|
All-Liberia, After UNMIL?
Apr 22, 2007
Musa V. Sheriff
The days of a do- nothing are over, the days of war are gone, the days of intellectual reflections and smart thinking have come, and the days of peace and progress have also landed. So are you ready to take action? Get started now.
It is about time we of Liberia start to ponder over the future of our nation and carefully think about what values and heritages we want to take to the future when UNMIL mission in Liberia comes to an end.
While we enjoy and appreciate the tremendous efforts and kindness of the United Nation it is also certain that the UN mission will sooner or later expire and each and every Liberian will have a responsibility to maintain the greatness of our nation – peace and progress.
Does it worth thinking this way now? Yes, because data record or shows the second UN mission in Liberia and the first though successful later ended with disappointments, frustrations, witch-hunting and war in the hands of notorious Charles Taylor and his evil team mates.
Importantly, the question has pop up and is on the lip of every intellectual Liberian; what Liberia will look like when the 15.000 UN peace keepers are gone - what kind of security system will we have, will there be equal justice for all or will the tradition of human rights and other values prevail that UNMIL is giving us all now.
Equally so each individual must think of what he or she can do to help our nation move forward and surely that is the challenge and responsibilities for us all and this article is just a strong reminder is not all about talks but real action so we need to look at issues that may or is affecting the future of our nation, making the nation more fragile, and start to debate them in a very professional tone in order to arrive at solution.
Do we need to take along with us the acute and senseless discriminations at the pass port department or the illegal occupation of our fellow Liberians land or properties in Nimba and Lofa? I would like for to caste our minds back on the Ivorian scenario that has triggered into war - the problem of nationality or Ivoirite, do we need to denial fellow citizen because they are Mandingo or carry Mamadee Sheriff as his name in getting a simple travel document which he is legally entitle to obtain as citizen. Or do we need to help undermine our constitutional values that hold our nation together and promote the values of Democracy…….No, we don’t have to.
It is time we should contribute our precious individual gift to the future of our nation and to the future of our children by helping in all positive ways – making our country more and more friendly and peaceful by building the foundation of confidence, love and respects for each other.
Three years ago in Accra, Ghana, we set forth on a journey to change the course of Liberia for the better, to keep the Liberian dream alive for everyone willing to work for it, to keep Liberia strongest force for peace and freedom and prosperity, to come together as one Liberian community.
The time was one of widespread frustration and doubt about our economic, social ad political problems, about our ability to deal with the vast sweep of gruesome change that was all around us – Mr. Taylor and his team. The scope and pace of those changes were threatening to many and our values seemed to be under attack on all sides.
But, together, you and I marshal to turn our country around with the help of the International Community, with a strategy to meet our challenges and protect our values, opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and a Liberian community of all Liberians.
We have worked hard to end the war so what are we going to do to make Liberia better for all.
Today, we proclaim that the vital Liberian center is alive and well. It is a common ground on which we have made our progress. Today, our economy is getting better, our streets are safer than 4 to 10 years back, our environment is cleaner, thanks to Allah and the International Community, our nation is getting united. But we still have moral responsibilities to keep this nation more and more united and very peaceful in the absence of the UN.
Talk is no longer enough. We must act and act now. And the international community will be watching us to see who is willing not just to talk but to act. For me, I am willing to act, and I ask others to join me and we need the Government full cooperation in the crusade.
Musa V. Sheriff Vancouver, Canada haidaramv@yahoo.com
|
