Ebola debate evoked personal attacks from some corners of the political spectrum
By Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh 
Before a Liberian who perhaps doesn’t like my politics told me to keep politics out of the Ebola crisis in Liberia, another Liberian attacked this web site for publishing an article about a recent meeting former interim president Amos Sawyer had in the US with his supporters.
According to the article’s author, attorney Fredrick Jayweh, Mr. Sawyer met with his followers on August 30, 2014 to form an interim government, which he believe is a treasonous act and a violation of the Liberian constitution, since the planning is being carried out on a foreign soil.
Interestingly, this is the same 1986 constitution Mr. Sawyer helped to draft when he chaired the National Constitution Commission during the administration of Samuel Kanyon Doe.
The shocking revelation that Mr. Sawyer met with his supporters to discuss the forming of an interim government drew swift reaction from his supporters who admitted that the meeting did occurred, but denied that it was about forming an interim government to replace Madam Sirleaf.
What followed next were insults and putdowns from a Sawyer follower regarding my alleged “role” in the article, which I did not write but published. I was insulted and ridiculed for publishing an article I had nothing to do with.
Of course, I fought back vigorously, which I am glad I was able to do to get the cyber bully off my back.
The other incident occurred when I questioned the silence of the anointed 2017 presidential candidates and opposition politicians, who seemed to be in hibernation since the Ebola virus hit Liberia.
Why shouldn’t I inject politics into the Ebola discussion when politics is the driving force behind the decisions Sirleaf has made since the deadly virus entered the country?
Even as we debate the politics of Ebola and the president’s weakness in fighting the virus, Sirleaf made a political decision when she once again told government workers to stay home another month, to avoid the spread of the disease.
So when an elected president struggles to contain or eradicate a deadly virus, and those who aspires to be President of Liberia sits at home or in foreign countries and not helping to find solution to this national dilemma; do we just smile, leave them alone, and pretend that everything is OK in Liberia?
“Where is the opposition leadership in Liberia right now?” I asked.
“Sungbeh, what do you expect the opposition leadership to do? There is no need to politicize the Ebola crisis, let us rally behind this administration collectively to fight and defeat this Ebola virus.”
“Why not politicize it?” I again asked.
“Who’s making the decisions, not the politicians? In times of national crisis, do you expect potential presidential candidates and opposition leaders to sit by supinely in foreign countries and don’t have a say? Oh, OK, as usual, we Liberians always expect our foreign-based seasonal politicians – the ones who wants to be president and run for that singular position only when it’s election time. We don’t expect them to show leadership in times like these. Again, sad!” I responded to the guy.
When a forum participant added that certain members of the national legislature even suggests that Ebola be outsourced, I wrote back.
“If those senators are brave enough to suggest that Ebola be outsourced because the government is incapable of handling the virus, are they brave enough to come out and ask Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to resign or risk impeachment? By suggesting that Ebola be outsourced also suggests a lack of confidence in the president’s leadership. How long can the suffering continue to uproot and destabilize the lives of the Liberian people? Where are the seasonal – paper-pushing out-of-country opposition leaders? Are they preparing press releases and awaiting 2017 to get out of their foreign comfort zones? Sad!”
The individuals’ narrow sentiments do not surprise me, and I cannot get them out of the way they think, either.
Even as I write this column, the guy who admonished me for politicizing Ebola is in the chat room daily politicizing Ebola – the same thing he advised me not to do.
I guess he and his colleagues can inject politics into the Ebola crisis in Liberia, but are having problem with me writing about the confusion and incompetence of their “old ma” Sirleaf, who has proven to be tired and worn out.
I understand. Attacks come with the territory of opinion writing.
It is not that I am constantly politicizing Ebola and not doing my part to help fight the Ebola virus. I have done my part in helping family and friends back home, which is a private matter I will not go further into.
I also joined others recently and invited experts during an Ebola Awareness part of a program I chaired in our metro Atlanta community, that shed light on the deadly virus.
However, in times of national crisis such as the Ebola crisis, we expect our leaders to lead, to have clarity, vision, and take charge by showing competence and compassion, and projecting a sense of confidence that the Liberian people are OK and safe in their hands.
We also expect our presidential candidates and opposition leaders to show strength, courage, leadership and competence during national crisis.
These individuals cannot continue to play ‘wait and see’ and hope that Ebola will go away, before they can join the president and others to help combat the threat that is killing our people and destabilizing our country.
This is not leadership. It is cowardice!
If the presidential candidates and the opposition leaders don’t want to join the president as a unified team to combat the Ebola threat, at least, they can present a practical and sensible plan – a way forward that they think can solve the problem that threatens our nation’s security.
In our Liberian case with the Ebola crisis, I personally have not heard a word or seen a plan from those prospective presidential candidates and opposition leaders, as to how they want to address the Ebola crisis.
As usual, these individuals who hardly have any practical plans for Liberia except that they want to be president, are awaiting 2017 and other election seasons to spring out of their foreign and domestic comfort zones to shamelessly run for the Liberian presidency, which they think is an entitlement.
When these Liberian politicians believe the presidency is an entitlement and are awaiting national elections to function and prove their worthiness to Liberia and the Liberian people, it is the duty of Liberians who are disappointed with their lack of courage and leadership to inject politics into the debate by questioning their hearts and their patriotism.
Let’s do everything in our power to fight the Ebola virus the way each and everyone of us can.
Category: Editorial, News Headlines
