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Tribalism,
sectionalism and the principle of isolationism adopted
by some Liberians in this new political era are
dangerous and detestable approaches, and certainly not a
recipe, for our national cohesion, and must be
deprecated totally by all Liberians.
March 08, 2010 -
Press Release FELMAUSA PUBLIC RELATIONS
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Pres. Mohammed Dukuly
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The Federation of Liberian Mandingo
Associations in the US, FELMAUSA,
condemns the recent ethnic fighting in
Konia and
Voinjama, Lofa County, Liberia. Hon.
Mohammed Dukuly, FELMAUSA President,
describes the incidence as
counter-productive and diametrically
opposing to the true essence of
humanity, and fundamentals of our faith
– be it Islam or Christianity. To
Christians, Jesus Christ (Peace be upon
him) teaches the two greatest
commandments of the Bible – to “love God
above all things, and love your
neighbors as yourselves.” To Muslims,
Mohammed (Peace be upon him) teaches the
golden rule in one of his hadith that
“None of you can be a true believer
until he loves for his fellow man what
he loves for himself.” Why fight then?
While it is politically and historically
delightful to uphold our traditional and
cultural values at all times, FELMAUSA
is seriously cautioning all Liberians to
be careful not to allow infinitesimal
tribal nomenclatures such as Mandingo,
Lorma, Gbandi, Kpelle, Krahn, etc. to
overshadow our common patrimony and
solidarity – LIBERIA.
Hon. Dukuly accentuates that Liberia must remain
our foremost priority, and the attainment and
sustainability of peace in Liberia must be the
clarion call of all Liberians, despite our
diverse backgrounds. The FELMAUSA boss laments
that the episode in Lofa, as well as other
ethnic tensions in Nimba counties, undermines
our sense of nationalism and magnanimity of
spirit, which should and must prevail among us
as LIBERIANS – and NOT TRIBES – thereby
questioning the sincerity of our allegiance to
this “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.”
As we all strive to understand the true cause
and nature of this sad situation – amidst the
rumors – to restore tranquility to the people of
Lofa and Liberia at large”, says Mohammed
Dukuly, President of FELMAUSA, “We are calling
on our friends, relatives, and sympathizers of
the people of Lofa to remain calm and objective.
We are also appealing to Liberian Muslims and
Christians to serve as exemplars and goodwill
Ambassadors of peace, unity, and love at this
critical moment in the nation's history.”
“FELMAUSA”, President Dukuly adds, “implores all
peace-loving Liberians to attach absolute
diligence to the peaceful co-existence of all of
our people, doing everything we possibly can not
to embrace anything that will further impede the
already fragile political, socio-economic,
reconciliatory and peace-building processes in
Liberia, thereby resulting to a repeat of the
decade-old nightmare that shattered the lives
and destroyed the properties of our people.”
In the same development, the FELMAUSA leadership
categorically reprimands government officials
and media institutions that have chosen the
wrong path of making very slipshod and imprudent
pronouncements and unjustifiably irresponsible
assumptions meant to further foment the current
situation in Lofa County. Any attempt to shift
blames on any one party without ascertaining the
facts of the matter will be absolutely
unprecedented and politically naïve. Hence, the
leadership of FELMAUSA strongly encourages news
and print media to honor and apply objectivity –
one of the core ethics of journalism – during
all coverage.
Hon. Dukuly is reminding the people of Lofa, and
Liberians at large, about the layers of painful
historical memories still lingering on the minds
of many Liberians both on the home front and in
the diasporas, as evidenced by the struggling
national economy and the prevailing difficult
and appalling living conditions faced by the
majority of our people; it is a national
priority, which the incumbent government most
not only recognize, but also seriously and
unconditionally address for the maintenance of
national stability.
“If we are to create the atmosphere needed to
refine the political structure, accelerate
socio-economic and reconciliatory advancement,
and improve and stabilize national security in
our mother land, we therefore must understand
collectively that our false tribal pride and
show of superiority over others will only
further hinder the way to achieving our overall
national objective.” This young and wise leader
of FELMAUSA asserts firmly that “Tribalism,
sectionalism and the principle of isolationism
adopted by some Liberians in this new political
era are dangerous and detestable approaches, and
certainly not a recipe, for our national
cohesion, and must be deprecated totally by all
Liberians.” Hon. Dukuly further calls upon all
Liberians “to explore the urgency for an
inevitable national healing, and strive at all
cost to divest themselves of all garments of
hatred, prejudice, and belligerence, as well as
attitudes of tribal and ethnic exhibition,
purposed at overshadowing and compromising our
collective national identity in the narrow space
of no thinkers.”
The FELMAUSA boss says while FELMAUSA and other
well-meaning institutions and leaders are
committed to reducing tensions amongst the
parties in Lofa, the government of Liberia must
get “a bit more aggressive” in finding an
amicable solution to what he terms “a crisis
that could reverse years of gains made on
reconciliation and peace-building efforts.” |
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