Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation recommendations are exactly what they are:  “recommendations.”  I do not see why people are tripping and nervous.  If the recommendations from the TRC have caused some nervous conditions, it is sad, but true.   If you know your hands are clean, why worry?  When the war was on in Liberia, some people jumped on the bandwagon without careful scrutiny, with various motives and purposes.  Now, the truth is out.  And all of a sudden, the TRC members have become a target.

            If you know you did not want the truth to come out, you should not have agreed to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the first place.  You created it, you told them what to do.  And they did what you told them to do.   Now deal with it.  The realities and recommendations should be considered.  It cannot be stressed further that we need both truth and reconciliation.  We have the truth.  Now, we need the reconciliation.

            People say, “If you pull the rope, the rope pulls the bush.”  You were the ones claiming to be “revolutionaries,” “freedom fighters,” “commandos,” “Men,” “Tango,” “General,” “CO,” and instructing the “small soldiers” to “Carry him/her half way.”   You saw people “tapeid,” “debedied,” and you looked on with scorn.  You saw the death, the mayhem, the destruction, and you cheered.  You caused the death, the mayhem, the destruction.  You gave orders to kill or be killed, to move or be removed.  Be a man, and fess up.   Be a woman, and take the responsibility for your actions.  Don’t try to dodge or avoid the truth now.  And don’t shift blames either.  You know that “Pepper water can’t hurt in dog’s eyes?”

            OK.  We have two members of the Commission who refused to sign the statement.  Not that it matters, because the majority rule and this was not a jury where people wanted unanimous verdict.  So, Bull refused to sign, and Konneh followed suit.   Fine!  But what do you expect from a Bull but bullshit.  And from a Sheikh, nothing, maybe if he were an Ayatollah or something, we would listen.  His alliance with the other groups makes it shameful to “betray” his “brothers.”    To Bull and Konneh:  Liberia is more important than your personal interests, so take your non-signature and shove it.  

            I hope there will be reconciliation in the end.  Reconciliation means, confessing one’s sins, for forgiveness.  If these war mongers want reconciliation, they must come clean to the Liberian people and seek our forgiveness, instead of trying to be arrogant, by threatening us with war, as Prince Johnson tried to do.   No truth, no confession.  No confession, no forgiveness.  It is as simple as that.  You either ride with us, or collide with us.  It is as simple as that, for Liberians.  Anyway, a word to the wise is enough.

 

Annie Key is a graduate student at Miami University, studying Political Science & History.  She hails from Liberia.  She can be reached at msanniekey@gmail.com.