MONROVIA: Nearly every Liberian, from ordinary citizens, the academic class, from civil society domain to the Legislative and Executive branches of Government, has got a reaction, a personal view, regarding the walking away from the country’s 177th Independence Day celebration by US embassy officials over keynote speaker’s comments critical of the United States. Some Liberians contend that Dr. Rodtel Pailey’s comments were uniformed and unfair to the Americans, but others say the diplomats’ abrupt departure while the program was ongoing is disrespectful, condescending, and undiplomatic. Bong County Lawmaker Moima Briggs Mensah identifies with the latter perspective, as The Analyst reports.
Bong County District #6 Representative is calling on President Joseph N. Boakai to communicate to the US Government for the recall of Charge D’Affairs(CAD) Cathrine Rodriguize for what she called “grossly disrespecting Liberian leaders and guests on its prestigious and most celebrated historical day.”
Lawmaker Moima Briggs Mensah argues that diplomats should conduct themselves with the highest standards of professional behavior during official functions and show respect for the host country’s President and other officials, traditions, and protocols.
In a press statement issued by her office, Representative Mensah contends that the justification the Embassy provided for walking out abruptly is unacceptable, because “even if they are displeased with something said or done at an event, they should handle the situation with discretion.
“The CDA publicly leaving Liberia’s 177th Independence Day celebration in the middle of the event– and effectively disrupting it – can be a breach of diplomatic protocol and could negatively affect bilateral relations too.”
“Any issues or concerns held by the CDA in relation to the Orator’s speech should have been addressed tactfully through appropriate diplomatic channels after the event, rather than during it,” she stressed.
“Not only would this have helped maintain the dignity of the 177th Independence Day Program, but it would also have prevented this “viral moment” where the events of the day and other salient issues raised by the Orator have been completely overshadowed by the departure of the CDA and the other U.S. Embassy officials.”
The Bong County feminist advocate also noted that “orator Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey who is a respected Liberian academic and relatively young woman in the early years of her academic career now faces widespread condemnation from politicians and other powerful personalities who are rushing to defend the United States – one of the world’s most powerful countries – over a fellow Liberian, who has comparatively so little power.
“It is therefore ironic that the U.S. Embassy cited ‘divisive rhetoric’ as one of the main reasons for the unceremonious departure of US Mission Officials, considering that these actions have created a firestorm of divisive rhetoric among Liberians.
She said the U.S. Embassy’s complaint that the orator made “unfounded accusations” against the United States is also deeply unfair.
“Dr. Neajai Pailey was not specific to development aid, for which we know that the U.S. is by far the largest contributor to Liberia’s development assistance,” Rep. Mensah acknowledge. “There is a huge body of academic research (going back some 60 years) which argues that U.S. foreign policy and economic practices have created and sustained a form of neocolonialism in Africa including Liberia.”
According to the Bong County lawmaker, researchers argue that Liberia’s political independence has not translated into economic or ideological independence because “political interference contributed to devastating conflicts as part of the Cold War and perpetuated economic exploitation through extraction of resources and wealth for the benefit of foreign/American business and markets.”
She also quoted the unnamed researchers who concluded that the problems Liberia is faced with also include a school of thought that development aid fosters dependency rather than self-sufficiency, and illegitimate debts (such as those paid to corrupt regimes and never benefitted the people) stifle the country’s economic growth because resources are spent on debt repayment rather than development. Conditionalities have also been imposed on countries receiving loans and grants in line with neoliberal ideology (privatization, deregulation, trade liberalization, etc.) which guides US economic policy.
“These scholars argue that this has exacerbated poverty and inequality rather than fostering sustainable development,” Mensah said further, indicating that Dr. Neajai Pailey’s scholarly research falls within the academic tradition of critical development studies and is therefore expressing that view, which is hardly an “unfounded accusation”.
She asserted: “Subsequent engagement in dialogue and debate around such a complex history as that of the United States and Liberia – considering the significant power imbalances between the two countries – would have been a much more dignified and democratic response to the Orator’s remarks.
“Democratic societies thrive on the free exchange of ideas, debate, and dissent. As a champion of democracy around the world, U.S. foreign missions should encourage this free exchange and engage productively with dissenting opinions.”