The Federation of Liberian Mandingo Associations in the USA, 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 County, 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 lives and destroyed the properties of our people.”
In the same development, the FELMAUSA leadership categorically reprimands individuals, 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, of the layers of painful historical memories still lingering on the minds of many Liberians both at home 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.”
