President killed in Liberian coup to be reburied in own grave
Ten days after the president's killing, following trials by a kangaroo court, 13 of his cabinet were stripped, tied to stakes and then executed by a firing squad on a beach next to an army barracks in the capital, Monrovia.
None of the 14 corpses has been found but each man is due to get a state funeral at a ceremony attended by President Joseph Boakai and other dignitaries.
The event is seen as an act of reconciliation and part of a process of the country coming to terms with its violent recent past.
The 12 April 1980 coup in which 28-year-old Sgt Samuel Doe took power ended well over a century of political dominance by the minority Americo-Liberians, the descendants of freed black slaves who had come from the US in the 1800s.
Tolbert's nine-year presidency was marked by growing dissatisfaction with the ethnic inequalities.
His overthrow came at the start of a period of instability in Liberia, culminating in two devastating civil wars, that finally ended in 2003.
Doe himself met a violent death at the hands of rebels in 1990. His reburial in his home town last week was also ordered by the president.
"This is not just a burial; it is a moment of national reflection, a time to reconcile with our history, to heal from our wounds, and to remember with respect and purpose," Boakai said at Doe's funeral.
For the families of those executed in 1980, Tuesday's ceremony is both an act of remembrance and a way of bringing some respect to those who died.
"It has been 45 years and the pain is still fresh," prominent lawyer Yvette Chesson-Gibson, daughter of executed Justice Minister Joseph Chesson, told the BBC.
She emphasised that Tuesday's reburials will be the start of a long-term process.
"This is not just a ceremony, it is the beginning of a closure. Reconciliation is not an event," she said.
"There are many facets to healing, but for us primarily this is just one of the many ways we continue to pay homage to deserving Liberian fallen heroes," Bindu Dennis, the daughter of Tolbert's Foreign Minister Charles Cecil Dennis, said.
"Our fathers were simply murdered in one of the world's most despicable and inhumane public acts of brutality, violence and cruelty born out of an ugly spirit of greed for political power.
"As long as you understand that closure doesn't mean forgetting, then we're on the same page."
Until now, the 14 people executed in 1980 have been remembered by a tombstone, bearing all their names, where former presidents have paid their respects each year.
However, when this was excavated earlier this year, no human remains were found.
Jarso Maley Jallah, the minister in charge of the reburial programme, told the BBC that "there are some things that have happened in our country that we're not proud of, but yet we are Liberians, and we must come together to advance our nation".
The family of each person killed is set to be presented with a Liberian flag as a mark of their public service and there will also be a 21-gun salute.
A Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was set up in 2006 by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to gather testimonies about the atrocities committed during the conflicts.
In 2009 the TRC identified a list of people to be prosecuted for war crimes, but no action was taken. No-one has been tried in Liberia but some perpetrators have been convicted in other countries.
Last year Boakai signed an executive order aimed at setting up a special court.
How President Joseph Boakai hopes to rid Liberia of its problems
Top Liberian doctor struck off over qualification doubts
Liberia's war and peace: Lessons from 30 years' reporting
How returning $50,000 changed a taxi driver's life
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Focus on Africa
This Is Africa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lawmakers pass sweeping ban that will have major impact on customers' shopping habits: 'To save the country'
The Ethiopian government has imposed a fine on the use and possession of single-use plastic bags, sparking a mixed response from members of the legislature. According to The Zimbabwe Mail, Ethiopia's House of Peoples' Representatives, which is the lower of the country's two parliamentary houses, approved the proclamation banning all single-use plastic bags in the country and prohibiting retailers from selling them. The proclamation imposes a fine of 2,000 to 5,000 birr ($14.57 to $36 USD) on individuals found in possession of bags and even stricter penalties on businesses and manufacturers found selling the bags. Businesses found selling bags will be hit with fines between 50,000 and 200,000 birr (between $364 and $1,457 USD) or a jail sentence of up to five years. The bill faced opposition in the legislature. Several members expressed concern that the fines would place undue pressure on lower-income citizens since they would be more inclined to use the single-use bags to begin with. However, Awoke Amzaye, the Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee for Water, Irrigation, Lowland Areas, and Environmental Development Affairs, said the fines were a small price to pay to reduce the impact of plastic pollution on the country. "From this perspective, even if the fine were 20,000 or 30,000 birr, it would be to save the country," he said, per The Zimbabwe Mail. Plastic pollution is a massive global problem, but it can be especially troublesome in areas with less robust waste-management systems, like Ethiopia. Single-use plastic containers and bags end up being a constant presence in the environment, especially in oceans and waterways, and can create big problems. This is because the plastic used to make the bags doesn't break down, but it does break apart into tiny particles known as microplastics. These have been linked to profoundly negative health issues in humans and have been found in the bloodstream, inside the brain, and in the lungs as well. The plastic can also leach toxic chemicals into the soil and water, especially when exposed to prolonged high temperatures. Ethiopia has begun a national public awareness campaign to educate citizens about the ban and its implications and explain the environmental rationale behind it. Should the government ban gas stoves? Yes Only in new buildings Only in restaurants No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Bloomberg
5 hours ago
- Bloomberg
AfDB Cuts South Africa Growth Outlook by Half on Trade Concerns
South Africa must accelerate structural reforms to offset global challenges that include US President Donald Trump's trade war, the African Development Bank said as it cut the nation's economic forecast. It lowered its forecast for Africa's most-industrialized economy to a meager 0.8% this year from a previous estimate of 1.6%, the Abidjan-based lender said in an update to its Country Focus Report for South Africa.
News24
5 hours ago
- News24
City Power board launches corruption probe after News24 exposé
News24's ongoing Power Connections investigation has seen City Power's board state it will take action. A string of alleged governance failures has led to the municipal entity being saddled with a negative R16 billion bank balance. The board hinted that it would wield the axe for what it said were internal control weaknesses at the firm. For secure, anonymous communication with News24's Investigations team, click here. City Power's board of directors announced a sweeping investigation into alleged corruption following News24 reports detailing apparent mismanagement and governance failures at the loss-making power entity. In a late-night media statement on Tuesday, City Power's board chairperson, Makhosini Kharodi, said the utility's structure 'noted' the latest article of News24's ongoing Power Connections investigation. On Monday, the Power Connections series revealed an alleged nepotism racket headed by the entity's CEO, Tshifularo Mashava, who allegedly appointed her blood relatives, causing angst among usurped workers. Kharodi said the board-sanctioned probe sought to strengthen governance, accountability, and integrity within City Power. 'The review, initiated through the Audit and Risk Committee, will focus on the issues highlighted in the News24 article, including allegations of nepotism, unqualified appointments, and internal control weaknesses, as well as other concerns raised in the public domain,' the chairperson added. The claims of unqualified persons being appointed to senior positions as electrician team leaders come after the SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) had two of its shop stewards and one branch secretary promoted despite not meeting the requirements, including academic qualifications and at least five years' experience. Samwu's Johannesburg regional spokesperson, Thobani Nkosi, admitted that the three union leaders benefited from what he called 'irregular deviations' that he said City Power's management sanctioned in appointing people who did not meet the team leader requirements. Moreover, Kharodi acknowledged the electricity company's cash-strapped financial status. The utility is saddled with a more than R16.3 billion negative bank balance as of September 2024, the end of the first quarter of City Power's financial year. The perilous financial position was contained in official City of Johannesburg reports, which Mayor Dada Morero allegedly concealed from the council and the public. The chairperson further conceded that there were alleged internal control weaknesses at the company, an assertion echoed by the Auditor-General's November 2024 report, laying bare the struggles of the municipal entity. The AG's report, which found that the electricity firm made a R2.8 billion loss in the 12 months ending 30 June 2024, recorded that City Power could fail as a company, owing to its liabilities exceeding its assets by more than R1.1 billion. The November report chastised Mashava and her senior management for handling the entity's affairs. It said there was a lack of 'adequate oversight' regarding compliance with municipal laws and regulations. The AG added that this followed management's failure to ensure that 'reasonable steps were not taken to prevent' irregular expenditures of nearly R4.9 billion, including fruitless and wasteful spending of more than R150.9 million. On Tuesday, Kharodi said the company's board took News24's revelations seriously, adding that 'interventions' had begun to fix City Power, including a structural review aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and oversight, and a 'revenue enhancement and protection strategy to address losses and improve financial sustainability'. On the investigation, Kharodi said: 'The aim of this process is to establish the facts, ensure appropriate consequence management where warranted, and reinforce ethical leadership throughout the organisation.' He added: 'City Power remains committed to delivering reliable service to the residents of Johannesburg while holding itself to the highest standards of public accountability.'
