Highlights of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf visit to Belle Yellah on Christmas day.........

In fulfillment of a promise to spend Christmas with the people of Gbarpolu County, and the people of the once remote notorious prison town of Belle Yellah, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the delight of the people kept her promise when she and a host of Government officials and members of the diplomatic corp visited their town on Christmas day.

For the first time in the nation's history, the town once famous for the political prisons where previous governments locked up dissidents is being linked to the rest of the country by a motor road being constructed by the Government.

The President is reported to have walked about three hours to reach the town by foot, when it became clear road construction crews from the ministry of public works would not be able to clear the thick jungle fast enough for the Presidential convoy that was following behind, to reach the town by Christmas day.

With Government officials and the Ambassadors of the United States and China following, the President walked through the dense Belle forest, crossing creeks, connected sometimes only by makeshift bridges that challenged even those who use them regularly.
The crowd sang and danced while women spread their lappas on the ground as the President and her entourage walked to the recently constructed meeting place for an official program. County officials, led by Superintendant Gertrude Larmine and the Legislative Caucus, were present, and lavished praises on the President for fulfilling her promise to spend the Christmas with them.

The President thanked the citizens for the warm welcome, and reiterated that her visit was in fulfillment of a promise to the people of Belle Yellah that she would spend the Christmas with them. She apologized for the delay in reaching the town, but assured them they would spend Christmas night together.

The Liberian President also thanked all those who had made the trip, taking time from their families to spend Christmas in Belle Yellah. She was particularly full of praises for the Minister of Public Works and his engineering crew for their hard work. "We intend to turn Belle Yellah into a place of hope from a place of horror," the President told journalists later in an interview. The decision by the President to spend the night in Belle Yellah took many residents by surprise since accommodation, especially for a President, poses some challenges, which the President acknowledged. "We will all stay up, tell stories, and dance as it is done when a stranger comes to your town and there are no sleeping places," the President suggested.

It was worth the wait because, as the night progressed, and with the President keeping her word and staying awake, enjoying the traditional music and dance, there came word that the road crew was about to enter the town. The news spread like wildfire, and like an army of ants, residents, with their flashlights, began to move towards the construction site to witness, firsthand, the history that was unfolding before their very eyes.

At 3:15 a.m., the first vehicle, a caterpillar, followed by a fleet of vehicles, roared into Belle Yellah as its residents chanted. they hugged one another and welcomed the convoy into Belle Yellah - the first entry of a motor vehicle, a dream - which the President described as a fulfillment of a promise to the people of Gbarpolu to end the isolation of the town and bring development to the area.

Story and Photos courtesy of the Executive mansion

Two Vulture funds company sue Liberia in London........

Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan

Two offshore investment funds are taking Liberia to London's high court, over an unpaid debt that dates back to the 1970s.

The Caribbean-based companies, described as "vulture funds" want more than $20 million.
Vulture funds are investment companies that buy up the defaulted debts of poor countries extremely cheaply and then sue for full, immediate repayment with steep levels of interest and penalty charges. They can make enormous profits from taking money out of the economies of very poor countries - money which has often been freed up by debt cancellation.


But Liberia says there is no way the country can pay the debt, and accuses the firms of profiting from poverty.
Liberian Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan told the BBC's Network Africa programme the country could not afford to repay the debt.

"Our lawyers are going to work tooth and nail to battle this," he said.

He added that he hoped that the international community would take action to make sure that "these people that survive on poverty do not thrive".



Liberia recently emerged from 14 years of civil war, during which it is estimated that 250,000 people – one in 12 of the population – died. Average life expectancy is just 45, according to the World Bank. The $20m the two firms are claiming amounts to half the country's health and education budget.

Maybe they expect us to pull the money out of our asses and give it to them, what the hell is wrong with these people, thousands of our children are dying everyday from malnutrition, and preventable deceases and all these greedy fools can think about is how to kill even more of them.
Let them take us to any court they want, we don't have the money, we cannot afford to pay the debt, and we should not pay it even if we have it.

Parents of the eight year old Liberian rape victim charged...............................

The parents of the 8-year-old Liberian girl who was allegedly gang-raped at her apartment complex in Phoenix Arizona earlier this year, have now been arrested for child abuse.
Authorities said the couple used sticks, wires and their fists to abuse their 8-year-old daughter,

Arrest warrants were issued for 59-year-old Hemis Dio and his wife, 47-year-old Wedeh Dio. Each of them are facing 8 counts of child abuse related to an investigation conducted by police and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office over the past several months.
Witnesses also told police that the parents left their daughter wandering their apartment complex alone at night, begging for food.



The child abuse investigation was based on documented incidents from the Phoenix Police Department and numerous referrals to Arizona Child Protective Services dating to 2005.

Earlier this year the eight year old was allegedly lured to a storage shed, pinned down and gang-raped by four Liberian boys, none of them older than 14.
At the time of the incident Child Protective Services removed the victim from the custody of her parents, who, according to police, blamed her for being victimized and bringing shame to their family.

Details of the girl's assault and her parents reactions so shocked the country, that Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf sent Liberia's deputy Ambassador to the United States Edwin Sele to Phoenix for a weeklong fact-finding mission and to help dispel notions that rape is condoned in the West African country.

Renowned Liberian Human rights activist Kimmie Weeks on CNN African voices............

This week CNN African voices had an interesting one on one interview with one of Liberia's most renowned human rights activist Kimmie Weeks.....

Kimmie Weeks has worked to alleviate poverty and human suffering in Africa and around the world since he was fourteen years old. Kimmie was born in Liberia 1981. When he was nine, Kimmie came face to face with civil war, human suffering, and death.

Over the years, Kimmie has formed partnerships and led organizations that have provided education to thousands of students in West Africa, lobbied the disarmament of over 20,000 child soldiers, and provided health care and recreation supplies to children.

In 1998, Kimmie Weeks investigated and released a groundbreaking report on the Liberian government’s involvement in the training children as soldiers. As a result, former Liberian President Charles Taylor made several attempts to assassinate him until he fled Liberia and was granted political asylum in the United States.

Once he came to the United States, Kimmie Weeks established an International organization called Youth Action International to support the needs of families living in post war countries. In 2008, Youth Action International’s programs benefited close to 150,000 people in six post war African countries.

Here is a potion of the program on CNN.................

In this part of the Interview Kimmie talks about his experienced during Liberia's bloody civil wars



In This part he talks about why he fled the the country and the potential that the country now has, after coming out of devastating civil wars.



After suffering as a child, human rights activist Kimmie Weeks is mobilizing Liberia's youth to heal the country.



He is truly one of our greatest Liberian role model.

Nigeria's first lady visits Liberia...............

The First Lady of Nigeria is visiting Liberia as guest of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Dr. Hajiya Turai Umaru Yar’Adua, arrived in the country Wednesday morning.

An Executive Mansion release says the Nigerian first lady was met on arrival by the Vice President and Mrs. Katumu Boakai, as well Nigerian Ambassador to Liberia, Ebenezer Adigun, at the Roberts International Airport.

Vice President Boakai welcome the Nigerian First Lady

President Sirleaf also welcome her guest at the foreign Ministry.

While in Liberia, Mrs. Yar'Adua will hold discussions with the Liberian leader and representatives of women groups on ways of strengthening collaboration between women of Nigeria and Liberia. The First Lady will also meet with a Nigerian peace keeping contingent serving under UNMIL (the United Nations Military Mission in Liberia.

The Nigerian First Lady joined President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Wednesday afternoon at the dedication of the dormitory building of the Tubman National Institute for Medical Arts (TNIMA). The building was renovated with funding provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Liberian leader and Mrs. Yar'Adua later toured facilities of the John F. Kennedy Medical hospital to inspect progress and challenges at the Hospital.

Liberians are happy to have the Nigerian first lady in the country, we remember all too well the huge role Nigeria play in ending the civil war in Liberia, when everyone else just stood and did noting.

We welcome you madame first lady to our beloved and humble home, and we hope you enjoy your stay in our country.

Enough is Enough..............

Military ruler Captain Moussa Dadis Camara

Some opposition and rights groups in Guinea our neighbor to the north are reporting that Foreign gunmen, including some speaking English with Liberian accents, took part in the mass killings of anti-government protesters in Guinea this week.
Mouctar Diallo who claim to be an opposition leader, said that "Among those who shot on people were some odd individuals who were not wearing the regular army uniform properly. They were speaking with Liberian accent in a language I do not understand'' "They were drunk and clearly on drugs," he added.

Police clash with the opposition in Conakry, Guinea's capital.

Seriously this crap about Liberians being addicted to war and always in the Frey of trying to destabilize other countries in the region bullshit is enough, every time there is civil unrest in west Africa, Liberians are always accuse of being involved. it has got to stop. how can fermenting chaos in a sister country be of any benefit to Liberia? can you imagine what will happen if there were ever civil unrest in Guinea? just coming out of our own civil war and still struggling to find our own footing, How would Liberia ever deal with the influx of thousands of refugee that would inevitably cross the border trying to seek refuge? any instability in Guinea will spell serious trouble for our country too, so it is not in our national interest to get involve in their crisis.

And regarding the claim that some in the army were speaking with Liberian accent......... i say its ridiculous, there are thousands of Guinea nationals living in Liberia, some were even born there, i am sure some people in their military know how to speak English.

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called for "an emergency meeting" of the Economic Community of West African States on the crisis in neighboring Guinea.

"The president has sent a letter to the ECOWAS for this sub-regional body to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Guinea," Information Minister Laurence Bropleh told the press on Friday in Monrovia.
"The president believes that we need as a regional body to get involved in Guinea because instability in Guinea means instability in the Mano River Union, and by extension in the ECOWAS region. Her approach is that ECOWAS and the International Contact Group on Guinea need to take the lead," Bropleh said.

Liberia Ranked high in recent doing business survey................

Liberia still struggling to recover from war-induced economic crisis have emerged along with Rwanda among the top 10 countries in Doing Business 2010 ranking.
It is good news for Liberia. This year’s latest ranking of the World Bank ‘Doing Business Survey’ has showed that the country has done tremendously well than it did last year, even far more than expected.According to the latest ranking, the country has dived upward to 10th place, making it the second in the African region next to Rwanda and meaning that it has made huge improvement in the reform process.

it is now easier more then ever before in Liberia to start businesses, register property, protect investors, trade across borders, and even get access credit.

My opinion about the proposed bill aimed at relocating the capital from Monrovia, and the changing of the Liberian Flag...

Monrovia, Liberia

Lately there have been a lot of talks among our lawmakers on capital hill in Monrovia about changing the Liberian Flag so as to quote on quote reflect the entire country...........These so called law makers just came up also with a brilliant idea about relocating the nation's capital from Monrovia to God knows where in central Liberia, i mean what the hell.... our people don't have even enough food to feed their families, the government is so broke it cannot even provide the most basic services such as running water, electricity, or even garbage services, how the hell are we suppose to come out with the money to move the capital? these uneducated fools in the senate and the house of representatives don't have a clue about what they are doing or are suppose to be doing and are coming up with radical and crazy ideas about how they want Liberia to be like.

I am all for relocating the capital, i think its a fantastic idea, God knows Monrovia is way overcrowded, and it makes sense to move the capital inland for security and economic reasons, but frankly now is not the time. we are a post conflict country, and just staying afloat is a struggle, we have to prioritize what we want for our people and try to achieve it. it is absolutely outrageous to have children die in Liberia from malaria, and other preventable diseases, and it makes no sense what so ever to me to take money that would otherwise be going to build schools and hospitals for our children to relocating the capital.

As regards the changing of the Liberian flag, i am absolutely oppose to it, our flag and our history is unique in Africa, we should not be ashamed of who we are, or of our history......we should embrace it.
over 162 years of history as a sovereign nation, how are we suppose to change that all of a sudden, if we cannot appreciate our achievement and be proud of who we are, who will do it for us? we have evolve as a people, and we all know Liberia have seen better days, but in order to see better days again we must all do our part as patriotic sons and daughters of our great country, we must all remember that before glory there is suffering, we may be of many tribes but we are one people, with one common destiny, and one place that will always be home to all of us............................ namely LIBERIA.

Six Pakistanis Held in Monrovia on suspicion Terrorism ...............

Liberia's defense minister says police have arrested six Pakistani men who tried to enter Liberia on fake U.S. passports with possible intent to carry out terrorism.

Defense Minister Brownie Samukai says the men were arrested earlier this week at the international airport. In a radio statement late Wednesday he said one of the suspects removed his phone's SIM card and swallowed it as he was being arrested. Samukai did not give further details on what Liberian authorities believe the men were trying to do, where the men are being held or what charges they may face.

Officials say they believe the men's U.S. passports were fakes.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visit to Liberia.......

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Liberia on Thursday to continue her 11-day seven-country African tour.Despite pouring rain, huge crowds lined the streets of Monrovia to welcome Mrs Clinton to Liberia, where she held talks with Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.Mrs Clinton sent a strong message of support to Liberia’s president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Africa’s only female head of state,saying that she was impressed with Liberian's post war progress. Liberia she noted was on the right path and the United States fully supported the government's effort of restoring peace and good governance.

President Sirleaf and Mrs Clinton at a joint press conference in Monrovia..

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with President Sirleaf, Secretary Clinton was asked if her visit here is meant as a show of support for Africa's first elected female president.
"Of course it's a sign of support," she said. "We have looked at the entire record that President Sirleaf brings to office, her performance in office, the accomplishments of the government she leads, and we are supportive and will continue to be because we think Liberia is on the right path, as difficult as the path might be."

Secretary Clinton says the Obama administration will continue to back Liberian efforts to reduce corruption and improve the electoral process ahead of the next national elections in 2011.

Liberia was the second to last stop on Mrs. Clinton’s seven-nation African tour.

The rape of an eight year old Liberian girl and her parents reactions spark outrage...........

If you have been following news about Liberia for the last couple of days, you would have probably heard about the brutal sexual assault, and rape of an eight year old Liberian girl in Phoenix.
The alleged sexual assault and reaction by her family who according to police and children protective service said that the little girl shamed the family and that the family doesn't want her anymore, have sparked an international outcry, reaching all the way to the president of Liberia, the home country of the girl's family and the four young suspects.
Phoenix, police also said the 8-year-old victim of the alleged rape last week has been removed from her home and placed into protective custody.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said Friday that the family was wrong and urged the family to receive counseling, CNN reported.

"This is not a question of shame on the family. It is the question of an assault on a young child. That cannot be tolerated," Sirleaf told CNN from Monrovia.

Police have charged four boys, ages 9 to 14 -- also Liberian refuges -- in the case, alleging they lured the girl into a shed on July 16, restrained her and sexually assaulted her.

I am so outrage by this case, not only because of the stupidity of this little girl's parents who fail to be there for her when she needed them the most, but also by the actions of the four underage suspect themselves. i saw on CNN the mother and other family members of the older suspect who is fourteen and the ringleader,who by the way is being tried as an adult, crying, and talking about they are kids and thus not capable of committing such crimes.

Are you kidding me? these boys not only brutally gang rape and stole the innocence of this poor child, but they have traumatize her for the rest of her life, and frankly underage or not they must be punish and punish severely for their crimes. if they can do adult things, they should receive adult punishment.
Let this again serve as a warning to all of us Liberians here, that we are all guest here, and as such, we have to behave accordingly......this shit must not be tolerated anywhere, wither its in Liberia, or here, and let us never forget that we are ambassadors of our country, and whatever we do, negative or positive, will reflect on our country, and how other people view it.

Happy Independence Day Liberia...............

On July 26 1847 exactly 162 years ago 11 men, representing different parts of the commonwealth of Liberia, and led by Hilary Teage, signed the Liberian Declaration of Independence. By signing the declaration of independence these men told the world that a new country,called Liberia. the first free negro nation on the African continent was born.So this July 26 we at home and abroad honored these patriotic sons of Liberia for taking the first bold step in putting our country on to path to nationhood.

The Liberian National anthems..
written by President Daniel B Warner
3rd President of Liberia

All hail, Liberia, hail!

(repeat)

This glorious land of liberty

Shall long be ours.

Though new her name,

Green be her fame,

And mighty be her powers,

(repeat)

In joy and gladness

With our hearts united,

We'll shout the freedom

Of a race benighted,

Long live Liberia, happy land!

A home of glorious liberty,

By God's command!

(repeat last two sentences)


All hail, Liberia, hail!

(repeat)

In union strong success is sure

We cannot fail!

With God above

Our rights to prove

We will o'er all prevail,

(repeat)

With heart and hand

Our country's cause defending

We'll meet the foe

With valor unpretending.

Long live Liberia, happy land!

A home of glorious liberty,

By God's command!

(repeat last two sentences)




Happy birthday Liberia, and Happy independence day to all my countrymen at home and all across the globe, our country turn 162 years old on the 26 of July this year, let us again not forget and pray for the almost 200,000 of our countrymen who died in a senseless war,all the while holding our heads up high, for the future holds nothing but endless possibilities, and always remembering the words of our national anthem, In union strong success is sure, we cannot fail, and that we are all in the same boat together, one nation, one people, and one common destiny.we are of many Tribes but one people.... God bless us all.

former Liberian President Charles Taylor said he saw nothing wrong with putting human heads on poles at his check points........

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor told the war crimes court in the THE HAGUE, Thursday he saw nothing wrong with displaying human skulls and heads at roadblocks as his rebel forces swept into the country from neighboring Ivory coast and began a revolution in Liberia.
Displaying human skulls at roadblocks was an effective method of encouraging people to obey soldiers’ orders, he said at his war crimes trial.

it was a known fact among many of us Liberians who lived in the country during those terrible times, that atrocities against innocent people were being committed on a daily basis by those drugged up savages calling themselves freedom fighters. stories of these barbarians using human entrails across their roadblocks and displaying human heads on poles to strike fear into the local civilians population and soldiers of the Liberian army, were common.

On one occasion, at the number seven check point in Firestone, my family and i while fleeing the fightings in Monrovia, witness one of the most gruesome killings ever. a guy was picked out of the line and accused of being Mandingo, a member of the enemy tribe, and before he could say anything to defend himself, he was hack to death with knifes and cutlasses in front of thousands of people waiting to cross the check point. i have never forgotten that scene, and as long as i live i will never forget it, it is just one of those things that stays with you for the reat of your life.

It is quite incredible, and i must admit, i was very amaze that he would sit among civilize people and say there is noting wrong with putting dead peoples head on a pole.

Here is a preview of what went on in court during the week....



Earlier in the week also, Mr Taylor also portrayed himself as an anti-corruption fighter, a humanitarian and a peacemaker. He said it is incredible that he is being charged with crimes against humanity.

He also denied claims that he sent children into combat during the Liberian invasion, saying that some youngsters accompanied their older brothers into military camps because they had nowhere else to go. The use of child soldiers equipped with automatic weapons they were barely able to carry became a grim feature of the Sierra Leone civil war.

“They were not trained for combat and did not engage in combat. They were used to cook food and to wash clothes, to man the gates and to search vehicles,” said Mr Taylor.

“When you hear reports there were some young men seen in Liberia carrying rifles, these reports are true. What the reports did not say is that the young men were carrying rifles walking with their families but never entered combat.

“All I was interested in . . . is trying to solve our little internal problem in Liberia, to build an environment in which our people would have a little peace, democracy and rule of law.”

Charles Taylor is the Devil himself, that man should never ever see the light of day again, he is a murderer, and he must pay for the thousands of innocent people he killed.

The invasion of Liberia and his ascent to power was a prelude to Taylor’s involvement in the brutal 1991-2002 civil war in neighboring Sierra Leone, for which he is accused of 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The digrace that was the Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission...............

President Sirleaf before the TRC early this year....

I am totally shock and frankly really pissed of by the apparent attempt of the so called Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to disgrace a sitting president, and in my opinion, stir up trouble in an already fragile country.
The TRC final report over the weekend recommended that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and 51 others be blocked from holding public offices in Liberia for 30 years for helping to form and finance warring factions.
The Commission was established in 2003 to identify the root causes of the Liberian civil war and determine those who were responsible in committing domestic and international crimes against the Liberian people.
But i find no logic whatsoever in their argument that those who financed the conflict, although they did not participate in the command and control of the factions, also bear the responsibility for the atrocities that were committed.
The president early this year testified before the commission and admitted she had endorsed former president Charles Taylor's rebellion against President Samuel Doe, but later withdrew her support, when the true and barbaric intentions of Mr Taylor became known.
But the TRC says Johnson Sirleaf didn't go far enough. One of the ideas behind a truth commission is that people responsible for past errors show remorse. By not apologizing or showing more remorse, the TRC says, Johnson Sirleaf denied both her own responsibility and undermined the TRC process.

What total nonsense, The president should not even entertain or comment on such stupidity.
If the aim of the TRC was to destroyed the reputation of a renown public servant, and in the process tear down all that Liberia has accomplish since the end of the civil war, then bravo, they have succeeded, because the internet is abuzz with this story.

Liberians and perhaps the rest of the world are still trying to come to grip with the political impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s statements, but the patriotic people of Liberia knows that such stupid and ridiculous comments will not stop the march to progress, because frankly we are tired of these detractors who have nothing to offer the Liberian people, but will stop at nothing and use whatever means at their disposal to bring the country down to her knees again.

Bob Johnson opens his Hotel and Resort in Liberia.....

Bob Johnson

Robert L. Johnson, Chairman of The RLJ Companies, and the founder of BET, last week announced the grand opening of his latest business development, the RLJ Kendeja Hotel, Resort & Villas located in Monrovia, Liberia.
Located on 13-acres of ocean front property, the 78-room villa style hotel offers first-class amenities catering to domestic and international travelers and includes an on-site restaurant, full service spa, tennis courts and swimming pool with poolside bar.

Some Views of the Resort

The hotel is the most luxurious hotel Liberia has ever seen and the first resort to open in the country for two decades. Rooms are decked out with hip furnishings, Wi-Fi and 42in widescreen TVs, and have plush bathrooms with fancy robes and toiletries. Comfortable beds are covered with pure white sheets and the windows look out over the ocean. An on-site restaurant, Posh, serves such delights as cognac seafood bisque, blackened rump steak and chocolate salami.

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf welcomed the investment by Mr Johnson describing the occasion as historic. The President expressed satisfaction that Mr. Johnson responded positively to her appeal two years ago to invest in Liberia.

The President praised the Black American businessman for believing in Liberia’s potential and the investment opportunities it offers. The President also spoke of a USD$30 million investment by Mr. Johnson to provide more business opportunities to Liberian entrepreneurs.

Charles Taylor now is a Jew.............................

So apparently Charles Taylor is so bored in prison he is finding things to do that will entertain himself.

On a broadcast aired on June second, Victoria Taylor one of the former President's wives told the BBC World Service's Peter Ndoro that Taylor "is now a Jew. He's practicing Judaism."

Asked if Taylor believes his newfound faith will aid him in his trial, his wife suggested he does.

"Oh yes, I have seen a lot of transformation in my husband," she said, "and I know he truly wants to serve God with all his heart, all his mind and all his might."

In fact, Taylor found his Judaism upon entering the courtroom, she said.

"When he got to The Hague, he got to know that he really, really wanted to be a Jew,

And he wanted to convert to Judaism. And that's what he has done… He wants to know deeply about God and all about creation, and he wants to serve God accordingly and immediately."

This fool must truly think life is a joke...................

Happy mother's Day Mom ....................

My mom in the early 70s, when she attended E.J Yancy high Totota, Bong County.

Today is mother's day and i want to just take this time to thank my mom for doing such a good job with us. we were not rich but we kids always had enough to eat, and we always had a roof over our head.
Mom always was there when we needed her, there is noway we can ever repay her or daddy for everything they did for us, but it is my resolve that my own kids know that no matter what, we will always be there for them. we had good parents,we were blessed, and it is important that we passed it on to our own kids.

And so to celebrate mother's day and to show my appreciation for my mom i wrote this poem for her......

Thank you Mother

When i was young and small,
many times i became sick i recalled.
but deep into the night you were by my side
trying the tears to hide.

sometimes i was rude and bad,
and other times i made you hurt and sad
but silently i knew you always pray,
that your little boy became somebody someday.

many times you told me about Jesus the son of God,
other times you told me about Satan the demon's lord.
and that if i in the presence of God enjoyed,
i would be a happy little boy.
no one can ever take your place,
no one can your soft and gentle love replace,
its been hard, but you have won
and i am glad i am your son.

Emmanuel Michael Liu

What i think about Frontpage Africa, and their boycott of the Liberian President.......

President Sirleaf

Once a very big fan of the popular Liberian news website Frontpage Africa,
i now find myself looking more and more to alternative sources for news about Liberia.
Not only do i believe that they slander and spew lies at ever chance they get about the President, i also believe that their so-called news could incite violence,which is counter productive to what the President is trying to achieve.
Today they said In observance of World Press Freedom Day over the weekend, it has begun a coverage boycott of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 's Executive Mansion and the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and tourism.
FrontPage Africa Publisher and Editor Rodney Sieh told some international media the boycott was necessary because the Sirleaf government has either denied or ignored repeated requests for accreditation to weekly news briefings or presidential press conferences.
He went on to say "For some time, our website has been very pro-active, aggressive in terms of exposing corruption and ills in the Liberian society. And apparently some forces in the government have felt that we are anti-government, and they have continuously labeled us as anti-government forces. Last week, the president made a trip to Gbarnga, Bong County, and one of our reporters tried to get on the bus and he was rejected. And he had to get on the bus taking the police escort to go to Gbarnga. Even with all that, we still manage to continue publishing the Executive Mansion press releases, the ministry of information presses. But we feel that if they want to control what we publish, and they will not allow us access to the Executive Mansion press conferences and news conferences and stuff like that, we might as well not carry anything from them," he said.

What the hell is this guy really talking about? Everyone know that today Liberia boast one of the freest press in West Africa, if not the whole African continent,What do they really want the president to do? give them special passes whenever they demand it?, Why, because they are an internet news site based in the United States? Why make issues out of noting?
If this is what is passing for journalism these days, then our press is really in a sorry state.

President Sirleaf on the Daily show...........

Liberian President Ellen Johnson, on a book tour for her book “This Child Will Be Great,” stopped by The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. She talked about her journey to become Africa’s first elected woman president but also took time to crown the popular TV show host an African chief.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Worldfocus report on the President of Liberia....

Liberia is slowly pulling itself back on its feet and rebuilding. But everywhere you go, fragments of the fighting remain. Under the leadership of President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, electricity and water are being restored, schools are being built and Liberians everywhere are trying to find a way forward, away from the past.
Worldfocus correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson, just returned from reporting in Liberia, where They encountered daily reminders of the country’s civil war as Liberia emerges from its past.






We are proud of her, and we pray for her as she continues leading the nation to recovery, and prosperity.

New Chinese Embassy dedicated In Monrovia.............

The New Chinese Embassy in Monrovia

The Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Zhou Yuxiao, on March 24 2009. hosted a grand dedicatory ceremony for his newly constructed Embassy In Monrovia.
The ceremony was graced by the President and, Vice President of Liberia, and many other government officials including the House Speaker, Chief Justice and other senior Liberian government officials as well as diplopic corps, representatives of Chinese aid workers, peacekeepers and enterprises in Liberia. President Sirleaf and Ambassador Zhou unveiled name plate of the Embassy and planted a friendship tree in the new compound.

Ambassador ZHOU

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Friendship tree planted on the Embassy grounds

in his remarks, Ambassador Zhou said that the dedication of the Embassy represented a new milestone in the history of Sino-Liberian friendly relations and a practical support to Liberian effort to "lift Liberia", and that he and his colleagues would double their efforts to expand and upgrade the bilateral ties in all fields.
Zhou expressed his satisfaction with the ever-deepening Sino-Liberian relationship, and assured that China's financial assistance to and economic cooperation with Liberia would not be affected despite of the hard hit on China by the current world financial crisis. He believed that like the young tree, the Sino-Liberian friendly relations would grow fervently and bear rich fruits in the years to come. He added that China was also delighted to witness the tremendous changes that had taken place in Liberia in the last few years, and would continue to stand firmly behind the Liberian government and people in their uphill journey to renew, rebuild and revitalize their nation.
President Sirleaf for her part recounted the achievements and contributions made by the Chinese government towards Liberia in recent years. She said that the Chinese government had constructed the new Embassy which was a clear manifestation of the confidence the government of China has in the long term stability and prosperity of Liberia. She pointed out that the construction of the Embassy was just one project on the long list of what the Chinese government had made to Liberia's post-war recovery. She expressed that the level of cooperation prevailing between two countries spoke for itself and that the friendship and cooperation was strong and growing by day. The President finally expected the two countries to conduct more mutually beneficial cooperation projects in the future.

Liberians with TPS granted another 12 months extension......

Late this evening we finally got the good news that thousands of Liberians with Temporary protected status, which was set to expire on the 31 of march have been granted a 12 months extension.
Temporary protected status is an immigration status given to nationals of countries or parts of countries that are deemed by the U.S. government to be too unsafe for nationals to return. That status can be granted for reasons like an armed conflict or environmental disaster.

President Barack Obama has signed an executive order allowing Liberians living in the United States to stay in the country for an additional 12 months.

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, and Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar who has been among the congressional leaders on this issue, confirmed this afternoon that an extension of the March 31 deadline was granted for those Liberians living in the United States on a temporary immigration status.



We applaud the Presidents decision, to help our countrymen, and we thank all the members of congress who stood by and continue to stand by our side when it comes to all the relevant issues in our community.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is seeking a temporary reprieve for Liberians about to be deported.......

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, along with six other Democratic senators, is asking Pres. Barack Obama to grant thousands of Liberians living legally in the U.S. under a temporary protected status, a reprieve from imminent deportation.

Klobuchar says it is important to extend the protected status and, eventually, give them permanent legal status.

"They've been a part of our community in the Twin Cities. They work in our jobs in Minnesota, and we want to make sure they can stay and not go back to a dangerous situation. These Liberians have been living in the United States for almost two decades. They've fled their own country; they were forced from their homes.," said Klobuchar.

It is estimated that more than 30,000 Liberians live in the state of Minnesota, one of the highest concentration of Liberians in the country , and most of them were granted Temporary Protected status when they fled the civil unrest in Liberia. Their temporary status is due to expire on March 31st.

Missing Home.....................

Today for some reason, all i could think of was Liberia, and how i really miss home...
some of the fondest memory i have about home was growing up on the back road in congo town. I miss the cool breeze of the Atlantic ocean,i miss my friends,but above all i miss my family....



There is really nowhere like home.

Liberians facing mass deportation after march 31 ........

There is a deep sense of anxiety these days in Liberian community all around the United States. About 10,000 Liberians could face deportation come march 31, this year when a temporary protection status that allows them to stay here expires unless President Obama or Congress intervenes. The U.S. government contends Liberia is now a stable country and these migrants should return home.
Liberians have lived in the U.S. since the early 1990’s under a temporary protected status. Now that the Liberian government is showing some signs of stabilization, the U.S. government is trying to lift the temporary protected status and deport many of the 20,000 Liberians who are now living in the U.S.
I watched in complete disbelief Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform on CNN talking about how "It is time for people to go back and rebuild their country,"He said for Liberians to stay when their country is at peace would be an abuse of U.S. hospitality.
"It makes a mockery of the concept of short-term temporary humanitarian protection." he went on to say.
I would like to point out to Mr Stein however,that the State department own travel advisory is warning Americans to avoid travel to the country, because of serious security concern. so my question is, if its not safe for Americans to go there, how is it safe for thousands of Liberians with their U.S born children, who are U.S citizens to go there?



the new government in Monrovia, is doing all it can to provide basic services, to the people already there, and with some difficulty i might add, how can they be expected to cope with the thousands more who will be force to go home? Monrovia is already overcrowded, unemployment is at 80%, the education system is in shambles not to mention the health sector, there is no way this is going to work, if this plan is implemented it will be a disaster in the making. Our people understands that there is nowhere like home, we are grateful to the United states for all it has done and continue to do for our people, all we ask is a little more time, to let the government in Monrovia, firmly put their feet on the ground.
I have monitor blogs and comment online today about this very subject and it is sad that many people would post such hateful and vile comment about refugees who don't beg for government handout, but instead work hard and pay their taxes.
here i some of the comments i am seeing online......

Hey, I'm the Girl from Boston.......
Born here, Raised here, schooled here, Worked here,
Taxed here. We, can't feed the world and neither can
we allow these immigrants to change the law.
I feel like a stranger in my own country. Now, disable
and living on a shoe string fighting for surival with
no relatives just a handfull of good friends and theses
people expect me to feel bad for them by putting their
story in a newspaper. Gee, anybody interested in my life
as a true born American? Yeah, right I didn't think so.
SEND THEM ALL BACK...........

how do you figure the Midwest would benefit? Most of them are looking for handouts, not work.
Why do you think they immigrate to a big city?? Oh yes, your right on the button about boosting the local economies. Are you insane? This is why, I am being cut down on my services for the disable and elderly that have put into the system for a lifetime of hard work.
Pretty sad that this is what they got for a reward from the United States and Local Government. Now, put your money where you mouth is and you support them.

The US can no longer be the take all for the world. A this price our schools are suffering, health care is suffering, welfare, and the like. We are busting at the seems. Some of these law brakers are chanting in the streets wanting better breaks in this society while not a citizen. We need to filter these people and sent them home.

Trust me our people are not beggars, they are hard working people who just want what everybody else want, the best for their family. and its sad that people will add insult to injury, to people who have not only lost everything in the world, but must also be insulted for wanting the best for their family.

Thank you President Bush, Liberia will always be grateful to you...

Tomorrow the administration of President George W Bush will officially come to an end. What Bush’s legacy will be in the United States and the world at learge as he leaves office, is still been debated by so called political pundits .
It is true, he made some colossal mistakes at home and abroad like the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq . It is also true his relations with America's allies, especially in Europe, have been abysmal. But outside of the Middle East and Europe, Bush has been successful, especially in Asia and Africa.

For years, America has given lip service to African disease and poverty. But Bush reversed course, and today millions of Africans receive free medicine for AIDs, TB and Malaria. Half of all African food aid comes from the US. The Millenium Challenge, a very effective program in which rich countries ban together to foster economic development in poor countries, was created by Bush.
Most Americans have been hard on the President, some insulting and calling him the worst president ever, But Liberians will always be grateful to this president for he truly have been a friend of Liberia and Africa.

President Bush has been a good friend of Africa

When President Clinton had a chance to save thousands of people in Rwanda during the 90s he refused to get involve, calling it an African Problem, and because of America and the world's inaction almost a million people die in the Rwanda Genocide.
Bush on the other hand got involved in Africa like no other president before him, he demanded that the Tyrant Charles Taylor leaves office and send U.S soldiers to help stabilized the country, and in the process ending almost 2 decades of civil war that left the country in a state of total ruin.
He called Sudan's military actions in Darfur, Genocide when most African and European countries refused to call it so.

Whatever his critics in the Liberal media say, President Bush, unlike any other U.S. Presidents, change dramatically the way the United States dealt with Africa and her problems.
Farewell Mr President you were a great friend of Africa, may God bless you and your family as you end this chapter of your life and begin a new one.