But Says Polls Were Peaceful And Commends Liberians
PHOTO: Cllr Dempster Brown, INCHR Chairman
The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) has hailed the peaceful conduct of the just-ended October 10 presidential and legislative elections in Liberia, but says “some polling centers lacked security officers during the early morning hours”.
INCHT in its October 11, 2023 monitoring report on the conduct of polling Day on Tuesday, commended Liberians for the peaceful conduct of the elections, saying that “they exercised their civil and political rights under the 1986 Constitution of Liberia”,
BELOW IS FULL TEXT OF THE INCHR STATEMENT:
October 11, 2023
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE LIBERIA INDEPENDENT NATIONAL COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTS ON THE MONITORING OF POLLING DAY
OCTOBER 2023 GENERAL PRESIDENTIAL AND LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS
Monrovia, Liberia: The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) commends the People of Liberia for their participation during the October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections as they exercised their civil and political rights under the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. The INCHR describes this effort as the commitment of Liberians to the democratic process.
The INCHR also recalls that participation in any electoral process cannot be effective unless a wide range of human rights are respected such as the freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom from discrimination, and freedom from fear and intimidation. Consequently, it is against these fundamental guarantees that the INCHR has conducted and continues to conduct human-rights-friendly monitoring during the pre-electoral, electoral, and post-electoral phases throughout the length and breadth of the Republic of Liberia.
INCHR monitoring conducted within the fifteen (15) political subdivisions identified the following:
- Polling day was generally peaceful, except for a few isolated cases of confusion and scrambling in the queues that were subsequently controlled through the intervention of state security;
- Whilst security officers were assigned at most polling centers, some polling centers lacked security officers during the early morning hours, and other security centers required increased security personnel as the hours advanced, and the crowds increased. The INCHR brought this matter to the attention of the relevant state actors and security officers were dispatched to these various localities;
- Voting at some polling centers were delayed due to logistical complaints on the side of the electoral monitoring body, the National Elections Commission (NEC). Notwithstanding, NEC formally committed to the expansion of voting time at these centers. In some instances, voting went beyond 6 p.m. Some of the logistical constraints reported include bad road conditions that made timely transportation of electoral materials difficult, ballot papers that were drenched due to the rain, and in a few instances, faulty ballot boxes;
- At all polling centers visited, priority was given to the elderly, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. Notwithstanding these exceptions, some centers had disability-unfriendly stairs that made access very difficult for persons with disabilities.
- The INCHR also noted that whilst tactile ballots were available for the blind, it was only offered based on request. In some instances, INCHR noted that the disabled in this category came to the polling centers with trusted relatives to vote for them;
- Although each precinct was assigned a queue controller, in precincts with a larger number of registered voters, a single queue controller proved to be inadequate, as it took a longer time to direct voters to their assigned polling centers within the precinct, and led to longer stand-up time for voters; 2
- The INCHR also observed the presence of poll watchers from various political parties, and independent candidates, and the smooth collaboration between these representatives and NEC workers;2The presence of national and international observers was noted throughout the 15 political subdivisions; and,
- The counting of ballot boxes commenced at the end of the close of polls and counting was conducted in the presence of political party representatives and accredited observers. Records of accounts were openly posted on the walls of the polling centers to give political party representatives and accredited observers the opportunity to take pictures for onward transmission.
Based on these observations, the INCHR commends the efforts of the National Elections Commission (NEC), State security, and their respective staff assigned in the various counties for the professional nature in which the elections were conducted, whilst at the same time calling for improvement in some of the areas identified above.
Cognizant that the monitoring and reporting of the 2023 National and General Elections by the INCHR is vital for the integrity of the electoral process, as well as the promotion of public confidence in the process, the INCHR remains committed to monitoring and reporting on the post-electoral phase of these elections. As such, it calls on all Liberians to exhibit a high degree of tolerance as the National Elections Commission begins the announcement of preliminary results. The INCHR believes that peace and stability are essential and that all Liberians are under obligation to maintain the peace we all enjoy while we all await the transparent and sincere counting of votes that reflects the will of the Liberian People.