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| NEWS > 02 August 2006 |
Other related articles:
Police watchdog needs bite
AFTER SEVERAL fits and starts, the Menino administration has emerged with a respectable model to provide civilian oversight in cases of alleged police misconduct. But the three-member board favored by Mayor Menino will only be as effective as its yet-to-be-announced members are independent and levelheaded.
There is some disappointment already that the board will not have investigative or subpoena powers. This is most acutely felt in minority communities where relations between police and residents are sometimes tense. At a minimum, the mayor should ensure that responsible leaders in... Read more
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TheLiberianTimes.com - New Yor
02 August 2006
This article appeared in the above title/site.
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Liberia: Police Director’s Com
by Mabium Donzo-Sirleaf / Commentary
When I heard that a woman has been appointed as police director in Liberia, I was very excited, especially when I learned that she has lived in America for quite a while. Also I felt even more pleased that the American Broadcasting Cooperation (ABC), highlighted her profile during one evening news cast. Her credentials, which included being a teacher in New Jersey, really made me to have strong hope for progress in Liberia. The election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the appointment of Ms. Sieh, as I believe, is a moment to prove to the world that women, particularly African women, are prepared to make the difference in leadership in Africa after so many years of failure.
But I feel that Munnah's recent remark about Muslim women who wear veils has threatened my hopeful feelings about her and my country, Liberia. I am disappointed that she would make this remark. Nonetheless, I stay believe that Sieh knows better and can do better. Sorry, I cannot appreciate her recent utterance because that's the same that get us to where we are now. So, she has to be objective, if she wants to be an effective and efficient police director in post war Liberia.
Normally people make decisions with what they know, but we sometime deliberately refuse to make the right decisions with what we know. This is the truth about Liberia. Unfortunately, this behavior is exactly the root cause of our problems. Our inability to access the reality and attempt to change it for the better is causing us more harm than good. This has been common with every regime in Liberia. Despite the fact that we have experienced lot of trouble from our own regressive actions in the past, we are yet to change for the better. There is a need for us to be realistic about ourselves and the future of Liberia. We need to eliminate the hobbit of brushing aside the truth, by devoting our time and the little resources that we have to doing something meaningful for our country.
The recent remark of the Liberian Police Director, Munnah Sieh, in which she “warned the public including women from the Islamic faith, against wearing veil when moving on the street or other public places in the country,” is a bigoted statement full of ignorance. For someone in such position of authority at this time in Liberia to make such a statement is ridiculous and inimical to the process of peace and reconciliation in the country. How do we explain this to our international partners who have come to assist us with the reconstruction of our country. And mind you, some of them are Muslims. These people have left their family, love ones and friends from many countries to come help us. They have come to help us help ourselves, so that we can enjoy a peaceful atmosphere like normal people. It is disheartening to know that Ms. Sieh would make such insensitive statement at the time we need all the positive words to lubricate the engine of reconciliation. Our international partners who are helping us to move our country to stable condition certainly want to hear statements that will reconcile the nation. This will convince them that their work in Liberia is producing positive results. These humanitarian organizations need to be given the impression that, when they complete their assignments and leave Liberia, we will be able to appreciate and add on to the hard work they have done. Hence they should not be hearing foolish and ignorant expression such as the one expressed by the police director.
Moreover, the culture/religion of a person is the backbone of who he/she is in society. Cultural practices are parts of our human existent in the world. The values of religious/cultural rituals are endless. It promotes integrity, morality, respect, pride, dignity, ethics, self-esteem and of-course, the sense of belonging to some thing that is more precious than gold, diamond and/or money. As one grows up believing in his/her religious values, they become his/her way of life. Culture is a living reality that cannot be abolished by any president, or king, let alone a police director that is reckless in making public statement. From what I have understood about this ignorant remark, people who appreciate their culture will appreciate other people's culture.
Regrettably, this is the case of irresponsible and disrespectful behavior from a public official, who may be frustrated by some internal issues which she cannot control and is looking for a scapegoat.
How can one eradicate a belief that has being going on before his/her great, great, great grand parents came to exist? Is it logical to arrest someone because he/she is wearing dashiki, dress like a punk rock stars, wearing a yarmulke, or a catholic veil? Is it only the women that wear veil? What about those that belong to different religion but wear veils such as the Catholic sisters? It is unbelievable that Munnah Sieh will make this remark this time when she know we are just coming from war. Or does she think we are still living in the era of dictatorship, which any government official could treat the people any way they felt? If that's what Ms. Sieh thinks, she must think again.
It is a wonderful idea to have women in running the affairs of our country but we do not need women who are interested in using this administration as a shield to carry on their selfish agenda. Instead, we need women who will utilize their perseverance and innovative skills to help reconstruct a diverse social foundation for a better tomorrow. In a well-organized democratic system, individual differences must be respected.
Our public officials must be intelligent people who have the mental capacity to understand our cultural diversity. To understand that we are a nation of many cultures and the more we appreciate each other, the better we will be. Those of us living in America should know this better than anyone else. That's why it's so disappointing that Munnah Sieh who lived in America for years will make such a statement. I am sure wherever Ms. Sieh lived in America there are Moslem women who wear veils. Did she see anyone being harassed here in America for wearing the veil?
The ignorance Ms. Sieh has demonstrated is the cancer that permeates the Liberian society. What she said has been said before. But those were the days of dictatorship. Too bad we are living in different era now and Ms. Sieh should either wake up to the reality or remain sleeping forever. As a nation, we are very fortunate to be historically related to America. But our tendency to be rude to each other, to be self-centered and our general display of ignorance are preventing us from achieving our goals as a nation. This is why we are where we are in this 21st century.
Frankly speaking, attacking other people's cultural/religious belief is not even close to what our focus should be right now in Liberia. It is a shame that the police director is not on the same page with our national and international agenda. This current government in Liberia is a historical milestone not only for the Liberians, but, for the entire continent of Africa and probably the rest of the world in so many ways. We are being closely monitored and strongly supported by the international communities, as we struggle to maintain this historical position. Government officials need to carefully choose their words in order to protect the integrity of this phenomenon era in women history. This is a society which has been traumatized in so many ways and this has made the people of Liberia extremely sensitive. As we have seen in the past, the acts of abusing power by singling out a particular culture/ethnic group has often led to unnecessary violence. We need to be very cautious of how we approach each other, for the sake of harmony. This moment is critical and significant in our history. There is no need to further rock the boat. We need to be objective in implementing measures that will benefit us and the next generations to come. Being objective is of high importance for this new administration to progress. The remark of the police director is contrary to what this government says it stands for. Niccolo Machiavelli emphasized in his book, The Prince that, “a prince who builds his foundations on the people is one who is able to command and is a man of spirit, not bewildered by adversities, and does not lack other necessities, and through his courage and his institutions keeps up the spirits of the populace, he will never find himself deceived by the common people, and he will discover that he has laid sound foundations”.
Finally, as a police director, Munnah's job is not to be disrespectful of other people's culture/religion. She should be concerned about exercising law and order, thereby enforcing it within the bounds of the constitution of Liberia, and this does not have to be her own law that does not conform to the law of the land. In case she does not know, let me refer Ms. Sieh to Article 11 of the Liberian constitution: ”the government must respect and protect the right of everyone and the people must also respect the rights of each other”. Also the constitution emphasized in Article 14 that, "we have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion." This right gives us the freedom to think and believe whatever we like, provided we do not obstruct or offend anyone in the exercise of this right. Government must also treat all religions equally and cannot prefer one over the other. For Sieh to say that,” the police would not tolerate the practice of Islam for the safety of the public and therefore admonished those identified with the practice to stay away from the public”, is stupid and it is not funny!! The truth is, whether we the Muslim practice Islam for jealousy or for whatsoever believe, that Munnah claimed in her radio talk, it is our right to do so under the law and that is non of Sieh's business. In conclusion, it is extremely crucial for this government to operate within the limits of the law and the truth, as we all know it. There is no time for foolishness. We need enough intellectual approaches, backed-up with reasonable measure for better solutions. The acts of disrespectful and irresponsible behaviors have failed us and continue to fail us. We are on a mission and her statement is detrimental to our purpose. Let us learn to think about the impact of our thoughts, before we speak. This is what we need to do if we must prevail as a nation among nations.
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