Barkedou Memorial Service In Philadelphia

Imam Proposes Scholarship Fund in Memory of Barkedou Massacre Victims

Posted on the web July 12, 2008 - By Nvasekie Konneh

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Vajangai Kanneh

The chief Imam of Masjid Al-slaah in Philadelphia has proposed a scholarship fund in memory of the victims of the Barkedou Massacre. He said this will do more to keep the memory of the victims in the minds of the people who are still alive.

According to Imam Sherif, all those that will be educated through that scholarship program will contribute to the advancement of society. He prayed that Almighty Allah bless the victims and forgive them of their sins.

He urged that if anyone of us travel to Barkedou any time, we should stop at the graves of the victims and pray for them for Allah's forgiveness of their sins.

Imam Sherif suggested that victims' families, citizens of Quardu Gboni and other members of the community should task themselves by funding the scholarship drive.

Mandingoes Were Target For Elimination, Barkedou Eyewitness Says

An eyewitness to the infamous Barkedou bloody massacre is calling on his kinsmen to unite, suggesting that Mandingoes in Liberia were singled out and targeted for elimination by the rebels of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front.

An association of Liberians in the United States memorialized hundreds of kinsmen murdered in Barkedou, Lofa County at a memorial service in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 12, 2008.

Among the many massacres in Liberia during the bloody civil war, Barkedou Massacre is one of the single bloodiest events.

Vajangai Kanneh said other Liberian ethnic groups were slaughtered by the rebels because of their affiliation with Mandingoes. "They (rebels) also killed other tribes who acted like the Mandingoes, especially when they pray like Muslims."

"All in all, we need to unite. The incident in Barkedou was horrible, but we also remember that some of our brothers and sisters were also killed in Nimba and other parts of the country, but our only solution is for us to come together as one people. That will make us strong."

Also addressing the gathering, Imam Mohammed B. Sherif called on Muslims and families of the victims to continue asking Allah to bless them. "Dead people are thirsty for prayers (du'wah) from all of us that they left behind," Imam Sherif urged.

He called on Muslims to maintain their cultural and religious values as a way of remembering the victims of the massacre. "If we are not playing the role we are supposed to play, that means they have died for nothing. We should hold together and do the will of Allah. We must pray for our dead and maintain our religion. Those who shy away from Islam and their culture were not spared during the war."

"Let us be proud of our religion and our culture. That will make us better people on earth and the hereafter. Let us not be carried away because we are in the United States. We should be thankful to Allah for life and all that comes with it. We are not better than other people who have died before us. We must not forget our responsibilities. We must do what is right. We must play our role and not be ungrateful to Allah. That will not help us here and the hereafter."

Imam Sherif is disappointed that "our people did not play major role in the TRC process. We were the major victims of the war because we were hunted because of our ethnicity, religion and culture. We have lot of stories to tell but is disappointing that most of our people did not participate in the TRC process."

He went on to say that "One day somebody will read the documents about what happened to our people. The Barkedou massacre story should have been explained in Minnesota when the TRC held the public hearing there."

He advised that the Barkedou massacre and other killing of our people in Liberia should be publicized sufficiently in our country. "We should use the media sufficiently. Let the people know our story and we must not be scared to say what happened to us. That's the only way we can keep the memory of our brothers and sisters alive."

He pledged $100 as his contribution to the proposed scholarship fund. This was followed by contribution and pledges by other people in the audience. The Barkedou Development Association pledged $500, Varmum Kamara pledged $500 over a fine-year period. He made the initial contribution of $100. Frank Sarnor continued $100 and Faliku Konneh pledged $100 to the fund.

More pledges were made including a $100 from Jangai Kanneh, vice president of Quardu Gboni Mandingo Association and $150 by Ali Sylla, who is a promoter of educational opportunities for all Liberians. Kewullen Dolleh, President of Afro Music and producer of the popular Liberian film, "The Imported Bribe" pledged $500, Abraham Keita, President of Condo Reconciliation Group pledged $100.

TRC volunteer Ali Sylla urged fellow Mandingoes to come forward and tell their stories. "We were directly affected, but we have not been able to tell our stories. What happened to us must be heard. Reasons that led to the war are there and they go way back before my father's generation started. We are a unique society. We need more people to come out."

"We need to promote awareness of the Barkedou massacre. We should invite local human rights organizations so that they would be aware of the history of the bloody massacre," Ali advised.

Full list of pledged and contributions to be posted later. Stay tune.