Dearest Mama,
It’s that time of the year again. Christmas, New Year, shopping, blah, blah. The songs, the sayings: “Christmas coming $0.30, buy your Lappa $0.30! Christmas coming $0.30, buy your Lappa $0.30!” An old song for the not too young, ehn! What’s the song on the block these days? Well, before you put it on me, let me quickly say, “My Christmas on you. My new year on you Oo.” I said it first, so you owe me Christmas and New Year gift(s).
I know there are a lot going on at your end: Christmas shopping, the chief, politics and policies, and our next door neighbor; Côte d'Ivoire.
At my end, December is not only a birthday month, (my birthday); it is also a time when businesses put out their best marketing strategies to conjure customers. Personally, when “Christmas starts coming,” I begin vigorously searching for feathers to sooth my ears from the tingling sound of the big gray old clock. The clock’s ticking becomes louder and more annoying as the number of days to Christmas and the ushering of the New Year decreases. I visualize the movement of the minute hand on the big gray old clock, and have attempted gluing the hands of the clock to keep it in place. Do you think I succeeded? No way. That giant clock just goes on ticking. Do you hear the clooocck? I hear it, even when I’m on the farm. I hear it when I’m in the market. I hear it when I am washing the clothes. I hear it when I’m cooking cassava leaf. I hear it when using the wooden spoon to turn the torborgee in the country pot, and that thing keeps ticking when I’m listening to the radio. Some twenty years ago, and that big gray clock just goes on and on, ticking in my ears; faithfully defending its territory against the cotton buds, the chicken feathers, my fingers, the tip of the pens and pencils.
Sometimes, it appears that the big gray old clock has lost the territory it stole from me years ago, but then, the big old gray clock, reminds me that being silent or faint doesn’t mean it is powerless.
So that big gray clock is ringing its loudest again. This time, in addition to reminding me about the beginning of the Liberian war that left my Village in tatters, displaced us and the beginning of our (you and me)separation, (start of the December 1989 war); the clock has added another annoying tone - the ongoing crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. But why Cote d'Ivoire??
I’ve read and continue to follow the situation in Cote d'Ivoire. I am aware that both Gbagbo and Ouattara are claiming that they won the November 28 runoff elections and have set up parallel governments in the city of Abidjan. Alassana Ouattara’s claim is backed by international groups, while the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, controls the military. There are also reports that fighters (rebels) from Liberia and Angola are being recruited by “commanders” in Cote d’ivoire. Personallly, the key question shouldn't ne who’s recruiting former rebels from Liberia or fighters from Angola. In my view, the key issue should be, how are the fighters and mercenaries identified, how are they contacted, how is recruitment carried out?
I am sitting here thinking aloud, Mama: So these professed “mercenaries” are apparently walking freely without labels in a non military, and or non guerilla society (ies).
Another issue that is worrisome is the report of the influx of Ivorians (refugee) across borders into Liberia, Guinea, and other countries that share borders with Cote d’voire. The Ivorians are mostly crossing over into Liberia by way of Nimba County. Does that ring a bell - ding ding, ding ding!
Knock, knock, is anyone checking to make sure that there are restriction on the movements of weapons during the mass influx of refugees???
Mama, so what do we wish for Cote d’voire? I hear some people say, “it’s good for them, let them see what it feels like to be having problems.’ Others are saying, “And they were the ones who let Taylor use their place to start war, so…” Then there are those who are saying, “Don’t mind them, they…………”
Well, let me close this letter with the following questions:
Can Liberia claim the lost stability in Cote D’voire? Ok, let me create a scenario for this question. Cote D’voire and Liberia are two individuals working at a government agency. Cote d’voire was laid off. Can Liberia, also an employee at this agency maintains her job, and also get Cote D’voire’s job, and salary?
Will a war in Cote d’voire bring, or restore peace in Liberia?
Does the crisis in Cote d’voire lift us off our economic situation, or increases our economic woes?
How do you feel about the crisis in Cote d’voire? Do you feel happy, sad, mad, worried, excited, or indifferent?
Well, Mama, I must pay attention to your grandchild. Extend my love to Poppa, and my big brother who are with you. And extend Holiday greeting to Korpo, Mama Yassa, Annie and her family, Oldman Kollie, and all the folks in the Village. Tell them, my Christmas on them!
always,
musue
To share this material and all materials on this site, you may share the link or web address only. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any form, expect the permission [to use the link] indicated by the author.
