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>> Chairman General Verdier Photo by comes not from our corner commish not purple brown. Brown. And though a pig. Comes Damaso Washington Thomas not almost to a. Thank. You. Thank you Road Movie see that. Comes to a girl called one and the Mr John Stewart listen to him.

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Thank. You thank you we knew we were Miss in two more but we got them in here thank you all we like to welcome you here today. I does very auspicious occasion and very solemn occasion we thank you and more come once again I just time our luck to invalid Diane La Roche vice president for university relations how Manjunath recipe to give you a traditional ham and work on that.

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Thank you Ahmed Ahmed is one of our along so we're very very proud of that. I'm behalf of the Board of Trustees of Hamelin university and we have one of our life trustees with us today Charles Purdum. Jack would you. And president Linda Hanson who. Could not be here today she is away from the state on a long standing in Gage meant but I want to welcome you to Minnesota's oldest university Hamline is honored to be part of this important effort and to carry and to carry forth the greatest hope of our founders which was that we would have far reaching benefits for humanity and I put today.

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Activities and this week's activities in that context Hamlin was founded by the United Methodist Church and the university founders had to work with the Territorial Legislature to receive a charter for the university so we are very public in many respects but we work very closely the founders work very closely with the Territorial Legislature and eight hundred fifty four to an active charter that would ensure the university would be open to all regardless of gender race and religious beliefs and that was now one hundred fifty four years ago one of the core values of the United Methodist Church is a constant search for truth no matter where it leads it is in that spirit that we gather today when Ken Fox the director of our conflict studies program was contacted by one of his former students Hamlin a law man's Sirleaf he called me and asked if Ham one would be willing to provide space and support for these hearings.

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We said that we would and that brought us into contact with the advocates for human rights the organization that is responsible for ensuring that these hearings are taking place today and while Hamlin is providing this space and support it is the advocates for human rights who are making this possible today they have worked tirelessly with many Hamelin university staff to create a space for the for the commission and we welcome you here today the greater Liberian community and all who are committed to constructive social change can come together these hearing speak to Hamelin University's values which include a university wide commitment to helping our students and the larger society to understand and respond constructively to conflict in all forms and to work for justice in ways that promote.

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Reconciliation and healing these values are expressed through a number of our academic programs such as the conflict studies program I just mentioned and our nationally recognized dispute resolution Institute which is part of our School of Law But more importantly these hearings demonstrate the possibility of enacting the highest ideals in response to the most difficult situations we are humbled by the work of so many people who are making these hearings possible welcome to him with.

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU GUYS president Lars. I was active director as I give director of the advocates for human rise Robin for us to welcome the commissioners and welcome you all to this important occasion Robert. Thank you. Thank you very much Ahmed it is really a thrill and a pleasure to welcome you all here today and to welcome our distinguished guests first I'd like to thank him for providing this beautiful and peaceful space it's very important to have a calm space like this and we greatly appreciate it.

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The advocates for human rights is celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary this year where an international human rights organization based here in Minnesota we do work locally nationally and internationally I'll just tell you a little bit about our organization before I welcome our individual guests we do free legal services for people seeking asylum in the United States human rights education women's human rights.

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Advocacy against the death penalty and as you'll see today working with truth and reconciliation commissions we started this process more than two years ago and we enter. Into a memorandum of understanding with the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission to operate for them here in the United States and to bring the diaspora community into the process so that the historical record would be more complete to involve the voices of those who fled the conflict so many years ago and really even up until the last few years I represent the board the staff and the many volunteers of the advocates for human rights hundreds of people stand with me here in particular I'd like to thank our management team who's here with us today fakery and Benson led by Jim O'Neill and Diane Heinz Fredrickson in bio Thank you.

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Thank you Fredrickson environ led by Del C. Foster. And Dorsey and Whitney led by Mark Kala. Thank you very much for all your hard work and there are many other more than twenty five law firms around the country who were operating in eight cities and the United Kingdom we sent teams to Guyana to the refugee camp to make sure again as many people who had to flee the conflict could also participate in these proceedings now I'm going to also recognize many other people who made this happen who are here with us today first the extraordinary staff of the advocates for human rights everybody has really pitched in this week in particular I'd like to recognize our Deputy Director Jennifer press told Laura.

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Laura young. SIRLEAF you've met. Rosalind. Thank you Michelle Garnett McKenzie thank you. Thank you. And do your drove Brian. Thank you also we have many many volunteers and internes but I didn't particularly like to recognize Aaron McCabe. Thank you Michael Walters. Thank you and Maggie Crosbie Thank you.

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Also as I mentioned this day could not have been possible without the many many volunteers. Are making addict pictures and his film crew are all here as volunteers today to make sure for this whole week rather to make sure this can be webcast Georgia Tech is volunteering with Web streaming.

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We have the maverick court reporters who are here making sure that everything is testimony is transcribed. The Center for Victims of Torture the first torture treatment center in the country based here in Minnesota is here to work with our witnesses thank the Center for restored and justice and peace making.

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Thank you Chris Carlson in the Guthrie Theater Thank you. And I'd like to now also recognize members of the Liberian ministers Association father Wilson and Reverend Howard. Will also be working with with witnesses here. Now I would like to also recognize many of our guests from the Liberian community we have with us consul general Alex.

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The president of the union of Liberia associations of the Americas President manual. The organization of Liberians of Minnesota Mr Corporate one. Also we have the organizations of like the organization of librarians of Chicago President Mr Black Tim. Or the organization of Liberians of the Piedmont president Hunter. Thank you very much.

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We also have many other regional leaders County Association heads and organizational representatives from other Liberian organizations and we warmly welcome you all here as well. We have many international organizational Representatives some are here this morning and some will be joining us as we go through the testimony this week here from Liberia representative.

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Later this week we'll be joined by the Liberia desk officer of the United States Department of State Peter Davis from Mill Raphael. From the International Center for Transitional Justice Ruben Kuranda. We also have with us some of our political leaders from Minnesota. We have Representative from Senator Amy clover char's office a representative from Senator Norm Coleman's office a representative from Betty McCollum office.

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Thank you and also we have with us representatives from the city of Minneapolis and St Paul. Thank you and the City of Brooklyn Center and the City of Brooklyn Park thank. You. And I'd like to extend personal warm regards to chairman of the commissioners. Were through. That you're here with us and we want to thank you so much for all your hard work what you're doing for human rights in the world and peace building it's very important and we're very happy to have you here today.

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Also last but certainly not least I want to thank all of the witnesses who are here today they're extremely brave they're speaking out for the future of Liberia they're speaking out for peace for human rights they're speaking on behalf of those who we lost who can't speak out for themselves and we create their time and their energy and their bravery being here with us.

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But I'd like to in closing just thank you all for being part of this important transition to a vibrant and peaceful Liberia where every human being's human rights are respected thank you very much. Thank you Robert and please give it all for my executive director once again Dr rather than our lives.

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Thank you very much thank you all you know as Robin indicated this is a very as solemn occasion it is on like any I have certainly as seeing here in this country since I've been here. And so we have treated such as we proceed to of the program and of these proceedings today you will recognize how suckered house this is as you listen to a commission known as as you listen to to witnesses and all the dignitaries and leaders and friends have come here today to support us you will recognize that and will X. you all to respect such as we proceed.

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I would now like to invite. Some of our community leaders you know in Liberia Here are key matters leadership or Terje. For me as a young president standing here if I had done in bad these leaders. In their proper order I could be in serious trouble with them and saw as a matter of tradition as a matter of custom and therefore at this time I found much ado I like to call on the president of the union of Liberian associations in America as you know there Robyn also mentioned that he and we we have she mentioned several are going to.

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Meet are going to from various states all of these are going to have an umbrella organization which governs the affairs of all I.B.M. groups in North America which is you a lot and therefore and the president who happens to be a very dynamic person whom I've known and a mayor for a long time is here with us today Grisel of the dessication saw I would like to invite Mr Emanuel S.Y.D. Mr President welcome again to the Twin Cities and.

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Thank you very much with their friend. Robin thing you've read waving the direction and I just want to continue where you started from she list to Arab I wanted to on so you know I would get them to you know I went on to your news of on the vice president on a bio and anyone know want to open up the press and yet.

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So I'm gets caught in a way so if I don't call you in the end you know it's a seamless because what my breast is doing there you know where we're going now to commission my friend brother Vaadia. That theme which. I'm very happy. That we are powerless process.

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And. We are part of the process we are very very part of the whole process. In the air that seventy's. The political landscape in Liberia was not a balance. Group of labyrinths to this in the United States decided. That it was town participated in the process and they decided to form what we called the library and Student Association.

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It started with the state of New York new jazz it for the deaf ear and Washington D.C.. Some of the names at the time G. back as Matthew. Tall were you just said. To the name a few. They decided that the people on Liberia were not benefiting from the political landscape with our resources.

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And no group of student came together. After men and transmission. The group extended to other states. And that gave birth to what we call Union in one thousand seven to four. Liberians in the diaspora said look if we have to go home to participate we that should be a transparent democratic process and do the students started.

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This movement. And is very proud. People have got our names. We are trouble because an afternoon but there's one thing that we want to say. That we said that after they did no reason that we cannot have a martyr part the process in Liberia if that be what we have to champion the cause of our people there should be more than want by.

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The absolute nor reason. Why the people are not broke and I benefit. Too did we on to say that the John of our generation before us have produced Africa first elected female president we have very on. Now under the war is over. Our options. At their friends opportunity have come in our parents in history of our children our year so you cannot do what she did yesterday we are convening that to some level.

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That the marked up process democratic thing going on in Liberia and we are happy. To say that in the history of our country we had an election where there were more than ten parties and nobody. Can say that they were beating the what you saw Ted open are on the heart and right everybody participated in the process at least we are happy to see that again let me say to you that you know I was in Ghana the peace accord that led to the end of the world you know I was in Ghana and you don't sign the document so when i gess talking we are part of the process today we have our parents here we have our people immigration status we have issues and you that again is chapter in our course of immigration.

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And let it be known. That I would never say supposedly from my birth to return to the darker days. In our life time there will always be a democratic process. And we are happy that this commission is here to allow our people to avoid what they have to say.

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Ladies and gentlemen. Never ever. Never in our town. That people of Lybrel be denied the democratic right never ever. Will not be ten to the diag ideas. We me for that we stand for and will live. With our friends inviolate partners. Liberia better days ahead and our children will enjoy the good in D.C. ahead.

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We have sacrificed. Like any other country than any other generation. There was with our time things happen. The war is over. And we have to move. This process. My administration and supported our city because I began our corner store of our policy toward a peace process that and L'Alpe the people.

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Yes. And allow the people to express themselves in the process or to have one go and move on. And on. And their friend a brother like I always said I don't know how to address the what I call him a frank commissioner the guy would be on the go for long while I'm happy to share the stage for you and I thought I'm president.

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We'll make sure there's peace in Liberia and we would benefit for a democratic process in Liberia they had a gentleman may God bless the great United States of America. May God bless you love me God bless the people of Liberia thank you yes. Here thank you thank. President wary.

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Does illustrate to you and dad this occasion is going to be difficult. We will hear different versions of our history we will hear. Different aspects of our diversity. And saw we have to brace ourselves for death that's part of the work of the commission to help was reconcile history to help us to bring our diversity together we're diverse but we need to embrace and Worldcom our diversity and addressed how painful and difficult pasts and saw plays in German I will now invite it down chief of Liberia I mean it's sorta the president of the Liberian are going to zation of Liberians in Minnesota you know when you go to an African village even if you are the president of the republic you must see the town chief.

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If you don't see the town chief you have business is not going to go the way it's supposed to go into Africa community if you don't see that down chief you have business the visit in every community. Could be. Not an experience that you were to have and saw we are honored to have our town chief in our midst or a book on it's dry and you have people thank you.

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Thank you Ahmed. On behalf of the Liberian community in Minnesota. I want to take this time to extend a warm welcome. To. The commissioners and I also want to say a great thank you to the advocates for human rights for their tireless work on behalf of Liberians which began at the very birth it's been an honor to work with them on this project and other issues related to the interests of our community.

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We in this community have looked forward to this process with a mix of anticipation. Concern. Apprehension and hope. This is a very solemn process that is underway. It is a process that is critical to the future of our country. It is a process that honors those who can no longer speak for themselves while giving our children a foundation for tomorrow.

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Is a process that not only. Is instrumental in healing the wounds.