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As Militia Men Abduct
Three Players:
Lone Star U-15 Wants Taylor, Snowe Intervene -Says
"Players Have Been Positive Light of Liberia"
Dana, Gothia and Norwegian Cups
Championship team in 1999
November 30, 2002
Siebo D. Williams
Monrovia
A group of Lone Star U-15 team players are calling on the Chief Patron of
Sports, President Charles Taylor and Liberia Football Association (LFA)
President Edwin Snowe to quickly intervene in the alleged abduction of three
youth players by Militia Men over the weekend.
In a brief chat with this website yesterday, the players who preferred to
remain anonymous for now said, the action of the Militia men who allegedly
abducted Lone Star U-15 players in persons of goalie Ezekiel Sunday Doekpa,
Toe Bryant and Nicodemus Jacobs did not do justice to this government and
country. "Their action will paint a negative image of Liberia," the players
said.
The Lone Star U-15 players said three of the colleagues who were allegedly
abducted, played a key role in building the image of Liberia on the
international scene when they participated in the Gothia, Dana and Norwegian
Cups in Sweden, Denmark and Norway respectively.
"After seven years of a brutal civil war, we the players of the U-13, U-14
and U-15 teams dispelled the notion that young Liberians were only
interested in being child soldiers, when we participated in the Gothia, Dana
and Norwegian Cups and won them. We painted a positive image of the
government and the country in the Scandinavia by showing that Liberian
youths can do good things as well," the players said.
Commenting further in a sad mood, the players appealed to the Chief Patron
of Sports, President Charles Taylor and LFA President Edwin, who was
expected in the country yesterday from the USA to intervene and seek the
release of their three colleagues and a medic in person of Emmanuel Johnson,
alias "Musa". "We the U-15 teams members have been a positive light of
Liberia," the players pointed out.
The players expressed optimism that President Taylor and LFA boss Snowe will
help secure the release of their colleagues.
A local daily quoted an escapee yesterday, Solomon Grimes, as saying that
they were forced into a jeep by Militia men and carried towards Bomi County
end.
Grimes told the paper that they were picked up from the National Port
Authority (NPA) Pier at about 11:43 a.m. where they had gone to see a
friend. He said they came from training at the TUSA's field in Gardnersville.
The players, according to the daily, have been training themselves as an
U-17 team since they have allegedly been abandoned by sports authorities.
The group is made of most members of Liberia's famous U-13, U-14 and U-15
teams. The three players who whereabouts that is unknown also played for the
various Lone Star youth teams.
Since the their last triumph the Dana, Gothia and Norwegian Cups in 1999,
nothing has been done to keep the players aspiration and dream alive.
Escapee Solomon Grimes was quoted by a daily through one Mr. John Rufus
Ballah as saying that they were taken away forcibly.
The player according to his colleagues, escaped at the Duala Gas Station
when the commander of the gang carrying them got involved in a feud with his
girl friend. The friends quoting Solomon said the player escaped during a
scuffle between the commander and his girl.
"I was bitterly chased, but God being on my side, I was able to make my
way," the player reportedly told the daily.
Mr. Ballah told the daily that the player told him that the men carrying
players remarked "you're here playing football while your friends dying on
the front. We will carry your on the front today."
Mr. Ballah disclosed to the daily that he had contacted Mr. Logan David of
the Executive Mansion on the matter. Mr. David, according to the Millennium
Stars boss, has assured him to make contact with the commander assigned in
Bomi and Lofa areas for the players.
Mr. Ballah related to the daily that he was told that contact aimed at
securing the release of the players was scheduled to be made yesterday.
The Liberia Football Association and Ministry of Youth and Sports have not
release an official statement on the alleged abduction of the three Lone
Star U-15 players. |
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