Surviving Under The Same Roof

It has become clear that testimonies given at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission cannot just be about the tragedy of Liberia from 1979 to 2003. Something went terribly wrong 130 plus years before. Some of what happened before 1979 were mentioned by Elwood Dunn. He talked about the potted plant in American soil that was supposed to be transplanted into an African soil by those who left the United States as free slaves in search of freedom in Africa.
That plant was never transplanted, for those who brought the plant felt that they were more classy and more civilized than the "heathens" they met in Africa. Until we can resolve that particular issue of class in Liberia, a feeling of pessimism regarding genuine reconciliation is beginning to take over my impartial mind. I am expressing my feelings below regarding the potted plant:

I read Elwood Dunn's testimony to the TRC and realized that he went deep--far back into Liberia's history. Even though he touched base with happenings in 1979 that brought about the rice riot and its aftermath, he could not have gone forward without mentioning the process that had been put into place long before 1979.

The settlers had been given an American potted plant to be transplanted into the African soil. Settlers were expected to come to Africa and join those they met to form a union beneficial to both groups. Because those from America felt that they were more civilized and more advanced, they refused to effectively be a part of a greater Liberia. They left the potted plant as is...in the American soil.This ingrained self-promotion and self-worth on the part of those who came to Liberia from the United States, tremendously affected the psyche of the majority of the people of Liberia.

After the incident of 1980 and after 14 years of civil war, we still see an air of dominance being perpetrated by those whose forefathers felt that the potted plant of old should remain just as it was intended to be. We see those who were blessed to have been spared the wrath of 1980 sneaking back into the country and doing a series of back door deals and carrying out multiple corrupt activities. These acts do not fare well for the new Liberia that all of us are struggling to establish. There are many of the old order who seem to believe that Liberia should continue to be dominated by those whose forefathers arrived in Africa many years ago. "Do not forget the pioneer's children" seems to reflect a phrase of reality, not mere gossip.

I feel sorry that our country has such a very long way to go when it comes to uniting the people. Besides the reconciliation needed between tribal groups, there is this Herculean task faced by the minority to accept as equals the majority of the people of Liberia. Our brothers and sisters who consider themselves more classy and more civilized and more educated will definitely have to shift the long-held mind set. The mind set of C L Simpson, Sr, former Vice President of Liberia...that mind set that caused him to believe that people with roots in America and other slave-held areas should remain a distinct and separate class from the majority "country" people, can no longer hold water. If such a belief was cast in stone, the 14 years of war shattered everything.

To rewrite the Liberian history so that it reflects everything that must be known, major players in the governance of the country need to go and testify to the TRC. Clarence Simpson, JR, whose father was Vice President and who was adamant about keeping the potted plant in American soil, needs to tell the Liberian people why his father and many others felt they way they felt. Why was it that even after more than 100 years in Liberia, the majority of the people were still considered heathens? Estrada Bernard and Willie Knuckles and Harry Greaves and George Tubman and the Tolberts, all of these people and many others who have embedded themselves in the government and are causing havoc, cannot just sit in Monrovia and act as if they have clean hands and know nothing; these Liberians need to be fair to the God they serve, to the country, to the people of Liberia, and to themselves and help rewrite history for their children and the next generation. They must come out and tell the world and give the Liberian people one reason why they think that they are better than the rest of the people they share the country with, even after more than 161 years of cohabitation.

The people who were considered less intelligent and third class citizens were made to fight amongst themselves in order to make way for the elites to return and exploit the country, just like the good ole days. How many of the 200,000 or more Liberians that died in the civil war were sons and daughters of the settlers? What does the country get back after such an ultimate sacrifice? Is this how we are going to reconcile amongst ourselves to build the country? Is reconciliation only intended for the people of Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties? Is reconciliation only intended for Alhaji Kromah and the people of Lofa County? Is this reconciliation-thing only intended for the indigenous people?

If we must come together as a people with the same aspiration for a better future for all of us, we the Country people and the Congo people and the Americo-Liberians, all of us must shift our mind set and embrace a common destiny devoid of tendencies bent on keeping us apart and stifling progress in the 21st century. We all must develop the necessary love for country and respect for each other. The truth being told, there is no other way out, if we must survive as one people under the same roof