THIS, TOO, IS LIBERIA: FEBRUARY 18, 2010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONROVIA 000202

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID ECON EFIN EMIN LI
SUBJECT: THIS, TOO, IS LIBERIA: FEBRUARY 18, 2010


1. (U) This round-up cable, named after a popular daily feature in
a local newspaper, covers the following topics:



-- PRESIDENT SIRLEAF'S PARTY CONTINUES TO BUILD MOMENTUM

-- UN MISSION IN LIBERIA RELEASES HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

-- COUNCIL OF CHURCHES MEMBERS DIVIDED OVER RESPONSE TO TRC
RECOMMENDATIONS

-- GOL, UNMIL RESPOND TO RUMORS OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN GANTA

-- TRILATERAL DISCUSSIONS ON AFL TRAINING

-- LIBERIAN TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM WORKSHOP COMPLETED

-- LIBERIA ESTABLISHES CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY FORUM




2. (SBU) PRESIDENT SIRLEAF'S PARTY CONTINUES TO BUILD MOMENTUM: At
least seven members of the House of Representatives (including
three from former presidential candidate George Weah's Congress for
Democratic Change) have joined President Sirleaf's Unity Party (UP)
since the beginning of 2010. The UP also recently cemented its
merger with the Liberia Action Party (LAP) and Liberia Unification
Party (LUP) at a February 5-7 UP conference. LAP and LUP were
components of the Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia
(COTOL) in the 2005 election. COTOL's presidential candidate, the
LAP's Varney Sherman, was previously one of President Sirleaf's
most outspoken critics, but is now an avid supporter. Opposition
parties remain fragmented and appear far from forming a coalition
capable of threatening the UP's dominant position ahead of the 2011
election, although rumors of a new party bringing together the
disgruntled from several parties, including the UP, are ripe.




3. (U) UN MISSION IN LIBERIA (UNMIL) RELEASES HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT:
UNMIL released its human rights situation report for January-June

2009. The document noted some improvement in institutional
protection of human rights, but with significant gaps remaining,
notably for children and women, because of capacity and resource
constraints. Implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the
report noted, has been slow, and cites several instances where
defendants' due process and fair trial rights were violated. The
report's recommendations include judicial training, witness
protection programs, more defense attorneys, and more funding and
staffing for Criminal Court E, which deals with gender and
children's issues. The report can be found at:

http://unmil.org/documents/final_biannual_rep ort_jan_june_2009.pdf.




4. (SBU) COUNCIL OF CHURCHES MEMBERS DIVIDED OVER RESPONSE TO TRC
RECOMMENDATIONS: Seventy-six Liberian ministers are reportedly
planning to call for the replacement of the Liberian Council of
Churches' (LCC) leadership. LCC leaders have actively promoted a
reconciliatory response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
(TRC) reports' recommendations, which is outlined in a widely
distributed USD 6 million project proposal. The scheme includes a
national "palava hut" process to reconcile those listed for
sanction in the report with their accusers. The aggrieved
ministers charge that the current leadership is trying to prevent
implementation of the TRC's recommendations and divert project
funds to leaders' personal bank accounts. The LCC draws membership
nearly all of Liberia's Christian denominations.




5. (SBU) GOL, UNMIL RESPOND TO RUMORS OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN GANTA:
The Liberia National Police dispatched three Emergency Response
Unit teams (totaling 16 officers) to Ganta, Nimba County on
February 12, after reports surfaced of planned demonstrations that
weekend by Mandingo youth over land tenure issues. UNMIL also
mobilized Formed Police Units. The demonstrations never
materialized, either because of the large dissuasive presence, or
because the reports were simply malicious rumor. Local officials
believe that "The Concerned Youth of Ganta City, Nimba County for
Reconstruction and Development," which publishes unsigned tracts
that are sometimes reported in the press, is based in Monrovia and
is behind the rumors. In May 2006, a similar rumor raised tensions
in Ganta. Land disputes between the predominantly Muslim Mandingos
and predominantly Christian Gios and Manos have plagued the region

MONROVIA 00000202 002 OF 002


as Mandingos displaced during the civil war attempt to reclaim
their property.




6. (U) TRILATERAL DISCUSSIONS ON AFL TRAINING: In an effort to
develop a strategy for training of the Armed Forces of Liberia
(AFL) using resources from the USG's Liberia Defense Sector Reform
program, UNMIL and the GOL Embassy Office of Security Cooperation
(OSC) met with the AFL commander in chief (COIC) and UNMIL's Force
Commander (FC) to discuss use of AFL facilities for future
training. The COIC outlined existing AFL needs (e.g. Camp Toddee
development, training classes, etc.). The FC proposed a joint
survey visit to Camp Toddee and development of an action plan on
how best to utilize the base. OSC and FC agree that Camp Toddee
should be developed as a training area consisting of ranges and
bivouac sites, but with few permanent structures, keeping down the
cost of rehabilitating the training site.




7. (U) LIBERIAN TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM (LTTP) WORKSHOP COMPLETED:
As part of USAID's ongoing assistance to improving teacher
performance, Liberian County Education Officers, District Education
Officers, and teacher trainers completed a two-day LTTP workshop on
"Job Description and Capacity Building Needs." The group, selected
as the best candidates from an earlier workshop, produced a draft
"job descriptions" document for Ministry of Education use. In an
open discussion, participants agreed that the Ministry of Education
does not do enough to ensure that teachers are aware of their
responsibilities. Similar training was suggested for ministers.




8. (U) LIBERIA ESTABLISHES CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY FORUM:

Corporate Responsibility Forum, the joint creation of Arcelor
Mittal and German aid agency GTZ, held its initial meeting on
February 12. Attending were representatives of foreign businesses
(including Arcelor Mittal, Firestone, BHP Billiton),cabinet
members, the Ambassador, and President Sirleaf. In her remarks,
the President applauded the forum for promoting cooperation between
the government and private sector and sustainable and responsible
business practices. She also reminded the private sector
representatives of their tax and social fund obligations, which has
been an area of chronic tension between government and private
sector.
THOMAS-GREENFIELD