Conference Resolution All Liberian National Conference Columbia, Maryland April 14-16, 2005 WHEREAS, more than 300 Liberians residing in Europe, Liberia, Tanzania and 20 states within the United States of America representing 40 Liberian organizations participated in the All Liberian National Conference held in Columbia, Maryland, United States of America from April 14-16, 2005 to review their countries past, present and future; WHEREAS, numerous issues relating to our countries development and for the prosperity of the nation have been noted, and they include the following:
1. The problems which culminated into the 1989 civil war began from the false start of statehood resulting mainly to the weak foundation of the nation.
2. The major factors and issues blamed for the war in Liberia are, but not limited to the following: - Political exclusion of the vast majority of the Liberian people; - A centralized political structure in the country; - Greed for political power, gross human rights abuses by past governments and the scarcity of forums to seek national redress; - Mass poverty, illiteracy and lack of economic and educational opportunities for majority of the Liberian people to achieve their full potentials; - Lack of accountability in government and inept political administrations; - Ethnic exclusion from political participation; - Failure to implement a political system that will ensure smooth transition of government by conducting regular free, fair and transparent elections; - Denial of the constitutional right of the Liberian people to alter and change their government especially when the government failed to seek the well being of the Liberian people; - The cult of the Liberian Presidency; - Misuse of state security agencies and the army by previous governments; and - Exploitation of the national wealth by a few at the exclusion of the majority.
3. The intervention of the Economic Community of West African States to halt the carnage in Liberia was a lauded venture, but because ECOWAS experienced logistical and other difficulties in ending the war much sooner, enforcing the peace especially when warring factions were not honoring peace agreements, became a difficult task.
4. The war in Liberia could have also ended after the death of President Samuel K. Doe but again, the warring factions were after satisfying their political greed.
5. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) known as the Accra Peace Agreement, as it is being implemented cannot bring lasting peace to Liberia because the schedule of implementation is inadequate and is not being implemented, as it should.
6. The main aspects of security including the re-structuring of the Armed Forces of Liberia, immigration and other security agencies have not taken place.
7. Disarmament and elections are necessary but not sufficient conditions for lasting peace in Liberia.
8. Liberians are not inherently wicked to have engaged in brutal war with one another but the national circumstances notably the class system and the factors noted above created the necessary conditions for anyone to have exploited the level of dissatisfaction and agitation that prevailed in the country.
9. There were historical scores to settle which were brought about by the suppression of the rights of the vast majority of the Liberian people. WHEREAS, the Conference acknowledges that
1. The roles of the international community especially the United Nations, the European Union, ECOWAS, and the United States that led to the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement are commendable;
2. Liberians are enormously grateful for current efforts and support by the international community to stabilize the country including the holding of elections; 3. Considering our current national circumstances, especially the poor performances of the National Transitional Government of Liberia (NTGL) and the grave competition for limited international resources to sustain the peace process for an extended duration, it is extremely necessary to ensure that the October 2005 general elections take place as scheduled.
WHEREAS, the conference categorically deplores the current wave of corruption in the NTGL and gross mismanagement of the nations resources by some unscrupulous individuals in the current interim government, and demands full accountability and punitive actions be taken against those who have been suspended from the government, with the goal to ensuring full restitution of whatever they might have allegedly mismanaged.
WHEREAS, the Conference re-affirms:
1. Full support for the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration of former combatants in Liberia and the holding of the October 2005 general elections.
WHEREAS, the Conference affirms that:
1. While the October 2005 elections should proceed without delay, adequate steps must however be taken to ensure that the gains being made in the current peace process are irreversible especially after the seating of the new government and the departure of the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission from Liberia.
THEREFORE, the Conference resolves the following: That the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas and the European Federation of Liberian Associations will work with the Steering committee of the All Liberian National Conference (ALNC) to enforce the following recommendations of the conference: A. A National Conference of Liberians is held in Monrovia prior to the holding of the October 2005 general elections to discuss key issues relative to ensuring lasting peace in Liberia. The Monrovia Conference will discuss outstanding and urgent national issues that remain unresolved, and to evolve a set of ballot initiatives for the October 2005 general elections as an alternative to amendments to the National Constitution, ensuring:
I. The full re-structuring of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and other security agencies after the October 2005 general elections, on the terms of the Liberian people, in view of concerns that no more adequate time is left to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement as it relates to the AFL and other national security agencies, and in view of credible concerns relating to the failure to implement the Abuja accord after the seating of the government of Liberia in 1997;
II. Reduction in the term of offices for elected officials including the President of Liberia to four years, Vice President four years, Senators to six years and Members of the House of Representatives to four years. For continuity in the Liberian senate, the senator with the highest vote in October 2005 shall serve for six years and the senator with the lower vote shall serve for four years and thereafter all senators shall be elected for six years;
III. Decentralization of political power and greater participation of Liberian people in their government especially the election of county superintendents, creation of county assemblies, and a re-structured tax system that will benefit the counties;
IV. The establishment of a War Crime Tribunal that will try all war lords and others who master minded the war in Liberia;
V. The setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Liberia after the seating of the elected government. The National Conference in Monrovia will discuss the mandate and composition of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which will serve as a forum for people who committed atrocities (other than former war lords and master minders of the war in Liberia) against the Liberian people to go and confess their guilt and to seek forgiveness from the nation and the people they hurt, within a specified period of two years, and thereafter the government of Liberia will prosecute those who will fail to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to seek forgiveness;
VI. That the mandate of the current Truth and Reconciliation Commission set up under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will not be extended beyond this interim period, and to advise the NTAL not to enact any law that will extend such mandate;
VII. That general amnesty be given to all former child soldiers up to 17 years (at the time of the crime) for atrocities they committed during the civil war;
VIII. That an absolute majority system be used in October 2005 to elect senators and members of the House of Representatives;
IX. That Liberians in the Diaspora (mainly in countries with the requisite technology) be allowed to vote in the October 2005 general elections but that each Liberian registering to vote in Europe and the United States will be required to pay a minimum fee of $50.00 USD or more to accommodate for the shortage of resources needed by the National Elections Commission to expedite Diaspora voting;
X. That the period of campaigning in Liberia for the October 2005 general elections be extended to at least three months;
XI. That the period of voters registration be extended to at least three months to allow more Liberians to participate in the electoral process, especially those who continue to return from refugee camps abroad. The Conference further resolves that:
I. The Judiciary be reformed to ensure an independent and transparent legal/court system;
II. A standardized national land policy be established that will include the local people in discussions of concession agreements;
III. A comprehensive economic system be established to ensure the processing of finished products and a re-definition of the national tax system to ensure territorialized system of tax collection (national government, county government and municipality government) that will provide for economic opportunities for the benefit of the counties and municipalities;
IV. A comprehensive review of all concession agreements in Liberia, and that all concession agreements signed by the current Interim Government be nullified upon the seating of the newly elected government;
V. The rule of law is applied to all Liberians to safeguard and to protect press freedom, freedom of religion, assembly, and free speech;
VI. The constitutional arrangement which calls for three equal but separate branches of government be strictly adhered to by future governments;
VII. Liberia constitutes a small but robust army of no more than 5,000 to defend the nation against external aggressions but that the army should no longer be used by any government for law enforcement purposes expect in the case of natural disaster and to carry out civil duties such as road construction;
VIII. Proportionality will not be used to re-constitute the Armed Forces of Liberia but Liberians will be recruited based on a national recruitment criteria to be established by the national legislature;
IX. The minimum educational requirement for the army will be set at the level of high school graduate;
X. Criminal laws governing the citizenry be applicable to members of the Armed Forces of Liberia, meaning that military personnel can be arrested by the police and other law enforcement officers for any alleged criminal activity;
XI. A National Commission be created to review paramilitary and other security apparatus to discourage overlapping of functions, establishment of clear mandates and functions of those security agencies;
XII. The military cooperation among Mano River Union Countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia be further strengthened to ensure stability within the Mano River subregion;
XIII. Wholesale businesses in Liberia be opened to free competition but micro businesses such as retail be restricted to only Liberians; and that monopoly on key products such as rice and cement be completely abolished in order to allow for free competition;
XIV. The Bureau of General Auditing in Liberia be placed under the National Legislature in order to ensure greater financial transparency in government;
XV. Tougher penalties for economic crimes especially corruption in government and tax evasion be enacted by the national legislature to punish offenders for up to 10 or more years;
XVI. Appointment of county police commanders be reserved for county superintendents, and there should be a clearly defined relationship between the national police and police units operating the counties;
XVII. Public health centers in the counties operate under the administration of those counties, providing for appointment of chief medical officers and medical administrators by county Superintendents;
XVIII. A national health policy be established to standardize health practices and to ensure just compensation for health practitioners, and enforcement of public health codes;
XIX. A patient’s bill of right and privacy protection of patients be established by the national legislature;
XX. Public officials whose medical bills are paid by the government of Liberia will seek medical attention at medical facilities in Liberia as a means of ensuring trust and confidence in the health care system. However, depending on the nature of illnesses and advice of their primary physicians, officials may travel abroad to seek medical treatment, using government resources.
XXI. There shall be adequate health awareness campaigns to educate and impart information regarding HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases;
XXII. The government of Liberia computerized its functions in order to ensure greater efficiency and accountability;
XXIII. Environmental laws especially those relating to forestry be vigorously enforced by relevant government agencies;
XXIV. Merchandized farming be encouraged in Liberia as an alternative to shifting cultivation and to ensure the production of processed food in the country;
XXV. Establish technologies in Liberia that will prolong the lives of harvested crops and produce;
XXVI. The educational system of Liberia be reformed and decentralized to ensure ownership by counties and communities of schools operating in their areas;
XXVII. A regular review of accreditations of higher learning institutions and regular testing of licensed professionals as well as continuous education/training especially for teachers;
XXVIII. The government of Liberia undertake appropriate compliance measures to ensure that children of school going ages from 1-12th grades be compelled to attend school regularly as a way of minimizing the high rate of illiteracy in the country;
XXIX. Secondary education be vocation oriented to ensure that students graduate with skills that are needed to make them productive citizens;
XXX. There should be a commission on higher education in Liberia; XXXI. There should be a competitive bidding process for government contracts;
XXXII. Construction and maintenance of highways in Liberia be privatized by 50% (fifty percent) in order to encourage private investments in road construction, major consideration ought to be given in the setting up of turnpike system in the country;
XXXIII. A National Commission be established to review the privatization of public corporations in Liberia Done this 16th Day of April 2005 in the city of Columbia, Maryland, United States of America, and unanimously approved at the conference by a vote taken. Signed: Booker Washington Institute Alumni Association of North America Liberian Community Association of Northern California The Conference of Liberian Organizations in Southwestern United States COLOSUS) Federation of Liberian Associations in Ohio Liberian History, Education and Development, Inc (LIHEDE) Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas European Federation of Liberian Associations Bong Progressive Movement National Association of Cape Mountainians in the Americas, Inc. Movement For Political Reform in Liberia United Bassa Organization in the Americas, UNIBOA Liberian Association of North Carolina Liberian Association of Wisconsin Liberian Women United In Progress Liberian Community Association of Greater Pittsburgh Liberian Community Association of Georgia Liberian Association of Pennsylvania, Inc. Federation of Lofa Associations in the Americas (FLAA) Organization of Liberian Community in Illinois Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) Liberian Community Association of Southern New Jersey Liberian Community Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area River Cess Association of America (RCAA) United Nimba Citizens Council Liberian Community Association of North Jersey Liberian Associated For Public Accountability & Democracy, INC. University of Liberia Alumni Association in Pennsylvania Sinoe County Association in the Americas, Inc. Federation of Liberian Community Associations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts United Bong County Association in the Americas, Inc Liberian Community Association of Rhode Island The Liberian Communities of Florida The Federation of Liberian Associations in Ohio Mary Broh, Political Activist The Liberian Democracy Initiative (LDI) Organization of Liberians in Minnesota (OLM) The Liberian Dialog Governance Reform Commission of Liberia The African Cultural Alliance of North America, Inc.
For the Steering Committee of the All Liberian National Conference Abraham G. Massaley
Approved: Mydea Reeves Karpeh Secretary Chairman
Hard copy of this resolution has signatories of heads/representatives of organizations that attended the conference
Liberians In Britain Encouraging Reconciliation Internationally and Nationally
(L I B E R I A N)
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John Nimly Brownell
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