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Liberia: Death of Angel Togba, Others Questionable
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
24 January 2008
Posted to the web 24 January 2008
Jimmey C. Fahngon
The Children Parliament of Liberia says the deaths of little Angel Togba, Teenecee Doe and Alvin David last year occurred under questionable circumstances, and as such, needed serious investigation by the government.
Little Angel Togba is said to have died by allegedly hanging herself, while Teeneece Doe was allegedly murdered in New Kru Town and Alvin David, allegedly kicked to death on Newport Street on Christmas day.
Speaking Tuesday at the formal launching program of the State of the World's Children report of 2008, the Vice President of Nimba County Children's Assembly, Master Forstina Gongbah said the Children Parliament of Liberia takes the death of their colleagues seriously and demands justice from the government.
Master Gongbah said the launch of the State of the World Children Report in Liberia should begin with the protection of Liberian children and urged government to begin the process by investigating circumstances surrounding the death of their colleagues.
He said the Children Parliament believe that the report is meant to inform leaders of the world, particularly Liberia, about the conditions and situations of children under their leadership.
The Children Parliament representative said, "we know that in many of the countries of Africa where the report is being launched every year, the situation of children has not changed much; wars and other bad practices continue to suffer children to death, while in other places the country's resources are not utilized for their welfare, but instead they are pocketed by corrupt officials for the betterment of themselves."
In Liberia, he recalled that children were abused, exploited and made to suffer serious hardship due to over two decades of civil strife brought upon them by some greedy politicians and warlords.
Gongbah said with the war now over, the government should seriously bring children issues on the front-page of the national development agenda by making more money available in the budget for programs and activities concerning children such as education, health care, recreation, shelter, among others.
He intimated that child justice system must be strengthened and the children of Liberia must be protected from the ever increasing wave of violence against them especially rape, sexual exploitation, child labor and trafficking, among others.
Amidst applause, Gongbah said there must be programs to get children off the streets because so many of his colleagues were out there with no one to cater to their well-being.
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"Orphanages and adoption homes must be seriously monitored to ensure that they are not places for the abuse and exploitation of children," he added.
He, however, acknowledged that the government was trying to improve the wellbeing of children but said much needs to be done if the battle to protect children from violence must succeed.
Gongbah said as the State of the World's Children Report was being launched, the government should identify the particular problems of the children contained in the report and seek to find honest and realistic solutions to them.
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