A Rejoinder to the US Ambassador’s Remarks about diaspora Liberians being the cause for the vulnerability of the Liberian state.

Daniel Smith

First and foremost, I would like to join the many voices of Liberians to thank and appreciate Ambassador Michael A. McMarthy for his services to Liberia during his tenure as United States Ambassador to Liberia. However, I would like to point out that his remarks blaming diaspora Liberians for the vulnerability of the Liberian state by making Liberians not to believe and trust in Liberian institutions- is a false admission of who is responsible for everything that is going on wrong in Liberia.In any democracy, it is the state that is responsible for the protection of the state and its people. It begins with the state making genuine efforts to ensure public trust in the institutions of justice and the rule of law. This was at full display in America when the state took seize of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot instigated by prominent citizens and has done equal justice to the perpetrators to assure public trust in the system. In Liberia, on the other hand, the state has deliberately refused to hold certain perpetrators accountable. Justice has always been for the rich against the poor. Cases of murder, rape, public corruption, ritualistic killing against the poor remain unresolved. No investigation. No prosecution. No one held accountable. Big name individuals have been exonerated for crimes unless such individuals were in the opposition. How can the Liberian people continue to trust in the institutions of justice and the rule of law when their government care less about justice and the rule of law?

Diaspora Liberians have and continue to contribute to the development and democratic growth of Liberia through many means including the transfer of remittances, advocacy, and the provision of technical services for development across the country. Diaspora Liberians do not control the state nor do they control the functionaries of the Liberian government. However, they are a significant force in sustaining the peace of and democracy in Liberia. It is therefore frustrating for them to sit back and watch the callous and reckless manners in which many state actors continue to enrich themselves at the expense of state’s coffers especially when there is a visible tension between the vulnerability of the Liberian people versus the power imbalances of the current regime. When this happens, the burden falls on Liberians in the diaspora to provide a counter balance to the regime in order to create a level playing field for development and social justice.

Liberians in the diaspora serve as the only force that is keeping maximum pressure on the government to ensure that it lives up to its constitutional obligations to the Liberian people. Liberians in the diaspora have demonstrated to be the only genuine hope for our people because we alarm and make noise about crimes committed against them even if our intel is scanty and bereft of hard evidence. Diaspora Liberians have taken the responsibility of “citizens’ whistleblowers” for our people and this action is precipitated by the lack of trust in the institutions of justice, and the rule of law. The Liberian government has made Liberians in the diaspora to feel that way because of its failure to act on crimes. The government has a responsibility to allay the fear of the Liberian people, making us to trust in the government’s handling of crimes by ensuring that justice is served void of political witch-hunts. Political affiliation, Masonic association, socioeconomic status or name recognition should not be the basis for the exoneration of crimes especially when the evidence of guit is overwhelming. The government must endeavor to uphold the law by ensuring that everyone(poor or rich, powerful, strong or weak) should be given equal treatment and protection under the law. It through such conduct of the government that will make citizens to believe and trust in the institutions of justice and the rule of law. That is the cardinal responsibility of any democratic government. Unfortunately, the CDC government is not even trying toward such endeavors. How then should Liberians in the diaspora be blamed for the lack of public trust in the Liberian justice system?

Public perception about the Liberian justice system vs The Liberian National Police 

Believing and trusting in the Liberian institutions of justice and the rule of law is based on public perception of the Liberian National Police.This is because the police is the first responder in any crime situation. If the public perceive the police to be partial, it indicates how the public perceive the justice system and the rule of law. That’s why we insist on having a national police instead of a regime police because a national police will serve the people in keeping with the Liberian constitution. A regime police serves at the whims and caprices of the regime. Such a police force can be dangerous because it is compromised, corrupt, and works as a mercenary unit of the regime against public interest. Liberia as a postwar country has a history that is replete with records of state security organizations such as the AFL, SATU, ATU, SOD, and NSA operating as mercenary units leading to 14yrs civil war that led to the death of an estimated 250,000 Liberians with about half a million fleeing abroad for refuge. Recently, it has been alleged that the NSA is an equipment to jam radio stations that are critical of the government. If that allegation is true it means that the NSA has again begun to operate as a mercenary unit of the regime in gross violation of the Liberian constitution. These examples of state security agencies show how the CDC government has created the condition for citizens to lose faith in the Liberian institutions of justice and the rule of law.

Complicity of the International Community.

The international community played a strategic role in bringing peace to Liberia. One wonders what is stopping the International Community to compel the Liberian government to act toward establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia. It has been 20yrs now since the war ended in 2003 and we continue to wait? Has the International Community lost fullsight of the very things that led to the 14yrs civil war in Liberia? Aren’t they seeing the crimes, rampant corruption, outright institutionalization of tribalism of the Liberian government?

The International Community didn’t sit back and watch when election violence in the 2017 Kenyan elections led to the death of tbousands of Kenyans. They acted to deter others. The Liberian people are becoming hopeless because it seems there will be no justice for the crimes committed against them. The complicity of the International Community regarding the establishment of the war and economic crimes in Liberia is emboldening the perpetrators to become even more aggressive, violent, overbearing, and more corrupt. They steal the Liberian people’s monies and monies belonging to donor organizations without any fear of reprecautions. Everyday that the Liberian people walk the streets, they see the perpetrators roaming the streets, enjoying life, getting old and dying peacefully making them to lose trust in the justice system and the rule of law. They are also frustrated at the complicity of the International Community to demand the establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia. It is these visible signs that are making Liberians in the diaspora to become proactive in keeping our people informed and alert of the proliferation of crimes in Libdria particularly the commission of crimes that are orchestrated by the state through mischievous and notorious agents such as the perpetrators of war crimes protected by the Liberian government. The role diaspora Liberians are playing is a counter measure against a tyrannical regime that is bent on using violence to intimidate and suppress the Liberian people in general since the International Community is reneging on demanding the establishment of war and economic crimes court in Liberia. Therefore, those who are blaming diaspora Liberians should rather blame themselves for failing to act by rallying the International Community to compel the Liberian government to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia for perpetrators of war and economic crimes to be held accountable. The process can begin with holding the chief perpetrator of violence at the UL, Representative Acarous Moses Gray, accountable, as we fear that if Rep. Acarous Gray’s instigated violence at the UL is treated as a privileged case, it will further erode any little trust left in the justice system. Can our traditional partner in whom we are well pleased begin to do something about state’s sponsored violence and corruption in Liberia? We need action not mere condemnation and travel sanctions. Plesse act now and stop blaming Liberians in the diaspora.