Upon returning home many hours ago, Liberian Journalist Jonathan Paye-Layleh has clarified that he did not travel to the United States recently to stay in America.
This is contained in a press release issued today by the BBC and Associated Press (AP) Liberia Correspondent seen below:
“In the wake of widespread speculation and misunderstanding, I am constrained to write to clarify that my recent trip out of Liberia was not meant to stay.
It was my intention to return to continue consultations, as I struggle to understand and overcome what I have unfortunately found myself in with this new presidency —- a situation that I never experienced as a journalist even when our country was going through the brutal wars. So I am back.
My trip out of the country for medical reasons was planned months before the series of attacks on me from President George Weah, his press secretary and his information and deputy ministers. And yes, even though I must say that I felt relieved that the trip coincided with the verbal onslaught, I didn’t leave primarily because of those attacks.
I made it clear in a statement sent to the Press Union of Liberia and published in some dailies that my absence from Liberia was a combination of a medical trip I had planned and the emerging need to stay out of the country for a while because of the worrying situation regarding President Weah’s decision to single me out for his first attacks on a media person since assuming the presidency. I am still in a state of shock.
I also said in that statement that even if staying out of Liberia in the form of asylum because of the clear and physical dangers I now find myself in was an option, I was still going to return for a family decision to be made on this. This is where I still stand.
I have decided to stay out of the media on the controversy for now because of two reasons: Firstly, the more I tried to seek clarity from the president on those allegations against me, the more he and his team of ministers indicted me and the more my life came under threats. It was not doing all of us any good. Secondly, after trying on my own for more than two weeks to seek explanation from the president to no avail, I have now asked the two media organs I affiliate with —- the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and The Associated Press news agency — to take over to do the fact-finding. They may already be engaging the presidency.
I cannot be talking while my bosses are using their appropriate, official channels to engage the Liberian president on the issue.
I can only wait to see what comes out of their efforts while at the same time look for ways to keep safe.
I have never been eager to live out of Liberia. Not even during the war when the need was compelling. It may interest you to know that since I was born nearly 55 years ago, three weeks away is the longest time I have ever spent out of Liberia; and it was this trip. I truly love my country and love living there.
This, of course, does not necessarily mean that I must remain in Liberia at all costs even if the environment no longer calls for staying. That’s a personal decision.
What I need to do henceforth to save and protect my life and those of my family members is not something that has to be discussed in the media.
But thanks to the leadership of the Press Union of Liberia, my mentor and first employer Mr. Kenneth Y. Best, and the entire media community for keeping the issue on the front burner.”