FOYA — Lofa County District One representative candidate, Thomas Fallah, says he is “deeply saddened” by the regrettable events that transpired Friday in the district that led to the death of at least two persons.
The Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker accused the opposition Unity Party for the attack, which claimed the lives of two persons believed to be partisans of the CDC.
Fallah in a press conference late Friday said: “I want to make it unequivocally clear that I had taken the responsible step of suspending our campaign activities for the day. I had instructed all partisans of the CDC in Foya to stay away from the streets to allow the peaceful conduct of the Unity Party campaign rally.”
“However, what occurred was far from the spirit of peace and democratic coexistence that our nation deserves. I was at home when I heard vitriolic chants emanating from members of the Unity Party at the junction leading to my compound, where the CDC headquarters is also located. These chants grew louder and more disturbing as Unity Partisans began throwing stones in my compound and destroying streetlights.”
Fallah, whose main rival in the October 10 legislative election is incumbent Francis Nyumalin of Unity Party, said thugs believed to be members of Unity Party, surrounded the compound of his residence in Foya, this district headquarters, and manhandled and killed two partisans on the facility of the compound. “Thanks to the joint security who came to de-escalate their unprovoked violence,” he said.
“In light of these regrettable events, I urgently call upon the Liberian National Police to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident. It is essential that justice is served, and those responsible for the violence are held accountable, regardless of their political affiliations. We must uphold the rule of law and ensure that such incidents do not repeat themselves.”
“Furthermore, I want to stress that violence has no place in our democratic process. I implore all CDCians to conduct themselves peacefully and to refrain from engaging in any form of confrontation with members of the opposition parties. Liberia deserves peace, and Foya, in particular, deserves better.”
“Let us remember the values of unity, tolerance, and respect for one another, which are the pillars of a vibrant democracy. In these challenging times, let us remain resolute in our commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Liberia. Together, we can build a brighter future for our nation.”