By Moses M. Tokpah|Contributor
A prominent Diaspora Liberian, Professor Ahmed K. Sirleaf, who is currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America, has frowned at how the current dual citizenship Bill is structured.
A proposition in the Dual Citizenship Bill states that “A natural born citizen of Liberia may hold the citizenship of another Country, but shall not qualify for elected positions and the following appointed positions: Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, all heads of Autonomous Commissions, Agencies and Non Academic/Research/Scientific Institutions and Ambassadors.”
Professor Sirleaf says, the Bill, if it passes in the coming referendum will be counterproductive.
“This law, as it is, is discriminatory, it will be counter-productive to the growth and development of Liberia,” Sirelaf said during an hour long interview when he appeared on a local radio talk-show (Diaspora Liberian Special) on Radio Margibi FM 103.7MHz in Kakata via mobile phone recently.
Sirleaf argued that there are discriminatory and unconstitutional components in the proposed Dual- citizenship law especially the proposition that is restricting Liberians holding dual citizenship status from occupying key positions in the Country.
Sirleaf said if one can say on the one hand that they can’t promulgate any law or enact any legislation that will deprive a natural born Liberian of their citizenship and by natural logic also say those natural born Liberians have all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and at the same time take away some other rights; it is flawed logic on its premise and doesn’t make sense—ought not be allowed to stand.
Professor Sirleaf maintained that with all due respect to the National Legislature and the Executive who have worked on the Bill; he must speak out for the Country. He said given is experience from working and studying internationally, he knows if this Bill passes as is, it will lead to counter-productive actions and inactions, which is not good for Liberia. “It will hurt the Country rather than help it, “he maintained.
He indicated that the Country just celebrated 173-years of existence and its leaders and citizenry have arguably engaged in discriminatory policy making all these years. He asked why not try something else and not have to engage in exclusionary policies, because excluding and denying some citizens of opportunities, have taken us nowhere.
The US-Based Liberian said there is no reason why Liberia should look poor on the face when it is rich with natural resources as well as human and social capitals.
“Why is the Country not economically modernized and socio-culturally advanced if that’s what you call development”, he asked.
He said with full due respect to doctors in Liberia, there are more qualified neurosurgeons; Liberian doctors in America and other countries than there are in Liberia and it cuts across every profession and disciplines; adding, “that should not be so.”
“So, you are excluding Liberians who are Academics, who are scientists, researchers, who are eminent jurists and scholars because they hold citizenship in another country? That kind of thinking, that kind of lawmaking in and of itself, makes this law, in this instance, a bad law because any law that violates a prior law is no law,” he continued.
“This is bad politics, mere sentimental ad hominem policy making is no lawmaking since it is only based on sentiments and emotions of people, you take it to referendum and the people vote the thing,” he rhetorically lamented.
Additionally, he narrated that there are several Liberians in the Diaspora who have legal inheritances in Liberia and that the Law will disinherit, disenfranchise, and rip such Liberians of their constitutional rights.
According to him, there are also tons of Diaspora Liberians who are returning to the Country making lots of contributions and the crafters of the document are trying to drive them away but want their money, something he said doesn’t make sense.
He meanwhile revealed that Liberians abroad and back home ought to work together for the good of the Country.
Mr. Sirleaf is a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts Graduate of Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota and receiver of the University’s distinguished Alumni First Decade Outstanding Achievement Award; a seasoned International Development, Rule of Law, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) professional with over a combined decade of experience in planning and managing complex donor as well as Transitional Justice and International Human Rights Programs.
He is a doctoral research fellow at the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development, in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development where he focuses his research on higher education performances, leadership practices for development in Liberia.
Professor Sirleaf, for six years was an adjunct lecturer of public sector governance, defense/security, and international relations at the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation in the Graduate School of the University of Liberia.
