Is Cllr. Tarr, Attorney General of Liberia, not a liar?

Hmmm!

 

The incident of police brutality against me occurred on June 29, 2012 in the city of Pleebo. After medical treatment at two major hospitals in Harper and Monrovia, the case was reported to the Liberian government in August, 2012 for an investigation.

 

The first complaint was filed by my legal counsel to the current Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, Cllr. Christiana Tarr. It was hand delivered to her office and signed for by her Special Assistant.

 

Normally, when a letter of complaint is received by an office, a reply (as normally expected) is always issued. That’s the foundational principle of correspondence. But Cllr. Christiana Tarr blatantly refused to reply to my legal counsel.

 

The second complaint and request for an immediate investigation came from the office of Sen. John Akel Ballout who is the senior senator of Maryland County. It was filed and hand delivered in October, 2012 to Cllr. Tarr’s office. It was also received by her Special Assistance.

 

But again, as was in the case of my legal counsel, Cllr. Tarr blatantly refused to reply to the Senator.

 

From all indications, she has been involved in stonewalling, gyrating the facts, maliciously and willfully misleading the Liberian Legislature and the Liberian people.

She has been engaged in lying. Here are few examples:

 

LIE NUMBER ONE                   One month after Sen. Ballout’s letter and two months after my Legal Counsel’s letter that never received a reply, I opine an OPEN SMS to Cllr. Tarr. In her response to me via SMS, she wrote, “Your case has been forwarded to the Independent National Human Rights Commission.” I followed up. When I checked with INHRC, the Commission categorically denied receipt of any case pertaining to mine from the Ministry of Justice.

 

LIE NUMBER TWO                  Rep. Dr. Bhofal Chambers, cited the Minister of Justice in his Capitol Building office. He asked her if she knew about my case of police brutality. She told the Lawmaker that it is true that she is aware. The Lawmaker asked her if she had tried to investigate the case. She said no. But she promised the Lawmaker that immediately upon her departure from his office, she would embark upon the investigation. When Cllr. Tarr left Dr. Chambers’ office, she never took on the case. Each time Dr. Chambers tried to reach her, she stonewalls..

 

LIE NUMBER THREE                Later on, Hon. Rev. Dr. Isaac B. Roland, representative of the Karluway District, Maryland County authored another letter of complaint requesting an immediate investigation in the matter.  The Attorney General replied and said that my case had been forwarded to The Independent National Human Rights Commission (INHRC). Upon enquiry again, INHRC categorically denied receipt of any complaint pertaining to my case.

LIE NUMBER THREE                On Friday, August 2, 2013, after my radio talk show where I threatened to repudiate my citizenship at a one-man march, the police department invited me for talks. Along with the Special Assistant of Sen. H. Dan Morias, we met with the police. We were told that the police had been instructed by the Minister of Justice to go immediately to Maryland to investigate my police brutality case, twelve months later. True to her nature, she gave the so-called investigating team my complaint. But certain parts of the Complaint were missing. I knew then, the woman is not up to any good. Indications are, she had already misled her own team of investigators prior to going on the field. Can such investigating team findings be credible? You tell me!

 

As a result of her ongoing acts of obstructing justice, I submitted a letter of Complaint to the

Senate ProTemp of the Liberian Senate, Hon. Findley. In the Complaint I explained to the

ProTemp that the current Minister of Justice has been involved in the business of lying to some

Lawmakers, misleading Lawmakers and distorting the facts to obstruct justice. As such, I am

appealing to the ProTemp to cite the Minister to give reason (s)  why she should not be held for

Contemp.

 

The current Minister of Justice, Cllr. Christiana Tarr, for some unknown reasons has been

engaged in obstruction of justice as far as my case is concerned.

 

Giving this indisputable fact, I have no other choice but  prepare myself to leave this country

and abandon my service to my country. Because, if the Minister of Justice who is charged by

the Constitution to dispense justice is obstructing justice, I see no reason why anyone can

think, Including myself, that Liberians can get justice during her term of office.

 

If the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Tarr is not a liar, then I pray ask, what is she doing in respect to

my case.?

Besides what we know she is doing in my case by obstructing justice, who knows what she has

 been involved in regarding other citizens’ cases.

 

 

 

I am Thomas G. Bedell, a volunteer worker; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia, a victim of police brutality and a candidate for citizenship repudiation.

MY ONE-MAN PEACEFUL, NONVIOLENT, PROTEST MARCH FOR POSITIVE ACTION AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY, MONROVIA, LIBERIA, AUGUST 14, 2013

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

 

On June 29, 2012, the murderous arm of The Liberia National Police notoriously known as the Emergency Response Unit, physically brutalized and psychologically tortured me in the city of Pleebo, Maryland County.

 

Magistrate Wesley Korko of the Pleebo Magisterial Court ordered the ERU to tear gas, handcuff, drag, beat, physically & psychologically torture and rob me of my personal money and then lock me up in jail while I was bleeding for 24 hours.

 

After medical treatment in two hospitals, J. J. Dossen in Harper, Maryland and J. F. K in Monrovia, my lawyer and Congressional Caucus off Maryland filed a complaint on my behalf asking for an immediate investigation in October 2012. Up to the present, the Ministry of Justice has been involved in stonewalling, lying Maryland filed a complaint on my behalf asking for an immediate investigation in October 2012. Up to the present, the Ministry of Justice has been involved in stonewalling, lying, distorting the truth and misleading the Congress of Maryland Lawmakers. Supplementary to that, the Liberian government continues to launch a campaign of silence in the face of the facts and pains expressed and declare to it. And that contravenes the spirit of national healing, reconciliation, justice for all and peace.

 

After I have realized that all my appeals to the Liberian government have fallen on deaf ears, I now have decided to take the case to the international community for justice, thus my one-man protest march for positive action against police brutality on August 14, 2013.

 

This March will begin from Downtown Monrovia to the US, EU, ECOWAS, UNMIL offices and then to the Capitol Building where I will interface with my  Congressional Caucus to deliver a Statement and inform them of my intent to repudiate my citizenship.

 

During my One-Man Protest March for “Positive Action” against police brutality, I will summon all peace-loving and anti-police brutality groups and persons and those who have a practical nature, all who possess idealism, dynamism and immense sense of patriotism and human rights, all who believe in goodness, truth and beauty, to unite to support my antipolice brutality campaign and call for justice so together we can built a new society where each of us will have a peaceful and tolerant future.  Our intent in this new society is for all of us to work for ourselves and enjoy what the Creator has bequeathed to us, those things that until now we have been deprived of by the Government of Liberia which holds and abuses judicial power in its hands. We have arrived at a decisive moment in time when it is no longer possible to go on sustaining injustice in this country.

 

We have the right to live without the fear of injury or being killed by the police. Our peaceful demonstration will compel the Justice Ministry to quit distorting and hiding from the truth and depriving people of justice. For Truth is the most important Core Democratic Value. Our democracy depends on truth; our government and its citizens MUST tell the truth and establish a bond between both of them. Truth MUST be the glue of that bond.

 

The right to live is a human right. The Government's primary responsibility is to protect lives and safety of its citizens not to destroy it. The Liberia National Police is destroying lives with impunity. IT MUST STOP NOW!

 

I will call on Christendom; we call on Islam; and we call on all religions built on justice to join our just cause and send a signal to the Liberian government that police brutality is wrong! We cannot sustain anymore injustice in this country at the hands of the notorious murderous police that is killing and subjecting youths, students, women, men, human rights advocates, the poor and armless and defenseless citizens and residents of this country to brutality and death.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2013

 

 

 

IT’S TIME FOR “POSITIVE ACTION”!!

 

 

 

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, my one-man peaceful, nonviolent protest demonstration on Monrovia begins at 9am ending at 1pm. It takes off from Downtown Monrovia to the US Embassy, EU, ECOWAS, UNMIL and lastly to the Capitol Building to interface with my Congressional Caucus to deliver a Statement on my police brutality case.

 

 

 

On June 29, 2012, the notorious and murderous arm of the Liberia National Police – ERU – brutalized, robbed and psychologically tortured me in the city of Pleebo, Maryland County. I spent four days  at J.J.Dossen Hospital in Harper for medical treatment and airlifted to J.F.K Hospital in Monrovia as a referral on July 4, where I stay for three days. Effective August, I complained to the Liberian government. Twelve months ago, the Government is still stonewalling and launching a campaign of silence.

 

 

 

I have no choice but to cry out to the International community and good citizens of Liberia. Thus, my one-man March.

 

 

 

I will summon all peaceloving and anti-police brutality groups and persons and those who have a practical nature, all who possess idealism, dynamism and immense sense of patriotism and human rights, all who believe in goodness, truth and justice, to unite to support my antipolice brutality campaign and call for justice so together we can built a new society where each of us will have a peaceful and tolerant future.  My intent is for all of us to work for ourselves and enjoy what the Creator has bequeathed to us, those things that until now we have been deprived of by the Government of Liberia which holds judicial power in its hands.

 

 

 

I have arrived at a decisive moment in time when it is no longer possible to go on sustaining injustice.

 

 

 

We all have the right to live without the fear of injury or being killed by the police!

 

 

 

This peaceful demonstration will compel the Justice Ministry to quit distorting and hiding from the truth and depriving people of justice. For Truth is the most important Core Democratic Value. Our democracy should depend on it! We expect the truth from our government and its citizens. We expect to establish a bond between the Government and the people in which Truth MUST be the glue of that bond.

 

 

 

The right to live is a human right! The Liberian government's primary responsibility is to protect lives and safety of its citizens not to destroy it. The opposite is true with the Liberia Police. THIS MUST STOP!

 

 

 

I want to thank all those who have been working with me, including the Media. I will EXERCISE one of my CONSTITUTIONAL and DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS. Under The UN Universal Declaration of Human

 

 

 

Rights I will EXPRESS my DISCONTENT and PAIN. On that day, I will cry out to a CIVILIZED world! I will cry out to CHRISTENDOM & ISLAM! I will cry to all international governments, nongovernmental organizations on human rights to help me achieve JUSTICE for those of us who have been brutalized by the murderous and notorious Liberia National Police.

 

Enough is Enough! THE KILLINGS AND POLICE BRUTALITY MUST STOP NOW!!!

 

 

 

I am Thomas G. Bedell, a social justice advocate; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia, a victim of police brutality and a candidate for repudiating Liberian citizenship

"Positive Action" Against Police Brutality

On August 14, 2013, I will conduct a one-man peaceful, nonviolent, protest March on Monrovia for “Positive Action” against police brutality and the Liberian government’s campaign of silence coupled with the Ministry of Justice’s act of stonewalling and distorting the truth.

 

The purpose of the March is to raise the issue of police brutality in Liberia, particularly in my case, on the international platform since the Liberian government believes by launching a campaign of silence, it can kill my case. Secondly, to use the occasion to REPUDIATE my citizenship and move out of the country.

 

The One-Man March will begin from Downtown Monrovia and ends at the Capitol Building. The first stop is at the United States Embassy; second stop at the European Union; third stop is at ECOWAS; fourth stop is at UNMIL. And the last stop is at the Capitol Building to meet with the Maryland Congressional Caucus. At each stop, I will deliver a very powerful statement.

 

I will also use the occasion to call upon Christendom and Islam to hear my cry and condemn the Liberian government and bring pressure to bear on it so as to change its suppressive attitude on its citizens.

 

During the March for “Positive Action” I intend to repudiate my Liberian citizenship and subsequently leave Liberia permanently and never to return again.

 

 

Because I love my country, I have given it my best.

 

In early 2006 after the 2005 Election in Liberia, when Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected president of the Republic of Liberia, I returned home as an answer to President Sirleaf’s call for Liberians in the Diaspora to return home and assist in her Government’s reconstruction drive after a 14-year generalized anarchy of violence that partly destroyed infrastructure and human resource on a massive scale.

 

Prior to my return to Liberia, I registered an NGO in the United States called Mission Outreach International, Inc., MOI, for short.  MOI is also registered under the Liberian Association Laws as a nongovernmental and not-for-profit organization.

 

MOI sent medical equipment to Liberia totaling three hundred thousand (US$300,000.00) United States dollars.

 

One part of equipment was sent directly to The Redemption Hospital in the Borough of New Krutown where I lived and play ball as a young man coming up. As such, I believe I owe something to the Borough. And I had to make such a contribution as a way to say, “thank you” to the Borough.

 

The other part of the medical equipment was also sent to The John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia.

 

This contribution is my way of giving back to my people, community and nation.

 

The medical equipment sent to Redemption Hospital is a “thank you” to the people of the Borough of New Krutown. They gave me an opportunity to lift my ball playing career to a higher level when I was recruited to play ball on Mighty Barrolle and The Lone Star Ball Clubs.

 

As for Monrovia, I spent my last days prior to traveling abroad to further my academic studies. So this is the best I can do for my people within my power.

 

Secondly, I organized and registered another organization by the name of KudeNumo Peace Initiative Foundation, Inc. KNPIF, for short. KNPIF is the author of peace in the Glebo Peninsula in Maryland County. This peace was made in difficult times. The two groups involved in the dispute for over three decades refused to three decades refused to reconcile their differences. The CARTER Center tried; UNMIL tried; and the Cape Palmas Catholic Diocese tried. But all did not succeed. KNPIF succeeded for several reasons. Amongst those reasons is our approach and concept resting on the principles of ASAP – African Solutions to African Problems. More so, I am fluent in the major language and culture of the people.

 

My Government, which is the current government of Liberia, has forced me to the decision to repudiate my citizenship. After spending that much money from my own pocket and compromising my security to travel from village to village delivering empowerment programs, peacebuilding and social justice advocacy, the Government did not show any appreciation but to sic its murderous police on me on June 29, 2013 to beat, brutalize, psychologically torture and rob me without judicial review.

 

I believe by leaving the country will help teach current and future governments that a citizen’s security lies in the hands of the government. And if the government fails to protect its citizens, especially the citizens that are making sacrificial contributions to the development of the country, then it doesn’t deserve such a good citizen. Another country can take advantage of that citizen’s expertise.

 

There’s where things are for now!

 

 

I am Thomas G. Bedell, a social justice advocate; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia, victim of police brutality and candidate for citizenship repudiation.

Am I to be “indicted” for my views and soon a political prisoner in today’s Liberia?

Not that I did not expect a lot of STRANGE things to happen in Liberia while I carry on my historic duty to my country.

 

I knew from day one, someone and/or something was going to distract me from my pro bon work and historic mission to the country. And that thing or person would be drag me into high level politics and brand me as a “wanted” man.

 

The day prior to my one-man protest march for “Positive Action” against police brutality, Tuesdays, August 13, 2013, having received negative information that my request for Permission to protest was going to be DENIED, confirms this.

 

One day before my March, I met a man; he’s working in the government. He voluntarily gave me some information.

 

He said an “indictment” by the Liberian government is hanging over me.

 

I did not understand what s/he meant by such serious revelation. Yet and still, I did not throw a “Cockrum” on him. I mean I did not record the voice.

 

Why am I to be indicted was the major question?

 

From all I discovered, it is because of my political and ideological views. I strongly and vividly expressed them over the past few months when police brutality forced my humanitarian, philanthropic and patriotic work to a standstill thus leaving me in Monrovia in quest for justice.

 

Here is one example that makes me believe this attempt to indict me is true:

 

In 2010, closed to 20 citizens and a resident were arbitrarily arrest and detained on false charges of ritualistic killings in Maryland County.

 

This act was not the first, the second nor the third in Maryland. In each case, most of the victims were executed by the Liberian government or killed by mob.

 

Coming out of that experience, I felt obliged to help bring this practice to a complete halt. For too many innocent people had been executed by the Government and more had been killed mob.

 

So I organized different types of protests to express our disapproval, distaste and discontent of the continued false incrimination of citizens and residents by the Government. This practice demoralized the county and its people.

 

Our protest efforts made it impossible for the Government to use this sort of backward political practice and approach to humiliate perceived political enemies.

 

We were successful.

 

Those who were arbitrarily arrested and detained were released, set free and charges dropped. All of those who were executed by the government and those killed by mob will never have a chance to vindicate themselves. Their children will forever live with this chilling experience.

 

Here is how I knew that I was a “wanted” man:

 

During the different protests in Maryland, a man within National Security, quietly and secretly informed and warned me of a possible government sponsored assassination of me. Being the man I am (properly informed on intelligence and counterintelligence) I took the information seriously. So I managed to control the situation. How? I readjusted my movements in the community.

 

By 2012, the police brutalized me. The manner in which it took place and the way the Government has been treating the matter makes it clear that this level of police brutality was premeditated.

 

Today, another person from within the Government has quietly informed and warned me of a pending “indictment” by the Liberian government.

 

Coming out of the experience of police brutality as a resolve of my ideas and ideological direction in the country, I am not taking this information and warning on my pending “indictment” by the Liberian government as a joke.

 

Believe me; the Government is serious in terms of its involvement in shutting out and keeping me off track. But I will not be deterred in the service to my country. It is a historic mission. I will give a day-to-day accounting of my experiences as long as I remain in Liberia.

 

I’m sure, if Mandela, Gandhi, Che, Lumumba, Nkrumah, Castro (of course Castro is authoring his “Reflection” on the Internet now) had the Internet as a tool as I do today, they would have done exactly what I am doing: exposing and/or preempting the Government in its every move.

 

At least by so doing, the world can know my troubles that I am faced with dealing with the Liberian government.

 

If the Government forcibly removes me from doing charity in my country and tries to drive me on the political periphery for confrotation, she can be my “guest.”

 

 

 

I am Thomas G. Bedell, a volunteer worker; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia, a victim of police brutality and candidate citizenship repudiation.

I am Not Mandela; I am not Fanon; I am not Che, Castro, Nkrumah or Gandhi

I have read continue to read and study Jesus of Nazareth, Mandela, Fanon, Che, Castro, Nkrumah, Gandhi, Marx, Engels, Machiavelli and many other individuals who influenced our one world in a specific way.

 

My reading and studying of these great men, helped to shape my life. But little did I know I would come face-to-face with similar but rather dramatically different things that these great men came across during their day.

 

Only one thing in the scheme of things that has kept me afloat and going on my own journey to freedom; and that’s the concept of “objective Reality.”

 

I will not delve too much into “objective reality” so that we do not lose sight of the issue at hand.

 

If anyone thinks I can be like Jesus, Mandela, Castro, Fanon, Nkrumah, Mao, Che, Marx or Gandhi, he or she must think again. For I am not on the level of any of these great men.

 

And this is where “objective reality” creeps in. During the day of these great men, there was no Internet. I’m sure if they had the Internet, they would have sent in their daily experiences. Because of the lack thereof, other people had to tell their stories and experiences, whether or not the accountings are correct.

 

In my day, because of the Internet, I am telling my experiences on a daily basis as they happen. Those experiences may sound “ridiculous” and “unbelievable” but that’s that truth. I’m sure if those great men mentioned above were doing the same as I am doing, others or their detractors would have had the same attitude as it is with mine. In any case, they probably went through similar criticism. But not up to our knowledge.

 

In essence, the day of those great men is dramatically different from mine. I could list a platitude of examples, but for the lack of time and space, I will remain this far.

 

Jesus, also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity, whom the teachings of most Christian denominations hold to be the Son of God. Christians believe Jesus to be the awaited Messiah of the Old Testament and refer to him as Jesus Christ, a name that is also used by non-Christians. The Bible tells us He walked on water. I could never be like Him.

 

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban communist revolutionary and politician who was Prime Minister of Cuba . At my age, Fidel was already head of Cuba. That means I can never be like him!

 

The martyr, Ernesto Che Guevera, was an Argentine-Cuban revolutionary who made a monumental contribution to the anti-imperialist and world socialist movement in Latin America, Africa and throughout the globe. His political determination and theoretical reflections provide tremendous lessons for the workers, farmers and youth today who are facing the same challenges of building societies devoid of class exploitation, racism and national oppression. I am far from Che!

 

Frantz Fanon was a Martinique-born, French Creole psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary, and writer whose works are influential in the fields of post-colonial studies, critical theory, and Marxism. As an intellectual, Fanon was a political radical, and an existentialist humanist concerning the psychopathology of colonization, and the human, social, and cultural consequences of decolonization. I am not Fanon and can never be Fanon!

 

Kwame Nkrumah was the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1951 to 1966. Overseeing the nation's independence from British colonial rule in 1957, Nkrumah was the first President of Ghana and the first Prime Minister of Ghana. An influential 20th-century advocate of Pan-Africanism, he was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and was the winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1963. He saw himself as an African Lenin. I am not Nkrumah and never be like him!

 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights, and freedom across the world. I am not!

 

To compare me with these all-powerful men that had tremendous impact on the history of mankind is rather disingenuous.

 

As a young man deriving commitment and revolutionary integrity from my late father and then enhanced by The Movement for Justice in Africa (MOJA) trying to do my best in taking my country into the 21^st Century, is a remarkable task but cannot be compared and measured to that of Jesus of Nazareth, Castro, Nkrumah, Che, Fanon, Gandhi and others.

 

I hereby invoke sanity in my detractors not to compare me with those great men of insurmountable strides. If I took the baton from them, I can never do exactly what they did. And generations behind me will never do as I am doing today. THAT’S THE FACT!

 

I know I have done my best; and I know future generations will look through the pages of history and see my work.

 

And when they do, I hold deep in the abyss of my heart and soul, truly “History will absolve me!”

 

 

 

I am Thomas G. Bedell, a volunteer worker; working and speaking on the ground in Liberia, a victim of police brutality and candidate citizenship repudiation.