This Anti-Noise Pollution Advocacy I Strongly Support
PHOTO: The Author
By Joe Noutoua Wandah/Media Advocate/Contributing writer
What every Nation’ will ever crave and pray for in their existence is wisdom-driven stakeholders in all aspects of her democracy for proper implementation of national development agenda.
One of said wisdom-driven leaders is Liberia’s former President, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who, on numerous occasions, has spoken wisdom in for the betterment of the Nation!
I vividly recall during her stewardship as President, she told the World that her Nation’s educational system was a (MESS) which up to today’s date, no Liberian has challenged her statement in disapproving her assessment of this country’s educational systems!
Madam Sirleaf again has come to join the advocacy which has to do with national zoning regulations to control placement of Churches and Mosques in Liberia, which has become the new-found mediums some actors are infringing on the rights of non-practitioners of their faiths!
As enshrined, in the Environmental protection agency guidelines under section 41 of the environmental protection and management law those violating noise standards face steep penalties; a fine of up to USD $15.000 up to seven years in prison or both.
In the Words of Madam Sirleaf, the noise pollution that comes with the proliferation of churches and mosques established in all quarters of the Liberian Society ‘IT’S NOT FAIR’ for the community which the proliferation are everyday taking place in today’s Liberia!
The former President is advocating for proper zoning regulations to control the placement of Churches and Mosques stressing that unregulated construction in residential areas creates noise disturbances, and as such there must be an orderly system to protect the rights of homeowner’s.
Accordingly the former Liberian President, this advocacy is in line with the Public Nuisance law in Liberia, which regulates activities that unreasonably interfere with public health, safety or comfort with a strong focus on noise pollution within the environmental protection and management law.
Madam Sirleaf emphasized that while faith is important the current lack of oversight allows for a disturbance of residential peace and an infringement of the rights of local homeowner’s!
Accordingly, Madam Sirleaf says Liberians can’t have churches in every places, any place they want to put it. They just can’t in many places, a disturbance to people who have their homes and they have to listen to all of this. It’s not fair to them! She lamanted that ordinary Liberians must be respected in as much religious tolerance are acceptable within our jurisprudence.
But the law is the law no matter which group infringing on the rights of other Liberians under the name of religions!
Realistically speaking, the proliferation of churches and mosques all in the name evangelizing into these communities which just feet’s away from each other without regulations are not healthy for the Society!
The two major stakeholders in the practices of their faith must respect the sanity of each and every community they got their places of worships!
Studies has provided that noise exceeding certain levels affects the health of people, especially the hearts of human being especially with these religious entities which erect larger speakers and megaphones on their buildings. Surely, this completely disturbs public peace in communities, despite the existence of laws on the book’s that prohibit these practices!
I also recall during the regime of Madam Sirleaf, her then Public Works Minister took a church in the Gaye town community to court for violating her rights in noise pollution which raised more concerns? But unfortunately, the judicial system failed to interpret the laws to the letter to serve as a deterrent for would be violators as is the situation today prompting Madam Sirleaf to join the anti-noise pollution advocacy!
Due to compromises in the Liberian society, some citizens are deliberately abusing the rights of other peaceful Liberians all in the name of religions!
In more instances, those who talked about these outright violations are called pagans and don’t like God in their narrow religious beliefs/understanding despite laws prohibiting infringing on the Constitutional rights of others! The Liberian law provides that where I ne or group of individuals rights ends is where others rights begins!
The Environmental protection agency must forcibly implement their guidelines for the betterment of the Liberian society in which some Liberians have flatly refused to know that where their rights stop others people’s rights begin from there!
These religious entities must understand that Liberia is the Country of laws and not of men. The rule of law must supercede all religious beliefs and its practices! God is not the author of confusion so those following must know their limits in exercising their religious beliefs for the betterment of the greater good of the entire Nation Liberia!