Defense Minister Samukai Violated Employees Rights

The Editor;

The article titled “Bad Good Friday at Defense” which was carried in the online edition of FrontPageAfrica’s April 26, 2011 caught my eye and I would like to respond thereof, and I am begging that you kindly publish my letter in both the online and print editions of your widely read paper. I notice that of late, Mr. Editor, you’ve been selective in publishing readers’ comments and opinions.

The action of the minister of Defense to suspend some employees of the ministry for one week for observing a religious holiday without pay is a complete violation of the employees’ civil rights. In fact, what kind of ministry is Brownie Samukai running?  He has a brother as a senior employee, a brother-in-law, another senior employee and a cousin as comptroller of the ministry of defense. Isn’t that what we call CORRUPTION?

The praise singers of the ruling Unity party government in the Diaspora tend to label us as finger pointers, and that we criticize everything that Ma Ellen does, but they do not see how Ma Ellen plays deaf ear to gross violations of the peoples’ civil and constitutional rights by some of her ministers, especially Brownie Samukai. Any serious government would thoroughly investigate the Chinese-donated computers that Mr. Samukai allegedly donated to a school as a personal donation. Isn’t it morally wrong for siblings to be working at the same government ministry in senior positions? Does Brownie Samukai think that the ministry of Defense is his private farm?

Could minister Samukai please tell the Liberian which national security the suspended employees breached by their absence on Good Friday?  If minister Samukai is so hyped about national security; how come former rebel fighters of LURD and MODEL went to and from the Ivory Coast openly? Some even acting as mercenaries, and when they came back went to carry gifts of illicit drugs to the Central prison for friends. Who give Brownie Samukai absolute power over the employees of the ministry of Defense? There is a saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

How can Ma Ellen tell us that she is fighting corruption when her minister of Defense is that CORRUPT? What legacy does Ma Ellen want to leave for the future; does she want to be referred to as the woman who presided over the most corrupt government in Liberian history?  Once again we say that until President Ellen Johnson –Sirleaf muscle the political will to WEED OUT THE CORRUPPT ONES like BROWNIE SAMUKAI from her government, the US state Department will always label her Unity party government as CORRUPT.

Thanks for the space, and the FPA staff; and may god richly bless our dear Liberia

Sincerely Yours,

Tolo Bonah Corfah

tolob@ymail.com
Twin Cities, MN