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Roundup: Liberian Soccer Great Weah Rallies Huge Support As UN Calls for Peaceful Polls

Posted on: Sunday, 9 October 2005, 09:00 CDT

Roundup: Liberian soccer great Weah rallies huge support as UN calls for peaceful polls

MONROVIA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tens of thousands Liberians paraded through the streets of capital Monrovia Saturday, displaying support for football-star-turned-politician George Weah, as the United Nations called for a peaceful poll of the turbulent country.

Dressed in white T-shirts with portrait of Weah, the seemingly endless queue of supporters marched miles from outskirts of Monrovia to his party's headquarters to hear a speech of their " next president" to climax a seven-week campaign.

"Politicians, where are you? Weah is in the Mansion (state house)," they chanted, depicting the result of next Tuesday's presidential election as a full-gone conclusion. "Weah is the only man who has this country at heart. He will make a good president," a supporter told Xinhua.

At dusk, Weah addressed his supporters who had defied rains to listen to him. "The people of this country love me and have confidence in me that is why I decided to run for the presidency," Weah said.

The former FIFA footballer of the year, just back from a one- week campaign tour of rural areas, saw himself as "a role model" and assured the crowd that he would fight to "alleviate poverty from the society" if he was elected.

"Those who have misused and abused the people will never be elected in this country," he said, amidst a storm of applause, noting "past leaders had brought suffering to the people and amassed wealth through corruption."

Regarding unemployment in the country, which is estimated at 85 percent, he said "every Liberian should be employed because we have the resources to do that."

Weah, 39, was born in the slum of Clara Town near Monrovia and grew up playing football in poor neighborhoods and eventually turned his talent into a professional career. In 1995, he became the first African to be awarded the prestigious FIFA World Player of the Year when he played for Italian club AC Milan.

Weah is seen as a patriot and one who would work to pull his country out the rubbles of a bloody 14-year civil war from 1989 to 2003 that claimed about 250,000 lives.

At first, many politicians took him for a joke when he announced his intention for the presidency. But as he managed to yield huge support, his opponents criticized him as not being suitable for the job because he didn't complete high school. However, Weah himself and his supporters do not take this as a problem.

"No issues of education, but just who can do for the country," said 30-year-old Herry Bombo, outside the headquarters of Weah's Congress for Democratic Change party.

Another supporter, Angnstini Sasay, 62, took the example of former Liberian president Samuel Doe, saying "though he is not educated, he brought development to the country."

Liberia will hold its first post-civil war elections next Tuesday, and some 1.3 million Liberians of the 3-million population are expected to cast their votes to elect their president from among 22 presidential candidates.

Weah, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a former World Bank economist, Charles Brumskine, former senator and Varney Sherman, a lawyer are considered front-runners.

Poll results are expected to be announced within 15 days from the date of the elections.

A presidential candidate with over 50 percent votes would be declared winner, if not, there would be a run-off within three weeks between the two candidates with the highest number of votes. WORRIES OF TROUBLE, UN'S WARNING

As Weah demonstrated his huge popularity in the pre-vote rally, there are worries that troubles might arise in the land where the bloodiest civil war in recent African history was witnessed.

Although over 100,000 former combatants were disarmed by the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), there are concerns that those who did not turned in their weapons could caused mischief during the elections. But the UN mission had warned that it would deal robustly with anyone who attempts to cause trouble.

So far, "the election process has been free of violence," UN Secretary General's Special Representative to Liberia, Allen Doss said Saturday.

"The elections and UNMIL presence are a first step in the long- term protection of Liberia," he added.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

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