Reed Kramer
10 March 2006
(Page 2 of 2)
Liberia Watch, a coalition of Washington-based groups with constituents across the country, was instrumental in mobilizing the grass roots movement that successfully lobbied members of Congress before the 2003 vote. In an effort to replicate that achievement, the group recently reconvened.
This week, it appealed to Congressional representatives for U.S.$100 million "to help secure the peace and support Liberian post-conflict reconstruction." The letter was circulated by Dr. Dorothy Height, president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women and a prominent civil rights campaign veteran, along with Vivian Lowery Derryck from the Academy for Educational Development. Leaders from a range of religious, civil rights and Africa-interest organizations are supporting the campaign. (3)
President Sirleaf, the Liberia Watch letter says, "is currently building the foundation for economic and political reconstruction, sustainable development, and poverty reduction, and she has initiated actions to reduce corruption by ensuring transparency in the budget process and improving the financial management of Liberia." U.S. support is urgently required to restore electricity, water and sanitation, expand educational and employment opportunities and reform the civil service, strengthen the rule of law, pay for the return of expatriate Liberians, support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and underwrite the training of new security forces and provide presidential protection, the letter says.
Among those calling on Congress to back Sirleaf's government is the president of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church, a worldwide Protestant denomination headquartered in the United States. Bishop Peter Weaver led a delegation from the 11-million member church to the inauguration of the Liberian president, who is an active United Methodist.
"This is a season of renewal for Liberia, a springtime for planting and cultivating a new future," Weaver said in an interview from his office in Boston. "We must engage Liberia as enthusiastic and generous partners, because this opportunity may not come again in the near future, and it is important not only for the people of Liberia, who deserve our support, but also for all of Africa and for the United States as well."
In an expression of continued interest in Liberia, Senator Chafee has agreed to attend a Sirleaf speech in the Rhode Island capital, Providence, to Liberians living in the United States. Another Rhode Island lawmaker, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Democrat and member of the Appropriations Committee, is also expected to take part in the 20 March session.
Rhode Island has a large Liberian population, and the state's politicians have recognized their clout. Chafee is co-sponsoring legislation introduced by Rhode Island's other Senator, Jack Reed, to provide amnesty for Liberians "who have been continuously present in the United States since January 1, 2005" and requires the U.S. government to reconsider the cases of Liberian nationals who have previously been ordered deported, removed, or excluded and allow them to apply for amnesty.
The next major test for including Liberia aid in the supplemental budget bill comes when the measure reaches the floor of the House next week. The Senate is scheduled to take up the measure after the Congressional recess later this month. Derryck says the Liberia Watch coalition is urging voters who support Liberian aid to express their views to their Congressional representatives, particularly those who sit on the Appropriations Committees of each house.
Among the Senators who may push for Liberia's inclusion are two members of Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Mike DeWine (Republican-Ohio), and Patrick Leahy Vermont), the ranking Democrat who played a key role along with Chafee in 2003.
Others considered by supporters to be sympathetic to aid for Liberia are two Democrats who serve on the Foreign Relations Committee, Joseph Biden (Delaware) and Barack Obama (Illinois).
RELATED:
Liberia's Sirleaf Seeks Civic Action, International Aid [interview]
(1) The members of the House of Representatives who signed the 7 March letter to the Foreign Operations Subcommittee include two Republican members of the International Relations Committee, Jim Leach (Iowa) and Christopher H. Smith (New Jersey), who chairs the subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations. The 12 Democratic signers include the ranking member on International Relations, Tom Lantos (California), and Congressional Black Caucus members Donald Payne (New Jersey), Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (Illinois), Diane E. Watson (California), Gregory Meeks (New York), Corrine Brown (Florida), Juanita Millender-McDonald (California), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), Bobby L. Rush (Illinois), Elijah E. Cummings (Maryland) and Caucus chair Melvin L. Watt (North Carolina), along with Patrick J. Kennedy (Rhode Island).
(2) Members of the Congressional delegation, in addition to Nancy Pelosi and James Clyburn, included Caucus chair Mel Watt, George Miller (California), Maxine Waters (California) Donald Payne (New Jersey), Barbara Lee (California) Michael Capuano (Massachusetts) Carolyn Kilpatrick (Michigan), Jan Schakowsky (Illinois) - all Democrats, and Joe Wilson, a south Carolina Republican.
(3) Among the more than 30 individuals who signed the Liberia Watch appeal to Congress were several heads of major organizations, including Bruce Gordon from the NAACP, John L. McCullough from Church World Service, Julius Coles from Africare, Marian Wright Edelman from Children's Defense Fund, Mel Foote from the Constituency for Africa, Badi Foster from the Phelps Stokes Fund, Ron Howard from Opportunities Industrialization Centers International, Nancy Lindborg from Mercy Corps, Hope Sullivan Masters from the Leon Sullivan Foundation, Gay McDougal from Global Rights, Fred Oladeinde from Foundation for Democracy in Africa, Leonard Robinson and Bernadette Paolo from the Africa Society, Shirley Smith from Sister Cities, Howard F. Jeter from Goodworks International, Deborah Harding from Liberian Education Trust and Curtina Moreland-Young from Mississippi Consortium for International Development.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2006 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
