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A concerned youth of Bong County has expressed serious disappointment over the failure of government to state a definite position on the long-standing travel ban imposed on some Liberians by the United Nation Security Council.
In an interview with the In profile Daily, Joehandsome Weahweah said it was ‘unfortunate and devilish’ for the government to remain mute on what he calls the unjustified travel ban imposed on these individuals, noting that the travel ban has outlived its usefulness since former President Charles Taylor has already been tried and sentenced.
Mr. Weahweah said the government should be able to make its position known at this point in time on the continued travel ban imposed on some Liberians in the spirit of nationalism and patriotism.
He noted that ban imposed on the Liberians including Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor of Bong County has no legal basis and as such, government should now play a pivotal role in ensuring that it is lifted without any preconditions.
Mr. Weahweah added that government’s decision to remain silent on the situation suggests that it lacks the political will to protect and defend the fundamental and inalienable rights of its citizens.
The Bong County youth claimed that the selected individuals suffering the UN travel ban whose rights have been trampled upon were not the ones that committed the atrocities, and therefore, government should be in the vanguard in advocating for the restoration of their freedom or right to free movement.
It can be recalled that in 2003 the UN Security Council imposed traveling ban on some officials of the regime of former President Taylor, while they were in pursuit of him to go and exonerate himself of charges levied against him for complicity in the Sierra Leonean war and crimes against humanity of which he has been sentenced.
Mr. Weahweah then called on the government to do all it can regardless of political and other differences to constructively engage the UN for the lifting of the travel on its citizens.
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