seize the assets of those in that category. However, the UN Security sanctions regime has since been lifted and travel restriction on nearly all of those in this category has been lifted except for very few, including Mr. Benoni Urey, Chief Cyril Allen, and former Grand Gedeh County Representative, Kai Farley, among others. Mr. Urey has made significant contribution to the peace process and stability of the country by accepting to serve as Acting Mayor of Careysburg, during the first term of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. Urey served in this capacity with passion, dedication and commitment, thereby leaving an impressive mark on that city. The citizens strongly believe that the likes of Benoni Urey and others who have continued to live and make huge investments in Liberia will never pose threat to the peace of the society in which they are making such massive investment. It is in this regard that they are appealing to members of the Congressional delegation to use their influence in ensuring that justice and fair play are done to those Liberians still suffering the indignity of restrictions. They also called on President Ellen Jonson Sirleaf and officials of her government to spearhead an intensive campaign to convince the United States Government to remove all restrictions on these Liberians in the name of peace, reconciliation respect for the dignity of the individual.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 17:21:59 +0000
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