Death Threats and Conspiracies:
Full Text of Brumskine’s Press Statement - 11/29/07
Clr. Charles Walker Brumskine, Partisan, Liberty Party
Members of the Press, my fellow Liberians.
Over the last five weeks or so, our country has witnessed a series of tragedies that portend a return to our ugly past: an European staff of the Liberia Agriculture Corporation (LAC) was killed; officials of our government signed an agreement with LAC authorizing the company to destroy the homes, farms and livelihood of the native people in Districts Numbers 3 and 4, and forcibly remove our fellow Liberians from their ancestral homeland; villagers of District Number 4, Grand Bassa have been arrested, beaten, humiliated, jailed, with at least one villager shot; and death threats, black listing, and threats of imminent arrest linger over some of us.
Firstly, our condolence goes out to the family of the late Bruno Michiels, whose life was cut short by an evil person or persons. It is our understanding that Mr. Michiels was slated to become General Manager of LAC, upon the retirement of the current General Manager, George Mensah, at the end of this year. I remember meeting the late Bruno Michiels during a campaign visit to District # 4 during the July by-election. He came across as someone who was making every effort to understand the problem that exists between his company and the Bassa people.
Mr. Michiels invited my delegation and me into LAC’s Conference Room, where he welcomed us on behalf of the company. In an attempt to show that his management style would be different, he assigned officers of LAC’s Plant Protection Force to escort us through LAC’s Concession Area. The hospitality of Mr. Michaels toward someone like me, known to be opposed to LAC’s treatment toward the natives of Bassa, said a lot about the character of the man. I am deeply saddened that his life was cut so short. The Liberian Government and UNMIL have a duty to find and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for the killing.
I believe that his death was a terrible blow to the development of a better relationship between LAC and the victimized people of Grand Bassa and River Cess Counties.
But who killed Mr. Michiels?
I am certain that the family of Mr. Michiels, the government of Belgium, and the European Union would be interested in having the culprit(s) brought to justice, and would not condone acts of recrimination against an already victimized group of people by arresting and persecuting people simply because they disagree with the Government’s policy toward them.
Supporting Documents:
Regrettably, we might never know the truth because: (i) local law enforcement officials have already concluded that the only motive for the killing was the pending removal of the people from their ancestral homeland; and, (ii) the Government would rather politicize such sad event than find the real killer(s) of Mr. Michiels. But both are cultural—we tend to seize the first thing we see or hear and run with it, having neither the patience nor the discipline to probe further; and, those in authority would rather use every situation, regardless of how painful it may be to others, to escape blame for their failure and settle political score with opposition politicians and those who dare to disagree with them.
Have the government and its law enforcement officials considered that there might be others who had a motive(s) for killing Mr. Michiels? Have not the native people been evicted, beaten, humiliated, and have their farms destroyed before? Yes, they have!
Have they ever shot anyone before? No they have never! Not only with regard to the LAC issue, but also through out our many years of civil war, how many times did Liberians direct violence against “white” people? Is it not possible that someone(s) who wanted to get rid of Mr. Michiels for his/her selfish reason found a superb opportunity to do so, knowing that everyone’s attention would be focused on the Bassa people because they have what some would call an “obvious motive?”
But then consider this example of a city waking up to the news that a societal family had been distressed, an intruder had entered their home overnight, while the husband was out, killed the wife and got away with some of the wife’s jewelries. Every person in the neighborhood, who had ever said anything mean about the family in the past was rounded up as suspects, with one subsequently charged with murder and robbery because he was drunk and could not account for his where about during the night of the murder. Not long after disgracing law-abiding citizens and convicting an innocent person was it discovered that a month before the woman’s death her husband had purchased a ten million dollars life insurance policy on her naming himself as beneficiary. He, of course, had the real motive for killing his wife. But he knew attention would be focused on his disagreeable neighbors when he killed his wife.
Mr. Michiels was slated to become the next General Manager of LAC. With the death of the first European to be appointed General Manager of LAC over the last seventeen years, is it likely that the shareholders of the company would expose another European to such risk? This question becomes even more logical when one considers that the current General Manager has squarely blamed our government for the death of Mr. Michiels, “by not providing security for LAC.”
Someone(s) spent a lot of money to print thousand of leaflets and pay others to distribute them in Bassa, indicating that I and others should be arrested because we “incited the people of District Number 4 to kill LAC employees.” So, who is it that has the interest in ensuring that the public is convinced that Mr. Michiels was killed by native Bassa people upon our instruction?
On that fatal day, did Mr. Michiels go into the bush alone? If not, how many others went with him—two or three? Where are those who went into the bush with Mr. Michiels, and how did they escaped unharmed? In any case, what has become of them since—are they in police custody being questioned?
The facts available to us are that there appears to have been no altercation at the time of the shooting of Mr. Michiels; that he was shot from the back. Yet our government would have the world believe that more than fifty villagers, whom they have arrested, crept at the back of Mr. Michiels and shot him.
It is also our understanding that the area in which Bruno Michiels’ body was found is not within the proposed expansion area in District # 4 (subject of recent Agreement between Government and LAC), but an area previously cleared by LAC in District #3.
I am certain that a trained criminal investigator would raise many more issues in connection with the killing of Mr. Michiels.
But the modus operandi of things happening today is similar to other tragedies that occurred in the past. In 2005, LAC employees went into one of the nearby villages to survey land with the intent of dispossessing the Bassa people of their land. On their way back, one of the employees mysteriously fell in the Zlor Creek and drowned. Regrettably, seven leading men of the District Number 4 were rounded up by the Government Officials of Grand Bassa County as rioters, and charged with the crime of murder. The seven men were jailed from December 2005 through May 2006, before they were indicted. And three members of the Resilient Council of Elders, Rev. Dr. Abba Karnga, Dr. Byron Tarr, and Hon. Byron Brown were named in the indictment as unindicted co-conspirators to the crime of murder.
This cruel and unlawful indictment was brought to the attention of the then Minister of Justice, Frances Johnson-Morris and her Solicitor General Tiawon Gongloe, who immediately had the unlawful indictment squashed.
Two years earlier, in August 2004, an array of riot police, invaded towns and villages in District No. 4. In spite of the fact that District No. 4 is on the other side of the LAC Plantation beyond the Zlor River, the government and LAC’s security seized ninety-three (93) innocent elders, chiefs and other community leaders, children, and the community’s “Mask Dancer” commonly known as the “Country Devil”. Those arrested, were beaten, stripped half naked and detained in LAC’s cell for two days with no food. Later, they were transported to Buchanan and piled into a 10ft. x 12 ft. police cell.
We are informed that the government has already charged seven persons with murder: Arthur Crusoe, Principal of Zondo Town Public School, Richard Charlie, Kalifa Gbotoe, John Zukue, Luther Glaydor, Moses Saywon and Isaac Gartoe. Yet, LAC’s security and government police continue to plunder the villages, beating the residents, and taking the men away to unknown locations? A young man entered Buchanan city last night, and reported that he had escaped from LAC’s detention center, where he had been tortured. The gentleman was pursued into Buchanan City by LAC’s security and rearrested by LAC’s security and jailed in Buchanan
The only school in Zondo Village, which is funded by friends in the United States has been vandalized and looted. A young man, Samuel Garpue, has been shot in Gianda by LAC’s security, with a pistol. One wonders whether it is the same type of gun used to kill Mr. Michiels?
So, under whose authority is such havoc wreaked against the people of Bassa? Would the victimization of the people of District # 4 have anything to do with the defeat of Unity Party in the July by-election, during which the residents of the District voted overwhelmingly for Liberty Party candidate?
We pray and hope that the Ministry of Justice will find the fortitude to investigate and find the real killer(s) of Bruno Michiels, and not settle for the persecution of victimized, disadvantaged, and very likely innocent people.
The signing of the Agreement by officials of our government and LAC was also a tragedy not only in the lives of the affected people of Bassa, but also for all who believe in the right of equal protection under the law, as guaranteed by our Constitution. But before looking at this latest agreement, let’s review some background facts.
The Resilient Council of Elders of Grand Bassa and River Cess Counties sent a Petition to President Sirleaf in August 2006 complaining about LAC’s illegal expansion, resulting into the suffering of the Bassa people. The Petition stated, among other things, that,
- On March 3, 1959, LAC and the Government of Liberia signed a Concession Agreement under which the company was given eighteen months— March 3, 1959 to September 2, 1960 to select its Concession Area. LAC did just that and operated within the selected area, the Gbalatuah area, without any problem from the Bassa people, until 2004 when LAC commenced its illegal expansion, evicting and dehumanizing the people.
- The action of LAC is a gross abuse of the human rights of indigent Liberians who have been without recourse under the rule of law. It is simply wrong to dispossess entire villages of people in order to plant rubber trees. The wrong is magnified by the fact that large tracts of uninhabited land are available to LAC. The Supreme Court of Liberia ruled as far back as 1919, in the case, Karmo and Worn-Beh v. Morris (Secretary of the Interior) and Anderson (Commanding Officer, Liberian Frontier Force), 2 LLR 317/333, that the personal liberty of all classes of citizens and inhabitants of this Republic whether civilized or uncivilized, are zealously protected by the Constitution. Therefore, native Liberians are also entitled to the promises of Liberty enshrined in our Constitution! No civilized nation anywhere in the world today would allow such inhumane treatment against people who are trying against all odds to restart their lives after several years of war.
- Removing of people from their ancestral homeland by a private company, especially at a time when about 20% of the population is homeless, is a violation of the African Charter on People’s Rights and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
- The elders, therefore, requested the President to ensure, among other things, that,
- LAC’s illegal expansion and eviction of the native people of Grand Bassa County be stopped forthwith.
- Government establishes a Committee consisting of citizens of Grand Bassa and River Cess Counties, whom the affected people, victims of LAC expansion program, would name, to establish compensation benefits for all those who have been affected by the criminal acts of LAC.
- Government begin the process of negotiation with LAC, as recommended in the Rubber Committee’s Report to define the boundary of LAC’s Concession, providing LAC with additional land for its Concession, as may be necessary. The premise for the granting of additional land to LAC should be that it would be granted only uninhabited land in Grand Bassa and River Cess Counties or such other part of Liberia.
The Petition concluded that if LAC refuses or otherwise fails to take the necessary remedial actions to correct the wrongs it has committed and continues to commit against our people, we reserve the right to institute legal actions against LAC and affiliated companies, as well as its agents in the courts of Liberia and such international fora, as justice would necessitate.
Prior to the Petition to the President, the Joint Government of Liberia – United Nations Rubber Plantations Task Force submitted a Report to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, on May 22, 2006. The Report recognized in paragraph 8 of page 3 that,
Notwithstanding, the Government and concession holders and/or plantation managers failed to survey the area for suitability and accuracy, as provided in the initial concession agreements. This failure has raised concerns among local communities about the legality of the areas claimed by plantations, given the increasing importance of land and, in some cases, the evictions of the local population with the aim of expanding production areas. In the case of LAC, the local communities have organized themselves to challenge the management’s plans regarding expansion. (Emphasis mine)
On page 8 of the Report, the Joint Task Force made the following recommendation, among other things:
Renegotiation of agreements: The Government should renegotiate agreements to update and standardize them where necessary to ensure compliance with Liberian law and international principles of responsible business practices …
Upon receipt of the Petition from the Elders, the President requested an opinion from the Minister of Justice/Attorney General of Liberia, Frances Johnson-Morris. In her Legal Opinion to President Sirleaf, Minister Johnson-Morris addressed the following issue:
Whether or not under the 1959 Concession Agreement between the Government of Liberia and the Liberian Agriculture Corporation (LAC) the time given for exploration to determine suitable lands for its operations is unlimited?
Construing Article II of the Agreement, which is discussed below, the Minister of Justice said,
Clearly, under the Agreement LAC was given eighteen (18) months to make the determination regarding land suitable for its development operations. That time has since expired.
Therefore, the eviction of the citizens from their villages and the expansion of LAC is arbitrary as it is not supported by the Agreement. (emphasis mine)
Does this mean that LAC forfeits 300,000 acres of land remaining under the Agreement to be possessed?
Answer: No. It means that LAC must now negotiate to get this portion of land which it failed to select within the timeframe allowed under the Agreement.
It is unreasonable to imagine that the parties intended that population growth, migration or development would have remained stagnant for 40 or more years pending the selection of land areas by LAC for its development operations.
Presumably armed with the legal opinion of her Attorney General, on September 7, 2006, the President met with the Elders, the Concerned Citizens of Grand Bassa, and the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. J. Chris Toe. At the end of the meeting, the President made a decision, which was clear and unequivocal—her administration would not tolerate the ugly practices of the past—no Liberian would be evicted from their ancestral homeland to plant rubber trees. The President also took a decision, that in the interest of encouraging investment in the rubber industry, her government would negotiate with LAC in order to grant the company additional, but uninhabited, land upon which to expand its plantation. This, the President said would be done through a process of negotiation between the Government and LAC, and confidence building meetings between LAC and the people of Grand Bassa and River Cess.
In keeping with the President’s decision and her instruction, a Joint Press Statement signed by Minister J. Chris Toe, on behalf of the Government, and Rev. Dr. Abba Karnga, on behalf of the Elders, was issued on September 9, 2006, detailing the result of the meeting..
So why was there no negotiation between our Government and LAC for the revision of LAC’s Concession Agreement? We know how well this Government renegotiates concession agreements—the Government has renegotiated Mittal Steel’s Agreement and renegotiation of Firestone’s continues. The renegotiations of those two concession agreements have been on since this Government came to power, and only one has been concluded. The renegotiation process involved international commercial law experts and other highly skilled negotiators, including human right lawyers and environmental experts, all of whom represented the Republic of Liberia.
Why has the same standard not been applied with regard to LAC’s Concession Agreement, especially as it has not been renegotiated since its signing in 1959, about fifty years ago?
Just a cursory glance of the recently signed Agreement, which empowers LAC to evict the people of Bassa, will indicate that it is a product of fraud, bordering criminality, perpetrated not only against the people of District # 4, but also against all Bassa people, and Liberians in general.
One will notice that George Mensah, General Manager of LAC, signed the Agreement on October 24, 2007, while our Government Ministers—J. Chris Toe, Minister of Agriculture, and Ambulai B. Johnson, Minister of Internal Affairs, signed on November 15, 2007. Why was the Agreement not signed simultaneously and in Monrovia? Who were the Government lawyers involved with the preparation of the Agreement?
Even more intriguing is the fact that the Agreement was attested by the Senior Senator of Grand Bassa County and the County Superintendent and not the Minister of Justice. So if there were nothing sinister about the Agreement, why was the Minister of Justice not consulted? Why did he not review and attest to the Agreement?
The Agreement ignores the Attorney General’s Opinion to the President of Liberia; it violates the main Concession Agreement between LAC and GOL; it contravenes the President’s agreement with the Elders of Grand Bassa and River Cess, and breached the law and custom of negotiating and concluding government contracts, especially with such a multinational corporation.
How much additional land has our government given to LAC—how many Liberian lives may be disrupted in LAC’s expansion process? The Agreement does not say! LAC is given carte blanche.
Would an agreement concluded under such conditions give anyone the impression that it was done with the interest of the people in mind, or that our government even cares about the consequences of its action?
There is no legal, moral, or social basis for the crime against humanity meted out to our people by our Government and the Liberia Agriculture Corporation. In accordance with the Legal Opinion of the Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, LAC is not entitled to the land from which it seeks to evict our people. LAC may acquire additional land only through a renegotiation of its Concession Agreement.
This recently signed Agreement must be annulled and the Government and LAC must renegotiation LAC’s Concession Agreement along previously agreed guidelines—not a single acre of land on which human beings live would be appropriated by our government to the detriment of the people, especially in view of the vast quantity of uninhabited land in Liberia.
The Chairman of Liberty Party, Israel Akinsanya, has received several death threats because of his leadership of our Party in continuously challenging the Government on its many unconstitutional and unlawful actions. I, along with other elders and politicians who tend to represent the interest of the people, have been targeted by threats of arrest and intimidation.
Personally, it has become a way of life for me since this government came to power. As an opposition politician, I have been accused of being among those who master-minded armed-robbery in Liberia. You will recall the Government’s pronouncement with regard to the “Aksakaba Boys.” Then the Government subsequently announced that opposition politicians were plotting with former AFL soldiers to overthrow the the government. And rumor abound that I was one of those listed with Charles Julue and others to overthrow the government. I later heard that the in-court confession of Col. Dorbor that he was forced by the government to lie on others has stalled my arrest. Since the vicious killing of Mr. Michiels, I learned that my name has been placed by the government on a list of those who are not allowed to leave the country. Now, the Chronicles Newspaper on yesterday reported about a National Security meeting during which government’s plan to arrest me was discussed.
The Chronicles’ story followed accusation and threats by the President’s Party Chairman, Dr. Charles Clarke, the President’s Party Youth Wing, the government spokesperson, Gabriel Williams, Deputy Minister of Information, and Senator Findley, one of those who attested to the recently signed LAC Agreement.
I have also learned that the government is currently busy finding a “state witness” who will confess that I told him and others to kill LAC’s employees.
So, I want to use this time to appeal to members of the international community—please ask President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to leave us alone. Let us live in peace in our country. We are a different kind of opposition; we believe in the rule of law, not in inflicting pain and suffering on our people as a means of obtaining political power.
If the President and her supporters intend to intimidate and threaten me into submission, let them think again, because I will continue to speak out against ills of our society, whether it be the unconstitutional appointment of a Mayor in Zwedru City, in support of the Legislative oversight responsibility, the passage into to law of unconstitutional bills..
May God bless us all, and save our country!
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Credit:
FrontPageAfrica
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