PHOTO: C. Cecil Dennis, III wants Liberians to rise together and rebuld
Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
The Chairman and Executive Director of the Liberian Reformation Network INC. (LRN) and son of slain former Liberian Foreign Minster, C. Cecil Dennis, III is admonishing all Liberians to reconcile for the restoration of Liberia.
His father, C. Cecil Dennis, Jr. was one of the 13 former officials of the William R. Tolbert government who were executed by the then PRC military regime after the April 12, `980 bloody military coup led by Master Sergeant Samule Kanyon Doel
The Liberian Reformation Network Incorporated is fundamentally a nonpolitical, nongovernmental, nonviolent, and a not-for-profit reconciliatory advocacy network established in 2015 by Mr. C. Cecil Dennis, III and Mr. Samuel Kanyon Doe, Jr. both of whom are victims of the Liberian civil war.
The Network aims to achieve cultural reconciliation and resolve the Liberian conflict through a nonpolitical, nongovernmental and nonviolent dialogues and humanitarian approach. Since 2016, LRN has been advocating for cultural alternative dispute, reconciliation, supporting education and assisting individual accomplish self-determination and self-empowerment.
Reformation Network 7th acquaintance
The network has its branches in Montserrado, Grand Gedeh, Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties with Margibi Branch being the newest.
In a written statement read on his behalf by his cousin, Rev. Charles Sotee Dennis at program marking the Network’s 7th anniversary acquaintance and Launching of Margibi County Chapter held at the Light of God International Healing and Deliverance Ministries in the Smith Farm Community, Kakata City, Margibi County over the weekend said, C. Cecil Dennis, III said, it’s time that Liberians put aside their political, social and personal differences and rise together to rebuild their country.
Liberians once divided by political propaganda, the fiasco of misinformation that separated them for so long they must put aside their individualize differences for the common good of their nation.
He called on the sons and daughters of former President William Richard Tolbert, Jr. assassinated on April 12, 1980 and the children thereof, Frank E. Tolbert, president pro-tempore of the Liberian Senate, Richard A. Henry, Speaker of the House of Representatives and E. Reginald Thompson, former chairman of the True Whig Party among several others to rise with the spirit of togetherness, the hope of resolution, the optimizing of reintegration, the courage of reunification and the confidence to empower a community and rebuilding itself.
According to him, Liberia can only be built by Liberians and not America, superpower, the European Union, the United Nations and the OAU and as such, Liberians must come together to support the reconstruction, rehabilitation and the reintegration of their society.
Reflecting on the 14 years of the Liberian civil war, Mr. Dennis said April 22, 1980 remains a devastating memorial for him, his siblings and all the Dennis’ as it is to all whose fathers were assassinated in that year.
Mr. Dennis asserted that so it’s September 9, 1990 for Samuel K. Doe, Jr, his siblings and the entire Doe’s family as his father was also assassinated adding that so it’s with every Liberian family whose fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers were murdered during the war.
He informed Liberians that they all have the dark story that connects their pains.
The son of the former Foreign Minister expressed that his pain and the pains are the same as others, stating that, ‘we all are hurt and there is no one’s hurt that is more or less than another person’s hurt’.
In addition, C. Cecil Dennis, III stated that no one’s family pain is more painful than another family as they all suffered the same thing during the civil war.
He continued: No family is better than another’s family, we all are Liberian and there is no one Liberian that is more Liberian than the other.
We are all witnesses of 1980 and the coup d’etat as we are witnesses of 1990 civil war. 1980 April 22 my father was brutality assassinated on firing squad and as was Sam’s father 1990 September 9″.
We as sons of fathers murdered regardless of when it happened we heard the same for our fathers as done everyone else pull from their fathers or love ones.
He maintained that the 14-years of civil war damaged the nation and killed approximately 250,000 Liberians.
Mr. Dennis: “Every time I think about this senselessness of a coup d’etat and our civil war, the destruction of our nation, the killing of our people, it drained my spirit and I am left to wonder what was the essence of the civil war, what was the reason of us killing one another, what was the reason we chose to destroy our lives.
Why were brothers and sisters, neighbors, children and friends killing each other in cool blood; why did we envoke such segregation in our midst, what was the importance of our vindictiveness against each other, what was the expectation of our ruthlessness and cruelty against one another, did we get what we wanted? The answer is no!”
The US-based Liberian said he cannot bring himself to understand the reason why Liberians killed each other and damaged their nation noting that he keeps asking himself about the justification for the destruction of the nation, cities, towns, villages, schools, hospitals and the land.
He said everyone knows that Liberia was destroyed by Liberians.
Liberians have been urged to look around them and see the demolition of their nation, the emptiness. Dennis narrated that the killing of fathers and mothers has left their brothers and sisters as orphans most of whom are called sogos or disadvantaged youths.
“Look around you and see what the war turned the youths of this nation into, see the darkness that covers the future of our society, open your eyes and see the suffering of our people, see the sorrow of mama Liberia.
Which of us benefited from the killing of our own people, what did we gain from the coup d’etat and the 14-years civil war? He re-emphasized.
At the same time, Mr. Dennis said it was Liberians segregation that brought them condemnation and it was nothing but their discrimination that brought them tribulation while their division brought them destruction.
Meanwhile, the Chairman and Executive Director of LRN has challenged Liberians to rebuild their country.
“And the challenge is yours, it’s mine, we can build this nation” he intimated.
He in the same vein said we the sons and daughters of mama Liberia gather under a singular banner of the Liberian Reformation Network INC. (LRN) in the quest to reunify and reintegrate our society from the path of self-destruction and that they have pledged allegiance to continue this fight of peace.
Mr. Dennis assured Liberians that they will not stop the quest of restoration; neither will they relinquish their goal of an inclusive society, nor give up on the reunification of their people.
He noted that they believe in this institution of civility and the possibility of their recovering as peace has always been their strength while division has always been their weakness.
“On this day, we the children of mama Liberia rise in the spirit of oneness to promote reconciliation for the restoration of our nation. Despite our pains we do not deny the reality of our hurts nor do we take the anger of our hurt for granted, we know our sorrows are real he added.
In conclusion, Mr. Dennis said he is humble to have met Samuel K. Doe, Jr., reconciled with him in the quest to heal the nation, Liberia and at the same time called on others to join them in the process.