Ahead of Liberia’s 176th Independence Day celebration, the Founder of the Free Liberia Movement, Torli H. Krua, declared July 25, 2023, Economic Freedom Day for all Liberians.
Rev. Krua, through a Zoom Press Conference from Boston, Massachusetts, the birthplace of the American Revolution called on Liberians to join the Free Liberia Movement at midday 12:00 Noon on July 25, 2023, to request an answer to the petition presented to the US Embassy on January 18, 2023, during Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week celebrations in Monrovia.
“Liberia wasn’t created as an African democracy. Therefore, Liberia cannot automatically become a democracy based on elections conducted in a corrupt system that caters to wealthy individuals that exclude citizens’ input and participation,” he said.
“Liberia was unlawfully designed, created, and sustained by corrupt American slave masters to protect the property (slaves) of slave masters as well as advance American domestic and foreign policy agenda. 200 years later, Liberia is still corrupt because corruption is in its DNA and therefore Liberia cannot be rescued or fixed by politicians because Liberia’s corrupt system of governance was designed to enrich and empower politicians. ‘Garbage in-garbage out.”
Rev. Krua has been advocating for the rebirth of Liberia since he launched his Free Liberian Movement a few years back. Through extensive research including review of historical documents, Rev. Krua says Liberia was founded by the United States Government through a corrupt and crooked arrangement with the sole purpose of enslaving more Africans than granting them their freedom.
He said this “corrupt and deceptive” system under which Liberia was formed continues to haunt its government and people, hence a need for a rebirth. This year’s advocacy comes at a time Liberia is conducting its presidential and legislative elections. There are over 1,000 aspirants including 20 presidential aspirants vying for just 90 seats, according to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Rev. Krua said Liberians are being deceived by politicians who claimed to be “fixers”, or “redeemers.” “A corrupt tree cannot be rescued or fixed when it’s bearing corrupt fruits. It must be uprooted and a new seed planted. Matthew 12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruits will be good. Or make a tree corrupt and its fruits will be corrupt. A tree is known by its fruits.” Rev. Krua said.
The Press Conference was attended by Liberian presidential candidate, former Bong County Senator Senator Franklin Siakor, who complained of the unfair application of Liberian election laws that have damaged his candidacy. Senator Siakor has taken the matter to the Supreme Court.
Rev. Krua’s advocacy comes at a time the United States Congress has reintroduced S.40, the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.
The Reparations Bill, H.R. 40 aims “To address the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery in the United States and the 13 American colonies between 1619 and 1865 and to establish a commission to study and consider a national apology and proposal for reparations for the institution of slavery, its subsequent de jure and de facto racial and economic discrimination against African Americans, and the impact of these forces on living African Americans, to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies, and for other purposes.
“Thank God for 172 members of Congress who have dedicated themselves to HR 40, to study America’s past transgressions that are ravaging the lives of Americans today,” Rev. Krua stated.
Rev, Krua complained about the “fragility” of American democracy which he said is being punctuated by ongoing investigations and convictions in the January 6th insurrection, recent shocking rulings from the US Supreme Court relative to abortion, affirmative action, and gay rights, and increasing uncertainties about the 2024 presidential campaign with Trump as a leading candidate.
According to Rev. Krua, America remains deeply divided but American politicians are distracted and focusing on issues abroad, including the Russian violent colonization of Ukraine which is being met by NATO’s support in billions of dollars in weapon support (“as long as it takes”).
He noted that poverty is increasing across the USA, and Liberia, a colony created by the USA. The poorest district in the richest nation on Earth, he noted, exists not by accident, but by design and racism codified in American law on March 26, 1790 which states that only “white persons” were eligible for US citizenship.
He said that the suffering and pain continue here in Liberia also because of a racist law passed by Congress on March 3, 1819, to create an American colony in Africa for the purpose of fulfilling American domestic and foreign policy objectives as well as banishing American citizens of color from the United States.
He added that on May 28, 1830, the Indian Removal Act initiated the ongoing suffering of Americans in Indian Reservations, including the poorest district, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota.
“American politicians continue to publish a false narrative of hate speech against Liberians and African Americans,” he said.
