9 November 2009
Senator John Ballout of Maryland County, who is chairing the Senate Committee on National Defense, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, has strongly condemned the brutal assassination of Mr. Keith Jubah, former head of the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC), describing it as "gruesome, barbaric and inhumane" and must be condemned by all peace-loving and well-meaning Liberians.
Senator Ballout who said late Jubah was his personal friend, referred to him as a fine son of the soil with good reputation, and good citizenship, noting that the manner in which he was killed must be fought "with all our strength and force and claim the attention of all", not only those in the security arena.
Commenting on the November 1, 2009 incident in an interview with this paper, he said those who executed the heinous crime against the state must be sought and brought to justice "so as to put to an end the cycle of useless violence."
According to the Maryland County Senator, who is fondly referred to in many quarters as Liberia's" Barack Obama," not necessary of his color but because of his stance and critical analysis of issues, the brutal nature of the incident is not only about taking away the life of Mr. Jubah, but also demonstrates the extent to which some Liberians are prepared to go to desecrate the sanity of the human being.
Even-though the assassination of the high-profiled government official in a twinkling of an eye resonates trepidations and heightens concerns about the state of security in Liberia, the Senate's National Defense, Intelligence and Veteran Affairs Committee Chairman said Liberia is doing relatively well, taking into consideration the 14 years of devastation which murders of all sorts was commonplace, where such barbarism was at the highest.
However, he said the incident in another sense means that the danger which they thought was behind them is "still with us." "So we have to be able to work together, not as government alone, not as the police alone, but as a people to confront this situation."
Senator Ballout said people's involvement in the protection of the state was necessary because "the Liberian national police or other security apparatus cannot be everywhere to see what is happening or about to happen."
Giving the gravity of the incidence, he called on the Ministry of Justice and the police to give it the outmost attention and urged the international community which is helping Liberia come out of the mess to help in bringing the perpetrators to justice, adding "I will be advocating for the highest of penalty for them if found guilty".
Ballout ruled belief in many quarters that Liberia's security is on edge as a result of the incident, saying "What we have seen today is not an everyday thing. This is so shocking to us because we thought we have put this behind us."
He said as long as there is a nation and a people, there bound to be some differences and for others to go the extremes, noting "the peace and stability we worked for in Liberia is not on edge, but I must say, it remains threatened by actions like this. He also indicated that the incident is a wakeup call to people in leadership position not to take their security lightly.
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