The Fula Community has condemned in the strongest term the recent vandalizing of businesses and brutal attack on some of their kinsmen in Grand Gedeh County, and called on the administration of President George M. Weah, through the Ministry of Justice and all authorities concerned, to launch an immediate investigation into the recent violence. “It is our kindest expectation that the instigators of these acts of violence will be swiftly brought to Justice,” the Fula community’s statement noted.
In their position statement, issued Thursday, May 27, 2021 at the headquarters of the Fulani United of Liberia, the Fula community said, “We see the attack on our fellow kinsmen in Grand Gedeh as a premeditated act, intended to frustrate Fula businessmen who have struggled for years to earn their living. We are a peace-loving tribe that is not noted for instigating brutality; hence, we do not understand why our kinsmen are being subjected to targeted wave of brutal attacks.
“It is our understanding that the attacks were instigated as a result of the death of a Grand Gedean and allegations linking the cause of death to a fight between the victim and a Fula businessman on April 9, 2021. The loss of any human life is a tragedy, especially in this specific case, given the circumstance surrounding his death. We extend our sincerest sympathy to his family and friends. However, the fight between the Fula businessman and the victim occurred on April 9, 2021 and the Liberia National Police (LNP) took jurisdiction of the matter. As part of the police investigation, our kinsman was incarcerated for a lengthy period, and we were made to take full responsibility of the victim’s medical expenses. The victim was treated at his hospital of choice and, upon completing his treatment he was discharged by a competent physician, whose professional opinion, backed by the requisite tests, was that the victim was fit to be discharged, with a warning to abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
“Most importantly, there was no report from the hospital that linked the cause of death to the physical fight between the victim and our kinsman; therefore, the victim’s demise should in no way be tied to the fight that occurred a long time ago. The proper thing to do will be to launch a full-scale investigation, which includes an autopsy, to determine the cause of death, instead of making insinuations and violently acting solely on what is perceived.”
According to the statement, “It is unthinkable that an allegation against a single individual will be used as a trump card to haunt our entire community. We therefore call on the government to take seize of this matter before it spirals beyond containment, and the best way to do so is to bring the perpetrators to book through the due process of the law.
“For many of us, Liberia is our home; we have nowhere to go. That is why we do our utmost best to contribute immensely to the peace and economic growth of this beloved land of liberty. Haunting and branding us as “foreigners” will only fuel a civil tension in our motherland, which is dangerous for our peace, stability and democracy. While we are very peaceful, we also have the right to self-defense, and we are being pushed beyond bounds to counter-act, as this is not the first instance of unjust violence against our people and businesses. There has been an instance in Grand Gedeh where a Fulani was beaten to death on the orders of an individual, who bragged to defend the culprits at any level, and indeed the matter was watered down, with the government doing nothing about it.
“It is even more saddening that the violence against us in Grand Gedeh has started spreading like wildfire to other parts of the country. A Fulani business woman nearly fell victim to an attack in Sinoe County; in fact, there were threats of instigating violence against the entire Fula community in that part of the country again. Let this therefore serve as a caveat, we are done sitting back and watching our people face unjustifiable danger while our businesses get damaged by hooligans.”
The statement continued, “For the record, we would like to remind us all that a number of brutal incidents have occurred in our country in recent times, but no one tribe was singled out for retribution. Recently, angry residents in Maryland County haunted a man for allegedly killing a student for ritualistic purpose. They went to the extent of burning down the LNP station and the Speaker’s house. They also broke into the prison center, letting almost all the inmates out, but no one haunted a Kru or Grebo man. Also, in October 2020 four auditors were found dead and people pointed fingers at some individuals as alleged perpetrators, but no one haunted them on a tribal basis. The million-dollar unanswered question is, “Why should the entire Fula community be haunted for the alleged crime of a single Fulani, when the same does not apply to other tribes?”
“The government has taken the first necessary step in calming the situation in Grand Gedeh, and for this we are grateful. We are however still looking forward to the completion of an investigation that will identify and bring the instigators of this violence to book. A decisive action by the government in this case will serve as a deterrent to others who see violence as the only means of resolving conflict, and will jumpstart a process that will lead to the reduction of unjust targeted violence against us.”
The statement was issued by a conglomeration of Fulani civil society, business and student organizations, including the Office of the Fula Governor, Fulani United of Liberia, Fula Business Association, Federation of Fula Student of Liberia and Tabital Pulaaku (International) Liberia, and read by a Board Member of the Fulani United of Liberia, Sheik Jalloh.