Diompillor America - News around the Kissi Community

The Officers and members of Diompillor America, Inc. extend heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Phenda Karlyn Varnie for graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Business Administration from the historic Howard University.

The ceremony took place on May 14 on the campus of Howard University. Ms. Phenda Varnie is the daughter of Brother Milton Saah, a very strong member of Diompillor. Congratulations!

A note of thanks from the family

We, the family of the late Rebecca Kumba Turkett wish to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciations to the members and officers of Diompillor and all members of the kissi community who stood by us in our time of bereavement. We thank you for your gifts, your presence, your prayers, flowers, financial and all other contributions. You stood by us through the thick and thin of our worries and problems. We are much obliged and will remain ever grateful.

Sincerely


Jasper E. Kollie
For the family

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF DIOMPILLOR AMERICA, INC.


May 24, 2005

My Fellow Members of Diompillor/kissi Community-USA:

I write to encourage our entire Kissi Community-USA to please make plans to attend the Lofa County 15th National Convention, scheduled to be held in Philadelphia during this Memorial Weekend of May 27-30, 2005. I know by now that many of you have been receiving emails from the National Chairman of the Federation of Lofa County Associations In America, Mr. Francis Zazay. This is just to make sure that we join the efforts previously made by the leadership via emails to you all.

It is time for us to actively get involve in the affairs of our New Lofa County. I have attended several conventions in the past and very few of us were always in attendance. On the leadership level, very few of us have held positions and the support and participation of our own people have been very low as compared to other tribes of Lofa. I am not trying to be tribalistic, but if we agree that we are one of the powerful districts of Lofa County, it's very important for us to get involve in Lofa Affairs on all levels. Therefore, if you have not made up your mind to attend, I want to encourage you to please do so and let's all be there to represent our district and people. As the wise saying goes, you don't vote, you don't count. Do not be told about the new directions of Lofa County, be a part of the puzzle. Let all of us sit and discuss together how Lofa will be rebuilt and operated in the New Liberia.

For More info about the Convention, please call the following persons;

Mr. Gabriel Taylor ----215-724-3819

Mr. Daniel Solee ----- 301-497-2307

Mr. Montgomery T. Saah ----- 267-467-8808

I will see you all this Friday and Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love -Philadelphia.

Greetings,
Kendima Charyoe
President
Diompillor America, Inc.
__________________________________________________

Providence, May 23, 2005 - Former Diompillor President, John F. Josiah recently published a book entitled Presidential Trivia, Republic of Liberia 1847-2004.

The book contains over two hundred and fifty questions and answers that reflect the political, social, and economic profile of Liberia's Presidents from 1847 to 2004. According to President Josiah, “the questions are framed in a manner to depict the presidential Politics of Liberia since its independence in 1847 to the present.”

Commenting on his motivation for writing the book, Hon. Josiah said “it is important for Liberians to know little details about our history and especially about those who led us in the past.” He continued “many people will be surprised by what they will discover in the book.” The book is very informative and equally amusing with facts about Liberia’s past colonial agents, the governors, Vice presidents, and Presidents of Liberia. Few of the questions in the book are: Which President of Liberia granted the Natives of Liberia Citizenship to Liberia? Name the President who the League of Nations helped to remove from power due to his involvement in the Fernando Po slaves trade.

President John Josiah is the immediate past president of Diompillor America. He is also currently serving as a member of the National Board of Directors. Mr. Josiah led the organization through a very challenging transitional period, which saw at its conclusion, a smooth transition to the new leadership of current President H. Kendima Charyoe.


Hon. John Josiah’s book brings to 2: books recently authored by Kissi authors – the other is, Dirges for my homeland, authored by Saah Charles N'Tow the current national secretary.

The cost of Hon. John Josiah’s book is $15.00. It can be purchased directly from John Josiah, 14403 Banquo Terrace, Silver Spring, MD. 20906. Telephone Number is 301-603-1977

The Board of Directors, Elders and Youth of the Free Pentecostal Church Global Mission (Liberia) Inc. have honored the founder and president of Liberia Protect based in the United States of America, Mr. Daniel Solee. He was honored for his humanitarian contributions to the Church and state.

Performing the ceremony on Sunday, May 8, 2005 at separate occasions in Gardnersville and Sinkor, the Pastor of the Free Pentecostal Church Global Mission, Rev. Joseph T.S. Menjor recalled much assistance that Protect Liberia-USA has rendered the church.

He praised Solee, who hailed from Foya District in Lofa County, for his contribution to the development and growth of the Pentecostal Church in Liberia.

According to Pastor Menjor, the honoree, a former assistant minister, special assistant of the Ministry of Transport and former deputy commission of customs for operations, Ministry of Finance, donated cash, bibles, medical supplies and clothing to the church for the benefit of its members.

Liberia Project-USA is a humanitarian organization established in the USA by a group of Liberians headed by Solee to assist Liberians both in the US and Liberia. Its headquarters is in Laurel, Maryland, USA and has membership in several parts of that state.

The group has since noted that the prolonged civil conflict in Liberia has left the entire country in ruin, especially the church and urged other charitable and humanitarian organizations to come to the aid of Liberia.

Pastor Menjor used the occasion to inform Mr. Solee about the deplorable condition of the church branch in Foya Statutory District in Lofa County.

Responding, the honoree lauded the church for its “historic role” in promoting peace, reconciliation and reunification in war ravaged Liberia.

“Liberia has been severely destroyed by the prolonged civil war and now needs the concerted efforts of all Liberians,” he said.

He promised to convey the church’s sentiment to all Liberians currently seeking fortune in the USA. Foya University Students Association also honored Mr. Solee.

Tamba Hali was thrown into the fray in the second game of his true freshman season and has made very good strides on the field the last two seasons. But, making his collegiate football debut as an 18-year-old against Nebraska was nothing compared to some of his experiences in his native Liberia. The African nation was ravaged by civil war during Hali’s youth and he fled the country as a 10-year-old, joining his father, Henry, a chemistry and physics teacher who already was in the United States.

His mother, Rachel Keita, and much of his family still reside in Liberia and Hali remains hopeful that he will be reunited with his family in the near future. An athletic young man with a great deal of potential, Hali started 11 games last year at defensive tackle and is Penn State’s third-leading returning tackler. Prior to spring drills, he was shifted to defensive end, where he continued to flourish and solidified his position as a probable starter. A strong and driven leader, Hali brings tremendous athleticism, attitude and toughness to the D-Line and will be counted on for leadership and consistently productive play.

He has very good size, strength and quickness and has the ability to be a dominant physical presence. He has played in the last 24 games and joins Derek Wake as the Nittany Lions’ most experienced defensive linemen. Hali has the potential to be a big-play performer for the defense and emerge as an All-Big Ten candidate this season. Read more about this gentle hero...

In an attempt to build one community, the leadership of Hon. Henry Charyoe has set up a website. According to the leadership, the website is intended to serve as a clearing house for information in and around our community. The website can be accessed by Kissi people anywhere in the world. Hopefully, this would draw us much closer than ever. Information about the joys, sorrows, challenges, opportunities and threats we face will be posted on the site to keep us all informed. The website's address is: www.freewebs.com/diompillor. The secretary is encourage the entire membership and other Kissi people around the US and other parts of the world to utilize this very powerful tools. Members are encouraged to submit information about events in the community.

Following several unsuccessful attempts by the governments of Guinea and Sierra Leone to settle a simmering border conflict at Yenga in Koindu, Eastern Sierra Leone, a civil society initiative led by Parliamentarians and prominent citizens in the “Kissi” Chiefdoms in the tri-border area of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia is helping to address the issue by seeking an amicable resolution of the issue. USAID is giving this initiative support. more...