By Bodioh Wisseh Siapoe
National Chairman, Coalition of Progressive Liberians in the Americas

At exactly 2 p.m. today, July 22, 1998, on behalf of the Coalition of Progressive Liberians in the Americas (COPLA), I decided to check with Ms. Marie Nelson, the director for African Affairs at the National Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Earlier, I had asked Teah Jardia, the secretary general of COPLA, to find out if the PUSH delegation had returned from Liberia. By 1:30 p.m., Jardia did call PUSH but was told the Baptist preacher and his team were not at the office. By way of introduction, Yuri Tadesse, an Ethiopian, is the international affairs director at the National Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Marie Nelson is a Liberian, who might have just got on board the PUSH bandwagon right after the Chicago Conference. I remember speaking with a young Liberian lady saying she lives in the DC area but was in Chicago, during the conference, for an interview. I was impressed. The following conversation was conducted on telephone--with Bodioh Siapoe calling from Valhalla, NY, while Yuri Tadesse and Marie Nelson were communicating on a speakerphone in Washington, D.C. Doubting Thomases may reach PUSH at (202) 333-5270.

Immediately after lunch, a follow-up call was made. On the other end of the telephone, the receptionist asked if this was Bodioh Siapoe. Quite interesting, I figured. But then, again, I have become a regular to his ears--calling that office almost always.

I asked if Marie Nelson had received our messages and if she were at the office. The white male receptionist answered in the affirmative. Then I was transferred to an office, confident it was that of Ms. Nelson.

"Hello, Bodioh, this is Yuri," the unusually heavy voice announced. "Yuri, long time no hear, long time no see; how are you? You sound a little tired there, pal. I am calling for Marie Nelson. Is she there?"

YURI: Why are you calling, Bodioh?

BODIOH: I am calling about two things: first, about a copy of the Chicago Conference video that should have been completed nearly a month ago; second, I am responding to Ms. Nelson’s call after she had received the COPLA Call for Civil Disobedience.

YURI: There is no video on the Chicago Conference. But please tell me why you are so critical of the National Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Rev. Jackson? Your allegations are all false. You have told a lot of lies. Why did you choose to lie?

MARIE: You said nothing about what we had to say about the conference. We asked all Liberian organizations to send us questions to ask President Taylor while we were in Monrovia. Now you have written a lot of lies about the reverend who is doing everything in his power to bring peace to Liberia.

YURI: Bodioh, you wrote an article in the West African Journal and the editor was not professional to get my side of the story. You wrote about our initial encounter. I thought we ironed out our differences. I am disappointed about all the lies that are being told.

When their growing and profound diplomatic deficiencies could no longer be tolerated, I decided to deflate their egos with cutting remarks, essentially defusing their diatribes and ire.

BODIOH: Okay now. That is enough. The two of you are supposedly professional diplomats, so please tune down those profanities. We all can deal in vulgarities, but I opt not to. I empathize with your feelings, but please let us take emotions out of this debate. Can you promise me that?

BODIOH: At the Chicago Conference, the Right Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. said his organization would go to Liberia to attend the week-long meeting and would celebrate July 26. Quite strangely, your return is so rapid--the meeting to which you were invited only began yesterday. Why are you absent? Why did you decide to return a day before the conference?

YURI: You or any Liberian group does not dictate the reverend’s itinerary. We decided to return at this time. By the way, the article published in West African Journal is one-sided. I plan to respond by writing a rebuttal. About the allegations made about the reverend, we could take you and your organization to court.

BODIOH: Be our guest, Yuri. You may do any of the two, or both. COPLA stands by its statement, no matter what. How soon do you intend to litigate?

MARIE: Mr. Siapoe, why did you people say all kinds of unfounded things about the reverend? Blah, blah, blah...yada, yada, yada.

BODIOH: It is a shame, Marie, that you are talking the way you do. Just before your recent trip to Liberia, I called your office everyday since June 25 up to last Wednesday (July 15) to ask what PUSH had done about our suggestions that PUSH and the U.S. State Department help pressure our government to do the right thing. When I was lucky to get you to talk last Wednesday, you abruptly said you were running late for a meeting and had to leave. I indicated that COPLA was about to issue a call, and you said it was okay by you.

MARIE: The reverend is doing everything possible to bring peace to Liberia and he does not need all the grief. I was affected in the April 12, 1980 coup. Yada, yada, yada...blah, blah, blah.

BODIOH: I am sorry to hear you were affected when the April 12, 1980, coup hit. I truly empathize with your emotions. Now please follow me as I turn the flip side of the coin. From the early 1800s, my people had been oppressed, suppressed, abused, debased and subdued by a minute segment of our population. Comparatively, I have been hurting longer than you. I have been hurting for almost 200 years. Yes, I have been feeling pains for about two long centuries now, Marie.

MARIE: Well, that is not the point, Mr. Siapoe.

BODIOH: Yuri, your African Affairs Policy director appears close-minded. To effect any real peace in and to Liberia, all those things that have brought us to where we find ourselves today must be discussed overtly. How pointless can this be?

YURI: I agree, Bodioh. Liberians have to put aside this Americo- and African-Liberian business and start afresh. As you know, I am not a Liberian. I am an Ethiopian, but I have put a lot of work into ensuring that peace comes to Liberia. The two groups would have to work out something for genuine peace to come to Liberia, else war is right around the corner.

MARIE: [Dead silence].

YURI: Our organization will only work with Liberians that want to work with the Liberian Government. We will not work with any opposition groups anymore, groups that want to criticize PUSH.

BODIOH: So be it, Yuri. I can assure you, however, that COPLA and other peace-loving Liberians will continue to call a spade a spade. Whether your group chooses not to cooperate with us, it is entirely up to you. We will continue to help steer our government in the right direction. That is our civic responsibility. Presently, the Liberian Government must stop the killing. It is our hope that genuine peacemakers see the prevailing situation through our lenses.

YURI: In Monrovia, we spoke with all groups--political, religious, student, women, etc.--and the government. Everyone has agreed to work to bring about reconciliation and reconstruction. The meeting is a success.

BODIOH: I am sure you spoke with the women's group that was quite vocal when one of their kind was murdered by security forces. And what about LINSU, the Liberian National Student Union, that decided to boycott the national conference but asked government to start implementing its platform instead? I wonder what groups you really spoke with, Yuri.

YURI: The ULIMO-J fellows are still in The Gambia. The airline on which they were said they are in The Gambia.

BODIOH: Yuri, the ULIMO-J ex-fighters are not in The Gambia. They are killed. They are dead. Where is the proof if they are alive in Banjul? Why are they not contacting their friends and relatives in Liberia? Why are they still silent, Yuri? The Liberian Government promised to televise them nearly a month ago. Quite recently, the same government ordered their case closed because the ex-ULIMO fighters are supposedly being trained in The Gambia in preparation to topple the NPP Government. Where are your facts that they are alive?

YURI: [No response].

YURI: We recognize and will work with the Taylor Government because he is the elected president. That is what the U.S. Government will do.

BODIOH: We realize that, also. Taylor is the man, who must do the right thing. And COPLA is duty-bound to ensure that our government does the right thing. Is not that our civic duty? Why are you accusing us of being critical? Don’t you believe in free speech?

YURI: Yes, I guess so.

MARIE: Just before our trip, we asked all Liberians to submit to us what they wanted us to discuss with President Taylor.

BODIOH: You excluded us, didn’t you?

MARIE: [Silence].

YURI: COPLA does not represent all Liberians in the Americas, we were told.

BODIOH: Yours is a valid point. It would be foolhardy to assert that we do. No, we do not represent all Liberians in the United States, not even three-fourths of the Liberians in New York City, where we are based. COPLA, however, is an effective amalgam of 15 Liberian organizations. AND COUNTING. ULAA, supposedly the umbrella organization for Liberians in this country, has less than six active chapters. Be mindful, though, that COPLA comprises professional patriots that will do everything to put Liberia back on track. It is our view that PUSH, the U.S. State Department and COPLA share a similar goal, don’t we?

YURI: We want to work with Taylor to do the right things for Liberia. That is why the U.S. Government will work with him because he is the elected president.

BODIOH: Well, it has been nice talking with you. Before I leave, let me remind us to keep the line of communication more open. Let us try harder to return telephone calls when they are placed. By so doing, we could effectively mitigate hardcore militancy. Is there anything you might want to say to the greater Liberian Community? I will publish this candid debate later this evening on the Internet. You could type something and fax it to us. We want to quote you verbatim.

YURI: I am tired. I just got in from Africa and I am so tired.

BODIOH: Do yourself a favor. When you are not too tired, point your browser at www.copla.org. You will see a transcript of this discussion. I shall inform the Journal's editor-in-chief about your concern. Take care.