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"No Need For War, I
Declare Peace"
Says Weah, Vows to Assist Lone Star
By M.V. Paasewe
April 17, 2002
The olive branch of peace
extended over the weekend to Liberian sports ambassador George Oppong Weah
by the Liberia Football Association president Edwin M. Snowe has borne
results.
 "In
the interest of peace, there is no need for war. I declare peace," Weah
replied Snowe yesterday via email.
Making remarks made over the
weekend at programs marking the official opening of the national football
league, Mr. Snowe called on players of the national team, the professional
players, especially the former Lone Star technical director George Weah, to
come back home and help build the national football team. "We can never be
ungrateful to those who placed us on the football map, especially George
Weah," Snowe said.
Responding to Snowe's entreaty, Ambassador Weah says it is good to know that
Mr. Snowe "wants peace for all Liberians, be it a sports figure or free
citizen."
"I want you and other Liberians to know that I am a true person who is out
for peace for the benefit of our nation, mother Liberia," Weah declared,
adding everything that happened in Mali should be forgotten. "Let's look to
God and our future," Weah averred.
Following Lone Star early exit from the just ended African Nations Cup
competitions, relations quickly soured between the Weah and other Liberian
sports officials, regarding dissolution and reorganization of the national
football team.
"We all must apologize for making Lone Star unsuccessful in Mali, and I am
really sorry for all that went on in Mali," Weah said, adding, the players
played their part in making Lone Star unsuccessful in Mali.
"I am sure that the players are
all willing to come back to serve the nation and make Lone Star a great
team," he said, and called on the LFA to feel free and contact him for
assistance towards its sporting program.
Ambassador Weah further extolled Snowe for commencement of the national
league. "I hope you and Minister Maxwell Dennis will make a great team in
the interest of the people," Weah said.
In response to Ambassador Weah's letter to Snowe, Youth and Sports Minister
Max Dennis said he was truly "heartened" by what the sports ambassador has
written.
"I feel that Weah has had sufficient time to search his mind as it relates
to Liberia, and I welcome the opportunity of his renewed assistance as he
promised," Minister Dennis said.
Appearing exceedingly effused by Weah's letter, the verbose Sports Minister,
in an interview with this website today, said whatever difficulty was
experienced in Mali, he hopes "this new beginning will isolate such
difficulty and cause us to become more patriotic, so as to let the torch
that Liberia once carried be seen by all the world".
 All
efforts to contact the FA for official response to Amb. Weah's letter proved
futile as Mr. Snowe, along with his Secretary General Yanqueh Borsay, had
traveled on official matters to Mali with the FA vice president for
operations Siaka Sheriff.
Soccer pundits and fans of the national soccer team have, however, expressed
delight over news of a George Weah comeback. "Manneh cannot do without the
Lone Star and the team cannot do without him," observed an ardent fan today
at the Carey Street Hatai Tea Center.
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