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A Look at Washington’s Concerns and Accolades 22 April 04 The US has shown more concerns and done more for developments in Liberia since it began plummeting into the abyss of chaos. Regular warnings, money and statements have certainly done well to tell the actors, many of them still using America as their home, that big brother is watching. This, more than anything, is more than enough, for Liberians see America as the source from which all things fall. This week the White House issued a statement dealing with disarmament and the entire peace process. From its contents, it seems the statement was issued before the successful commencement of disarmament. It said: “The United States welcomes the recent progress in Liberia. Despite difficult circumstances, Chairman Bryant and his government have been performing well in an effort to move forward important reforms for the people of Liberia. We applaud the elimination of oil and rice monopolies, the payment of salaries, consolidation of revenue collections into a Central Bank, and efforts to crack down on corruption and fiscal mismanagement:” “Crackdown on corruption” should be the principal objective if the US wants peace in Liberia to be sustained. It should constantly insist on transparency before all things else. Practical measures, such as those outlined by its ambassador John Blaney in a recent press conferences, are useful These include barring corrupt Liberian officials and their allies, including family members, from entering the US. Checking their mortgage payments and bank accounts to match huge sums against their salaries in Liberia does the job more than a million press statements. No country is in abetter position halt the Liberian thieves than the US, because they all run their to report the looted money. These in themselves are no panacea, because thieves always find safe havens, and Ghana is fast becoming an alternative. Corruption leads to the abuse of human rights and eventually to renewed violent contests over resources. Crackdown should not only be defined as the head of state dismissing allegedly corrupt officials, but putting them on trial and demanding restitution. Charles Gyude Bryant says he has no time for this, and this, more than all words he has uttered about not conducting” business as usual“, says how unwilling or incapable he is to crackdown on corruption. Moreover, the notion that only the little revenue chief is corrupt is unjust. Corruption falls from the highest office to the lowest. This is why public inquiries commissions are necessary to arrive a the truth ad suggest legal punishment. All wars fought in Liberia have ever bee over political or ideological differences. They have been over money and positions to acquire it illegally. Centralised revenue system is useless if the money collected ends up in US, Lebanese or European banks while hands are stretched out for international aid. Liberian officials have now settled over the fact that there is no difference between public and private money. Theft in government is now the norm. “We commend the U.N. as it completes its deployment of 15,000 peacekeepers throughout Liberia, and we fully support plans and necessary preparations to resume soon the process for disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and rehabilitation of former combatants. In cooperation with our international partners, our humanitarian and development programs have resulted in thousands of displaced people returning home and thousands of children returning to school and receiving immunizations. The United States recognizes, however, that these are only the first steps on the long and difficult road to a permanent stability and recovery in Liberia, and a considerable amount of work remains to be done. To remain on the current path, all parties must maintain their dedication to peaceful reconciliation and honor faithfully their commitments to the Accra Peace Accord.” Here one finds other refreshing ideas such as, “dedication to peaceful reconciliation and honor faithfully their commitments to the Accra Peace Accord.” Some developments are troubling and signal a return t the past. Reports say one former warlord, Prince Yormie Johnson, who recently returned home from Nigeria has returned to exile for fear of his life. Johnson is no angel, but then there are no angels in Liberia, particularly amongst those now in power . Reports said family members of late President Samuel Doe, now in influential positions, settled for revenge because Johnson allegedly killed Doe. If so, there are tens of thousands of families in Liberia to line-up and seek revenge on the Doe clan for many atrocities tied to them. They are therefore in no moral position to pass judgment on any criminal in Liberia. To allow such tactics, which have caused wars of atrocious wars of vendetta, to continue is dangerous. Samuel Doe drove Prince Johnson and his ethnic Gios and Mano into exile, from where hey were recruited by Charles Taylor to return home with guns. Charles drove ethnic Mandingoes and others into exile, from where the returned with guns in hand. If the current regime, packed with al the villains imaginable, embarks on this same trend, it is setting the path for destruction. This is why the US should give its powerful voice for a war crimes tribunal in Liberia so that all accused can stand before it. Only a war crimes tribunal is capable of passing judgment and punishment and. The US can ensure it, so that a better beginning can led to a better future. Tom Kamara
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