Washington, D.C  - Attention-grabbing development ranging from reports of artificial passport price hike to the now famous spy memo allegedly by former First Secretary at the Liberian Embassy near Washington DC continues to cause anxiety among Liberians in parts of the United States.

Some Liberian residents including politicians are being accused as “enemies” of the government by the Christopher Nippy’s memo. However, the Liberian government rejects the notions that it was engaged in any form of witch hunting of its citizens at home and abroad.

Nippy has been recalled by the Liberian government for his involvement in the memo saga, but questions still linger whether the Liberian Ambassador Charles Minor played a role in the Nippy’s scheme in order to settle scores with the so-called emenies of the state. 

In fact the first casualty following the FPA revaluation of a letter to Ambassador Charles Minor from his First Secretary of Diaspora and Political Affairs Nippy was the Embassy’s own Press Attaché Samuel Abu, who FPA has learned has been recalled after being allegedly accused by Minor of working with enemies of the Sirleaf administration and feeding FPA with confidential Embassy information including Nippy’s coup allegations against a number of Liberians.

Abu and the Ambassador have not been friends prior to Minor accusing him as enemy of the state. Now Abu says he fears for his life when he returns to Liberia.

Meanwhile, Minor is expected to engage Liberians from across the US at a town hall meeting where he will address some of the concerns that have gripped the community in the last few weeks. The leadership of Liberian Community Association of the Washington DC Metro area (LCA), which is spearheading the meeting, has asked Amb. Minor to engage Liberians in a bid to address mounting concerns amongst Liberians over the controversy regarding a memo. “Mr. Minor has agreed to attend,” Boniface Satu, LCA President confirmed the Ambassador's attendance to FPA.

He said the Liberian Embassy welcomed the invitation and indicated that senior Liberian government officials have consequently been dispatched by her President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to also address the gathering at the at Long Branch Community Center 8700 Piney Branch Road Silver Spring, Maryland 20903 Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 4:00pm est.

Satu noted that considering the increasing nervousness and fear engendered by the recent controversy and revelations, the LCA leadership deemed it appropriate at this time that the Embassy avail itself to the people to allay their concerns. He said the gathering will afford members of the Liberian community across the United States an opportunity to express their views and hear from the Government of Liberia on actions taken to curb the unwholesome practice of labeling law abiding citizens as adversaries of the state, among other concerns.

The Nippy letter which FPA obtained from a source at the National Security Agency in Monrovia detailed an alleged plot to usher in an interim arrangement with former Presidential candidate Winston Tubman as Interim President. It is not clear whether Abu’s recall has the approval of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, but in responding to an FPA inquiry recently, Press Secretary Cyrus Wleh Badio denied reports that the administration was engage in witch hunting of Liberians in the Diaspora or in Liberia.

“It is clear from the level of rule of law Liberians currently enjoy despite the many challenges face by our judicial system that this administration will not engage in witch-hunting by responding to such reports unless there is irrefutable evidence. This is why despite the many intelligence reports the government receives on a daily basis, no Liberian, other than those now going through court proceedings for specific reasons, have been targeted or arrested or any actions taken against them,” Badio said.

Leaders of the Liberian community and the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) have welcomed the decision of the Liberian Government, through its Embassy, to address the concerns of Diaspora Liberians as a major step in restoring confidence in the Embassy which was undoubtedly eroded by the alleged actions of First Secretary Nippy.

The LCA leadership therefore calls on Liberian residing in the DC metro area and its environs to grace the meeting with their presence as an indication of the community’s unwavering stance against malicious fabrication for the sole purpose of consolidating ones position in the Liberian Government.

The LCA also expressed optimism that the exercise of January 20^th will usher a new path towards eschewing the appearance of vices reminiscent of our dreaded past to rekindle the essential level of cordiality which has existed between the Embassy and the Diaspora Liberian Community.  

Liberians coming to the meeting are urged and encouraged to exercise the highest degree of civility in articulating their views. Any views expressed must be done in a manner of respect in order to enhance an atmosphere of cordiality. The leadership of the Liberian Community of the Washington Metropolitan Area will like to also appeal to those Liberians who will be coming to the town hall meeting to please be on time as to provide enough time for all views to be exhausted.