Celebrating the Achievement of President Ellen Sirleaf Johnson

Floor Speech

* Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the President of Liberia, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, for recently being awarded the Noble Peace Prize for 2011. She was given the award in conjunction with peace activist Leymah Gbowee and pro-democracy campaigner Tawakkol Karman. The trio was recognized for their nonviolent role in promoting peace, democracy, and gender equality.

* In typical fashion, President Sirleaf gave credit to the Liberian people, ``For we are now going into our ninth year of peace and every Liberian has contributed to it. We particularly give this credit to Liberian women, who have consistently led the struggle for peace, even under conditions of neglect.''

* South Carolina has a special relationship with Liberia many founders of the Republic of Liberia having a South Carolina heritage. I know firsthand the mutual affection of the people of our two countries in that I was present for the re-opening of the AME University in Monrovia where my constituent African Methodist Episcopal Bishop David Daniels of West Columbia, presided with Pastor Ronnie Brailsford of Bethel AlVIE, Columbia, SC. Appropriately Bishop Daniels is the Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina and Liberia.

* Her leadership has proven instrumental in restoring democracy and lasting peace in Liberia which had been devastated by Civil War. President George W. Bush was effective in demanding abdication by the murderous dictator Charles Taylor.

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