The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General Madame Magrethe Ellen Loj has denied claims that Bangladeshi Contingent assigned in Lofa County were impartial during the riot that killed four persons leaving several wounded.
Last week in Voinjama, a demonstration occurred as a result of misinformation in the county leading to the burning down of several structures, including, Churches, and other private homes.
The United Nations Secretary General Special Representative(SRSG) said the UNMIL security personnel who were assigned in Voinjama were trapped in the center of the City, where the mosque that many claimed that they have protected was located; but it was not that the Troop were providing protection for the Muslim's worship center leaving out the Christian's worship centers.
She said the UNMIL personnel did not sideline with any of the group that was involved in the riot that occurred.
Ambassador Margrethe Loj pointed out that UNMIL has dealt with the situation in the county by the rule of engagement.
She disclosed that the riot in Lofa has an ethnic under tune and it was very difficult to handle, because it has spilled everywhere in the city.
She however disclosed that a lot of progress is been made, but a lot more needs to be done.
The UNMIL Chief said the riot that occurred in Lofa is a result of speculation which began from from Konia and later spilled over to Voinjama.
She however expressed sympathy to victims of the state of affairs in the county and urged them to work together as before.
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Madame Special Representative, Magrethe Ellen Loi, You have no Idea what you just said. These people( Bangladishi and Pakinstenians) do not sit infront of Churches, they sit everyday at the mosques drinking tea and eating roasted meat. There where they socialized. So if Violence starts at another part or parts of the city especially against a faith that they know a little or nothing about, they really do not care. In their countries, Terrorist go on the rampage treatening people who are not of their faith. When the Supretendent asked them to intervene, it did not really matter to them. The place that they associate themselves with, are the Mosques.That is how it is here everyday.When the crisis started,they even brought their War tanks to the Mosque which is farther in central town then the Catholic School and the Pentacostal church. The Pentacostal Church is 1/4 mile from the Compound road ,where the tanks had to pass before reaching the Mosques, compare to the central Mosque, which is 1/2(half) mile from the same raod in which they passsed to go up to the Mosques. So, does it make any sense, to pass the Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist and Pentacostal churches to go 2 miles just to protect two mosques when the other places of worship were more in denger? Some of them were at the central Mosque when those men got in the streets and went to the Catholic Church and Mission to burned them down. Why they did not stop the initial group? There would not have been any crisis when those initial group walked right passed them sitting down and keeping conversation if, they would have just stop them. They know many of those involve initially. your defense concerning this issue is illegetimate.
Dear Editor,
I am responding to a comment from one of your readers regarding the violence in Voinjama City, Lofa County, Liberia. According to your reader, both the Bangladeshes and Pakistanis Troops of UNMIL do not know nothing about Christianity and did nothing to protect the Christians in the area during the violence. Your reader also accused the Peace Keepers of taking side with the Muslims. In addition, your reader said the statement made by UNMIL Boss was Illegitimate.
For the sake of clarification, Muslims do know more about Christianity than majority of those who claimed to be Christians in the Day but worship the Poro Devil at Night. The Quran Teaches Muslims to respect Christians and their places of worship. But it also teaches Muslims to defend and protect their religion and places of worship. Muslims are commanded by Allah to believe, respect and practice the teachings of all revealed Messengers and Prophets including the Prophet Jesus. In fact, more Muslims are named after the Prophet Jesus than many Christians. For example, in Liberia, there are more Muslims with the name Jesus (Isa, Esa, Isaa). Those Peace Keepers know more about your religion than yourself. The Chapter of Mary in the Holy Quran is dedicated to the Prophet Jesus and his Mother Mary, and there are several other verses that address the Prophet Jesus. We need to change our attitude and do not jump to quick conclusion and at the same time point silly as well as ignorance fingers at others.
Thanks, Molly Gbandi
Reading About Jesus from any other religion's holy book, does not give a vivid or acqurate portrayer of our Lord Jesus christ. He is God in Human flesh, and not just a prophet but messiah accpording to the Holy Bible. His name is "Wonderful, Councellor, the Price of Peace, the the Everlasting father, and Mighty God according to Our Holy Bible ( read about him in the Old testament book of Isaiah).
Secondly, it is right to defend your religion if you are being attack however, there was no attack on any religion in Konia.Konia Mosque was never burn and is still standing after the Voinjama Violence. The students were simply demostrating for justice for their school mate whose body was found in the area of the Konia Mosque. For What so ever reason best Known to the third party messenger, who heared two Konia women (Lorma market women), talked about the Killing of the late Korpu Kamara, in Konia; they the third part, translated it to gangs in Voinjama as an attack against Islam and Mandingoes in Lofa. Korpu Kamara may or may not have been a christian or muslim, Mandingo or not a Mandingo; since there are many Liberians with the name Kamara. For example, People from these tribes, Gbande, Mande, Vai and Gola also have Kamara names. And regardless of what religion she was, that did not gave any justification for an attack against any religion or tribe as it was targeting the Lormas( the Gboni Lorma clan) who gave them Land initially to settle in Lofa, after their failed attempts to take lands by force in Kissi, Gola and Gbande territories in the 1800s(Liberian history documents this). And this did not gave any justification to attack Christian Churches and school that is servicing any Liberian regardless of tribe or religion. Dr. Kromah, Deform Ulimo leader, is an eample. He is a Product of a Catholic Institution( ST. Patricks High School in Monrovia). So there is no Valid reason by any Muslim group what so ever, to burn down a school which many of their people learned how to read and write from.And did not have anything to do with what happened in Konia in the first place. Konia is located in Zorzor distract and not Voinjama district by the way.
Dear Yguluma,
By the way, I am also from Lofa County, Kolahun Distirct- Wanwoma Clan, so you need to stop reading our Liberian History upside down. You also need to stop committing historical lies, deceptions and crimes. For the sake of clarification, the Lormas did not give the Mandingos lands in the 1800s, and the Mandingos were not rejected in the Kissi, Gola and Gbandi lands. For your information, the Mandingos were well situated on the Grain Coast (Liberia) long before the 1800s, and they helped paved the way for the settlement of the Freed Slaves from America. It was the Mandingo King and Governor King Sao Boso Kamara who defended the settlers at the Ducor Conferences, so you need to read your history correctly. Do you remember the famous message from King Kamara to his fellow Kings Long Peter, Short Peter, Jimmy, etc. ? Have you read Nathaniel Richardson ( Liberia Past and Present)? Have you read Dr. Edward Wilmont Blyden( Islam, Christianity and the Negro Race? Have you read about the Mandingo and Gola Confederations? I am asking these questions because I want you to be informed and educated. I am also asking these because I have a BA Degree in History and a former teacher.
Regarding the Prophet Jesus, he is one of the greatest messengers of Allah (God), and was never God in flesh or God in person. He was not also begotten by God because the act of begotten belongs to us and not God. If Jesus is God, how do you consider the other children Mary had? Were they God brothers and sisters? Can God die and be buried? Was God placed on the Cross? Can God cry?
You need to stop misrepresenting one of my beloved prophets. Speak the truth and seek mercy from Allah. You need to double check all your typing before submitting your post. Welcome to Islam!
Thanks, Molly Gbandi
Mr.Gbandi, I have more important things to think about, then to argue with you. It does not add a year to my life nor, does it help the peace we need in Lofa. There are many truamatized by what occurred in Voinjama all because, someone carried a false information to groups that were already wishing to disturb the peace. No one ever attack a mosques in Konia. It was only a simple demostration.
Secondly, You are of a different faith that I do not believe in. For the sake of peace,there are interfaiths in Countries that are either predominantly Christian like ours or where the margins are much narrower. Have you seen anything called interfaith in predominently Muslim Countries? As far as world's records shows, none. Why? Intolerance, that leads to prosecution of the minority religion. As far as my believe in God is, I believe Jesus is the aphia and omega( the begining and the end),all others that goes into a cave or the bottom of the sea or at the top of a mountain to receive revelation are false Prophets. Jesus is the first, and the last. No one goes up to the father except through him. I believe he came to Earth in human form, with human attributes so that he can feel what we feel, be tempted like we are and yet, with out sin. And I believe he will come back to Judge mankind. You and me, Mohamed , Budda and all the other that came after him. If you are find pure in his sight, you enter into everlasting life. If not, everlasting torment with all the false prophets. That is what my faith believe in. My faith also do not believe,People like Osama Ben Liden are going to heaven unless, they repent of their evil ways. It also do not believe, you have to go to Mecca before you can go to heaven. God have mercy. Can you imagine all those Muslims in Africa and SouthEast Asia, who live on less then a dollar a day? Will be going to hell just because, they did not make it to mecca? Not the Christian God, I pray wheresoever direction, and my God hears me. I do not have to face Mecca either. Only Idols are worship facing them.
Also, You should be ashamed of youself as a formal educator(you claimed), in trying to justify Muslim attacks on Christian Churches in Voinjama. May be that is why you are no longer teaching because, i will not want anyone teaching Liberian students Violence. Regardess of what ethnicity or religion.
Lastly, do not tried to refremed my statement about Mandingoes in Liberia History. Mandingoes are every where now in West Africa. They are great people and I have few cousins among them which i love so dearly. One of the Largest tribes to have migrated from the Malian Empire, they kept wondering from place to place until they missed out on reestablishing themselves in Liberia like other tribes did.I mean tribes that are less in number also. They are still Liberians and, no Liberian is more Liberian then the other. However, the facts must be made clear, that all the lands they now have in Lofa, were Lorma lands that were willingly given to them. Have you ever heared the Lorma term, "Na mandigee?" It means literately a part of me, or belonging to me. In simple Liberian English means, we are the same. So please do not be ungrateful because, the newly formed District carve out of Voinjama district is the only place, that Mandingoes in Liberia can trace now to as an heritage.Even just accross the border into Guinea is Lorma land and it surrands that little piece of land gaven to them. That was due to the interim Government which included LURD's representatives. They did not have land in Southern Liberia Like the Kru, Den,Vai, Bassa, and Gola tribes. So concerning helping free slave to settled in Liberia is false. All the tribes I just mention had a role but, not mandingoes. They did not think of settling down until it was too late. Below are diffinations of Mandingo may God bless them not to be look down on. collegiate dictionary- "a member of a Western African tribe in or near the upper Niger river valley." Old wester dictionary(1978 edition) states, "a Large western African tribe that Migrates from place to place." I do not agree with that diffination because, that time is over now. And thank God for the Great contributions Mandingoes have brought to not only Liberia but all of Western Afrca .
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