By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
As the National Elections Commission prepares for the registration of voters on the voters registration roll on Friday, the Inter Religious Council of Liberia has called on political parties to demilitarize their youth wings.
The Council’s President, Bishop Kortu Brown said this should be done by mobilizing and orientating youths in political parties into worthwhile ventures, in order for them to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development in the country.
Last weekend, violence erupted between the supporters of two opposing candidates in the four-party Collaborating Political Parties (CPP)–Edith Gongloe-Ware of the Liberty Party and Taa Wongbe of the Alternative National Congress—in their Nimba County primaries. Several persons got injured amid throwing of stones and other objective among rival supporters in the northeastern city of Sanniquellie.
In recent times, both the ruling CDC party and some opposition parties have seen the rise in militancy, with the stepping up of activities of youth militant brigades.
Bishop Kortu Brown, who is also the President of the Liberia Council of Churches, said the militarization of youths has the propensity of preparing them for electoral and political violent conflict.
FLASHBACK: Victim-political parties youth
violence during Mont. Dist#13 Bi-election
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, Bishop Brown pointed out that as long as political parties are militarizing youths in preparation for violence, conflict, political and electoral violence, it will eventually erupt one day, because whatever one prepares will occur as it is what you are asking God for.
The Bishop is therefore proposing that political parties demobilize the militants and mobilize young people through the provision of training and other vocational skills that they can use after heated electioneering season is over.
“Most of these children do not have the experience of what we went through the 14 years of bloody civil war in which more than 250,000 people were killed,” he said ; adding “ most of us have all our families here and we do not have funding to leave this country as others will choose to do.”
“We cautioned young people not to allow them to be used as an instrument of violence against your fellow Liberians because you young people will eventually inherit the country after this generation of politicians leave the scene,” Bishop Brown averred
Meanwhile, the Inter Religious Council of Liberia has strongly condemned the violence that broke out during the primary of the Collaborating Political Parties held in Nimba County.
Speaking further, Bishop Brown said violence whether in the Collaborating Political Parties or the Coalition for Democratic Change is totally unacceptable, disappointing and must not be tolerated in any part in Liberia.
“Political parties are government in waiting and politicians should set good examples for the young people to follow and emulate.” Bishop Brown added.
The Inter Religious Council of Liberia President pointed out that Liberians need to graduate from writing letters on issues in the country and sending copies to the United States Embassy, ECOWAS and the European Union as if this is a new country.
“Every political party, civil society organizations and pressure groups write letters about issue in the country will always send photo copies to our partners as if we are unable to maintain the peace among ourselves.”
“The partners will buttress efforts by our efforts in maintaining the peace and only Liberians will take the responsibility of keeping the country stable because our partners will not do for us what we need to do for ourselves.”
Commenting on the voters registration that is expected to begin by the National Elections Commission this Friday , the Inter Religious Council of Liberia President called on Liberians to demonstrate their civil duty by turning out in large number to register in order to vote during the senatorial election slated for December 8, 2020.
Bishop Brown said this call is necessary because the council has received reports of some people expressing disappointment in the performances of the elected officials.
According to Bishop Brown, Liberians need to participate in voter registration process in order to take part in the decision making that will help shape the destiny and future country.
According to the Bishop, this is not the time for Liberians to say this is the people thing and as such all those who have not register in the past should ensure that they form part of the voter registration roll this year.
The Liberian cleric also admonished political parties to ensure that they participate in cleaning the voter registration roll as demanded by the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Bishop Brown appealed to political parties and politicians to avoid violence because any negative event has the propensity of painting a bad image of the country to its partners.