By Augustine Octavius
Ahead of UNMIL’s scheduled complete pull out of Liberia in March 2018, the Inter Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) and other stakeholders are this week having a retreat in Liberia’s central city of Gbarnga, Bong County.
The five-day treat is being held in collaboration with the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) on conflict mediation after UNMIL’s departure from this country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the First Vice President of the Liberia Council of Churches, Lutheran Bishop Jensen Senyenkulo, who spoke on behalf of the IRCL’s President, Bishop Kortu Brown, called for unity among the religious faiths in Liberia.
He added that the significant role that the religious community plays in the society cannot be over emphasized.
Senyenkulo said the fact became even more clearly pronounced as all the political parties have agreed that the inter Religious Council as the only mediating body that they will recognize in the country .
The LCC First Vice president noted that with this kind of respect and recognition by the political parties comes with lot of responsibilities; principal among them is the need to maintain credibility.
“We cannot expect others to take us seriously in our call for unity when we ourselves are fractured”, and Bishop Senyenkulo added, “breaking away and forming separate groups weakens the impact we want to have on our society as well as it reinforces all that we stand against.”
He expressed the hope that this retreat will help the religious community will see the critical role it plays in the maintenance of peace after the departure of UNMIL.
Professor Debey Sayndee, the Director of the Kofi Annan Institute for Conflict Transformation at the University of Liberia commended the religious leaders for their efforts in maintenance of peace in the country.
He thanked the Inter Religious Council for involving the institute in the retreat aimed at sharpening the skills of religious leaders in maintaining peace after the departure of UNMIL.
For her part, the Vice Chairperson of the National Traditional Council of Liberia, Selta Saah called for the respect for all religions and do away with tribalism and segregation among the Liberian people.
Political parties are also taking part in the Gbarnga retreat.
Speaking on behalf of Inter Parties Consultative Committee (IPCC) Edward Sali, said the political parties will continue to support the Inter religious Council in its efforts in maintenance of peace in the country.
Sali said political parties have agreed never to use violence in pursuance of their grievances and admonished the council to broaden scope to have more representations.
According to the Program Assistant at the Inter Religious Council of Liberia, Kabah Trawally, the project, entitled: “Building IRCL Capacity After UNMIL,” in intended to strengthen the capacity of the council in mediating peace after the departure of UNMIL.
The ceremony was graced by Atty. Musa Bamba, Secretary General of the Inter Religious Council, Sheik Omaru Kamara, Chairman of the National Muslim Council of Liberia, who is also the Vice President of the Inter Religious Council and Sheik Akbu Sheriif, Secretary General of the National Muslim Council among others.