Monrovia — As Liberia is poised to celebrate its 176th Independence anniversary, the Free Liberia Movement, a flagship advocacy arm of the Universal Human Rights International (UHRI) has intensified its campaign for equal opportunities for Liberians.
In a zoom press conference from Boston, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the American Revolution, the founder of the Free Liberia Movement, Rev. Torli Krua declared July 25, 2023, Economic Freedom Day for all Liberians and said it will be observed with a petition at the United States Congress in Washington DC for Visa Waiver and inclusion of Liberia in the HR40 bill for repatriations.
Rev. Krua, a prominent Liberian human rights activist based in Boston, called on Liberians to join the Free Liberia Movement at 12:00 noon on July 25, 2023, to request an answer to the petition presented to the US Embassy on January 18, 2023, during Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week celebrations in Monrovia, Liberia.
The Movement, In the petition, called on the United States to "Mitigate ongoing harm for racism, American Colonization and Slavery through public confession, repentance, restitution, reparations, and payments of damages. Inclusion of all Liberians in the USA as beneficiaries of the Liberian refugee immigration fairness Act; Grant U.S. Visa to all Liberian to access education, employment and business opportunities without visa restrictions.
Rev. Krua has been advocating for the rebirth of Liberia since he launched the Free Liberian Movement a few years back. Through extensive research including review of historical documents, Rev. Krua says Liberia was founded by the United States Government through a corrupt and crooked arrangement with the sole purpose of enslaving more Africans than granting them their freedom.
"Liberia wasn't created as an African democracy. Therefore, Liberia cannot automatically become a democracy based on elections conducted in a corrupt system that caters to wealthy individuals that exclude citizens' input and participation," he said.
"Liberia was unlawfully designed, created, and sustained by corrupt American slave masters to protect the property (slaves) of slave masters as well as advance American domestic and foreign policy agenda. 200 years later, Liberia is still corrupt because corruption is in its DNA and therefore Liberia cannot be rescued or fixed by politicians because Liberia's corrupt system of governance was designed to enrich and empower politicians. 'Garbage in-garbage out."
He said this "corrupt and deceptive" system under which Liberia was formed continues to haunt its government and people, hence a need for a rebirth.
This year's advocacy comes at a time Liberia is conducting its presidential and legislative elections. There are over 1,000 aspirants including 20 presidential aspirants vying for just 90 seats, according to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Rev. Krua said Liberians are being deceived by politicians who claimed to be "fixers", or "redeemers."
"A corrupt tree cannot be rescued or fixed when it's bearing corrupt fruits. It must be uprooted and a new seed planted. Matthew 12:33 "Make a tree good and its fruits will be good. Or make a tree corrupt and its fruits will be corrupt. A tree is known by its fruits." Rev. Krua said.
The Press Conference was attended by Liberian presidential candidate, former Bong County Senator Senator Franklin Siakor, who complained of the unfair application of Liberian election laws that have damaged his candidacy. Senator Siakor has taken the matter to the Supreme Court.
Rev. Krua's advocacy comes at a time the United States Congress has reintroduced S.40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.
The Reparations Bill, H.R. 40 aims "To address the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to study and consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery, its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.
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"Thank God for 172 members of Congress who have dedicated themselves to HR 40, to study America's past transgressions that are ravaging the lives of Americans today," Rev. Krua stated.
Meanwhile, to join the prayer service marking the concurrent presentation of the US visa waiver petition to the United States Congress and 1st Economic Freedom Day at the US Embassy on Benson Street July 25, 2023 11AM, the Free Liberia Movement is inviting the public to join online by booking their space online via this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/economic-freedom-day-visa-waiver-is-equal-opportunity-for-all-liberians-tickets-680633050777?aff=oddtdtcreator .
The organization says the activities will be carried on Facebook live and 200 registered participants will be randomly selected to receive the 1st Economic Freedom Award and an invitation to join the delegation to present the US visa waiver petition to President Biden at the White House.
