Ellen, others to appeal mass U.S deportation

President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf says countries including Liberia that are affected by a U.S. mass deportation of foreign nationals are all working together collectively through their leaderships in their representations in New York and in Washington and many other places to see if they can make an appeal.

“We’re all working together in a collective way – the countries that are affected – through our leaderships, in their representations in New York and in Washington and in other places to see if they can make an appeal”, Mrs. Sirleaf told journalists Tuesday, 23 May at the Roberts International Airport upon return from the U.S.

Mrs. Sirleaf says the issue of deportation is not just Liberians, but there are so many others from different countries in Africa and Asia that are being deported by the new administration of President Donald Trump.

“I think it’s a new administration in the U.S., and that new administration has its own policies, its own practices. We got to just keep working at it, trying to convince them why. But at the end of the day, this is the home for Liberians”, she adds.

She argues that Liberians cannot reject their homes, suggesting that at some point they got to accept the fact that they got to come home on grounds that only Liberians can build Liberia.

Earlier speaking on the pending ECOWAS Summit to be hosted here in Liberia this week, Mrs. Sirleaf said it is a great victory for Liberia to host ECOWAS meeting here after some 40 years.

She has suggested that it attests to the strength of the Liberian people to have overcome difficulties and remaining steadfast and resilient to regain their rightful role in the international community.

Mrs. Sirleaf says it also attests to the leadership of Liberia, inclusive of all those who work with her to make this happen.“So I think Liberia should be overjoyed and I hope that we will give a rousing welcome you know, to all of those who will be coming from our sister countries to participate in this ECOWAS Summit”, Mrs. Sirleaf says.

Mrs. Sirleaf has said Liberia is prepared to host guests coming for the ECOWAS Summit, though she makes it clear that “we” may not be as elaborate as may be other countries on grounds that Liberia is a small country.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here, Liberia will host four mid-year statutory meetings of ECOWAS beginning Thursday, 25 May and expected to be climaxed by the 51st Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Sunday, 4 June.
The Ministry says the first in the series of statutory meetings takes place at the Monrovia City Hall in Monrovia from Thursday, 25 May to Sunday, 28 May. Approximately 200 participants are expected to attend the four-day meeting.

The second statutory meeting takes place at the Farmington Hotel in Robertsfield from Monday, 29 May to Tuesday, 30 May. The third statutory meeting, the Mediation and Security Council Committee also takes place at the Farmington Hotel on Wednesday, 31 May. It proceeds with the 51st Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government that takes place at the Farmington Hotel from Thursday, 1 June to Friday, 2 June.

By Winston W. Parley