The leadership of the Progressive Democratic Party of Liberia (PRODEMP) has issued that it is losing sleep over opinion by many Liberians who are setting apart the Mondingo tribe from other tribes as non citizens. The party’s leader, Sekou Damate Conneh told this paper via mobile phone Saturday that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf needs to come out and make it clear about the national identity of the Mandingo tribe as he is feeling that the Mandingoes are being fully discriminated.
The Liberian politician informed the Public Agenda that he was saddened over the deaths in Lofa County which involved the Mandingo ethnic group and those of their Lorma relatives. He said such sad developments are not good for a growing nation. Soothing the Lomas and the Mandingoes, he stated: “I do not see this as togetherness; we have to stand against tribal intolerance. We are one people, one Liberians.”
Mr. Conneh is among many Liberians accused by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of atrocities committed during the Country’s civil war. His group, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) invaded the Country in 2000 and succeeded in making the regime of former President Charles Taylor uncomfortable. Taylor however, fled the Country under pressure.
His comments follow recent violence that ensued between Mandingo and the Loma tribes in Lofa County. Reports have it that students demonstration over the death of their colleague,, Korpu Kroma, resulted into a full scale violence, in which mosques and churches were reportedly set ablaze. Lofa County Senior Senator Sum Kupee told a cross session of Senators in Chamber that 4 people were killed in the fracas and that police in the area have arrested 27 more people in connection with the crime.
In a rather shot interview with this paper, Mr. Conneh intimated that the Mandingoes were Liberians like any other tribe, and they should be respected in that consideration. The PRODEMP’s leader also said there are some Liberians who are bent on commandeering private lands belonging to the ethnic Mandingoes, for which the tribes men have legal authorization. He cited the land roar in Nimba County as areas government needs to mindful about.
According to Mr. Conneh, those who are involved in this ugly act only do so at the expense of the war. He said in the course of the wars Mandingoes especially fled their homes. Now that the war is over they are still finding it difficult to come back home and resettle, as their lands, buildings and other properties have been illegally taken away by their neighbors. He has however called on every Liberian to accept the culture of love and live together for the growth of “our one Liberia.”
Another official of the PRODEMP, Jurah M. Sando who walked into the offices of the Public Agenda on Saturday said that the party will be a formidable political organization in the up coming 2011 general and presidential elections. He said the party is currently working out plans for its subsequent convention slated for next Month. Mr. Sanoe said that PRODEMT is comprised of the people from all the geographic regions of the country, as all the tribes of the Country are members of the party. He said that there is no discrimination in the party.
