Liberia: The Hard But Necessary Change We Must All Embrace
We have prayed, as well as advocated for change for so long. We have worked and continue to work towards a changed Liberia, a better Liberia, better laws, better president, better legislators, and better infrastructures.
By Goah, Bernard G., bgoah76@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer, President, Operation We Care for Liberia
We want a law-abiding government that rewards its citizens based on merits.
We want to eradicate corruption, impunity, and nepotism.
We want change and we want it now!
However, it is imperative that we also understand there will be a price to pay for any change, be it a good change, or a bad change.
For Liberia to climb out of the pit of poverty, illiteracy, lawlessness, and corruption up onto the pinnacle of confidence, prosperity, and respect for the rule of law, bitter pills will have to be swallowed.
We must be prepared to accept the fact that some people will have to be held accountable.
Holding people accountable for horrors that took place in Liberia over the years will involve much pain; indeed, simply because change by nature is painful especially if it involves holding our relatives, and friends accountable.
We want change but we generally do not want to bear the ruckus that comes with it.
Fear steps in when we hear of the unfamiliar. But we should take courage and do that which is right.
We must take courage in making Liberia a better place for its unborn generation to come.
We want good change and a better one too, and we will get it only if we accept the pains that come with it.
My Fellow Liberians, over 250,000 innocent people were killed in Liberia by lawless individuals.
Some of these individuals who orchestrated these horrible acts, and the carnage may be members of “our own tribes”, as well as other tribes other than ours.
Some may be “our brothers, sisters, friends, uncles, and even our fathers and mothers”.
Some of those who committed crimes against humanity in Liberia are holding top positions in the current Liberian government and they may even be those “we” look up to for economic benefits.
We should not expect change to happen when we are unwilling to embrace the ruckus that comes with it.
We should not expect a better Liberia if we are afraid of the unfamiliar.
We must swallow the bitter pills that come with justice and accountability if we truly want Liberia to be a better country.
A peaceful Liberia demands accountability, justice, and reconciliation.
Those bearing the greatest responsibility for atrocities in Liberia must be held accountable. They must not be allowed to walk free! This is necessary to begin genuine reconciliation.
Liberia needs a war crimes court that is capable of investigating crimes committed during its civil war. This will serve as a deterrent to those who believe in the use of force to obtain state power.
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