LMC Participates in ICFJ Conference

News Release

Monrovia, May 30, 2008: The Coordinator of the Liberia Media Center’s community radio project, Mr. Lamii Kpargoi has left the country to attend an International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) seminar.

The seminar is been held in the Swedish city of Goteborg under the theme “Toward an International Network of Independent Journalism Training Organizations: Partnerships and Mentoring, Innovation and Multimedia, Sustainability and Money.”

The ICFJ seminar, which is been held on the sidelines of the 15th World Editors Forum and the 61st World Newspaper Congress is the beginning of a year-long initiative that is geared towards building a new network of independent journalism training organizations around the world.

The four-day program will bring together over 50 participants from various media training institutions around the world, and is also expected to discuss topics on essential web tools, the use of digital resources, models for sustainable successes, etc in the work of the media.

According to a Liberia Media Center release, the ICFJ seminar is to culminate in a mentor/mentee pairing exercise of the participants whereby the skills and experiences of individual participants would be matched to ensure long term successful collaborations.

The LMC release stated that the seminar would end with the Knight Foundation and ICFJ Newsmakers Cocktail Reception at which time the winners of the 2008 Knight International Journalism Award would be announced.

From VOANEWS.COM

Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission Hears Public Testimony

By Naomi Schwar

Dakar

15 January 2008

Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission has entered its final phase: public testimonies by victims of civil war and by those they accuse. Many Liberians say airing the crimes will help the country heal from the psychological wounds of war and instability. But others say Liberia should focus on moving forward and not look back. Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.

Liberia's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created by the accord that ended the civil war in 2003. It has collected more than 20,000 written testimonies covering the period from 1979 when Samuel Doe seized power in a coup, to 2003 when a large force of U.N. peacekeepers arrived in the country. The testimonies tell of widespread rape, massacres, and children forced to be soldiers.

Now victims have begun testifying in public hearings.

James Makor of Liberia's non-governmental organization Save My Future says the public statements still contain surprises.

"One musician around here, I had never knew that he was a general, but during the public hearing we got to know that he was a general," said Makor. "So in that case now, most of his songs he had always won public sympathy that he was victimized, instead people now know that he was one of the guys that had a lot of power to himself."

Makor is referring to Michael David, known as Sundaygar Dearboy. Witnesses have accused David of rapes and beatings. One of Liberia's most popular stars, he sang the campaign song for Liberia's president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf when she ran for office in 2005.

Makor says it is good for Liberians to know the truth about what happened.

"It is necessary that we get to know some of the people, what they did. For us to have the past information, so we can know how to interact with them," added Makor.

But some Liberians say the information could be dangerous.

Lamii Kpargoi of Liberia's Media Watch says he feels it is too soon to stir up these wounds.

"There are a lot of people walking the streets in Liberia that committed heinous crimes that have never owned up to their mistakes. Hearing some of the testimonies that have come out over the past few days, it may well just make people become rowdy and try taking things off on these people, especially if they come out and they deny these things when everybody knows that they actually did them," said Kpargoi.

He says there is no statute of limitations on war crimes, so the issues can be addressed later.

"I think this TRC thing has come a little bit too soon. I think what Liberia needs presently is to get political and economic stability," he added. "Then when we are stable, then we can go after these people who have committed crimes and try to see how we can best forgive each other and move on."

The Commission will hear from victims first and then allow the accused to respond and apologize. When it finishes hearing testimony, the commission will give its recommendations to the government on how to use the information to foster reconciliation.

This is not enough for some Liberians.

"Crimes against humanity are not pardoned by amnesty or whatsoever form of saying sorry," said Boakai Jalerba, the secretary general of an organization that pushed for a war crimes tribunal, with power to prosecute. He says the country cannot move forward while people who committed atrocities remain free and, sometimes, hold powerful positions.

One man who will likely not face Liberia's TRC or prosecution in Liberia is former president Charles Taylor, whose attempt to overthrow the government in 1989 instigated the worst phase of violence.

Taylor is currently on trial for crimes against humanity in neighboring Sierra Leone's civil war, in which he is said to have participated in exchange for diamond money. The trial, in The Hague in the Netherlands, is being held by a special court for Sierra Leone.

Jalerba says Taylor should be extradited to Liberia and face charges there.

But Steve Marvie, acting chairman of the Youth Empowerment Program, a pro-democracy organization, says most Liberians are content to let the Sierra Leone special court handle that prosecution.

"We, Liberians, we are moving along with our lives, we are generally happy with our situation, and we do not think we want to turned back into our crisis days," said Marvie.

Media Watch's Kpargai says bringing Taylor back to Liberia could lead to greater instability. And Kpargai says, as a former head of state, Taylor benefits from amnesty under Liberian law for any crime committed after he became president.


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Lamii Kpargoi actually works for the Liberia Media Center (LMC) not Liberia's Media Watch as is stated in this account.

110 journalists killed in 2007: WAN Congress Reports

Goteborg, June 4, 2008: The 61^st World Newspapers Association Congress and the 15^th World Editors Forum have successfully concluded in the Swedish City of Goteborg with an upbeat report on the future of world press.

Presenting the World Trends in the Newspaper Industry: An Update, the Chief Executive Officer of WAN, Mr. Timothy Balding said that contrary to persistent reports of the imminent demise of the newspaper, the industry was still in a state of vibrancy.

According to the report, the world newspaper industry experienced an overall growth of about 2.5 percent over the past year.

Performing the opening ceremony, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden said that while a free press is a necessity, it must be tampered with a level of responsibility.

He noted that WAN is the global guardian of press freedom and must continue in its advocacy work on behalf of the world’s media. He said that Sweden’s long history of press freedom, stretching as far back as 1766, when the Scandinavian country first enacted laws for the protection of press freedom, would continue.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Gavin O’Reilly, President of the WAN extolled Sweden for its continued support to issues of free press, stating that the Nordic nation is an ideal example of press freedom around the world, although there was nowhere on earth that total press freedom existed.

Mr. O’Reilly went on to state that the picture of press freedom in the world since January 2007 remains of serious concern to WAN. He noted that there were some 110 journalists killed in the line of duty, more than 1000 arrested, while about 100 are still been held in detention.

For his part the Chairman of the Swedish Newspaper Association enjoined media practitioners to make global warming an issue of importance in the coming year.

Mr. Tomas Brunegard noted that the climate was in real danger if governments are not spurred into actions to avert the looming disaster.

During the opening event, Mr. George Brock, President of the World Editors Forum presented the 2008 Golden Pen of Freedom Award to jailed Chinese Journalist Li Changqing, the Deputy Director of Fuzgou Daily in China.

Neither Mr. Li nor his wife was able to attend the presentation ceremony because they were allegedly prevented by Chinese authorities and was thus deputized by fellow dissent Chinese journalist Gi Yu herself a Golden Pen Laureate in 2006.

Mr. Li was given the award for a story he broke on an outbreak of the deadly dengue fever disease in China a few years ago, when officials in the area were denying the outbreak. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to 3 years in prison.

In another development, the US based International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) conference on Financial Sustainability of independent media training institutions around the world was concluded on Wednesday, June 4.

The ICFJ program was held on the sidelines of the WAN and WEF activities and brought together over 50 participants from various media training institutions around the world.

The Liberia Media Center participant at the conference, Mr. Lamii Kpargoi says the gathering was a very useful opportunity of sharing experiences and establishing relationships with other training organizations around the world.

Mr. Kpargoi indicated that the issues discussed on essential internet tools, the use of digital resources, models for sustainable successes, in the work of the media were extremely useful.

Meanwhile the ICFJ, as a means of ensuring the success of its mentor/mentee relationship has established a secure website through which the participants of the conference can continue their involvement and resource sharing over the next year.

In another development, the ICFJ has announced that Belarus editor and free-press champion Aliaksei Karol and Ugandan human rights reporter Frank Nyakairu are the winners its 2008 Knight International Journalism Award.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Knight International Journalism Awards, given by the Knight International Journalism Fellowships program. The Fellowships are designed to create lasting, tangible improvements in the way journalism is practiced around the world. The program is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The International Center for Journalists, a non-profit, professional organization, promotes quality journalism worldwide in the belief that independent, vigorous media are crucial in improving the human condition.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation promotes journalism excellence worldwide and invests in the vitality of the U.S. communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Since 1950 the foundation has granted nearly $400 million to advance journalism quality and the freedom of expression. Knight Foundation supports ideas and projects that create transformational change.

BILL JARKLOH WRITES FROM PRISON

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

“Many people who know me, Bill K. Jarkloh, I guess, were surprised when they read on the FrontPageAfrica website, Heritage, The INQUIRER newspapers and heard on Star Radio that I was arrested and being detained at the Monrovia Central Prison on allegation of “Rape and Sodomy,” he said.

He said at all cost, the fact remains that “I am innocent, and I am being humiliated by a conspiracy masterminded and championed by Sorbor George”, a reporter of Star Radio in Monrovia. Mr. George and I lived in the same building but in separate apartments.

Besides, he said, “the conspiracy against him is also being masterminded by officials of the court.

“Oh People of Liberia, justice has remained injustice in this country. My experience that lands me to the Monrovia Central Prison on the Charge of “RAPE/SODOMY” is as bitter as any of those brought against the innocent though conspiracy,” he writes.

“All I say in this epistle is that I am at present detained on the crime of RAPE/SODOMY because the court officials instructed my arrest and detention for a crime I know nothing about,” Jarkloh said in his letter.

He claimed the Magistrate was instructed by some at the helm of power to deny my fiancée Korpo Kortimai bail because he and enemies of progress want Korpo and I to be brought to the South Beach together disgraced for a good we did. “But God says “the truth that is buried shall rise again,” he added.

He said the crux of the matter is that one Janjay, said to be a mother of eight-year-old “Tenesee” (Love) Samuels abandoned Love for more than one month and chased her out of their residence.

This minor was sleeping in street corners, video clubs and under market stalls. Love told Korpo, human right activist/personnel, how one Lincoln had abused her at a video club in the middle of the night.

Thereafter, he said, a lady rescued her and turned her over to Korpo as people in the community usually do when an abandoned or abused child was found. Korpo Kortimai, as usual, took “Love” to Love’s “mother” Janjay but Janjay told Korpo that because she Janjay didn’t want Love to run from the house again, (Korpo) should keep the child and counsel her.

But looking at the poor health situation, Korpo had reported this minor to the Women and Children Protection Unit of the LNP (Central). “Love was processed at the police Headquarters and taken to a “Safe Home”.

A week later, Janjay started to grumble Korpo to see the “Safe Home”, apparently thinking that sending Love there is for pecuniary gain to Korpo and her household. And because there are already envious people in the community that Korpo and I live, they have now connived; saying that my charming spouse, Korpo, “kidnapped” Love while I raped and sodomized the little girl.

The police investigation regarding the abandonment and raping of Love was ignored for whatsoever interest to order the issuance of a writ of arrest against me for “SODOMY/RAPE” without a police charge sheet; at the same time, warning Attorney Doyen who is insisting on outcome of police investigation to keep off the matter. Instead, Justice Johnnie Lewis said he preferred Attorney Sam T. Solomon to use Janjay and my enemies to incarcerate me at the Monrovia Central Prison (South Beach) without the police report on the case and medical documents (report) to establish their claims against me.

Presently, my fiancée Korpo Kortimai has since been released upon filing a bail while I am still being detained without being prosecuted on the charges of rape and sodomy brought against me.

My fiancée and I have been good to Love and her mother. Unfortunately, our kindness has turned into bad and we are being paid with false charges just to destroy our hard earned reputation and characters. But let me reiterate, I Am Innocent, I need a speedy trial, I should not be kept without trial.

To my professional colleagues in the media, I am appealing to kindly do me justice by trying to get my sides of the story, instead of publishing one-sided story. Please try to reach me at the Monrovia Central Prison or my fiancée Korpo Kortimai who is available for interviews on the subject at bar.

I have noticed from the recent publications on the internet, newspapers and radio stations, none of my professional colleagues made effort to get my side of the story. Please remember there are two sides to every story and kindly do me justice to get my version of the story.

Besides, I would appreciate if the media will go beyond sources and contact all parties involved in this case including the Police Women and Children Unit, the Save Home, Assistant Montserrado County Attorney Witness Doyen and his Senior County Attorney Samuel Jacobs.

To conclude, let Mr. Sorbor George, a reporter of Star Radio in Monrovia know that he will not succeed to destroy me. I’m Innocent and with God above, I will majestically walk through the doors of the court when the case shall be judged. To my brothers and sisters, my friends and well wishers, let not be discouraged, I will definitely be set free.

I’m innocent and that the Almighty God whom we all serve will reward Sorbor George and all those who are plotting against me. No condition is permanent, I fear nothing, and my consciences are much clear.

Can you imagine, on four occasions, Mr. George has issued a lawsuit against me? To get the actual story and details, I encourage my professional media colleagues and human right activists to kindly reach me at the Central Prison. I want to speak out.

I’m appealing to the Press Union of Liberia to kindly press for a speedily and fair trial. If I committed a crime, I should be fairly prosecuted and not to be kept in detention for a protracted period without justice being done. Let me have my days in court and face justice. I’m hungry for justice; I am demanding a speedy trial.

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Bill Jarkloh is a Liberian journalist who lives and works in Monrovia. He blogs at Panwhan.blogspot.com and billkjarkloh.wordpress.com