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        Liberia's West Point Residents Happy Over State of Emergency End

   by James Butty

   The residents of Liberia's West Point, who bore the brunt of the state
   of emergency declared in response to the Ebola outbreak, have been
   rejoicing since it was lifted Thursday by President Ellen Johnson
   Sirleaf.

   With most of them marketers and peddlers, the state of emergency and
   its related restrictions deprived local residents of their daily way of
   life.

   The densely populated borough was quarantined for 10 days as part of
   government's efforts to control the spread of the Ebola virus.

   In August, soldiers opened fire on the residents during a protest,
   killing a 16-year old boy.

   Archie Ponpon, a member of Respect Incorporated, a local human rights
   NGO headquartered in West Point, said the residents feel as if they
   have just been released from jail for a crime they did not commit.

   "Many people are very much convinced and happy that they have fought a
   good fight for which the state of emergency has been lifted. It brought
   about a kind of walking out of jail after you have not committed a
   crime," he said.

   In announcing the lifting of the state of emergency, President Ellen
   Johnson Sirleaf said the fight against Ebola was not over, and that
   some restrictions would remain in place.

   "Until the national goal of zero new cases by Christmas is achieved all
   across the country, we will keep many of the previous measures in
   place, with appropriate adjustments consistent with the progress in our
   fight," the president said.

   She said markets can reopen, and a curfew will be pushed back to
   midnight in non-affected areas.

   Sirleaf said 10 of Liberia's 15 counties have reported no new cases of
   Ebola for nearly a week.

   Ponpon said there is no direct correlation between the state of
   emergency and reduction in the number of Ebola cases.

   "Technically the state of emergency did not play a role in terms of
   reducing the number of Ebola cases. What it did is that it just created
   a situation where people were forced to interact with each other on a
   closed basis. Many people in West Point saw it from the militant
   standpoint where somebody had to die," Ponpon said.

   This week, a military disciplinary board found a platoon commander, Lt
   Aloysius Quaye and four other soldiers guilty for their role in the
   August shooting in which the 16-year old boy was killed and three
   others wounded.

   Ponpon said West Point citizens held two days of protest against the
   report because it did not call for the removal of the commissioner of
   West Point who the residents blame for the violence.

   He also said the residents remain perplexed about the report's finding
   because it did not establish which soldier or soldiers fired the fatal
   shots.

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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/liberias-west-point-residents-happy-o
   ver-state-of-emergency-end/2519984.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/liberias-west-point-residents-happy-over-state-of-emergency-end/2519984.html