THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Monrovia, Liberia.

NEWS SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

News of President Johnson Sirleaf’s suspension of the October 14^th senatorial elections, the death of Thomas Eric Duncan and President Johnson Sirleaf’s visit to Nimba County, are among stories dominating our summary of today’s selected local dailies.

DOMINANT STORIES  

October 14 Senatorial Elections Suspended 

The Analyst newspaper quotes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs release: The President of the Republic of Liberia, Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, acting pursuant to the powers vested in her by both the Constitution of Liberia and the Declaration of the State of Emergency, has in a Proclamation issued on October 4, 2014, suspended the holding of the October 14, 2014 Senatorial Elections. A Foreign Ministry release says the President has also suspended all voting rights associated and connected with the Senatorial Elections. According to the release, the President has directed the National Elections Commission, the agency of the Government authorized to hold general and special elections, to immediately commence consultations and discussions with all recognized and accredited political parties, independent candidates, and civil society organizations and other stakeholders, as well as national and international health authorities on a new date for holding the Special Senatorial Elections.

Related Captions:Pres. Sirleaf suspends October senatorial elections (New Dawn), October 14 Senatorial Elections Suspended(New Republic), October 14 Senatorial Elections Suspended(INSIGHT), Ellen Suspends Senatorial Election(Daily Observer), October 14 Senatorial Election Suspended(Heritage), Senatorial Elections Suspended(In Profile daily), Senatorial Election Suspended (The Inquirer)  

Thomas Eric Duncan: Ebola Patient Dies In Dallas Hospital 

According to the New Republicnewspaper the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States died in a Dallas hospital Wednesday, a little more than a week after his diagnosis exposed gaps in the nation's defenses against the disease and set off a scramble to track down anyone exposed to him. Thomas Eric Duncan, 42, was pronounced dead at 7:51 a.m. at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, where he was admitted Sept. 28 and had been kept in isolation, according to spokesman Wendell Watson. Health officials have identified 10 people, including seven health workers, who had direct contact with Duncan while he was contagious. Another 38 people also may have come into contact with him. The four people living in the northeast Dallas apartment where Duncan stayed have been isolated in a private residence.

Related Captions:Duncan is dead!(New Dawn),Thomas Eric Duncan Finally Dies(West Africa Info Post), US Ebola Patient Dies In Hospital(INSIGHT),Eric Duncan Loses Ebola Fight(FrontPage Africa), Liberian Ebola Victim Dies in US(FOCUS), US Ebola Patient Dies in Hospital(Heritage), Ebola Carrier Dies In US(New Democrat), Thomas Duncan is Dead(In Profile Daily), Ebola Patient Duncan is Dead(The Inquirer)

Ellen Meets With Health Workers In Nimba County

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has told health workers in Ganta, Nimba County of a “big boost” to government’s fight against the Ebola virus, as partners pull in support, constructing facilities to augment Liberia’s response against the disease. “…But so far, our partners have now come in and they are going to give us a big boost in terms of the facilities- by constructing ETUs and holding centers, and also by giving us more materials, more equipment and vehicles, because that’s all part of theproblems,” she said in Ganta. President Sirleaf spoke Tuesday, October 7, when she visited and gave supplies and envelopes to health workers at several health facilities in Nimba County, including the Kpein clinic in Saclepea Mah District, Ganta United Methodist Hospital, G.W. Harley Hospital in Sanniquelle and the ArcelorMittal Health facility in Yekepa, respectively, pens the New Dawn newspaper.

Related Captions: Ellen Visits ArcelorMittal Liberia Yekepa Concession(Heritage), Pres. Sirleaf Visits ArcelorMittal In Yekepa(FOCUS)

Pres. Sirleaf Calls For Justice Against Arcelor Mittal Rioters

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said justice should prevail in the trial of 12 youths who allegedly looted and vandalized the Arcelor Mittal facilities at Mount Tokadeh in Yekepa, Nimba County in June. The Chief Executive pointed out that the trial would serve as a warning to young Liberians who believe that violence is the only means by which their views can be heard and grievances addressed. President Sirleaf made the statement at the Arcelor Mittal Guesthouse in Yekepa on Tuesday when a group of women from Zolowee Town in Nimba County, pleaded for the release of their children who have been placed behind bars as a result of the incident that took place at Tokadeh. In June of 2014, several individuals claiming to be owners of farmlands and diamond mines vandalized Arcelor Mittal facilities at Mount Tokadeh, demanding resettlement benefits. At least 12 of the rioters, who face 10 charges including armed robbery, have been sent to court. The Nimba women claimed that the incident was a “peaceful demonstration" that later escalated into violence, something they are “seriously sorry about, especially against one of the world’s steel giants”. But, the Liberian leader noted that the attitude exhibited by the alleged perpetrators did not only damage Arcelor Mittal operations, but rather deterred other companies wishing to invest in the country. She emphasized that the efforts being exerted by government and partners to encourage companies to invest billions of dollars in Liberia cannot be shattered by a few citizens, adding, “They must prove their innocence in a court of competent jurisdiction”. She promised to hold official dialogue with the affected communities after the court trial, the New Republic writes.

Related Captions: Pres. Sirleaf Calls For Justice (The News), Pres. Sirleaf Calls For Justice Against Arcelor Mittal Rioters (The New Republic). At the same time,  the New Democrat writes Under the captioned “Nimba Rioters Transferred”  that state prosecutors Wednesday succeeded in convincing the Circuit Court to transfer to Grand Bassa County the trial of 41 Liberians accused of vandalizing Arcelor, Mittal facilities in Nimba County. The court ruled that it was the right of any of these parties to request for change of venue as provided by law. The Court agreed with state lawyers, motion citing local prejudice. They backed the motion with several legal citations. Defense lawyers interposed no objection and hope that the state lawyer’s motion was done in good fate.

Ebola Crisis: Eu Organizes Airlift Operation To West Africa

According to FrontPage Africa, the European Union is scaling up its response to the Ebola disease in West Africa with an airlift operation to the affected countries. The European Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) will facilitate the transportation of relief items to West Africa. In addition, the EU will fund and coordinate if necessary the evacuation of international staff from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
A quarter of the new €4 million funding will be allocated to UNICEF, enabling three Boeing 747 cargo planes to transport vital material to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. The first plane will take-off on Friday, carrying 100 metric tons of emergency equipment from Amsterdam to Freetown, Sierra Leone. The supplies and equipment include personal protection equipment, including masks and gloves, as well as essential medicines and hygiene supplies.

Related Captions:EU Scales Up Ebola Response(INSIGHT), EU Organizes Airlift Operation to West Africa(The News), EU Organizes Airlift Operation to West Africa(In Profile Daily)

Ebola Kills Two More Journalists

Two more journalists have died of the killer Ebola virus disease, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has regrettably announced. Journalist Alexander Koko Anderson, former employee of the Liberia Women Democracy Radio (LWDR) died at the ELWA Ebola Treatment Unit Wednesday morning, October 8, while Cassius Saye, a Cameraman at Real TV passed off at the weekend at the ELWA Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia. Real TV staff Cassius Saye was among the station’s non-essential staff sent home in the wake of the Ebola outbreak, while Alexander Anderson was no longer in the employ of LWDR, officials of the two intuitions told the PUL Wednesday. The latest brings to three the number of journalists and calls on media practitioners in the country to stick to safety and prevention measures while taking the risks to cover and report the Ebola outbreak, the Heritage writes.

Related Captions: Ebola Kills Two More Journalists (The News), Ebola Kills Two More Journalists (FOCUS), Two More Journalists  Die of Ebola (In Profile Daily), Ebola Kills 2 More Journalists; Hits Another UNMIL Staff(The Inquirer)

OTHER STORIES

US Reinforces AU - Grants $10M to Fight Ebola in Liberia

Analyst newspaperreports that the country which in the 1800s funded a Christian charity to found Africa’s first black republic is still proving itself the largest donor of Liberia. Since the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, as it was in multiple past critical times, the United States continues to provide solid financial assistance. In addition to dispatching hundreds of its soldiers and millions of dollars since March this year, the United States is making yet another seemingly relieving contribution to the African Union, the sum of US$10m, particularly for Liberia hit hardest by the Ebola pandemic.  The African Union has been further empowered by the United States to boost its presence in Liberia towards fighting Ebola. Liberia has attracted special attention for quick and substantive assistance since it has registered the highest fatalities from the outbreak Ebola in West Africa. Guinea, Serra Leone and Liberia are experiencing the Ebola virus outbreak with Liberia claiming the highest figure in the death rate of the three nations in West Africa.

U. S. Firm Providing Portable Mapping Devices for Ebola Fight

An inside story of the Heritage newspaper reports that An American geo-spatial Technology Company is providing Liberia with portable mapping devices to help contain the Ebola outbreak. The Ebola virus outbreak in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria has killed hundreds of people and is yet to be contained since its outbreak in the sub-region early this year. According to a media statement to the Liberia News Agency Wednesday, the company said it is supplying its portable |Aim Observer devices to Liberia without charge as emergency assistance. The Aim Observer uses “Mobile Mapper” technology to produce an instant latitude/longitude location for any dwelling, structure or pathway at any point in the world. “This is the right technology at the right time to assist Liberia and other West African countries in getting the current Ebola crisis under control,” said Michael Olsen, company chairman.

Related Caption:  U.S. Firm Providing Portable Mapping Devices for Ebola Fight (The News),

Liberian Lends Support to Humanitarian Relief Effort

The New Democrat reports that Tamba Hali, a Liberian who fled Liberia when it was in the midst of a bloody civil war on Tuesday joined officials from Heart to Heart International, based in Suburban Kasas City, to announce the construction of a clinic near Monrovia that will offer 70 beds for patients stricken by the virus.

Ebola Strikes UNMIL - Staff Fear Grips Many

The New Dawn newspaper reports that the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and head of UNMIL, Ms Karin Landgren, has confirmed  here that an international staff of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has tested positive of the deadly Ebola virus. The staff member, who works for UNMIL medical team, is currently receiving treatment. According to a press statement issued in Monrovia on Wednesday, SRSG Ms. Karin Landgren said this is the second case of Ebola within the mission. An earlier probable case resulted to the death of a staff member on 25 September 2014; “Our thoughts are with the staff member family, friends and colleagues”, she said. In line with World Health Organization protocols, the UNMIL medical team has conducted tracing to ensure that all those who came in contact with both staff members while they were showing symptoms of the virus are quarantined.

Senate Passes National Youth Act

The FOCUS newspaper reports that the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, October 7 during its 67^th day sitting unanimously concurred with the House of Representative on the passage of “The National Youth Act of Liberia 2013”. The Senate has unanimously passed the Bill on grounds that it seeks to provide the opportunity to fully capture the participation of the young people of Liberia who constitute more than half of Liberia’s population according to census conducted by LISGIS. According to the daily, the Bill when  approved by the President and printed into hand-bill will promote youth  development through the Ministry of Youth and Sport; to strengthen, reinforce and consolidate  efforts to empower young people through meaningful youth participation and equal partnership in driving Liberia’s development agenda in support of engendering policies and programs for youth development in Liberia.