BENONI UREY, CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

WHY SHOULD THE PEOPLE TRUST HIM &HIS ALP?: SOME THOUGHTS Mr.Benoni Urey

In the multi-political party, competitive, pluralistic, electoral system such as that with which we, Liberians, have been experimenting since the 1980 Event, candidates for elected offices are required to develop and maintain a script which defines themselves (independents) or their political organizations (political parties) first,in terms of beliefs (policy), claims to the public offices (training/experience, moral rectitude) and general“standing” in the community), that is,qualifications; and second, documented plans and programs -Political Manifesto or Platform -that describes, in detail, and makes known approaches for development/implementation and achievement of the objectives and goals described and expected by the electorate.

In the case of our country, a meaningful, realistic, patrioticcampaign platform will, should and must include such major, critical issues as the169-year old, Unitary structure of the Liberian government; decentralization of administrative, economic and political power, vested in an imperial president, rigidly centralized in and dispensed from the Republic of Monrovia and enshrined in our Constitution; dual citizenship, one of the major sources of public dishonesty (Corruption, Inc.); Article 27(b) of our Constitution which has come to be known as the “Negro Clause” and a myriad of presently-prevailing issues, including critical challenges for the future that are, unfortunately, ignored.

For example, BOKO Haran, the Muslim-Islamist“true believers”,who show no regard for human life,are on our door steps in Burkina Faso, with only La Cote d’Ivoire between Liberia and Boko Haran.Moreover, there is no difference between the current government of La Cote d’Ivoire and former government of Burkina Faso, then headed by Mr. Blaise Compoare. Now, with a warrant, reportedly, out for his arrest in Burkina Faso and, also, reportedly, by the International Court of Justice at the Hague, Mr. Blaise Compoare is, reportedly, hiding out in La Cote d’Ivoire.Additionally, since March, 2015, Ivorians and Burkinabes have invaded, illegally, Liberian territory and carrying out some activities. According to the statement by Superintendent of Grand Gedeh County at the recent Liberia/La Coted’Ivoire meeting held in Guiglo, La Cote d’Ivoire:

“In March of 2015 information reached our office through the Township Commissioner of Duogee Township that citizens had discovered Cocoa farms and settlement on the Liberian soil across the Ivorian border. An emergency county Security Council meeting was convened to further discuss the findings. After our deliberations, we constituted a fact finding team comprising of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) the UNPOL, Forestry Development Authority (FDA), National Security Agency (NSA), Liberia National Police (LNP) and Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN) to visit the troubled spot and verify this information from the Local Authorities. Thereafter, it was confirmed that there were hundreds of Ivorians and Burkinabes carrying out illegal cross border farming on the Liberian Territory precisely in B’hai and Gbao Administrative Districts, Grand Gedeh County. Just last evening, our citizens in the Gbao district encountered again confrontation with illegal Ivorian farmers”.

This brings us back to the Honorable Benoni Urey, Candidate for President of our Nation. The Press Interview The free publicity, press interview with the FrontPageAfricaprovided Candidate Urey an excellentopportunity, in our view, to rise to the call, with this crucial question:

FrontpageAfrica

“Why should the Liberian people entrust you with the presidency and why did you choose the name, All Liberian Party?”

Benoni Urey
“Because we wanted this political party to be all inclusive. You know, for too long we in Liberia, have experienced political parties only catering to one group of people. I give you an example, the True Whig partycatered to one group of people, theNDPLcatered to one group of people. So we do not even look at this political party as merely a political party; but rather we look at it as a movement, a movement that involves all Liberians. It is about time that we have an institutions for all and take our country and move it forward.It is all inclusive, whether you are Kpelle, Krahn, Mandingo, Bassa, there is a place for you in this party. Whether you are a Christian or Muslim, it is for all.”

This renewed approach is commendable, coming from Mr. Urey, Candidate for President of Liberia. However, rather than rise to the occasion by addressing the prevailing critical, issues of the day as described above, including the mysterious deaths/possible murders of politically-prominent individuals involved, allegedly, in corruption disclosures; another who was involved in the planning/implementation of the civil war that rained plunder, destruction, human suffering and death on the nation, with the loss of life of innocent, estimated 300,000 Liberians; and rather than come to terms, as candidate for the nation’s presidency, with (Dr. Fhanbulleh’s) “deceptive, dishonest, liars, ignorant” honorables and the corrupt dual citizens-political class, thieves who populate our government offices, but rather, Candidate Urey chose to level falsehoodat the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL), the person and Government of the late President Doe and the Krahn People. In fact, Mr. Urey lied by telling the Liberian people that the “NDPL catered to one group of people” without naming this group of people, but implicitly, the Krahn people, since the President is Krahn, according to Liberian “you say, I say”.

In response to this falsehood, we begin at the personal level: (1), the cook who prepared President Doe s daily food was not Krahn; (2), the doctor who was responsible for President Doe’s very health was not Krahn; and (3), the personal/private secretary who handled all of the President’s personal/private business and correspondence, the person who knew everything about Presiden Doe was not Krahn.These are provable facts.

ThePolitical Party level. The record will show that there was a rainbow or mosaic of ethnic/tribal personalities who featured prominently in the formation and management of the National Democratic Party of Liberia. In terms of political theory and management, MessrsTambakai Jangaba (peace be to his ashes), late Vai tribesman of Grand Cape Mount County and BaiGbala, Krahn tribesman of Grand Gedeh County, played a major role. In fact, the name NDPL came from our ideas and the pens. If and where my participation, as Krahn tribesman, is challenged, I am prepared, willing and able to justify my participation, not as Krahn. The Party founding national chairman, secretary-general and related management team were not Krahn; so were the second, third and final team of party mangers. None were Krahn citizens. President Doe’s chosen Vice Presidential Running Mate was not Krahn citizen.

The Level of Government

The first cabinet of military government of the PRC, with Samuel Kanyon Doe as Cheairman, as well as the civilian government of President Doe were dominated by non-Krahn citizens. The Elections Commission, Constitution Commission and the Supreme Court were dominated by non-Krahn citizens. After the coup d’etat, several leading, Liberian citizens of African-American origin fled the country. President Doe announced on national radio & television and asked these citizens to return. Some did and were re-appointed to their former positions. These are facts that can be demonstrated.

The Benefits of the historic change of the 1980 Event – socio-economic and political emancipation– a factwhich drove the underlying policy foundation of the NDPL–have accrued, will continue to accrue, not only to thepoor, uneducated, disadvantaged, rural citizens, the overwhelming majority of the nation’s population, but also aspolitical redemption of our former ruling class, citizens ofAfrican-American origin,from the shackles of totalitarianism, including political emancipation/redemption of these citizens, also, of the African-American origin, butsimilarly poor, uneducated, disadvantaged and unrepresented.

Due to thehistoric change, the unwritten but duly practiced policy of ethnic/tribal, gender, etc., exclusionhas been abolished by the Doe Government, such that today, ethnic/tribal, gender, etc., inclusion or diversity has become a national policy, based on merit. Indeed, it has been and being argued, reasonably, that almost all of our social, economic and political ills of the past, including the devastating, civil war, and the current, “failed-state” designation of our country are traceable to the past, irrational policy of ethnic/tribal, gender, etc., exclusion.

Also, because of and due to this change:
The rights of freedom of movement, association and independent, aggressive, free, fair and impartial newspaper reporting, in the effort to inform, educate and entertain, necessary preconditions for a functioning democracy have now become the rule, rather than the exception in our country, due to the efforts encouraged by the Event.

There is, now, a marked, vibrant increase in socio-political advocacy/activism for change, reforms, transformation, particularly, protection of human rights with determination, courage and enthusiasm, planted, grew from and given direction by the activities/encouragement of the Samuel Doe government/era. For example, powerful, political figures, once regarded as “untouchables”, are now subjects for serious challenges regarding dishonest and questionable, socio-political activities.

There is, also, an encouraging number of young, determined, energetic, dedicated, patriotic and idealistic Liberians who have acquired, and are acquiring, the necessary education, training and experience in preparation to challenge the remaining elements or vestiges of the old order and seek to perfect and transform our young, democratic process.

In fact, the problem of corruption and denial of civil/political liberties, an entrenched vice and a profound, political tyranny that plagued our nation and people with impunity for more than a century, were brought out in the open and gained national consciousness and anger as “rampant corruption”and“Abuse of Political Power”by the 1980 Event, such that it gave rise to the formation and establishment of political activism, human right organizations and civil rights attorneys and counselors-at-law, in Liberia.
We challenge Candidate Urey to provide detailed answers with respect to the foregoing presentations and positions.