Edwood Dennis
7 August 2008
A member of the near-defunct Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) and one of the frontrunners for social transformation and democratic pluralism advocacy in Liberia since the early 1970s, Dr. Henry Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr. has ruled out any show of commiseration for his role in Liberia's troubled, noting that he has no apology to make to the people of Liberia.
Addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Thematic Public Hearings yesterday at the Centennial Pavilion in Monrovia, the former University of Liberia political science professor said he along with the late G. Baccus Mathews, Dr. Amos Sawyer and other Liberian youthful politicians at the time stood for a cause that intended to help change the political landscape during the hundred plus years rule of the "oligarchy administration" of the True Whig Party (TWP).
Dr. Fahnbulleh, frankly told TRC commissioners that there was no way that he would express regret, or apologizes for providing useful education that enlightened the minds of his countrymen.
At the time of his intervention, he said, many Liberians were facing extreme economic hardship, political repression, and injustice under the undemocratic system of the TWP.
He said the situation in the country was such that Liberians were locked in a lasting position of poverty and diseases, forced to live in ghettos and slum communities such as West Point, New Kru Town, Clara Town, Slipway and others unpleasant areas in the city.
He said that the Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) of which he was an executive was engaged with poor Liberian children at the classroom levels, providing them the interpretation of the constitutional rights and responsibility to make an informed decision in approaching the realities of the days under the TWP government.
Hailing the late G. Baccus Matthews as a political tactician, Dr. Fahnbulleh said the Matthews-led Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL) which attracted several to the struggle for change in Liberia took a decision and made an "awakening call" at MOJA 6th Anniversary at the Sports Commission in Monrovia in 1979 that PAL was planning to engage the William R. Tolbert government through a peaceful demonstration to present their disagreement on the proposed increment in the price of a bag of rice.
Making clarification, Dr. Fahnbulleh said though the increase of the price of a bag of rice by the TWP government was first analyzed and condemned by Dr. Patrick Sayon, Baccus Matthews and members of PAL took advantage of the opportunity on grounds that they could use that period to provide a political cautions to ordinary Liberians who were the direct victims of the new prices.
He indicated further that MOJA officials were in close contact with their brothers in PAL, having understood the agenda of the peaceful demonstration planned for the April 14, 1979 when the army opened fire on the armless civilians who have gathered to present a protest note to the TWP government in line with the Liberian constitution.
According to DR. Fahnbulleh, by the police forces of the TWP government shooting and killing hundreds of ordinary Liberians who understood the path of constitutional engagement with the government of day was the beginning of violence which was introduced by the TWP administration.
Speaking further, the Liberian political activist said by the TWP police introducing armed violence in the Liberian society in 1979 has sent a signal to the already politically and cautiously charged Liberians who needed a redress to their problem, hardship, suffering, exploitation and political marginalization that anyone or a group of individuals could have taken advantage of the situation to have a change of the political atmosphere as was demonstrated at the TWP Buchanan conference when a group of young partisans of TWP demanded for a change and equal opportunity of party responsibility in the TWP.
He said the use of arm to resolve problem introduced by the TWP government on April 14, 1979 during rice protest rang bells on the minds of every Liberian therefore it was not surprised the TWP arm staged a coup to overthrow the Tolbert Oligarchy.
Dr. Fahnbulleh said though he was not aware of the coup it was the result of the arrogance of the TWP government which meted out hardship to the people of Liberia in more than 100 plus years.
He asserted that he and the few Liberians that were asked by the People's Redemption Council (PRC) military government, the coup makers, to serve had no idea and no contact with the coup makers but were called upon to provide political conscience to the ordinary people before the coup in 1980.
Commenting on the killing of the 13 government officials of TWP, Fahnbulleh, a Security Advisor to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said that he and other civilians serving in the PRC regime at the time were not aware of any meeting or a decision to kill the 13 men but clearly stated the once the killing took place and they as politicians and civilians in that government did not resign though it was difficult to do said they indirectly endorsed the killings.
At the same time, Dr. Fahnbulleh in order to correct the mistakes of the past that engendered the violent conflict, every Liberian must be given the chance to have a say in the decision making of the state.
By this, he went on, government must be decentralized and that each county should have its own assembly as a way of engendering a "populist and pluralistic government. "This is the time to open up the system, where young Liberians are encouraged into going to school to contribute to the new political dispensation," he said.
He told commissioners of the TRC and the packed hall that Liberians endured eternal and external hardships at the hands of TWP oligarchy
Dr. Fahnbulleh who addressed the TRC commissioners before a jammed packed hall for over five hours noted that men and women were killed globally in revolutions and that he could neither apologize for that nor agree to the fact the MOJA and PAL were the champions of violence in the Liberian society.
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I think the Dr. did us a great favor speaking out like a man. He did not only stand up to the TWP, he also reminded us that we have a long way to go to bring our people together. I commend Dr.
Truely indeed, the comments of Dr. Fahnbulleh are sickening. The comments do not represent true peace of the TRC process and have the propensity to give free ride to those who intentionally killed our brothers, siters, mothers and fathers during the war; and have also raped our wives and sisters. One of the socking comments is "In revolution people got killed." What his he telling Prince Johnson, Kromah, and the rest of factions leaders and fighters to say at the TRC public hearing? They can also say it was revolution and they have no regret for their actions.
Let us be mindful of our comments during this process. Our comments at the TRC hearings and comments at public places have the power to turn this country around-either in a negative or positive direction. our children are hearing and watching us. No matter how much you learned, let those who are appearing at the TRc hearing, understand that whatsoever role they played from 1979 to 2003, contributed to the destruction of lives and properties in Liberia.
Folks I read this article, and I nearly threw-up. The arrogance of this man is sickening! Yet, it does not really surprise me that Mr. Fahnbulleh does not have any regrets for deceiving the young impressionable minds. Why should he apologize after benefiting from those actions? After all, he is one of those that have benefited from the overthrow of the “TWP government".
Mr. Fahnbulleh can not fool the generation(s) that know better. He is speaking of a Liberia that he created in his "over-educated" mind.
Reading this article, any intelligent person would find it amazing that Mr. Fahnbulleh ever received the education that he has now—this education that has enabled him to rise to his present prominence. Alas, what can we expect from a political science professor.
I would expect such behavior from the PRC members, but it is a shame that the MOJA and PAL members are still hanging around preaching their half-truths after amassing wealth and prominence. But that was their master plan from the get-go.
Mr. Fahnbulleh, should be saluted for a job well done: causing the displacement and death of many, and an unnecessarily and lengthy reconstruction of Liberia.
Mr. Fahnbulleh has had his revolution, now why can't he just keep a low profile. Why must he continue with the rhetoric? Now I realize that he and his ilk believe that they have the answers to Liberia's ills, but it is time to stop the hyperbole. We have heard it, but their philosophy is not factual.
As you can tell readers, I am very angry. This man is so full of himself. He is still so dangerous!!