05 October 2017

 

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

NDI Deploys 34 International Observers –US Senator Gary Peters Heads Delegation; Ghana’s Mahama Heads ECOWAS Observer Mission, Arrives Today, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is fielding an international delegation from today, Thursday, October 5 to Thursday, 12 October to observe the upcoming October elections. According to the NDI, the delegation includes 34 political leaders, civic leaders, and election experts from Africa, Europe, and North America. The NDI’s international delegation will be led by U.S. Senator Gary Peters; Senator Ken Nnamani, former president of the Nigerian Senate; and Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, NDI regional director.

“In this election, Liberians have an opportunity for a historic peaceful transfer of power from one democratically-elected president to another,” said Senator Peters. “I am honored to be joining an international delegation to observe the process and to support transparent and peaceful elections.”

Meanwhile, Ghana’s former President John Dramani Mahama, head of the 71-member ECOWAS Election Observation Mission to Liberia will be arriving in Monrovia today Thursday. Twenty-one (21) ECOWAS Long-Term Observers are already deployed across Liberia’s 15 administrative Counties. The long-term team will be joined this week by 50 short-term observers, and both teams are headed by former President Mahama for the observation of the pre-election, the Election Day (October 10), and post-election processes.

The Head of the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission on his arrival at the Roberts International Airport will be expected to meet with the media.

NEC, UNDP Support Training of 18,000 Polling Staff Ahead of Key Elections, Source: FrontPage Africa

In partnership the National Elections Commission (NEC), the UNDP on Monday commenced the training of 18,000 poll workers in advance of the 10 October presidential and legislative elections. The training will conclude on Friday, 6 October. The poll workers are receiving this crucial training before they are deployed to the over 5,390 polling places in 2,080 electoral precincts countrywide to ensure smooth management of the voting process.

The training focuses on, among other things, polling place set-up, step-by-step voting procedures and general polling station standards.

NEC Approves ANC in Dispute with UP over October 7 Rally Date, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

The chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr. Jerome Korkoya has advised the ruling Unity Party (UP), which has planned to conclude its campaign rallies on the 7th of October, to look at other options as the Alternative National Congress (ANC) is the party scheduled by the NEC to hold a grand rally on that date. “In the interest of public safety, the NEC has informed the UP that it should look at other options for holding its rally,” he said, noting that, “the Commission has written a letter to the UP asking them to reconsider their decision and we are certain that they will do the right thing in the interest of peace.”

Speaking at the NEC regular press briefing Wednesday, Cllr. Korkoya said the official campaign period ends on Sunday, October 8, at 11:59 p.m. and, going forward, including Tuesday, October 10, no campaign will be allowed anywhere in the 43,000 square miles of the country. “Section 5.1b of the Regulations and Guidelines relating to political parties and independent candidates advises that all political campaigns end midnight on Sunday, 8 October 2017,” he noted.

MOVEE Unveils Platform, Sources: Daily OBSERVER and FrontPage Africa

The presidential candidate of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Dr. J. Mills Jones, has unveiled the party’s blueprint, saying the economy under his government will be the wellspring for other improvements, including, but not limited to the provision of better social services and improved economic infrastructure.

Addressing journalists Wednesday at his Congo Town office, the party’s national chairman, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, who unveiled the platform, said the party’s contract with the Liberian people is categorized under three pillars: Economic Transformation and Infrastructural Development; Empowerment of Liberians; and Job Creation.

“Our platform is based on these general principles that form the heart and soul of MOVEE. The party represents the wind of change, putting forth new faces with new ideas and a track record of patriotic performance that continues to positively impact the lives of the Liberian people,” Mr. Kemayah said.

He continued: “October 10 presents an opportunity for a meaningful change – an opportunity for Liberia’s Poverty Doctor, Dr. Joseph Mills Jones; Father of the Zogos, Rev. Dr. Samuel B. Reeves, Jr.; and MOVEE to give Liberia back to the Liberian people.”

ANC Condemns Alleged Intimidation by Ruling Unity Party, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Alternative National Congress (ANC) has called for the immediate reinstatement of the acting chairman of the Council of Chiefs and Elders, Nelson Neal, who was recently dismissed for allegedly partaking in a gathering of 38 chiefs from Nimba County to participate in its political activities in Maryland County.

The ANC wants the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the government to honor the rights of all Liberians to freely associate during this historic electoral process, as outlined and protected by the Liberian Constitution.

The ANC accused the ruling Unity Party (UP) of suppressing Liberians’ democratic rights and using its power of incumbency to stop citizens from freely associating with the political parties of their choice.

Last Day to Enter Liberia by Air before Elections is Oct. 8, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The Daily Observer  reports that for those planning a last-ditch effort to travel to the Liberia before the October 10 presidential and legislative elections, Sunday, 8 October is the last day to enter the country via air, as the Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Margibi County will be out of service all day Monday, 9 October.

According to a press release, the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) is informing the traveling public and airport users that it is resuming the second and final phase of the airport’s rehabilitation of runway 04-22 that involves the second layer of asphalt pavement and installation of new Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) systems.

Charles Brusmkine’s Wife Promises Better Liberia Under Husband’s Leadership, Source: FrontPage Africa

The wife of the opposition Liberty Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, Estelle Brumskine has admonished Liberians to vote for the party in the upcoming 10 October presidential election for the betterment of the country. Mrs. Brumskine made the statement on Wednesday when she appeared on a local radio station in Paynesville.

She said the LP is an integrity oriented party that will give Liberians a better Liberia they deserve; emphasizing that Cllr. Charles Brumskine cares for every single Liberian. “I know the kind of person my husband is. I know that he cares about every Liberian and whatever position he is in he will serve to the best of his ability,” she said.

“Ellen Is Not A Terrorist” …NEC Justifies Meeting President, Source: The NEWS

The chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr. Jerome Korkoya has justified a ‘secret’ meeting commissioners and magistrates of the electoral body had with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at her Congo Town residence. Cllr. Korkoya said the commission can’t avoid President Sirleaf because she is the head of the government of which the commission is a part.

According to him, the president has been helpful in ensuring that the NEC gets the necessary support including a recent donation of assorted equipment from South Africa for the conduct of the 2017 elections.

Korkoya, who made the remarks at the commission’s regular press conference on Wednesday, said if the NEC had a similar opportunity, it will meet with the president again.

Liberian Senate Amends Rape Law - Makes It Bailable Offense, Source: FrontPage Africa

The Senate has voted in favor of a report to amend the rape law, making rape a bailable crime. The rape law has been a controversial piece of legal instrument that has landed several men behind bars, some for years in pre-trial detention.

The lawmakers present in Wednesday’s session were Senators Dallas Gueh, Albert Chie, J. Milton Teahjay, Thomas Grupee, Morris Saytumah, Varney Sherman, Peter Coleman, and Johnathan Kaipay. Of the eight senators, Kaipay of Grand Bassa County voted against the report to amend the law while Coleman filed a motion for reconsideration.

“Old Car Not Roadworthy” …..Education Minister Responds To Boakai’s Debate Comments, Source: The NEWS

An apparent reference to comments made by Vice President Joseph Boakai at the first presidential debate in August that a racing car was parked in the garage, the education minister has responded and said the race car was not road worthy.

It can be recalled that the Unity Party presidential candidate told the audience at the debate that he could not function as vice president because he had limitations; adding “you will not know the speed of a racing car when it is parked in a garage.”

However, on Wednesday, Minister George Werner responded on his official Facebook page in this manner: “What race car? No sensible person parks a race car that long. It was probably not roadworthy, or it was too old to maintain. Get the director of transport to send it to GSA for retirement. Bad analogy!”

Representative Saah Joseph Admits to Abandoning Six-year-old Child, Source: FrontPage Africa

Montserrado County Representative Saah Joseph has admitted to an allegation of persistent non-support complaint filed with Monrovia City Court. His admission follows a writ of arrest issued on him by the court. Representative Joseph made the confession Wednesday through his lawyer, Blama Varmah at the court.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON LIBERIA

At 'Jungle Jabbah' trial, women describe harrowing life in war-torn Liberia, Source: The Inquirer

Federal prosecutors say that Mohammed Jabateh of Delaware County committed murder, rape, and cannibalism under the nickname “Jungle Jabbah” during Liberia’s first civil war. He denies the charges but does not dispute that this 1993 photo — a faded image of a gaunt young man with an automatic rifle slung over his shoulder — is him.

They marched their civilian prisoners at gunpoint, through bushland and surrounding villages, to Bopolu, a city deep in Liberia’s northwestern mining country. They separated the group by gender — shaving the heads of the men with jagged shards of bottle glass, parceling off the women as sex slaves for guerrilla commanders. And when, during that sorting, the rebel captors suspected they had located a rival faction’s spy, they killed him, cut out his heart, and took turns eating its pieces.

All the while, said the woman who recounted those scenes Wednesday in a Philadelphia federal courtroom, the rebels’ general — a gaunt, dreadlocked fighter named “Jungle Jabbah” — was egging his soldiers on.

Disclaimer
 

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIL on the understanding that the choice of articles included is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIL.

 

 

 

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