Monrovia — A human rights group is appealing to President Joseph N. Boakai to withdraw the recent appointment of Ambassador Al-Hassan Conteh as Acting President of the University of Liberia (UL). The group is also urging the President not to consider Dr. Conteh for a reported pending appointment as Liberia's Ambassador to the United States.
March For Justice, known for its firm stance on human rights and against sexual abuses, particularly rape, held a press conference in Monrovia on Thursday, July 11, 2024. The group cited Wednesday's protest at UL as a reason why Ambassador Conteh's appointment could lead to chaos at the state-run university.
"To ensure a conducive learning atmosphere for thousands of Liberian students, we appeal to the President to withdraw Dr. Conteh's appointment as head of an interim management team," said Mr. Titus B. Pakalah, head of the group.
The group expressed concern over reports that President Boakai has already chosen Ambassador Conteh to be Liberia's Ambassador to the United States. "We want to remind President Boakai that Ambassador Conteh has a record of intentionally supervising and compromising a rape case of a 7-year-old Liberian girl at the Liberian Diplomatic Mission in Abuja, Nigeria, where he has served as ambassador for over 15 years," the group stated.
Amid recent financial and administrative crises at the University of Liberia, President Boakai relieved Dr. Julius Nelson of his position as President of UL a few weeks ago and appointed Ambassador Conteh as Acting President of the Interim Management Team. However, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, some students protested on UL's Capitol Hill Campus, rejecting Dr. Conteh's appointment. The protest disrupted normal activities, causing inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians due to roadblocks set by the angry students.
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March For Justice recalled the embarrassing incident involving Liberia's former ambassador to the United States, who reportedly sexually harassed a female staff member at Liberia's United Nations Permanent Mission in New York. "When the unfortunate sexual abuse of the minor became public, Ambassador Conteh defended the rapists instead of showing empathy to the 7-year-old victim," the group recounted.
"An Al-Hassan Conteh who failed to intervene in a rape case involving a seven-year-old girl should not be heading UL, where many female students are pursuing quality tertiary education. Moreover, someone who protected the rapists of a seven-year-old girl cannot represent our country as ambassador to the United States, our foremost traditional ally," the group continued.
March For Justice previously protested against Ambassador Conteh in late 2021, calling on the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government to recall him for covering up a grave sexual abuse case at the Liberian Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. "In 2021, we obtained a medical report from the Nigerian Police Medical Center in Abuja confirming the gang rape of the minor. We filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, but no action was taken due to Ambassador Conteh's political connections. Despite several meetings and sit-ins, the George Weah Administration took no meaningful action against the ambassador or the rapists," the group stated.
