The way I see Liberia

This is my opinion on why there is a prevalence of sex crimes in Liberia that seem not to have an immediate end were the victims are considered as sex toys. The rift between culture, tradition, urbanization, traditional law, and common law, which play a part in the way of life of the people on one hand, and the action or inaction of the government on the other hand clearly gave me the tools to base my opinion for this unfortunate barbaric act of rape.

Liberia’s dual legal system of statutory law which is based on the western common law for the urban areas and the traditional law or customary tribal law which is based on unwritten tribal practices, traditions and customs for the indigenous folks in the rural areas gave license to evil men to roam around like dogs in heat.

The subject in question is that of marriage. In the case of the common law marriage, the couple, one man and one woman, acquire a marriage license and the court sanctions the union. In the traditional law or customary tribal law marriage, one man pays dowries for more than one wife. The prospective dowered wife's age could range from an unborn female child to one of any age that has not yet been dowered by another man.

The dowry usually consists of any combination of money, animals, and household goods. I am afraid to say, though not scientifically proven, that the concept of the traditional law marriage has now been misrepresented and misinterpreted by some men who forcefully prey on young female victims for their sexual desires and gratification. Such sexual behavior that was widely practiced and shamefully tolerated in the hinterlands where the dowry system is a way of life is now been considered as the norm in post war Liberia.

Another reason for this wave of rapes could be attributed to the period of the past wars in all there ugliness, during which time innocent females were used as sexual slaves and free for all by those gun toting buffoons of all ages, who considered themselves as demigods during their reign of terror. Those murderers performed all kinds of sexual acts on our grand mothers, mothers, sisters and babies with impunity and that psyche is now been carried out in our post war Liberia.

The last time I checked and I do stand corrected, the Liberian government has not condemned, nor made any effort to eradicate, nor has she officially taken any stance against female genital mutilation or cutting; which is widely condemned by international public health experts, as damaging to both the physical and the psychological health of our female folks. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the excision or tissue removal of any part of the female genitalia for cultural, religious or other non-medical reasons. Most human rights organizations around the world consider female genital cutting rituals a violation of human rights.

I hate to join in on an issue that was clearly a private one; on the other hand, I cannot stand aside and not comment on the action that was taken by the Liberian government as a result of one man's private affair. When a member of the fifth estate stood up to society and challenge its hypocritical constipated moral value and acted recklessly and published an indecent photograph, the government’s action was no different from that of previous rogue governments of Liberia and other despicable African governments, by ordering police officers to shut down and lock up the offices of The Independent newspaper by using chain and locks. If one was accused by the government for allegedly violating Section 18.1 of the Liberian Penal Code, there was an appropriate legal action to be taken, and the action that was taken by this government was illegal and improper. I admonish the government to seek legal advice in the future before taking action on any controversial issue so as not to be considered as a government not different from past corrupt Liberian governments.

From where I sit, it occurs to me that with the number of rape cases that have been taken to the authorities and with the limited conclusion of those cases, along with the FGM situation, I am left with only one conclusion that the Liberian government is pussyfooting with sexuality. I am still waiting for that coup de grace that will distinguish this government from the rest of the previous governments Liberia has endured.