Monday, 12 March 2018

LIBERIA MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

UN Expert Urges Government Commitment to Free Media, Source: Daily OBSERVER

A visiting UN official says Liberia has made meaningful progress in the areas of freedom of expression, media independence, and government transparency, but the country needs to lock in and expand the gains made in the years since the cessation of hostilities over 15 years ago. The UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye said this expansion is incumbent upon measures that the new government needs to institute—some of which have no monetary attachment but political will by the country’s top leadership.

Among the many issues highlighted by Mr. Kaye include the defamation law and indebtedness of government to media houses, which tends to strangulate their operations. “Liberia needs a vibrant and sustainable media but these are not possible in the midst of some challenges such as laws that criminalize the work of journalists and the lack of funding for journalists to carry out their activities and also live better lives,” the UN special rapporteur said at a press conference in Monrovia over the weekend. Read more

High-Level Roundtable on Liberian War Crimes Court Held in the U.S., Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa reports that leading Liberian justice activists met with international experts on war crimes trials in San Francisco on Friday to discuss ways to push for a war crimes trial in Liberia. Former commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Massa Washington, Hassan Bility of the Global Justice Research Project (GJRP), and former government minister Kofi Woods, lawyer and human rights activist, met with Ambassador Stephen Rapp, special prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) and Ambassador David Scheffer, UN Secretary-General’s special expert on UN Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials and US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues along with representatives from Civitas Maxima, Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and others.

Also present were LC Wright and Nelson Thayer, the US assistant district attorneys who successfully prosecuted last year’s case against Mohamed Jabbateh for immigration fraud related to war crimes committed during Liberia’s first civil war. Prosecutors Wright and Thayer are also prosecuting the case against Thomas Woewiyu, former defense minister in the Charles Taylor administration, which will begin in Philadelphia in June.

The session was closed to the media, but after the meeting participants were enthusiastic about the gathering and the support shown by the international community for a court in Liberia. “It’s a good sign that Liberia is back on the agenda of the international human rights community,” said Mr. Woods. Read more

President Weah Appeals to Nigerian Banks in Liberia Not to Shut Down, Source: Daily OBSERVER

President George Weah has appealed to Nigerian banks not to shut down operations in the country due to the dire economic crisis being faced by his administration. Addressing journalists at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during his recent state visit to Nigeria, President Weah explained that he had been informed that authorities of several Nigerian banks operating in Liberia have a plan to shut down operations or reduce staff. But the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) through its communications director, Cyrus Badio, could not confirm that Nigerian-owned banks are planning to shut down or reduce their staffs because of the current economic difficulties in the country, as claimed by President Weah. Read more

U.S. Embassy Mum over Reported Visa Denial of Vice President Taylor, Sources: FrontPage Africa, GNN Liberia, and The New Dawn

The US Embassy in Monrovia has declined to address numerous inquiries regarding speculations that Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor was denied visa to travel to the U.S. FrontPage Africa and other media institutions recently made inquiries to the U.S. mission in Monrovia, but has been informed that privacy laws restrict the embassy from discussing status of applicants for visas.

“Following inquiries from some media institutions about a U.S. Visa issue concerning Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, herein is the response of the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. U.S. privacy laws prohibit us from discussing any person’s visa application status, immigration status, or citizenship status with anyone other than the person in question,” the embassy’s information assistant, Robert Clarke said.

The vice president was reportedly looking to attend the sixty-second session of the Commission of Women scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York from 12 – 23 March 2018.  Read more

Former Liberian President Says Lack of Funding Hampered Delivery of Electricity and Water, Source: FrontPage Africa

Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed regrets at not being able to build more vocational schools and complete the restoration of water and electricity throughout the country, which she attributed to lack of funding. Speaking last Tuesday at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in the United States, Sirleaf said her only regrets will be “Not Building More Vocational Schools” and putting more emphasis on education to meet the challenges of our educational system. Vocational educational could have addressed the urgent needs of post-war conflict among some of the Liberian students who lack the basic skills to succeed in the educational system due to the impact of the war. Read more

Liberia, China Sign Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Aid-Rice Grant, Sources: FrontPage Africa, News Public Trust, and The New Dawn

Liberia and China Friday signed an Emergency Humanitarian Food Assistance grant to Liberia directed at consolidating and strengthening the existing bilateral cooperation between the two countries. According to a Foreign Ministry release, the signing of the Certificate of Handover and Acceptance Note for the China-aid grant under which China donated 50 containers of 1,243 metric tons of rice, took place in the Foreign Ministry. Acting foreign minister B. Elias Shoniyin signed on behalf of Liberia while Chinese Ambassador Fu Jijun signed for his government. The donation was made possible following a request from the Liberia government. Read more

Gender Minister Pledges Commitment to Social Protection Agenda, Source: FrontPage Africa

Liberia’s gender minister Williametta Saydee Tarr has pledged government’s commitment to fully implement the National Social Protection Strategy and Policy. The policy crafted under the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration is intended to address the needs of those that are extremely poor and vulnerable to economic shocks including orphans, persons with disabilities and persons living with HIV (PLWH). Speaking at the opening of a one-day HIV and Social Protection Planning workshop in Monrovia on Friday, Mrs. Tarr noted that Liberia cannot realize its transformation and pro-poor agenda without scaling up its social protection strategies that restore dignity and foster social inclusion. Read more

New Police Chief Calls on Public to Report Corrupt Police Officer, Source: FrontPage Africa

Liberia’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Patrick Sudue says the new administration of the police will not condone any act of corruption by any officer when he addressed the first press briefing of the Coalition for Democratic Change-led government at the Information Ministry Thursday.

Giving his first 100 days work plan, IGP Sudue called on the public to report any act of corruption exhibited by any member of the police. “If we will not eradicate corruption in totality, we intent to reduce corruption in the Liberian National Police. I am calling on the public to please assist the Police with their gadgets to recall any act of corruption that will be demonstrated by officers that are on their beats…,” the IGP said.  Read more

Muslim Cleric Fear Mau-Mau Replica if Liberia Grants Non-Negro Citizenship, Sources: FrontPage Africa and The NEWS

The head of the National Imam Council of Liberia (NICL), Ali Krayee says granting citizenship to people of non-negro descent will create a new class system in Liberia, where people who are far more advanced intellectually and economically will eventually take over the main cities and towns while the poorly-prepared indigenous retreat to the slums. Speaking at program marking the celebration of the 23rd anniversary and 4th Annual Assembly of the (NICL), Krayee described as a time bomb, the proposal to grant Liberian citizenship to people of non-negro descent. The Muslim cleric said the future of children unborn may transform to the formation of Liberia’s version of the Mau-Mau in a repeat of the Continent’s ugly history. Read more

Holding CDC Government Feet To Fire: LMC Begins Tracking 150-Days Deliverables, Source: News Public Trust

The Liberia Media Center (LMC), a subsidiary of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) says as part of its Democratic Governance Project, it will this month begin immediate tracking of the “150 Day Deliverables of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government.” The 150 days deliverables are an integral part of the government of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda. The LMC in a release issued Sunday quotes its executive director, S. Kpanbayeazee Duworko, as saying the purpose of the tracking of deliverables is to ensure that the CDC government fulfills its promises to Liberians. The exercise will be carried out in the 15 counties. Read more

YAI, Waves4Water to Repair Broken Hand-pumps Nationwide, Source: Daily OBSERVER

The executive director of Youth Action International (YAI), Dr. Kimmie Weeks, has announced that his organization in partnership with the US-based NGO Waves4Water will begin to repair broken hand pumps across the country this year. Dr. Weeks made the statement over the weekend at the organization’s head office in Duport Road, Paynesville outside Monrovia.  Weeks disclosed that Waves4Water is YAI’s long-standing partner for water and that both organizations have been involved in the distribution of portable water filters for about five years now. “Over the years, we have given hundreds of portable water filters to rural communities in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have benefited thousands of families and given them access to safe and clean drinking water,” the YAI executive director said. Read more

‘I Want to Empower the Youth,’ but…., Source: Daily OBSERVER

One of Liberia’s most influential athletes based in the United States, Bill Rogers, has called on the national government to give him the support needed to improve the lives of young people through sports. Mr. Rogers, who is also the CEO of the Bill Rogers Youth Foundation, said he needs the support of President George Weah because he wants to help young people who are roaming the streets and doing nothing to improve themselves. He said it’s no secret that sports have a tremendous effect on our lives. From the spectator to the athlete, sports can become more than an entertainment or exercise. Read more

Boulevard Palace CEO Calls on Weah Administration to be Business Friendly, Source: Daily OBSERVER

Boulevard Palace Hotel CEO, Samer Halabi, has called on President George Weah to be business-friendly and continue to provide the necessary support to the business community that will encourage more investors. “We supported the previous government as they supported us, we will continue to do the same to the Weah led government. We stand by him for his plan to change Liberia for the good of everyone,” Mr. Halabi said. The Boulevard Palace Hotel CEO also wants the government to reduce the price of electricity, improve the road from the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and provide security, among others, which, he said, all business people will benefit from. He made the remarks over the weekend when encountered the media. The businessman underlined that the provision of these things will help them convince other investors to come to Liberia. Read more

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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