Monrovia – In the face of concerns expressed from the Diaspora about Dr. Togba-Nah Tipoteh’s stance against Dual Citizenship for Liberians, the esteemed Liberian economist has issued a statement indicating that why he is against Dual Citizenship for Liberians.
Dr. Tipoteh’s attention was drawn to the concerns when he read about them in a recent edition of the Front Page Africa Newspaper.
Although the names or organizations expressing the concerns were not mentioned in the Newspaper, Dr. Tipoteh selected to respond to the concerns.
At the onset, Dr. Tipoteh thanked the persons with the concerns for expressing their views because they would be helpful in promoting a non-violent approach to the handling of the various problems facing Liberia.
These concerns, noted Dr. Tipoteh, were expressed specifically in the following sentence: “Dr. Tipoteh, when you oppose Dual Citizenship now, you are telling the Diaspora relatives of those that died supporting your ‘progressive activities’ of the past that they no longer deserve to be Liberians”.
In the first place, Dr. Tipoteh said, in his response, that any Liberian always deserves to be a Liberian but not to be a Liberian and a citizen of any other country at the same time.
Dr. Tipoteh reminded us all that he continues to support Single Citizenship for all Liberians, as found in the Constitution of Liberia.
Dr. Tipoteh went on to say that the door remains open to any Liberian who went abroad because of any circumstance, became a citizen of another country and wants to return to Liberia and reclaim his or her Liberian citizenship, but he or she only has to put his or her other citizenship aside.
However, according to Dr. Tipoteh, the Constitution of Liberia has a way out for those who want to become dual citizens and that way out is to push for the dual citizenship provision to be placed in the Constitution through a referendum.
Dr. Tipoteh said in his Statement that he continues to defend the right of any Liberian, including those with Dual Citizenship concerns, to change the Constitution through the referendum method, as provided for in the Constitution of Liberia.
Dr. Tipoteh recalled how he has been a Champion for encouraging Liberians to return to Liberia and reclaim their Liberian citizenship and Liberians continue to return to Liberia, through his encouragement, and they are not looking back, despite the difficulties in Liberia.
Dr. Tipoteh concluded by stressing that in the struggle to build sustainable democracy in Liberia so that justice, peace and progress will prevail for all Liberians, the views of the majority of Liberians, while respecting the views of the minority, determine what must be done.
If a referendum were to take place in Liberia now or in the near future on the question of Dual Citizenship, asserted Dr. Tipoteh, the vast majority of Liberians would not support Dual Citizenship but they would support Single Citizenship.
Lastly, Dr. Tipoteh said that he remains a Servant of the People of Liberia in the struggle to build sustainable democracy in Liberia so that justice, peace and progress will prevail for all Liberians.
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