LIBERIA: MEDIA REACTION: A NEW BEGINNING SPEECH

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000401


DEPT FOR AF/PD DWHITMAN/TROOKARD/SLISENBY, AF/W NGAREY,
IIP/AF MMARTINEZ/CCOREY, ECA/PE/V/R/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: MEDIA REACTION: A NEW BEGINNING SPEECH


1. SUMMARY: On June 4, 2009, the Public Diplomacy Section delivered
copies of President Obama's speech to Mosques and media houses
throughout Monrovia. Liberians watched the speech live on CNN and
BBC in cafes and restaurants. Radio stations replayed the speech
several times that day. Newspapers printed photos and highlights
from the speech. Post expects that news coverage will continue for a
week to come. The Vice President of the Interfaith Council of
Liberia Sheikh Kafumba Konneh paid tribute to the speech on June 5
at the ground-breaking ceremony for the New Embassy Compound in
Monrovia. The message to bridge the gap between faiths in order to
ensure peaceful and prosperous future is particularly resonant in
post-conflict Liberia. END SUMMARY.

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PUBLIC FEEDBACK
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2. The Public Diplomacy Section delivered copies of President
Obama's speech and engaged with Liberian Muslims at the Interfaith
Council, Muslim Council, Muslim Women Association, and the top
Mosques in Monrovia. At each Mosque, a significant number of those
who had gathered for afternoon prayers said they had watched the
speech on CNN as it was being relayed by a local television service
provider. Generally, Liberian Muslims at the various mosques said
they thought it was an historic speech that broadly laid the
foundation for a new relationship between America and Muslims around
the world, not only the Middle East.

-- Imam Musa Keita of the Newport Street Mosque said, "It was a very
fantastic speech and we will share copies with all of our members."

-- A member of the Randall Street Mosque, Sekou Dukuly said, "I
noted with appreciation President Obama's knowledge of the Koran.'"

-- The Vice President of the Interfaith Council of Liberia Sheikh
Kafumba Konneh was invited, along with a Christian and a Traditional
religious leader, to provide a prayer over the ground-breaking of
the New Embassy Compound (NEC) in Monrovia, Liberia. The NEC site
served as a refugee camp during the years of conflict in Liberia and
the ground breaking doubled as a memorial for the lives lost. In his
remarks, Sheikh Konneh specifically mentioned President Obama's New
Beginning Speech and noted that Liberians needed to implement the
same respect and equality at home.

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MEDIA COVERAGE
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3. RADIO: Several local radio stations, including independent Star
radio, Radio Veritas (owned by the Catholic Church of Liberia and a
VOA affiliate) ran stories, carrying quotes from the President'
speech on June 4th and 5th.


4. TELEVISION: Power TV, a local television station whose broadcast
covers Monrovia and its suburbs relayed the President's speech live
from CNN for its viewers.


5. PRINT: President Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday
received extensive coverage in Liberian newspapers.

-- The leading daily "the Daily Observer" (circulation over 5,000
copies) ran a story on page two under the headline "Obama Reaches
Out to Muslim World." The paper wrote, "US President Barack Obama
has said the cycle of suspicion and discord between the United
States and the Muslim World must end." The Observer also devoted an
entire page in its June 5th edition to gauging international
reaction to the President's speech.

-- The New Vision (daily, circulation of more than 2,500) on June 5
ran a front-page story under the caption "US and Muslims to Forge
New partnership-As Obama Wants new Beginning-Confronts Violent
Extremism." The paper also included a list of complementary quotes
from the Quran.

-- The Liberia Journal (daily, circulation of less than 2,000) ran a
front-page story on June 5 under the headline "To Muslim World Obama
Reaches Out".

-- The Public Agenda, (daily, critical of the government,
circulation: 2,500) on June 5 ran a story under the caption "Obama
Reaches Out to Muslim World".

-- The Inquirer (daily, circulation of 5,000 copies) on June 5 ran
the President speech verbatim on page two.


THOMAS-GREENFIELD