Weah opposes racist law

Liberia’s President George Manneh Weah says the threats and conditions that led the framers of the country’s Constitution to limit citizenship and property ownership only to blacks no longer exist, proposing that appropriate measures be taken to remove the restrictions and grant citizenship to all races.

“However, here in the 21st century, I am of the view that these threats no longer exist, and that these conditions have changed. In these circumstances it is my view that keeping such a clause in our Constitution is unnecessary, racist, and inappropriate for the place that Liberia occupies today in the comity of nation,” Weah said in his first State of the Nation Address on Capitol Hill Monday January 29.

Mr. Weah believes that the restrictions on citizenship and property ownership are are serious impediment to the development and progress of the country.

There were hands of applauds in the audience, though, but that did not rule out the fact that many Liberians have over time stood against allowing non – negro residents to take citizenship or to own properties here.

Many believe that giving the rights to non-negro residents to become citizens and own properties here will deny many poor Liberians the right to land ownership. But there are others like the president who believe that with the right policy in place such as giving the non-Negros a minute percentage of ownership in urban cities and higher percentages in rural areas can spur development.

Weah immediate predecessor, former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf who graced the State of the Nation Address on Monday also had objections against some of the restrictions while she was still in office, but there may not have been any smooth landing ground to win the hearts of the citizenry on the subject.

Mr. Weah acknowledged that the framers of the 1847 Constitution may have had every reason and justification to include these restrictions in that historic document, but he argues that they were freed slaves fleeing from the yoke of slavery imposed upon them by their white owners and therefore wanted Liberia to be a refuge for free men of color.

Given the situation then, Mr. Weah says the framers of the Constitution restricted citizenship only to black people, adding that this may have been appropriate for the 19th century and for the threats and conditions that existed at that time.

He says such restriction contradicts the definition of Liberia which is derived from the Latin word Liber, meaning liberty. He insists that Liberia should have nothing to fear from people of any other race becoming citizen here once they conform to the requirement of the country’s immigration and naturalization laws.

He suggests that appropriate amendment be made to address the situation, consistently arguing that “in fact we have everything to gain” because if “we” look in the region, especially neighboring countries like Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana, it would soon be observed that permitting people of other races to become citizens has not marginalized their indigenes.

President Weah says he believes that [such restriction] should not have found its way into the 1986 Constitution, thus recommending strongly that consideration be given to removing it by appropriate measures provided for in the laws here for amending the Constitution Chapter 12.

He also raises concern on dual citizenship, saying he believes that most Liberians who are also citizens of other countries probably acquired additional nationality as a means to escape terrible atrocities, which characterized the civil conflict here and for economic survival in their new countries of residence.

He says if condition now exists in Liberia that wants to make them to return home and contribute to the development of the country, then he does not think that it is fair to treat them as non – citizens in their own land of birth.

“We need them and so long as they were born in this country, they were Liberians first and I believe that they should be welcomed back home with opened arms. Whether or not they are required to renounce their adapted nationality should be the matter of their conscience and the laws which govern their naturalization in their respective domicile,” he proposes.

He also opposes the restriction of land ownership only to Liberian citizens as another provision in the Constitution (Article 22a ) that stands to impede the country’s progress, growth and development. He argues that no foreign investor or any investor will be willing to make significant direct investment in Liberia if they cannot own property.

He says it is inconsistent with his pronouncement that Liberia is opened for business, while at the same time denying those would heed his call and come to Liberia to invest when they are prevented from owning property because of their lack of Liberian citizenship.

The former Liberian international soccer legend – turned politician also made the audience go wild when he announced with immediate effect, the reduction in his salary and benefits by 25 percent and giving the proceeds back to the Consolidated Funds for Allocation and Appropriation on the basis of the very rapidly deteriorating situation of the economy that he says requires sacrifices.

He says he believes that it is appropriate that “we” should all make sacrifices in the interest of the country, even though he acknowledges that the salaries of the President and the Vice President are established by the Legislature and cannot be increased or reduced during the period for which they are elected. He however asks officials to follow his lead in the interest of their constituents.

By Winston W. Parley