We All Have Sinned

By Cyrus Wleh Badio
        

Sometimes, I wonder how long we will continue to cast stones at others, when we all stand guilty in different respects for the mess our country, Liberia finds itself in today. It equally amuses me, sometimes, when I think about how soon we Liberians, forget.

Wasn't it just yesterday when most of us at home and abroad were longing for a change, no matter how it came?  Weren't most Liberians in the USA working double and sometimes triple shifts to support the war efforts of Mr. Taylor? Or weren't we the very Liberians at home who could not wait for "Chucky" to come and "liberate" us from the tyranny of Mr. Doe? 

Yes, it's been 15-years now, but I, like others are still traumatized by the effects of the war, when there was no place to hide as government and rebel forces shelled every hideout we found.  Yes, when I retrospect, it seemed like just yesterday, and bitterness sets in at times. 

But let's face it.  We all must share some level of responsibility for what has happened to our beloved country. Some supported Mr. Doe and saw nothing wrong with the direction the country was headed, and were prepared to defend the status quo to death. Others on the other hand gave up on the constitutional course and resorted to violence, the only language they believed Mr. Doe could understand. As terrible as the outcome was, wasn't it the same Liberian people who shock the world with the "you kill my ma, you kill my pa, but I will vote for you" vote for Mr. Taylor?  And so, Taylor won, at least that's what the International Observers and Elections Commission made us to believe. 

Who knows; perhaps, some or most of us may have dwelt a little too much on   the fact that Taylor brought war on Liberia, and forgot to discuss his vision or our vision for the country. Again, we seem to be headed in the same direction just as we did in 1997. 

And don't get me wrong, the Liberian war was a human tragedy that we need not forget; just as we can never forget atrocities against our people by past generation of leaders. Today, the cold-blooded murder in 1985 of a very closed colleague and workmate of mine, the late Charles Gbenyon, on orders of the late President Doe, still haunts me. But at some point, we need to move on and put behind us these very bitter memories, especially when those who may have played some role, are courageous enough to admit their wrong, like Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has done. 

Some may argue, "why now?"  To them I say, "everything has time," and the time is now; for true reconciliation begins with admission by those who may have hurt us.  Mrs. Sirleaf has certainly won my admiration for her courage and honesty, coming on the heels of electioneering politics in Liberia. Lest we forget, most politicians seldom admit, let alone, apologize for wrongdoings, especially around an electioneering season.   

Those who want to continue dwelling on this issue have the right to do so, and I respect that right. But for me, and I hope others share the same sentiments, it's time to move on and focus on what this woman of a very distinguished and an impeccable public service record has to offer a country, longing for reputable and transparent individuals of her caliber and how she intends to implement those programs aimed at resurrecting our beloved country, Liberia. 

About the Author: Cyrus Wleh Badio is a Liberian broadcast-journalist who resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is former President of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA).

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