/ 8 August 2003

Liberian party lashes out at Mbeki

A Liberian political party on Friday attacked South African President Thabo Mbeki for his ”uncooperative behaviour and counterproductive attitude toward the resolution of the Liberian crisis”.

In a statement received in Johannesburg, the New Democratic Alternative for Liberia Movement (The New Deal Movement), which purports to be that country’s social democratic party, also accused Mbeki of being ignorant about the dynamics of the Liberian crisis ”and the conflict resolution mechanism that ought to be put in place in order to address the vicious circle of violence that has continued to bathe Liberia in blood”.

”As we shall see in the near future, Liberia is not South Africa and a South African solution does not necessarily answer the critical Liberian question,” the statement, signed by Dougbeh C Nyan, The New Deal Movement’s vice chair for international affairs said.

The New Deal Movement also criticised Mbeki’s support for the country’s notorious president, Charles Taylor, for allegedly undermining peace talks in Accra, Ghana, and for reportedly suggesting that Liberians needed no help to resolve their own crisis.

”However, thanks to the sensitivity and sensibilities of other well-meaning African and world leaders, there is now an international stabilisation force in Liberia that is well received by the suffering Liberian masses,” Nyan said.

A search of a database on Liberian political parties did not list the New Deal Movement among Liberian parliamentary parties.

The organisation, which lists its address as 107 Randal Street, Monrovia, did, however, maintain an up-to-date website at www.newdealmovement.com. – Sapa