-President says: “Liberia is bigger than all of us”
After last week’s meeting with political party leaders, President George Manneh Weah is calling for a meeting with all Liberians to dialogue for national peace and reconciliation.
President Weah, who has been in office for nearly seven months, has declared that years of calamitous blood-letting, destruction and displacement must be enough reasons Liberians should create the corridor and environment to root and inculcate the tenets of peace, democracy and good governance, to ensure an equitable functioning society.
The Liberia leader was speaking over the weekend in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County during programs marking the “National Kukatornon” Peace Festival organized by the Liberia Crusaders for Peace along with partners to commemorate the signing of the Accra Peace Accord – 15 years ago that ended the country’s 14 years carnage.
His predecessor, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the close of her 12-year-rule admitted that her Unity Party government failed to achieve national reconciliation as well as failing the win the war on corruption.
President Weah noted that making and seeking peace and reconciliation is a national imperative and obligation that all Liberians should shoulder because “Liberia is bigger than all of us regardless of political identities and belonging,” an Executive Mansion Press release quotes the Liberian leader as saying.
According to the Liberian leader, peace must not be an issue of labiality and showiness, but must be pursued in truth and practicality, and emphasized “Let’s not just talk about peace, but we must act peace because we cannot talk about peace when we cannot reconcile.”
“Peace must not be taken lightly, because maintaining peace symbolizes patriotism,” President Weah stressed, adding, that maintaining Liberia’s peace means remembering those who paid ultimate sacrifices to get the country to this point.
President Weah reminded all Liberians that the time was now for them to seek the interest of their country and preserve the peace being enjoyed, which came on the back of sacrifices, in material and human lives, by international partners.
“Let our envy not be one of destruction and retribution; the infrastructural destruction and loss of dignity we suffered should remind us to keep the peace.”
President Weah said if Liberians take a deep reflection of what happened to them during the course of the civil war, they will choose peace over violence, and added “people die in war, this is why we must promote peace, democracy and good governance.”
He called on Liberians to take inspiration from the selfless, harmless and peaceful life style of former South African President Nelson Mandela to keep their country peaceful and live together.
Though his government came to power on the platform of “change for hope,” he was quick to also remind Liberians that hope would be impossible in the absence of peace.
“When I was playing in Europe, each and every Liberian made it their business to pray for me to be successful; the same prayers they offered for me when I was playing must be offered for Liberia to be peaceful,” President Weah pleaded.
At the same time, President has proposed a national peace dialogue with all Liberians in keeping with his desire to maintain and enhance national reconciliation and peace.
The proposal comes days after he held a one-day forum with the country’s political leaders to evoke the spirit of national unity and reconciliation.