Dear President Weah,
Please accept our compliments, honor and much respect as President of Africa’s first republic, Liberia.
We write to request your kind intervention in securing the basic human rights of all Liberians unlawfully denied protected status in the United States for 15 years. Consistent with the Geneva Convention on refugees and the 14th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, we ask that you use your good offices in prevailing upon your counterpart, President Trump to grant “equal protection” and afford all Liberians currently in the United States of America protected status and employment authorization for the following two reasons:
1. Although President Trump’s termination of protected status for Liberians on March 27, 2018 stated; “Liberia no longer experiencing armed conflict and has made significant progress in restoring stability and democratic governance,” his termination were unlawful and unjustifiable because of serious violations of the 1951 Geneva Convention on protection of refugees, International Humanitarian Laws and violation of the “equal protection” clause of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution that happened under the Bush and Obama Administrations, which strangulated Liberian Women and children for 15 years without rations, shelter, protection and employment authorization.
2. After the United States Government evacuated American Citizens to safety from Liberia during Operation Shining Express in the summer of 2003, the lives of both the vulnerable young American citizens and their Liberian Mothers evacuated from Monrovia were unmercifully and deliberately put at serious risks for the past 15 years, when the Bush and Obama Administrations unlawfully denied the Liberian Mothers protected status while granting protection to other Liberians who came to America on their own. This unlawful action and reckless endangerment by both the Bush and Obama Administrations have the effect of rendering thousands of Liberians currently in the United States without protection and without employment authorization at a time when other similarly situated Liberians enjoy protection and employment during the “winding down period” leading to March 31, 2019, announced by President Trump.
There are three reasons why I believe, without a doubt, that your urgent intervention will persuade President Trump to grant “equal protection” to all Liberians in the United States, thus ending 15 years of unnecessary suffering and the reckless endangerment of vulnerable Liberian Women and children:
1. It’s not that President Trump doesn’t care about these American children and their Liberian Mothers brought to the United States by United States Marines; President Trump does not know about 15 years of suffering of American Children on American Soil. President Trump desires to put America first always and this is one opportunity for him to do for American Children what he is already doing for undocumented families entering USA without visa.
2. The American Media has not prioritized the suffering of these American Children and their Liberian Mothers because President Sirleaf didn’t care about the suffering of Liberian Women and children in 13 years. Mr. President, caring for all Liberians everywhere is the job of the Liberian Presidency, for which you successfully campaigned, were elected and are paid a salary! When the President of a country ignores the suffering of its citizens, nobody will care! Absolutely, nobody! Not even Save The Children, Samaritan Purse, Amnesty International! In fact, Samaritan Purse yesterday refused to advocate for the Liberian Women and Children!
3. President Trump believes he is the best American President ever. Where Presidents Bush and Obama created unnecessary suffering of vulnerable American Children, it’s President Trump who promises to do what Obama and Bush didn’t do and undo the damages that Bush and Obama did. Mr. President, for nearly 30 years, we have always fought for vulnerable refugees in America. During the Liberian Civil War, when the United States Embassy unjustifiably discriminated against Liberians, denying visa and entry to America, we traveled across West African Nations where Liberians were suffering and launched a movement to start refugee resettlement for Liberians.
Our humanitarian and voluntary work secured family reunion and quality education for countless Liberians in the United States. Our advocacy for Liberians and refugees from 40 countries has gained recognition from members of Congress, National Lawyers Guild and secured May 10th as Torli Krua Day in Boston, Massachusetts. We are helping your presidency by bringing this humanitarian matter long ignored by the Bush, Obama and Sirleaf Administrations to your attention because like you, we also love humanity. However, there is only one President who must take charge now, he is George M. Weah!
As you carefully consider our request, remember if you were treating American Mothers the way Americans have treated Liberian Mothers for decades, American Presidents would surely come knocking on your door. As President of the 1st Republic, we call on you to stand up for Liberian women and Children being trampled on the ground for decades. When you lead, others follow and care. We thank you for your kind consideration of this matter.
Rev. Torli H. Krua, Founder UHRI