The Bureau of Public Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia

NEWS SUMMARY FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2014

The House of Representatives’ endorsement of the State of Emergency declared by President Johnson Sirleaf, the Government of Liberia’s launch of operation “White Shield” and Vice President Joseph Boakai’s Town Hall briefing with Liberians in the Diaspora on the Ebola virus in the country are among stories dominating the local dailies today, Friday, August 8, 2014.

DOMINANT STORIES

House Of Representatives Endorses State Of Emergency

The State of Emergency declared Wednesday by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in an effort to fight the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has been endorsed by the House of Representatives, one of two bodies that make up the Unicameral Liberian Legislature. Forty-eight Lawmakers voted in favor of endorsing the President’s decision while four voted against. After the vote, a motion for reconsideration was filed by Representative Thomas Fallah which was tested and defeated by a majority of the representatives. The constitution also provides that the Legislature shall, within seventy-two hours, by joint resolution voted by two-thirds of the membership of each house, decide whether the proclamation of a state of emergency is justified or whether the measures taken there under are appropriate,FrontPageAfricareports.

Related Captions: State of Emergency under review Aug 8(New Dawn), House Endorses State of Emergency – As Senate Convenes Special Session (INSIGHT), House Endorses State Of Emergency(News), House Endorses State of Emergency (Heritage), Lower House Endorses State Of Emergency…Senate To Concur Today(The Catalyst), House Ratifies Emergency Powers(New Democrat)

Hospitals to Reopen As Liberia Launches Operation 'White Shield'

Amid huge public outcry about the prolonged closure of various public health facilities, the government of Liberia has announced the reopening of several hospitals in Monrovia and its environs with the launch of Operations White Shield, which will see the Armed Forces of Liberia setting up checkpoints to restrict the movement of people from Ebola affected zones as a safety, measure against further spread. Addressing journalists at the regular press briefing of the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism on Thursday, Information Minister Lewis Brown disclosed that the John F. Kennedy, Emergency Unit has already been reopened and the hospital will be fully operational by the weekend while the Redemption Hospital in New Kru town will open its door on Friday, Aug 8, 2014, beginning with the Outpatient Department (OPD) and the emergency section, and the hospital will be fully operational on Monday Aug 11, 2014. According to Minister Brown, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is positioning itself to rapidly respond to all the emergencies, FrontPageAfrica reports.

Related Captions: Movement Restricted – As AFL Takes Over Check Point(INSIGHT), AFL Launches Operations Coded “White Shield” – Takes Up Strategic Positions Against “Ebola”(The Analyst), No Access To Bomi…Military On High Alert(Heritage), Remain Where You Are For 21 Days ….. Says Defense Minister As AFL Launches “Operation White Shield”; Several Commuters Stranded At Klay checkpoint(The Inquirer), AFL Blockade Western Liberia (The Catalyst), Ebola Red Line(FrontPage Africa), In Compliance With MRU Agreement – AFL Commences Regional, Communities Isolations(Daily Observer), JFK Reopens Next Week(New Dawn)

Ebola Tops Boakai's Town Hall Dialogue With Diaspora Liberians

Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai has engaged compatriots in the Washington D.C. area of the United States of America in a three-hour long Town Hall dialogue on the prevailing Ebola outbreak in Liberia. According to a Dispatch, Vice President Boakai, speaking during a Town Hall dialogue held at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., United States of America on Wednesday, August 6, extended greetings from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and their compatriots in Liberia and indicated that it was the responsibility of Government officials visiting countries around the world to meet with and update citizens abroad about the situation back home. He reminded the gathering that his Town Hall meeting was not meant for the usual political undertone; rather to inform Liberians about the Ebola virus disease that was gradually becoming lethal in the country as well as update them about interventions and actions that Government and its partners are taking to combat the spread of the disease, FrontPage Africa reports.

Related Captions: VP Boakai Urges Liberians In Washington DC To Help Fight Ebola(INSIGHT), Vice Boakai Holds Town Hall Dialogue With Liberians In Washington D.C(The Analyst)

AFL Drops 8

Eight personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have been discharged with “immediate effect” from the military for “deeds” incompatible with the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). A release from the Ministry of National Defense said that the seven males and a female were also discharged for violating the National Defense Act of 2008 as well as the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, In Profile Dailyreports.

Related Captions: AFL Dismisses 8 For Drugs(The Inquirer), 8 AFL Soldiers Discharged(The Catalyst), Eight AFL Soldiers Sacked – Defense Ministry Warns Others(The Analyst)

100 Inmates To Be Released

As the deadly Ebola virus death toll rises by the day in Liberia, the government is now diverting from arresting and imprisoning people for minor offenses, and has processed records of approximately 100 inmates to be released. Except for capital offenses like armed robbery, murder and rape, among others,  the Liberian Government has in consultation with the Judiciary, mandated prosecutors and magistrates to decongest prisons by handling “non-violent bailable” minor cases at the conference level, or issue writs of summons where necessary. Liberia’s Solicitor General, Madam Betty Lamin Blamo, made it clear that the government is not discharging or dropping charges against those being released, but all government is trying to do is to ensure that they are released on bail to family members that can ensure that they can come to court whenever they are called, New Dawn asserts.

Related Captions: 60 Inmates Freed (INSIGHT), Justice Min. Releases 40-Plus From Prison (National Chronicle),Gov’t Frees 60 Inmates At Overcrowded Central Prison (FOCUS)

American Experts in Liberia to Help in Fight Against Ebola

The FrontPage Africa reports that a team of health experts from the US have arrived in the country. Mr. Timothy M. Callaghan, head of the team assigned to Liberia, accompanied by US Embassy officials immediately visited Hon. Morris M. Dukuly, Minister of Internal Affairs and Co-chair of the National Task on Ebola on Capitol. According to an Internal Affairs Ministry release, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy Madam Sheila Paskman said the team was deployed to support the Liberian government's efforts toward eradicating the Ebola virus from Liberia. "The team will provide support in the technical areas of coordination and cooperation as well as ensure CDC step up its response". She noted.

Related Caption: US Health Experts Arrive(New Dawn)

Muslim Cleric Calls For Holiness

The Margibi Muslim Council is calling on Liberians to get involved in things that are favored by God instead of activities that will angry Him. Imam Sheik Mohamed T. Kromah, chairman of the Margibi Muslim Council said the Legislature of Liberia shouldn’t pass any law that is not in the interest of the people of Liberia, especially on the issue of gay marriage. Addressing fellow Muslims recently in Kakata, Margibi County during the celebration of Ramadan, he said Allah (God) is angry with activities of Liberians as a nation, adding, “This is why Liberians are experiencing sicknesses and hardship”.He called on Muslims in the country to continue to respect the norms and customs of the Islamic religion, New Dawn reports.

Related Caption: In Efforts To Eradicate Ebola, Muslims To Recite Entire Quran Today(INSIGHT)

OTHER STORIES

President Sirleaf Consoles The People’s Republic Of China

The Inquirernewspaper quotes a Foreign Ministry release as saying that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sent a Message of Condolence to the Government and People of the People’s Republic of China, following the unfortunate news of an earthquake in Yunnan Providence, South West of China, killing three hundred eighty one (381) people, leaving one thousand three hundred (1,300) injured with thousands of dollars worth of properties damaged.  “On behalf of the Government and People of the Republic of Liberia, I extend to you and through your Excellency to the Government and People of the People’s Republic of China especially the bereaved families, our heartfelt condolences for the irreparable loss”. The Liberian leader then prayed that the characteristic, courage, fortitude and resilience of the Chinese people will see them through this period of distress.

Ambassador Conteh Appeals For Protection For Liberians In Nigeria

In the wake of the death of a Liberian Patrick Sawyer in Nigeria from the deadly Ebola virus which has led to the virus presence on Nigerian soil causing one death and other suspected cases, Liberia’s Ambassador to that country, Al-Hassan Conteh is appealing for protection for Liberians residing in Nigeria. According to FrontPage Africa, in recent weeks Liberians have been rejected by several countries with Ghana rejecting Delta Airline from Liberia from disembarking in that country.

Ebola Drug Premature For Africa - Obama

As health workers across West Africa appealed on Wednesday, 6 August for urgent help in controlling the Ebola Virus Disease that has struck Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia- three countries in the Mano River Union Basin, US President Barack Obama says it is "premature" to send an experimental medicine for the treatment of Ebola to West Africa. The death toll from the outbreak in the sub-region, described as the world's worst ever, has hit 932 with Liberia alone recording nearly 300 deaths. President Obama, chairing a summit of African leaders in Washington, said on Wednesday that he lacks enough information to green-light or approve a promising medicine called ZMapp, already used on two American aid workers recently from Liberia, Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol, New Dawn reports.