By Mark Kannah
My fellow Liberians, while it is true that we do not want a war with our Guinean brothers and sisters or any other country, but let it also be made clear here that this doesn’t in anyway mean that our dignity and sovereignty should be trampled on.
Let’s look at few key things which led me to be saying these things.
- We don’t really know how our colonial masters came up with this their boundary demarcation but if you look at this 1907 agreement on which Guinea is basing on, you will get to see that Guinea boundary stopped right across the other side of the Makona River, not on the Land, so why are the Guinean soldiers crossing over their boundary limit into Liberia territory?
2) Liberia now holds a too position as a Non permanent member on the United Nations Security Council. They may not have a single power but a collective power of the other 9 members to over turn decisions made by the 5 permanent members, this in itself is a position that is suppose to be respected by any other African country. Why should Liberia be grossly disrespected by Guinea with this great position that Liberia is holding, even if Liberia made some errors?
3) We understand that our Military strength is below that of Guinea in terms of numbers, but that did not stop Liberia from sending at least few soldiers there to make the Guineans to know that we have our sovereignty and dignity to protect too. Since the Guineans be crossing our border, only community youths, LIS, and LNP. How will they not raise shoulders and grow more confidence over us? Guinea is 100% aware of what Liberia is capable of when it comes to gorilla warfare, but our government reactions really portrayed some level of weakness that make the Guineans acting like this today.
- I know that some are whispering that our big brother the USA will step in when things start to go out of hands. Don’t depend on that now as America is busily solving the problems they started with Iran. In fact, they are not people that we can put our trust in when it comes to the protection of our dignity and sovereignty, if so, looking at our closeness and similarities we share for over 150 years, we would have been one of the beautiful and greatest country in Africa, but that a topic for another day.
5) Some of us are now afraid of what may happen next after watching how Guinea is deliberately challenging Liberia to enter a crisis with them. They now have the confidence for which they are gradually moving inland inch by inch, far from where the designated border line is. Who knows who could come next to claim piece of Liberia again?!
6) While the Information minister is giving concern and patriotic citizens cheek, he could be praising the citizens for their level of patriotism to see our dignity and sovereignty respected, some who even started to almost go into readiness to give their lives by defying or challenging the Guinean soldiers to take the flag down and rehoist Liberia’s flag. If you claim to be a responsible government, let that attribute reflects in your every deed to your citizens who you were elected or employed to serve, not to cheek them up.
7) Finally, let those in government positions not see the cries of citizens as that of oppositions. Liberia belongs to all of us. Let the government man up and demonstrate that they too have balls. You can be the best peaceful person or the most diplomatic person in solving issues, but this in no way means that you should not only swallow your pride or bury it.
One people, one country and with the aspect of unity and the help of God, we will overcome.— with Johnson B. Natt and
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