Liberia: We Are Guardedly Optimistic

editorial

LIBERIA HAS BEEN asking the United Nations to lift sanctions against her since the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf government came to power. The Taylor and Bryant administrations before hers tried but in vain. There were good reasons for Liberians to expect an almost immediate lifting of the sanctions after the inauguration of Mrs. Sirleaf as President. After all it was President Charles Taylor who had attracted the sanctions, which the succeeding interim government of Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant helped to keep in place through perceived corruption and ineptitude.

SINCE THEN, DISCUSSION of Liberia has been dominated by the country's wealth in natural riches such as rubber, gold, diamonds, timber, etc. which the country was eager to exploit if the sanctions were lifted. And with refugees heading back home as a direct result of a peace agreement on the promise of stability and security, Liberians were understandably anxious to get started. That was nearly three years ago.

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