About TLB

  • Philip Jessup proposed the idea of a transnational law course. His vision of the subject was broad, including public and private international law; state and non-state actors; business, administrative, and political affairs; as well as negotiation and litigation. Inspired by his idea, TLB is only constrained by its pursuit to address all law transcending national frontiers.

« The Traveler IQ Challenge | Main | Salutations »

December 30, 2007

Comments

Omrie Golley

Dermody continues to be particularly selective in discussing my role in the peace process and in most instances, even when using quotes to substantiate his spurrious allegations, does not even bother to quote either directly, correctly or within proper context. I maintain that Dermody is unprincipled and biased for these very reasons, and can only wish that the Fulbright Scholarship Committee had considered more deserving candidates for their munificence.

I do not intend to spend much more of my time discussing Dermodys unprincipled piece. I would just however mentioned a couple of the points he made, in his latest piece to justify his previously biased one about me.

He attempted in the beginning of his piece to state that the the new Government of President Koroma had found insufficient evidence to justify a two count charge of treason against me and two others. The Press Released issued from the office of the Attorney General in Freetown announcing my release. The Press Release actually stated that that Attorney General had found that there was NO EVIDENCE to justify charging me for a treasonable offence. I submit that there is a vast difference not only in law but etymologically between insufficient evidence and lack of evidence.

Dermody goes on to talk about the travel ban instituted by the UN Security Council Committee on Liberia in 2001 against me and others. Would he not have done this issue more justice by going on to state that the same Committee removed my name from this travel ban merely a year after imposing it? Most of those who were placed on the Ban, still remain on it.

He goes on to quote from a british newspaper in 2002 which allegedly printed a comment made by myself in an interview granted by me to that newspaper. He seemed to have forgotten to mention other salient parts of that interview, namely the quoted comments of the then Attorney General and later Vice President Solomon Berewa, attesting to the fact that I had ben very positive in the peace making process.

He highlights 2 on line Sierra Leonean Commentaries on my release, which were negative, but seems to have conveniently omitted other positive commentaries, for example from the Awareness Times, and the New Citizen that actually discuss my release from detention within the context of the role that I played during the peace process. The Silent Majority, as you mockingly observe Dermody, should really not be underestimated.

I could go on with my observations, but in reality I do not have the time to. I am much more interested in post conflict Sierra Leone,. and doing all I can to aid this process.

What Dermody has subsequently written has only served to reinforce my views of him as an unprincipled biased neocolonialist.Nothing More. Of course he is entitled to his views. I will always defend his right to express them.

Omrie Golley

Abi Robinson

John,

Thank you for your fascinating posts from Sierra Leone. As Travis pointed out, many of us were (regrettably) unaware of the situation there and your insights are truly enlightening. In addition, although it is disheartening to see that your opinions have provoked name-calling, the resulting dialogue (even with the name-calling) is intriguing.

Thank you for taking the time to share!

The comments to this entry are closed.