The President of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), Mr. Mohamed ‘MSG1’ Keita, has passionately appealed to the Liberian Government, through President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., to reach out to the United States Government so that Liberians having immigration issues in that country won’t be deported.
Speaking at the recent Town Hall Meeting in Philadelphia in honor of Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, the ULAA President began by saying: “I have been called by my people to give a petition; something in our hearts to tell our government, our father.”
Mr. Keita went on to narrate how Liberians, before the civil war in 1989 and the coup in 1980, used to be proud of staying in their country. “When you go back to 1989, before the war, before the coup in Liberia, if you asked a Liberian are you going to America, they would say ‘I am ok here; I am comfortable in my country.’ Liberia was a paradise; the country of peace for those who were seeking for independence, for those who were seeking for refuge. It became a corridor for people of Africa to come and then go to America and Europe. They were running away from something we didn’t know and that thing came to hunt us. We were hit hard during the civil war. For some of us, it was our first time to leave Liberia to go anywhere; we found ourselves in some African countries, European continent, America and other places.”
According to him, some Liberians who are presently in that country are not there because they just want to be there. “Those of us here in America, we have got children, some of us have fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, who are 70, 80 and or 90 years old living in this country and we are contributing to the economy of Liberia. It has come to a time that they are asking us that you have lived in America or Europe for the past 30 years, 40 years, you are telling us to leave and go back home after building hope here in America and other places.”
Keita sadly stated that today some Liberians hide themselves because of the situations that they have; adding: “What we want is to seek help from the government: our people are suffering. Some of us can’t even afford certain things; it’s just difficult. The man lives in this country for over 40 years; he has children, now you ask him to leave overnight. What do you expect him to do? So, we just need collaboration with the Liberian Government to help us. Collaborate with the United States Government; this country is a good country. We have a good government here. Collaborate with the United States Government make sure Liberians stay here. It’s tough!”
Mr. Keita also pleaded with the Liberian government to make room for diaspora Liberians of voting ages to be allowed to vote from their homes abroad.
Following the passage of the Dual Citizenship Law, Liberians holding dual citizenships have the opportunity to vote but they have to come to Liberia to vote. “But Liberians outside Liberia, some of them 60, or 70 years; some are on dialysis. If you took one person to go to the dialysis machine, that person might end up dying because we don’t have a dialysis machine in Liberia. All we need, Liberian Government, please allow Liberians to vote outside Liberia,” he pleaded.
He further narrated how an uncle of his wants to come home but can’t because the country’s health system doesn’t have a dialysis machine.
“We met with the Liberian government, the Elections Commission said, ‘It’s a financial situation.’ But there is a way out. Liberians in this country are resilient; they are strong. When we put together our US$50 or US$100, we will make sure to contribute to the out-of-country voting. We just want you to give us the green light. That’s all we need.”
Speaking further, he condemned corruption in the government and reminded President Boakai that his Administration was voted to do something about the menace. “This government was voted in to make sure to get rid of this corruption. Mr. Vice President, we appeal to you, to the President of Liberia, to please help us to stop this.”
Keita thanked the Liberian leader for tackling corruption “step by step.” He also admonished the Vice President to continue to do the right thing. “Mr. Vice President, thank you for being here today, and I believe you are going to do the right thing. You have always continued to do it; I have known you since you were a businessman, coming down to be senator of my county. You did something good.”
