Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaking at a closed session today during the 13th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, has called on the African Union to pronounce the June 27th elections in Zimbabwe as not credible and declare the results unacceptable, if the Union is to maintain its credibility.President Sirleaf reminded Summit participants that the African Union Observer Mission declared the June 27th elections fell short of the accepted AU standards, and that this was a similar position taken by the Pan African Parliament and the United Nations Security Council. She urged Summit participants to take a firm stance as well: ‘All these persons and institutions cannot be wrong, cannot be conspiratorial as we may be made to believe,’ she stressed.She put forward Liberia as a case in point, saying the 1985 election was endorsed by Africa and the world, which frustrated the true will of the people of Liberia and subsequently engendered a fourteen year civil war that left over two hundred thousand persons dead. The Liberian leader called on the African Union to be courageous to say that ‘all is not well in Zimbabwe’ and that the request by SADC for a postponement of the June 27 Zimbabwean elections should be heeded.
The leaders of Botswana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone also were critical of Zimbawe’s Elections and said the vote lacked legitimacy, and Botswana urged that Zimbabwe and Mr. Mugabe be barred from A.U. and SADC membership.
The African Union is a useless organization.
The African Union summit in Egypt this year only proves how toothless the organization is, Robert Mugabe is a disgrace to Africa, and should have been barred from the summit, The people of Zimbabwe were denied their democratic right to freely choose whom they want to be president of the country and all the African Union summit did was to tighten Mugabe’s grip on power.
The African Union summit in Egypt, attended by Mugabe, approved a resolution calling for him to negotiate with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who withdrew from the run-off election because of violence against his supporters.
The resolution fell short of the tougher statement wanted by some African countries.
The German government pledged substantial funding to Liberian infrastructure projects Thursday at the start of a two- day visit by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to Berlin.
In the presence of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul opened the international Liberia 2008 Poverty Reduction Forum this morning and announced that that German development cooperation support for Liberia this year would amount to a total of 15 million euros. 10 million of this will be provided to the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund, which focuses on infrastructure development.
In her opening statement, the Minister said: “Liberia’s people have suffered terribly. They deserve the support of the entire international community. So we are pleased to be able to host this conference.” She noted that in so-called “post-conflict countries” in particular, the international community needed to be involved on a long-term basis, thus contributing to peace.
Moreover, Germany will cancel Liberian debt amounting to 268 million euros. Liberia is one of the most heavily indebted developing countries worldwide. Since March 2008, the country has been participating in the international Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief initiative.
The Liberia Poverty Reduction Forum is being held in Berlin on 26 and 27 June 2008. At the conference, Liberia will present its Poverty Reduction Strategy. The Liberian government, donors and international institutions will discuss future goals and challenges in the area of poverty reduction and harmonize their efforts.
FIFA and the Liberian Government opened an investigation this week into the deaths of at least eight people at a World Cup qualifying match in Liberia.
The tragedy happened before Liberia took the field against Gambia in a World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Monrovia.
The chief mortician of the city, Dominic Worlu, gave the reason for the deaths. In all, 16 people were taken to hospital.
Witnesses said the stadium was packed by noon with people who came in earlier to find seats for the match.
Worlu said illegal ticket sales might have led to many more fans being crammed into the stadium than the seating capacity allowed.
Football’s governing body Fifa said it was investigating the incindent.
In another development President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has declared this weekend as a period of national mourning in remembrance of those spectators who met their unfortunate death.
The 33,000-seat venue was built in 1987 and had been renovated after the country’s civil war ended five years ago.
United Nations peacekeepers closed the stadium gates on Sunday when it became clear it was already over capacity after thousands had entered using fake tickets.
Eyewitnesses reported that some security staff sold tickets and took money from fans without tickets to let them in.
The deaths occurred after dozens of people fell from upper-level seats onto spectators below when a metal barrier gave way.
The match was played and drawn 1-1.
Today i was reading an article on the Front page Africa website about two advocacy groups calling for regime change and declaring Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf a war crime suspects, therefore they are forbiding her not to represent the country in an official capacity unless she is vindicated in a court of law.
The two groups, the Forum for the Establishment of a War Crimes Court based in Liberia and Solidarity and Trust for A New Day based in the United States, are led by former presidential candidate T. Q. Harris, and Mulbah Morlu, two people who have no business what so ever, or the moral characters to be accusing anybody of anything, let alone to be making stupid and irresponsible declarations, and calling for regime change of a sitting President.
These fools love to sit in the United States and throw stones and hide their hands, they have nothing to offer the Liberian people but their stupidity, and when other people roll their sleeves to do the heavy lifting, they have the audacity to criticize them.
The President has proven time and time again beyond all doubts that she is able and willing to deliver the goods for the Liberian people, if anything in my opinion she is one of the best presidents Liberia ever had, and these fools must know, some of us who are admirer of the president, will defend her vigorously against such stupid and silly talks.
here is a video of some of the great work the president is doing.
Let T.Q Harris and Mulba Morlu be reminded that the president was duly elected by the Liberian people, and at such calling for regime change of a sitting President can be consider treason, so if they don’t have anything to contribute to the development of our country, they should just shut the hell up and let the lady do her job. Long live the President and Long live the peoples of Liberia.
Liberian singing sansation Nimba Burr was born in Nimba Country, Liberia (West Africa). She started singing and dancing at the tender age of five in her hometown of Display, Nimba County. Because of her phenomenal talent, and through the Instrumentality of her uncle George W.W. Tubman, she became a member of the Liberian National Cultural Troupe.
Within a short time, this young singing sensation was introduced to the world. She is likened to a nightingale because of her powerful and melodious voice. In the early 1970”s when James Brown visited Liberia, Nimba Burr was the opening act for the godfather of soul’s historic concert in Monrovia.
Nimba Burr has toured many countries and shared the stage with well known performing artists from the United States, Caribbean and Africa. During FESTAC celebrations in Nigeria, she shared the stage with Hugh Masekala and Miriam Makeba of South Africa, Calypso Rose of the West Indies, the great Stevie Wonder and various other artists.
In 1992, she released her solo album NIMBA TABLET. “Color Boy”, the number one cut from that album topped the charts in Liberia.
Here is the latest smash hit music video from her call Jingy….
For the past years, she has traveled in and out of the United States, appealing to all Liberians and friends of Liberia to assist in developing their country.
Ex-Liberian vice-president Moses Blah today entered the witness box to testify against his former boss Charles Taylor, who stands accused of war crimes in the Special Court for Sierra Leone. The Ex vice President told the court Libyan authorities trained Charles Taylor’s rebel force in the 1980s before it violently overthrew Liberia’s government. Blah said he was among about 180 fighters recruited by Taylor and flown to Libya in the late 1980s to undergo months of military training.
The fighters learned to use AK-47 assault rifles and surface-to-air missiles at a military camp near Tripoli, he said.
Blah said men from countries including Gambia, the Philippines and Sierra Leone were also trained at the camp.
Among them was Sam Bockarie one of the Sierra Leone rebels Taylor is accused of supporting.
Blah testified that Taylor met the future head of the RUF, Foday Sankoh, in the camp, where they were received by Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi.
Kadhafi gave Taylor half a million dollars after the Liberian was elected president in 1997, said Blah, who was ambassador to Tripoli at the time.
Moses Blah briefly served as Liberian president in 2003, taking leadership of the war-ravaged country after Taylor was
forced into exile. He is the 27th and highest-ranking witness to take the stand against Taylor since his trial began early this year
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon began a visit to Liberia Monday, “I have come to Liberia to see at first hand the remarkable achievements your country has made in recovering from a devastating conflict. And I have come to reassure the Liberian people of my steadfast commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in your nation,” Mr. Ban said in an address to a joint session of the Liberian legislature in the capital, Monrovia.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon (R) is greeted upon his arrival at Monrovia’s airport on April 21.
Traditional Leaders and Chiefs honor UN Secretary General at Gowning Ceremony.
Mr. Ban outlined several areas where further progress is needed, including reforming the legal and judicial system and extending the rule of law throughout the country.
He said more also needs to be done to reintegrate populations affected by war and promote reconciliation and national unity, as well as ensure economic development. “Delivering the peace dividend in these areas is necessary to underpin the stability that Liberia currently enjoys,” he noted.
“In this and other challenges confronting Liberia, the entire United Nations family will work with you,” the Secretary-General pledged.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has begun the first phase of its drawdown process, and the Security Council will decide on the next phase after reviewing the progress made by the Government in meeting certain key benchmarks.
Mr. Ban said his recommendations to the Council on the drawdown will be linked to the Government’s ability to assume full responsibility for its national security. “Our common strategic goal is to ensure that Liberia has a solid security sector - one that can stand on its own feet before UNMIL completes its withdrawal.”
Thousands of young Liberians gathered on Tuesday in front of the head quarters of Liberia’s giant cell phone company Cellcom to welcome Senegalese- born American R&B superstar Akon in the capital Monrovia.
The international star arrived in Liberia Monday night at the invitation of Cellcom to participate in a musical concert.He was welcomed at the Robert International airport by cultural groups, Musician Union Of Liberia, Government Officials, and thousands of Liberian wellwishers.
The Liberian information minister Laurence Bropleh speaking on behalf of the government, said President Ellen Johnson Sirlef is on an assignment in Canada but heartily welcomes Akon to Monrovia, On his part, Akon thanked the Government, the Liberian People and Cellcom for bringing him to Monrovia. He said he consider Liberia as a second home.
The Grammy award winner said the money collected from his concerts will be plough back into Africa through his Konfidence Charity foundation. He recalled that most people outside Africa do not like what he is doing for his continent . Akon was presented with a honorary membership of the Liberian Musician association. He was also crowned Chief ‘Selwion’ meaning God’s Send in the Kru dialect.
Akon last evening thrilled thousands of fans at the Samuel K. Doe Sports complex where he starred in a musical concert organized by Cellcom Communication Corporation.
Ghana’s Interior Minister Kwamena Bartels, told the Ghanaian press today that the seemingly innocent demonstration by Liberian refugees in the country was part of a wider plot by a number of persons to cause mayhem at the Gomoa Buduburam settlement and threaten the security of Ghana.
According to him, Government is aware of the presence of a number of ex-combatants at the settlement and will, therefore, not sit down unconcerned for the country’s security to be jeopardized. Bertels also told the press the Ghanaian Government is considering closing down the Buduburam refugee camp in the Central Region after it has repatriated the last batch of the Liberian refugees this year.
This is due to the closeness of the resettlement site to the country’s capital, Accra, which officials fear could pose a threat to the nation’s security.
Ghana continue to maintained its hard line in the standoff with Liberian refugees which culminated in the deportation of 16 of them and removal of more than 600 others from their camp just west of the capital, Accra, and said a “firm decision” had been taken that all of them must return home.
Ghanaians love to think of themselves as the most hospitable people in all Africa, but by treating helpless women and refugees like they were the scum of the earth, they have dug a hole they can never get out of, is this their idea of hospitality? Our late president Samuel Doe once said the town trap is not for rat alone, today Ghana may be stable but who knows what will happen in the future, we will forever remember what they did to our people, in our time of need you give us a place to lay our head but at the same time insulted and abuse us, what could we have done? after all a beggar has no choice, he must accept what is given him.
The xenophobia cause by the Ghanaian interior minister’s hatred and his disgust of Liberian refugees in his country is shameful but it’s yet another reason why our government must do all it can to bring our people home, they are not stray dogs for Ghanaians to do or say what ever they feel like to them, enough is enough, after all no man is an island, thank you for your hospitality, but our people will take their chances at home.
