By William Selmah, selmahwm1015@yahoo.com
The longstanding dispute between Rivercess and Sinoe Counties over ownership of the Sehnkwehn River which borders the two sides has been resolved.
It ended with the signing of a pact at a ceremony recently in Monrovia that brought together stakeholders including student and youth groups, clerics, commissioners, superintendents, lawmakers among others from the two counties. The dialogue was held under the auspices of the Liberia Peace Building Office in collaboration with the Internal Affairs Ministry.
Despite the signing of a resolution and expressed the commitments of rival claimants to abide by the terms of the document, Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf warned the two parties that “we have not concluded anything yet, in the absence of the people on the ground”.
He said it was now the responsibility of signatories to the documents to return home and stimulate support for the agreement.
Mr. Varney at the same time assured that the dispute would be concluded in a fair, impartial manner, saying that is the surest way to a lasting solution to the conflict.
Representatives of Sinoe and Rivercess both agreed that respecting the terms of the agreement is the only way to prevent any reemergence of the boundary dispute and for inhabitants to peacefully coexist.
“Whatever comes out of this, let us accept”, Senator Augustine Chea of Sinoe admonished all, assuring that the people of his county will fully honor the agreement.
Similar assurance was given by Rivercess Senator Darius Gweh: “One thing that is required of us is commitment to the process; Rivercess will be committed to the outcome of this process”.
Rivercess and Sinoe both lay claims to the Sehnkwehn River, which is rich in marine culture and lies in the heart of Liberia’s portion of the Upper Guinea Forest.