The Association of Liberian Students in India (ALSI) is sounding the alarm and calling for urgent government intervention as rising geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan place thousands of Liberian nationals, mainly students, in immediate danger.
With no Liberian embassy, consulate, or official diplomatic presence in India, over 4,000 Liberians, primarily students pursuing education in northern and western regions, now find themselves stranded in high-alert areas amid growing regional instability. States such as Punjab, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Kapurthala have been classified as sensitive zones, triggering widespread fear among the Liberian student population.
In a strongly worded statement issued today, ALSI’s National Executive Council appealed directly to the Government of the Republic of Liberia to take decisive action. “Liberians are exposed and unprotected. The government must act now,” the statement read.
According to ALSI, a detailed Position Paper and Advocacy Brief was submitted on October 2, 2024, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the President, laying out the urgent need for a consular mission and emergency response infrastructure in India. This followed an earlier high-level engagement with Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung on August 25, 2024, and further communications sent to both chambers of the Legislature.
Despite these efforts, ALSI says there has been no tangible action from Monrovia, leaving Liberians in India feeling abandoned.
The Association outlined four critical demands:
Immediate diplomatic intervention by the Government of Liberia; Deployment of emergency consular services or temporary mission personnel; Activation of an evacuation and response contingency plan; Fast-tracked establishment of a Liberian consulate or honorary consular presence in India.
“ALSI will continue to mobilize and protect its members to the best of our ability, but the government of Liberia must fulfill its constitutional and moral obligation to safeguard its citizens, regardless of where they are,” the statement concluded.
ALSI is also appealing to local and international advocacy groups, civil society organizations, and humanitarian bodies to stand in solidarity and ensure that the rights and safety of Liberians in India are protected amid this unfolding crisis.
As the Indo-Pak situation continues to evolve, the safety of Liberians in the region remains uncertain without immediate intervention.
