Archbishop criticises injustice

Condemnation of corruption, immorality, and injustice in Liberian society by the Catholic Archbishop, Michael Francis, on Sunday, drew immediate concern from the government, Liberian newspapers reported.

"Our lives as individuals and as a nation are characterised with corruption, lies and deception, injustices and low salaries," the Inquirer newspaper on Monday reported Francis as saying in a pastoral letter. "The political and social structures in our country are sinful, leading to pressure on the people. We see daily how our people are being treated and their rights violated with impunity".

But the government, in an Information Ministry statement, said these vices were "not new to the Liberian society neither were they created by the Taylor administration", the New Liberia newspaper reported on Tuesday.

It expressed concern that Francis would condemn vices of a social and political nature and ignore the carnage that is being carried out against innocent Liberians by the dissidents in the northern Lofa County, the paper said.

"By failing to condemn this war in his pastoral message leaves one to wonder whether the good Bishop approves of the action of the dissidents," the statement said, adding that the government welcomed his criticisms and invited him to "use his vast experiences and resources to help solve the problem".

Last week, fighting intensified in Liberia's northwestern Gbarpolu County, neighbouring the war-wrecked northern Lofa County, forcing aid workers to withdraw to Monrovia. Calm was, however, restored in the area and the aid agencies returned as of Tuesday. The defence ministry blamed the fighting on the armed opposition fighters of the Liberians United for Reconciliation (LURD).