Liberian Election Watch

There are many many Liberian refuges and ex-patriots. Some are returning in advance of the upcoming elections. VOA


4 candidates' platforms discussed here: AllAfrica

I glad to see you taking such an interest in the continent, Miss Kay . . . it confirms my belief in your open mind, and your desire to learn . . .

At one point, months ago, I was the Africa forum person. I tried to fill out the forum and start discussion topics with little or no response. I guess I wasn't doing a very good job selling the topic.

Don't beat up on yourself, as i said in the other thread, the West doesn't give a damn . . . i had a roommate in college from Rhodesia, his ambition in life was to shoot Ian Smith. Never heard from him again, and i imagine he went off an' joined Mugabe. Many, many years later, about ten years ago, i worked with a guy from Liberia. He had left so he wouldn't get press-ganged into Charles Taylor's army. In between, i learned conversational French by hanging out with west Africans. I like the African people, they're nice folks, even in the midst of all of their sorrows.

We had an exchange student (the first of many) from the Ivory Coast when I was maybe 3 years old. I was smitten.

The interim Liberian government has agreed to international oversight on the countries finances in order to help reign in or stave off corruption.

VOA

Outside analysists fear that Liberia is unprepared for the huge October 11th elections.

VOA

BM

Listening to a BBC reporting on the run-up to the elections.....

An article describing this coming election (Oct 11th) as the first since the civil war in Liberia - and looking ahead:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4284642.stm

Refuges are returning to a country with it's infrastructure destroyed. Road systems, utilities, transportation, are in shambles. Monrovia, the capitol city, hasn't had electric power or running water in a decade!

Good grief!


Wishing 'em well...

Me too, dlowan.

Tomorrow is the big day! Soon Liberians will awaken and the voting will begin. I wish them luck.

Me too, me too.

Long lines, looooong waits, lots of people voting - peacefully. Wow. Let's hope there's been no foul play.

Seems to be going smoothly from all I hear.

The people sure do seem to want good, peaceful, solid change and the candidates don't seem to have enough power independently to corrupt the vote. Now, if it's not miss-managed......

So, the footballer, Weah got the most votes in the initial voting process. The man could be a good figurehead, a unifyer in the torn country. The long-lived fueding between the indigenous people in Liberia and the freed slaves who have been ruling the country since they immigrated there. Weah is a native to the country and his wife is a foreigner.

Also, many of the rebel fighters had, apparently, killed people simply because those people had been educated. Education was a sign of the class which ruled by oppression. Weah's distinct lack of education is obviously a good thing in the eyes of these angry young men. On the flip side, those who are educated fear that his lack of education could make him more easily fooled and or corrupted by various interest groups. BBC

So, perhaps a coalition government?

The run-off elections are showing Sirleaf, the second most voted for candidate in the preliminary elections, to be be solidly in first place. Weah's camp is declaring there to be voting fraud.

Reuters