Source: Front Page Africa
National Democratic Coalition
Vamoma House, Sinkor
Monrovia, Liberia
27 September, 2011Ambassador (Prof) Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson
Presidential Candidate
Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
President of the Republic of Liberia
MonroviaYour Excellency:I write to you in your capacity as President of our Liberia who has sworn to ensure the peace and stability of our beloved country—a peace that can only be guaranteed when justice is assured to all our citizens irrespective of their political leanings. I write to you as the leader of a Coalition of political parties which has been grievously wronged by an agency of your Government—a wrong which we do not intend to suffer silently and which, therefore, must be corrected forthwith.Several weeks ago, we made contact with officials of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) and intimated them of our intention to lease a helicopter to facilitate our travel within the country during this campaign period. We were given various forms relevant to the application for Temporary Air Service Permit (TASP) which were duly filled out by NAC Helicopter Operations of South Africa, the company from whom we have leased the helicopter.On the basis of the contacts with LCAA both on our part and on part of NAC, we proceeded to conclude arrangements with the lessors of the helicopter, transferring to them an advance payment of United States Dollars One Hundred and Seventy Thousand. The helicopter then took off from South Africa and is scheduled to arrive in Liberia this weekend.Today, however, we have just received a letter from the LCAA denying our request for the helicopter to come to Liberia on the ridiculous excuse that there is “insufficient time” to process our application. But, Madam President, as you yourself know, this is poppycock and sheer political chicanery. We know that permission has already been granted you to hire a helicopter for use during your campaign. My question is the familiar: What is good for the goose is it not good for the gander? What is good for the Unity Party is it not good for the NDC, the CDC, the NUDP, the Liberty Party, the LTP, et al?We know that in recent weeks, all of us, including the international community; have been concerned about ensuring that the forthcoming elections are violence-free. But how can we ensure a violence-free election when on a regular basis elements of the ruling party perpetrate various acts of violence against the opposition, various acts of fraud—in short, various acts of illegalities.Without stopping to detail these acts, it will be enough to note the most recent reports of the Liberian Democratic Institute, the United States Department of State, Transparency International, and the International Crisis Group.The time has come to put an end to these shenanigans on part of a cabal of political Lilliputians. It is these misdeeds which compelled Transparency International to label our country as “one of the most corrupt countries in the world”. It is these misdeeds which Global Watch and the United States Department have noticed and derided our country in such strident tones. And it is misdeeds such as these which, in the first place, led our country into that 14 year fratricidal conflict—a death-trap which you, Madam President, are under oath to help us avoid.I am therefore calling on your intervention, Madam President, to ensure that permission is granted the NDC for its leased helicopter to enter our country as per its scheduled ETA this week end. This is an opportunity for you to rise above narrow partisan considerations and exercise that virtue of statesmanship (no, stateswomanship) which is the hallmark of any distinguished leadership.While looking forward to an expeditious resolution of this matter, please be assured, Your Excellency, of our determination to work for the enthronement of genuine peace in our country based on justice and fair play for all political parties, for each and every Liberian.Yours very respectfully,
Ambassador (Prof) Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson
Presidential Candidate
