EMMANUEL WETTEE AND HIS (LIBERIAN) GANG OF US CITIZENS NOW IN-COUNTRY (LIBERIA) CAMPAIGNING IN SUPPORT OF GROSSLY ILLEGAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM

Their rallying-cry is “natural-born Liberian” and the notion of “once a Liberian, always a Liberian”, made popular by the ULAA Guru for Dual Citizenship in Liberia, Mr. Emmanuel Wettee, says and preaches that “Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic Speech, ‘I Have a Dream’, is equivalent toOnce-a-Liberian, Always-a-Liberian”.

But that statement is a historical fallacy and the notion of Once-a-Liberian, Always-a-Liberianis a planned, calculatedlie.

What, indeed, are the facts and law? Firstly, the Liberian, online National Journal(Liberian National Journal, August 28, 2013)reportedthe idea of “once a Liberian, always a Liberian”. Later, the Honorable Cllr. Varney Sherman, in his 2013 Independence Day Oration delivered as Chairman of the-then Ruling Unity Political Partydeclaredthat“once a Liberian, always a Liberian” and turned it into the Rallying Cry of the Unity Party, US-based Diaspora former citizens of Liberia now naturalized citizens of the United States and other foreign countries, pushing for dual citizenship or dual nationality in Liberia. But that claim cannot, will not survive serious public policy, legal challenge not only thatthe argument is deeply untrue and illegal, but also that dual citizenship lacks the crucial, critical requirements of allegiance, loyalty and patriotism, with citizenship of a single country at a given point in time;

Secondly, the proponents of dual citizenship argument have been unable to vacate the all-time, validated truth that no servant can serve two masters at the same time; and thenatural law of Physics thatno object can occupy two spaces at the same time; and

Thirdly that only conditions and things such as one’s tribe and skin color may or can be described as “always”, because once a Gbandi person, will always be a Gbandi person;once a black person, will always be a black person;and once a white person, will always be a white person. Thus,anything that is inherent in a person that is God’s creation (naturally-endowed) that the human being lacks the ability to control or change can be properly described as “always”.

Citizenship may not or can never be “always”, because it is imposed by law (the Social Contractby the Social State). The term “Liberian” is a descriptive, legal term which states that as long as oneabides by such law, then one will “always” be a Liberian. Therefore, we hod that “Once-a-Liberian citizen is NOT always-a-Liberian citizen; here are the basic, truthful reasons and the Law in support:

1. Citizen/Citizenship is a socio-political concept recognized, granted and adopted by both national and international law made by humankind in society (the Social state and Contract), an agreement with “terms & conditions” that define mutually-binding rights, obligations and responsibilities of theindividual or citizento the state and of the state to the individual or citizen;
2. The terms “Liberian”&“Citizen/Citizenship”are designations/descriptivist that define and grant to individuals by humankind in society; therefore, these designations/descriptivist’s may be rejected, withdrawn or held in perpetuity depending upon the holder’s obedience to or disobedience of the mutually-binding rules & regulations or “terms & conditions;
3. Thus, birth in Liberia or on Liberian soil(Jus Soli,right of the soil); butone may be born in country A and be naturalized citizen of country B;
4. Similarly,Liberian blood (Jus Sanguinis, right of Liberian blood or ancestry);again, one whose parents are or were citizens of country C at birth and, therefore, citizen of country C, but may be naturalized citizen of country D; and
5. Therefore, this notion of “once a Liberian always a Liberian” equates, unreasonably and wrongfully, Birth Rights (natural rights) to Citizenship Rights (a conditionality) given by the Social State, the political community, or confuses legitimate application of these important Rights;
6. Moreover, we repeat and emphasize that the “crucial, critical nature and requirements of citizenship” are exclusive allegiance,loyalty and nationalism or Patriotism and that The Liberian Constitution and Elections laws forbid naturalized foreign citizenships simultaneously-held or Dual citizenship, while citizen of Liberia.

No doubt, we are sure, that Writer-Publisher Nyonseor is aware of the proper, legal and social applications of these Rights.

ULAA Imminent Person, Writer, Historian, Publisher (The Perspective, an online news magazine of Atlanta, GA., USA) and long-time political activist, Elder Nyonseor, Sr. writes“We refuse to accept second-class Citizenship in the Country of Our Birth. I disagreed with the limitation placed on Diaspora Dual Citizens proposal submitted bySenator Varney G. Sherman; especially,for excluding dual citizens from holding the positions and office of the President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Speaker, Senate Pro tempore, Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance & Development Panning, among others”.

“Liberian Citizenship is our birthrights; therefore, the Liberian Legislature cannot deny us these rights because they feared us. We were born Liberians, therefore, we are prepared to see to its restoration”(The Perspective, December 15, 2019).

The proposed December 8, 2020 Referendum includes that prohibition (New Dawn Liberia, December 2, 2020).

Importantly, a prominent, powerful but controversial Senator, very close political ally of the CDC hierarchy, “predicts that the CDC will rig the 2020 senatorial elections as well as the 2023 presidential and general elections and that “there will be chaos”. This then, is the prevailing state of Liberian Politics (Front Slider News, November 6, 2019).

Marcus Sherman, United Liberian Association of Ghana (ULAG)
Emmanuel Wettee, All Liberian Conference on Dual Citizenship in Liberia (ALCDC)