–WCC pledges to join LCC to curb the mounting violence
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has expressed regrets for the instability and violence occurring in Liberia, a press statement released in Monrovia said on Thursday.
The WCC through its Division for Human Rights and Disarmament informed the President of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) that it is “very sorry to hear of the instability and violence which you are facing in Liberia”.
The statement comes as a consequence of recent violent actions in Electoral District 15 in Montserrado County emanating from the stalled by-election in that district.
The County has been engulfed by a wave of violent actions being carried out by people believed to belong to political parties or actors in the country.
Concerning instituting preventable actions to undermine violence in the country, the World Council of Churches assured that it will be willing to support the efforts of the LCC.
According to the World Council of Churches, it will also be engaged in networking and sharing information on developments in Liberia, worldwide, adding, “one upcoming opportunity in the UN system in Geneva will be the review of Liberia by the UN Human Rights Council in April or May next year”.
To inform that review, WCC suggests that the LCC submits a report on violent actions and actors in Liberia. The report is expected at the end of August 2019 for preliminary sharing by September 2019.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC) has constituted a fact-finding mission to determine the cause of the violence in District 15 on August 17, 2019, and subsequent political and electoral violence including the recent disruptions at Liberty Party and CDC Headquarters in Monrovia.
In a press statement signed by LCC President, Bishop Kortu Brown, the Council says it is also working on establishing an Ecumenical Observatory Group (EOG) against VIOLENCE to help PROTECT the peace, democracy and stability of the country, and to enhance accountability, justice and the rule of law.
The group is to monitor, document and report on all cases and perpetrators of violence, inciting languages, political intolerance and threats to peace, democracy and stability in the country, periodically – calling for national and international actions against perpetrators or inciters of violence. The World Council of Churches is a partner on this initiative.