Teahjay, Zarzar roll tribal sleeves

Two Lawmakers of Sinoe County are currently in verbal confrontation over claims that one is plotting to “sow seed of discord” in pressurizing the government to partition Sinoe into two separate counties, through endless tribal disputes rocking the southeastern County.

Appearing on state radio ELBC Monday morning, August 17, Sinoe County Senator Milton Teahjay claimed Rep. Matthew Zarzar believes that by raising tribal issues, the government would partition Sinoe to create a tribal county called “Sarpo County” to separate the rest of the tribes from the Kru and “Americo-Liberians.”

“… No, we’ve been doing that, but the hypocrisy that characterizes Honorable Zarzar’s behavior is what is hurting the reconciliation process. He and you will talk something today, having an understanding; before you look he’s on tribal field,” Senator Teahjayalleged.

But in a follow-up yesterday, Rep. Zarzar told The NewDawn via mobile phone that the truth about it was that there was no crime if anybody wanted to have a county, even though he challenged that Senator Teahjay had no evidence to show hewas advocating for a new county to be created.

Senator Teahjay contendedthat the people of Sinoeare determined to remain unified.  “If anyone thinks that they can create a tribal county, it is Rep. Zarzar’s objective; so you have an honorable man who is pursuing irredentism – that is somebody who is pursuing a claim of territory based on a particular disposition,” he said explained.

Senator Teahjay- a former Superintendent of Sinoe, wondered how Rep. Zarzar will achieve the creation of a tribal county because during the December 2014 Senatorial election, Sarpo, Kru, Americo-Liberians, Fulanis, Mandingos, Grebo, and Jlilipo people voted him to the Senate.

According to him, as long as he and other Sinoe County lawmakers, including Nagbe, Jefferson S. Karmoh, Jeremiah W.N. McCaulay and Nyenswah sit at the Legislature, Rep Zarzar will have a long time fighting a battle that he will never win.

“Now, that is a ridiculous calculation politically because why will a man in the Legislature believe that by sowing seeds of discord that a county would be partitioned so that he will have a tribal county,” Teahjay asked.

During his tenure as Superintendent and up to date, the outspoken senator claimed he made sure that developmentsfor Sinoe were across the board, boasting to have built the “only modern” Superintendent Residence in Juazhon Statutory District from where,according to him, Rep. Zarzar hails from.

Though Rep. Zarzardismissed claim that he’s opting for a tribal county from Sinoe, he, however, argued that Liberia has Bassa and Grand KruCounties, therefore, it is not a crime to have a Sarpo County as well. He, instead, accused Teahjayof being responsible for Sinoe’s tribal divide, further alleging that the former Superintendent “committed crime,” by “stealing from the county”.

According to him, the issue of county development fundshas nothing to do with tribe, adding that the money former Superintendent Teahjay- now Senator,allegedly took was not for the Sarpo people alone, but Sinoe County as whole. By Winston W. Parley